You are fortunate to have three birthstones to call your own if you were born in the month of June. Only three monthsJune, August, and Decemberhave three birthstones each, providing you a wide selection of lovely birthstones to choose from.
Moonstone, alexandrite, and pearl are the birthstones for June. Due to the variety of colors and price ranges these gems offer, people with June birthdays can find a birthstone that suits their mood or budget.
In This Article...
What exactly is the June birthstone?
Pearls are biological, in contrast to the majority of gemstones discovered on Earth. Simply said, they develop within specific varieties of oyster and clam shells. Some pearls are naturally occurring in mollusks that live in freshwater or saltwater, such as rivers. Today, a large number of pearls are cultured, or grown in oyster farms, which supports a robust pearl business. Aragonite, a moderately soft carbonate mineral (CaCO3) that also makes up mollusc shells, is the main component of pearls.
When a tiny rock piece, sand grain, or parasite enters the mollusk’s shell, a pearl is created. The oyster or clam reacts by covering the foreign substance with successive layers of shell material because it bothers them. The majority of pearls that form on the inside of the shell have a skewed shape and little commercial value. The spherical or pear-shaped ones, which originate within the mollusk’s tissue, are much sought for for jewelry.
Pearls come in several colors
Pearls are among the most expensive gemstones due to their distinctively delicate translucence and shine. The type of mollusk that created the pearl as well as its surroundings affect the hue. Generally speaking, white pearls are the most popular and well-known color. But pearls also come in delicate tones of mauve, blue, yellow, lavender, green, cream, and gray. The waters around several islands in the Pacific Ocean and the Gulf of Mexico both contain black pearls. Oriental pearls, which are superb cream-colored pearls, are well-known to come from Sri Lanka and the Persian Gulf. The waters around the Indonesian island of Celebes, the Gulf of California, and the Pacific coast of Mexico are additional locations for natural seawater pearls. Freshwater mussels that produce pearls can be found in Bavaria, Germany, along the Mississippi River and in forested streams.
Also popular are beautiful cultured pearls
Japanese cultivated pearls are highly regarded. Additionally, everyone who is familiar with jewelry has heard of Mikimoto pearls, which were named after Kokichi Mikimoto, who founded the business. In Japanese waters, huge oyster beds support the growth of cultured pearls. In the fleshy region of 2- to 3-year-old oysters, a “irritant is injected, such as a tiny chunk of mother-of-pearl. The oysters are then nurtured for 7 to 9 years in mesh bags submerged in water before being picked to extract their pearls. The equatorial islands of the Pacific and Australia both have farmed pearl industry in addition to Japan.
Pearl lore
In South Asian tradition, pearls were created when dewdrops from heaven dropped into the ocean. When the moon was full, they were captured by shellfish as the sun was just rising. Indian warriors used pearls to decorate their swords to represent the tears and sadness that a blade conveys.
Up to the 17th century, pearls were also commonly utilized as medicine throughout Europe. It was thought to be a treatment for various illnesses, including insanity, by the Arabs and Persians. As early as 2000 B.C., pearls were also utilized as medicine in China, where they were symbolic of riches, power, and longevity. Low-grade pearls are still crushed up and used as medicine in Asia today.
Another June birthstone: the moonstone
The moonstone is the second birthstone for June. Moonstones are thought to have bluish-white specks inside of them that gave them their name. As a result, when held up to the light, they emit a silvery dance of color that closely resembles moonlight. Additionally, as the stone oscillates, bright silvery rays travel around like moonbeams dancing across water.
The feldspar family of minerals, a significant class of silicate minerals frequently produced in rocks, includes moonstone. The crust of the Earth is made up of feldspar to a degree. In addition to being present in numerous igneous and metamorphic rocks, this mineral makes up a sizable portion of soils and marine clays.
Gem variants of feldspar including moonstone, labradorite, amazonite, and sunstone are created under uncommon geological circumstances. They appear as huge, spotless mineral grains and are present in deep crustal rocks and pegmatites, which are igneous rocks with coarse grains. Aluminosilicatesminerals with aluminum, silicon, and oxygenthat are combined with sodium and potassium are what make up feldspars of gem quality. Moonstones from Sri Lanka are the greatest. Additionally, they can be found in India, Madagascar, Myanmar (Burma), and the Alps.
Moonstone lore
It was believed until the 16th century that the moonstone’s appearance changed according to the moon’s phases, according to the ancient Roman naturalist Pliny. The moon goddess Diana’s likeness was supposedly contained within the stone, according to ancient Romans. People who wore moonstones were said to experience victory, good health, and knowledge.
The moonstone is frequently exhibited on a yellow fabric in India since the color yellow is revered as a sacred one. The spirit that resides inside the stone is thought to be responsible for the stone’s luck-bringing properties.
Or select alexandrite as your June birthstone
The alexandrite is the third birthstone for June. Alexandrite has a charming, chameleon-like temperament. It has a lovely green hue in the daylight, occasionally with a bluish or brownish tint. The stone, however, changes color to a reddish-violet or violet under artificial lighting.
The mineral beryllium aluminum oxide, also known as alexandrite, is a member of the chrysoberyl family and comprises the elements beryllium, aluminum, and oxygen (BeAl2O4). The only minerals harder than it are corundum and diamonds (sapphires and rubies). The presence of chromium in alexandrite is what gives the stone its unique hues. Chrysoberyl is found to crystallize in pegmatites, which are beryllium-rich, very coarse-grained igneous rocks that formed from magma. They can also be found in alluvial deposits, which are pegmatites that have weathered and include gemstones, and are transported by rivers and streams.
Alexandrite is rare and expensive
Because it is a rare stone, alexandrite is quite pricey. Today, the majority of alexandrite comes from Sri Lanka, but it has also been discovered in Brazil, Madagascar, Zimbabwe, Tanzania, and Myanmar (Burma). A synthetic alexandrite that resembles a reddish-purple amethyst with a hint of green has been created in the meantime. Natural and artificial illumination do not cause the artificial stones’ colors to shift. Additionally, the artificial stones have only had sporadic market success in the US.
History of June birthstone alexandrite
Prince Alexander of Russia, who succeeded Czar Alexander II in 1855, is honored by the epithet “Alexandrite.” In an emerald mine in the Ural Mountains of Russia, alexandrite was discovered in 1839 on the prince’s birthday.
Because of how recently this stone was found, there hasn’t been much time for myth and superstition to develop. The stone was especially well-liked in Russia since it reflected the country’s colors, green and red, and was thought to bring luck.
Why are there three birthstones for June?
Why are there three birthstones for June? Some months have more than one birthstone because different historical stones have become extremely rare, making it less likely that they would be sold on the market and meet consumer demand.
What color birthstone is for June?
Alexandrite with Pearl for June June’s birthstones are as distinctive as they come because she has two, Pearl & Alexandrite, as her birthstones. The Alexandrite is incredibly uncommon and capable of “color-changing,” appearing green in natural light and shifting to a purple-red hue in incandescent or artificial light.
What shade is the birthstone for June 26?
The uncommon chrysoberyl variation known as alexandrite changes color depending on the lighting. The most valuable alexandrite birthstones exhibit deep red to purple red under incandescent light and a brilliant green to bluish green under daylight or fluorescent light. In the Ural Mountains of Russia, significant amounts of alexandrite were first found in 1830. The young Alexander II (18181881), the presumptive heir to the throne, inspired the gem’s name. Alexandrite attracted the nation’s attention because its red and green hues matched those of imperial Russia’s national military uniform.
In this June birthstone, chatoyancy, or the cat’s-eye effect, can also occur when specific kinds of long, thin inclusions are positioned parallel to one another. As fascinating or beautiful as cat’s-eye alexandrite, few jewels compare.
Alexandrite: A pearl or not?
The Alexandrite is the birthstone most commonly associated with June, while the month also features the Pearl, Moonstone, and Moonstone as birthstones.
When it was believed that alexandrite was more common than pearls, it took the place of the pearl as the birthstone.
That is not the situation today.
High-grade alexandrite is incredibly uncommon and in high demand.
The stone’s propensity to alter color under incandescent light has made it famous. It is a greenish blue stone.
From green to crimson to purple, it changes.
Typically, alexandrite gemstones weigh up to 5 carats. Larger stones are really difficult to find. When crafting jewelry, some people take into account alternate birthstones such moonstones or pearls, or the potential of fusing alexandrite with other jewels, as this month’s birthstone can be challenging to find.
Who ought to wear alexandrite jewelry?
The Moh’s scale rates alexandrite’s hardness at 8.5, making it relatively durable and popular for use in jewelry creation. Making jewelry out of alexandrite is made more appealing by the material’s color-shifting property.
People who were born in the month of June are urged to wear alexandrite because it is the birthstone for that month.
Additionally, those who were born under the sign of Cancer might wear the stone to take advantage of its mystical qualities or simply wear it for fashion. Additionally, Alexandrite can be worn by those who were born under the signs of Virgo, Taurus, Gemini, and Leo.
What is the price of an alexandrite stone?
A one-carat alexandrite stone can currently cost around $15,000. Greater-than-one-carat Alexandrite diamonds can sell for between $50,000 and $70,000 every additional carat. This is what? The most priceless alexandrite known to man measures 65.08 carats and is thought to be worth over $4 million.
What shade of stone is alexandrite?
The amazing and uncommon gemstone known as alexandrite. Depending on the surrounding lighting, they exhibit an astonishing color change, going from emerald green in daylight to ruby red in incandescent light from tungsten lamps or candles. Although the chromium impurities and their band of absorption in the yellow region of the visible light spectrum have been appropriately identified as the cause of this color change, no satisfactory explanation of the mechanism has been provided. Here, the von Kries model of the human color constancy mechanism is taken into account to properly explain the alexandrite effect. Consequently, it follows that our color constancy mechanism is actual (objective) and principally adjusted to account for the color temperature of black-body illuminants.
How does alexandrite appear?
Chrysoberyl comes in a few different unusual varieties, including the chameleon-like alexandrite. In natural or fluorescent light, it can appear a gorgeous shade of green, but in the warm, incandescent light of a lamp or candle flame, it can turn brownish or purple red. This is a result of the mineral’s complicated method of light absorption.