August Newsletter - The path of gemstones through human history

Usually at around about this time some of us are planning for our children to head back to school after the long summer holidays while others are getting excited about the upcoming football or soccer season. In Europe it seems that the whole place shuts down for August!

Wherever you are in the world at the moment I am pretty sure your August is a little different this year!

What hasn’t changed however is the wide array of gemstones we have here at GemSelect.

Mankind has sought, admired, loved, worn and given gemstones for at least 10,000 years and if it can survive ice-ages, volcanoes, tsunamis, wars, plagues and various other disasters it can sure survive the latest adversities.

In fact I think the spiritual and visual attractiveness of these rare and skillfully cut gemstones can be so uplifting in times like these.

Gemstones are one of our most dependable and long-lasting friends. Emeralds were loved by the Egyptians as early as 2000 BC, diamonds known to the Hindus of India at least 3000 years ago and Rubies and Sapphires were sought after in Europe as far back as 600 BC.

In 1150 AD, famed Arabian scholar, Teifaschi, ranked gemstones in this order – emerald, diamond, ruby and sapphire – not much has changed in a 100 years!

Did you know?

The emerald cut was developed over 500 years ago as a way of avoiding fracturing the precious green gemstone during cutting and when being worn. Diamond cutters realized this style could enhance the clarity and give diamonds a more sophisticated look and began to use the emerald cut too. When the clean lines and symmetry of the Art Deco style became popular in the 1920s the emerald cut really took off.

Last month I promised an article on Ethical gemstones and you can find it here:

Read our article about Ethical gemstones

We hope you like it and would appreciate any feedback or questions.

Every newsletter, I like to talk about the upcoming birthstones but one or two of you out there keep telling me that by the time they read the reminder it is too late to order a gemstone in time (especially with some of the shipping delays some countries are experiencing). So this month I will mention August and September birthstones.

First, the gemstones for August. If you are lucky enough to have a birthday in August not only can you have your party at the beach or in the garden but you also have the choice of two fantastic gemstones.

Spinel may not be a very familiar name but it is a very historic gemstone and was once interchangeable with rubies before scientists accurately defined the differences. Many of the large red rubies in the Crown jewels of Kings and Queens throughout Europe and Asia are actually Spinels.

Then we have my personal favorite, Peridot, a lively green gemstone with yellow or golden flashes that seem to almost glow in the dark. My wife has her birthday in August so I am on the lookout for a good example right now – not very difficult as they all look fantastic!

And as a reminder to all those thinking about a September gemstone gift for a loved one, next month’s birthstone is the mighty Sapphire. They come in all colors and are the rulers of the colored gemstone world.

You can get all the information you need on birthstones right here.

I try to find some interesting spiritual gemstones for you each month and with it being so hot and muggy outside I thought a cooling gemstone would be just what is needed.

For everyone suffering the heat of August I have chosen the perfect gemstone to chill you right down – a cool blue Aquamarine. Gazing at this gorgeous crystal will feel like a revitalizing dip in the ocean and a refreshing breeze at the same time.

Let’s not forget our friends in the southern hemisphere who are in the middle of winter right now. A warming orange Carnelian is ideal for this time of year, not only will the color brighten your day but the gemstone’s healing power will help fight off colds and flu.

That reminds me, we recently finished a series of articles on gemstones for all the seasons and you might want to take a look at Summer right here:

Gemstones for Summer, a complete guide

On this article you will find links to autumn, winter and spring too.

Customer Questions

Every month we answer questions of general interest from our customers. Please feel free to send your questions or suggestions to our support team at help@gemselect.com

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Happy Gemstone Hunting!

Team GemSelect