Only 2 signs have 3 birthstones: Gemini and Sagittarius. Sometimes alternate birthstones are chosen because the ancient birthstone has become rare, but it isn’t really clear why Gemini has so many. Whatever the reason, those born in June can choose the pearl, alexandrite, or moonstone as their birthstone.
Mythology claims pearls are the teardrops of mythical creatures such as mermaids or angels, or perhaps drops of the moon that fell into the sea, or perhaps they dropped from Aphrodite as she emerged from the sea.
The pearl is unique among gems because it does not require any cutting or polishing after harvesting. It is also created by a living organism, not extracted from the lifeless rock. Perhaps that is why the pearl is imbued with the qualities of health, longevity, purity, and beauty. Pearls are treasures from the Earth’s streams, rivers, lakes, seas, and oceans. They’ve always embodied the mystery, power, and life-sustaining nature of water. The spherical shape of some pearls also led many cultures to associate this gem with the moon. In ancient China, pearls were believed to guarantee protection from fire and fire-breathing dragons. Doesn\’t matter the origin Pearls are treasures from the Earth’s streams, rivers, lakes, seas, and oceans. They’ve always embodied the mystery, power, and life-sustaining nature of water.
“Jewelry needs to fulfill the function for which it came into being. The only way that a Jewelry Designer will see its art in LIFE is with the eyes, the mind, and the heart of the Spectator.
The viewer in the last stroke in any jewelry piece”.
– Ines Arenas Jewelry Gallery
The other accepted June Birthstone is quite suited to its Zodiac sign, The Twins. Alexandrite is described as an extremely rare chrysoberyl with chameleon-like qualities. The best description is “Emerald by day, ruby by night\”; because it’s a pleochroic gem, which means it can show different colors when viewed from different angles and under different light sources. Yes, this is the same stone under different lighting. Few stones carry such a broad spectrum in such rich tones. It truly lives up to the name “nature’s magic trick”. Alexandrite, first discovered in the Ural Mountains in the 1830s, is named for the Russian czar Alexander II. It was a very popular gem in Russia because its red and green hues mirrored the Russian imperial colors.
The third accepted June Birthstone is Moonstone, which shares characteristics of the other two stones: it has the shimmer of pearl, and, while not as dramatic, some color-changing properties of Alexandrite. The floating play of light, or adularescence, shrouds the gem in magical and mystical lore; ancient Romans thought it was made of solidified moonbeams, while the Greeks identified it with the goddesses such as Pheobe and Artemis. (From silviecollection.com).
In generals it’s believed that pearls would at least keep new brides from crying, alexandrite will keep joy and good fortune and the moonstone will give deeper spiritual knowledge. Are just the perfect 3 wishes, so to the ones born in June Happy Birthday and enjoy the good fortune!
Best Option For June Birthstone
June Birthstone Alexandrite: is #8.5 on the Mohs scale and has excellent toughness. Sources are Brazil, East Africa, Russia, and Sri Lanka. Alexandrite is a rare chrysoberyl variety with chameleon-like qualities. Its color is a lovely green in daylight or fluorescent light, but it changes to brownish or purplish-red in the incandescent light from a lamp or candle flame.
June Birthstone Pearl: is #2.5 to #4 on the Mohs scale. Toughness is usually good, but variable due to aging, dehydration, and sometimes excessive bleaching during initial processing. Perhaps the best-loved gems of all time, their modern counterpart, cultured pearl, occur in a wide variety of colors. The most familiar colors are white and cream.
June Birthstone Moonstone Feldspar: is #6 to #6.5 on the Mohs scale, it’s poor in toughness because of its cleavage. Moonstone ranges from semi-transparent to opaque.
How To Choose the Best June Birthstone?
June Birthstone Alexandrite: is extremely rare and can be very valuable. For those lucky enough to own one, alexandrite is a genuinely eye-catching gemstone. The most unique and important attribute of alexandrite is its color. Fine alexandrite is green to bluish-green in daylight and red to purplish-red in incandescent light. As a rule, the higher the saturation of a colored stone, the higher the value.
The value of alexandrite stones depends on the 4 Cs, knowing that it’s a rare stone. You want to look for fine-quality stones that offer more dramatic color change and higher clarity.
However, in terms of Alexandrites, it’s not just the saturation or tone and hue that affect the value. It is also the extent of the color change. The stronger the dual colors are, the more valuable the stone becomes.
You must identify whether your stone is just a color-changing chrysoberyl or a true Alexandrite.
It’s critical to evaluate the clarity of your alexandrite to ensure that there are no visible inclusions in the stone. Generally, if a gemstone is less included it is more valuable. However, those rare exceptions such as that of a morganite gemstone where the inclusions can raise the value of the stone.
Alexandrites are a challenge to cutters because they have to ensure that both colors of the stone will appear face up when illuminated. Alexandrites are typically cut into shapes known as mixed-cuts. These contain brilliant-cut crowns and step-cut pavilions. For stones that are highly included, the cat’s eye cabochon makes for a good cut. This type of cut exhibits the alexandrite’s beautiful reflection of the light coming from the cat’s eye effect.
Regarding Alexandrite Carat Weight, alexandrites are very rare since there are only limited deposits in the world. The largest known Alexandrite originated from Sri Lanka and weighs about 65.7 carats! But usually, alexandrite jewelry doesn’t weigh more than 1 carat.
If you want to purchase an alexandrite but are on a budget, there are two ways to go about it. First, you can purchase a heavier, larger alexandrite with less color change. That way you have the size but not so much the magical Alexandrite Effect. Second, you can go for a smaller one that exhibits a larger scale of color difference, compromising size for color change.
But if you are going to purchase an alexandrite, you must remember that its distinct quality is always the color change. Remember the two critical factors in an Alexandrite value are: color change and color value.
A stone’s color may appear rich but may not change much, meaningless value. The higher the percentage of change, the higher the value, and the closer the colors are too pure green/pure red, the more valuable the stone becomes. Pure greens/reds are more valuable since these can exhibit higher color contrast. The most valued stones would be the richly colored pure green/pure red pieces with 100% color change.
June Birthstone Moonstones: come in a few different colors, with the most beautiful and sought after being blue. It is most often find it in cabochons and carvings, set in rings and pendants, as well as the popular beaded necklaces and bracelets. It’s usually colorless, white, or light bluish-gray with white or blue adolescence. Other colors include light green, yellow, brown, and sometimes gray to black.
The overall quality and value of moonstone are determined by the 4 Cs:
• Color: Fine moonstone has a kind of glassy purity, is adularescence (shows movement), and has a bright blue shimmer. Moonstone that displays adularescence is also highly valued as it adds to the beauty of the stone and can affect how the color appears. Buyers often look for stones that have a wider area of blue sheen in the center of the stone
• Clarity: Many stones have some inclusions/tiny tension cracks. Inside it which are known as centipedes. These are unsightly and interferes with the adularescence. The clearer the stone, the more valuable it is. Prices for moonstones range from $10 to $1000, with clear moonstones free of inclusions such as centipedes or unappealing greenish tints commanding the highest prices.
• Cut: Cabochon is the most common cut, which shows the adularescence the best and retains the beauty of the stone. are commonly cut into beads, cabochons, or faceted. However, faceted moonstones are increasing in popularity due to their ability of hiding inclusions within the stone. One of the most popular cuts for moonstone is rose cut as it highlights the color and texture of the stone, adding depth and angles. Moonstones can also be carved and were sometimes used for cameos or intaglios in the past.
• Carat Weight: Moonstone comes in a wide range of sizes and carat weights. Moonstones are found in both large and small sizes. Jewelers often prefer 1 to 5 carats, which are easily available, for jewelry designs. Larger and clearer stones of about 15 to 20 carats are very rare and of high value. The largest moonstone ever found is supposed to weigh between 300 to 450 carats!
June Birthstone Pearls: The body color is often modified by additional colors called overtones, which are typically pink (called rose), green, purple, or blue, and some pearls show the iridescent phenomenon known as orient. Decide what type of pearl suits your style and budget.
The price is going to depend on the varieties of pearls as well based on how and where they are cultured. In general, the type of Pearls are:
• Freshwater: cultured in streams, rivers, and lakes and available in a wide range of sizes, shapes, and colors.
• Akoya: the typical range is 6-8mm; white to cream body color, also available in yellow, gray, and blue.
• South Sea: the typical range is 8-18mm; white, cream, and golden body color.
• Tahitian: the typical range is 8-17mm; body color ranges from white to black and dark metallic greens and purples.
• Keshi: form in mollusks that are undergoing pearl cultivation (small like poppyseeds).
A strand of pearls can range from $35 – $35,000+, so understanding the different types of Pearls and pearl prices will help you narrow down your choice.
And a difference of Gemstones that their price depends very often on the 4C\’; in pearls, the price depends on the following characteristics:
• Shapes: when dealing with cultured pearls several factors will determine the overall value of a pearl. The biggest factor is shape. Round pearls almost always command the highest price, but many love the uniqueness of baroque and off-round pearls as well.
• Surface: the surface of a pearl is another important factor to consider; the cleaner the pearl\’s surface the better. A pearl is a natural gemstone so there will always be some form of imperfection, but as long as they are minor, they won\’t be noticeable when worn.
• Luster: Related to the surface is luster; a poor surface will negatively impact the luster of a pearl. High luster is what all pearl buyers are looking for; a high-quality pearl with a high luster will be almost mirror-like in appearance. A pearl\’s luster is what makes a pearl \”pop\” and stand out.
• Size: Last but possibly most important is size, and in the case of pearls, size matters. Traditionally a woman will \”earn the right\” to wear larger pearls as she matures. A good rule of thumb is to choose pearls 7mm and larger for adult women and keep anything smaller reserved for young girls and teenagers.
But as we mentioned before Pearls is another whole different world inside the Gemology world.
How To Take Care of Your June Birthstone Jewelry?
The best way to clean Alexandrite and Moonstone jewelry are in a bowl of water with a few drops of ordinary dish detergent. Then just rinse and dry with a soft cloth. Alexandrite jewelry can also be cleaned in an ultrasonic bath or steam cleaned without any problems.
To keep your Alexandrite and Moonstone jewelry looking brilliant, remove it before vigorous exercise or working with your hands.
Don\’t store your jewelry items in a pile or a tangle in a drawer. Alexandrites and Moonstones as other gemstones can scratch each other and also damage the finish on the metalwork so store every jewelry item separately in its bag or compartment.
Pearls, as we mentioned before in Gemology they have another different and dedicated chapter, but in general, the recommendations are:
1. After every wear, wipe your pearls with a soft cloth. This will help prevent any buildup of oils or other substances that may have come in contact with your jewelry throughout the day.
2. Clean with a damp cloth only as needed. If your pearls are visibly stained, you can mix a solution of lukewarm water and mild dish soap, dip a soft cleaning cloth in it and wipe the pearls. Do NOT submerge a pearl necklace in water, as it will weaken the silk thread.
3. Let them dry before storing. Again, this helps preserve the elasticity of the silk strand.
4. Take them to your jeweler once a year. While you want to wear your pearls often to keep them hydrated, all that body oil doesn\’t do the silk thread any favors. Make sure to have your jeweler check the integrity of your pearl bracelets and necklaces once a year. They can also give them a thorough, safe cleaning.
