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Birthstone Education
Learn About Birthstones Tradition and Lore

Natural Gemstones versus Simulated Birthstones


Your made to order jewelry is available in your choice of either natural gemstones or simulated birthstones. Some natural gemstones, such as Amethyst and Garnet are only slightly more expensive than the simulated birthstones. Others, such as diamond and ruby are considerably more expensive than their simulated counterparts.

After choosing your ring style and birthstones, you will be able to compare the prices for natural versus simulated stones and select either.

Simulated birthstones are a man made crystal product that match the appearance of a gem, but do not share the same physical properties as the gemstone they imitate.

Natural gemstones are formed deep within the earth and their vibrant colors have captivated mankind throughout history.


Tradition and Lore about Birthstones:

Since ancient times, certain personality traits have been associated with each gemstone and the individuals whose birth month is represented by that gem. Legendary powers have been attributed to many gemstones and they were worn to bring good fortune to their owner.


Read about the personality traits and legends that each birthstone represents


A Guide to Gemstone Quality


Natural gemstones occur in a broad range of qualities, and the price can vary accordingly. For example, a pale opaque ruby commands about one-tenth the price of a fine quality ruby that displays a vivid red color with brilliant depth and intensity.

While many birthstone jewelry are set with lower quality gemstones, we use fine quality natural gemstones that are prized for their depth of color, clarity and exceptional cut.


View the difference in our gemstone quality :


Genuine Garnet Gemstones

Genuine Mozambique Garnet Gemstones are prized for their unique color, a rich deep red with shades of orange and brown glowing from within.

High quality garnets are prized for their clarity and depth of color.
High Quality Garnet:
intense red color with hints of
orange and yellow
Low Quality Garnet:
dark color,
opaque, lacks fire from within stone


Genuine Amethyst Gemstones

Genuine Amethyst Gemstones are precision cut and display a deep, rich purple color.

Amethyst occur in a variety of shades from pale lilac to intense purple.
High Quality
Amethyst: precision cut, intense purple color, transparency
Low Quality
Amethyst: pale color, poor cut visible inclusions


Genuine Aquamarine Gemstones

Our Genuine Aquamarine Gemstones are a delicate sky blue color with a glittering, transparent watery clarity.
More common Aquamarines tend to be nearly white in color and poorly cut.

High Quality
Sky Blue Topaz: delicate sky blue
color with good
clarity.
Low Quality
Sky Blue Topaz: very pale color, poorly cut.


Genuine Diamond Gemstones

Diamonds are perhaps the most difficult gemstones to judge quality versus price. The secret to a diamond is its cut. An excellent cut diamond will display an incredible fire and brilliance, a shower of sparks that can be seen from far across a dimly lit room. Most commercial grade diamonds are "poor" or "fair" cut, while our comparable diamonds are "good" or "excelllent" cut. We charge considerably less for our better cut grades to assure you extraordinary quality.

High Quality
Diamond: superior return of light, 57 facet cut, extraordinary
fire and scintillation.
Low Quality
Diamonds: commercial cut, opaque and dull
return of light.


Genuine Emerald Gemstones

Genuine Emerald Gemsones are cut with a full 57 facets. Unlike many other Emeralds, they exhibit a display of dazzling of light and brilliance.

The secret to an Emerald is it's color: look for a deep, intense green with little opacity within the gemstone. Transparent Emeralds cost a little more, but are much more appealing to the eye.
High Quality
Emerald: 57 facet cut, intense green color, transparency
Low Quality Emerald: pale color, lower quality cut inferior symmetry


Genuine Alexandrite

Superior quality Alexandrites are extremly rare, often commanding twice the price of comparable diamonds. To keep your mother's ring price within reason, we've chosen to offer Chatham Lab Created Alexandrites. These stones have the identical natural characteristics of Alexandrite, except they are lab cultured crystals Alexandrite is a unique "color change" gemstone and the Chatham variety displays superior tones. (You may order natural Alexandrite by special request).

High Quality
Alexandrite: displays the vivid red-green hues at about 1/4 the price of natural.
Low Quality Alexandrite:
displays lackluster inferior hues at about 4 times the price.


Genuine Ruby Gemstones

Genuine Ruby Gemstones are cut with a full 57 facets, unlike many other rubies, which results in a dazzling display of light and brilliance.

The secret to a Ruby is it's color: look for a deep, intense red with sparks of fire within the gemstone. It costs a little more, but the difference is well worth the price.
High Quality
Ruby: 57 facet cut, intense red color
Low QualityRuby: lower quality cut
pale pink-red color


Genuine Peridot Gemstones

Genuine Peridot Gemstones display the brilliant green-apple color that is most sought-after. While Peridot is mined in many areas of the world, ours is the superior grade mined in the San Carlos area of Arizona by Native Americans.

High Quality
Peridot: bright yellow-green mined in Arizona
Low Quality
Peridot : pale green color, mined outside the U.S.


Genuine Sapphire Gemstones

Genuine Sapphire Gemstones exhibit a dazzliing deep blue color with fiery highilghts. Many inferior quality Sapphire are blue-black in color due to their dark intrinsic quality and inferior cut.

Our Sapphire are hand-selected for color and cut with a full 57 facets, and command a slightly higher price.
High Quality
Sapphire: intense blue color 57 facet cut, deep hues of fire within
Low Quality
Sapphire: intrinsic dull dark color, lower quality cut inferior symmetry


Genuine Tourmaline Gemstones

Tourmaline occurs in all colors of the rainbow, and it is the purity of certain tourmaline colors that make them more rare and valuable.

Our pink tourmaline is a bright pink, cut with precision to emphasize the interior highlights.
High Quality
Tourmaline: pure pink color with no interior flaws.
Low Quality
Tourmaline: dirty pink or mixed colors.


Genuine Citrine Gemstones

Genuine Citrine gemstones are a light golden color with no visible flaws and good quality cut. They display the shimmering brilliance that is characteristic of this gemstone.

When buying citrine, the quality of cut is particularly important
High Quality
Citrine : light golden color with shimmering brilliance.
Low Quality
Citrine : dull or lackluster due to poor cut.


Genuine Swiss Blue Topaz Gemstones

Genuine Swiss Blue Topaz Gemstones are an intense deep blue color with a glittering, transparent royal-blue clarity. Our gemstone buyer only selects the best cut stones, which set our birthstones apart from the competition.

More common Swiss Blue Topaz tend to be light blue in color and poorly cut.

High Quality
Swiss Blue Topaz: intense, deep blue color with good clarity
Low Quality
Swiss Blue Topaz: very pale color, poorly cut.