June, the Month of Alexandrite, Pearls, and Moonstone

Alexandrite

Alexandrite, the regal Russian stone, as legend would hold, was supposedly found on the birthday of Alexander II, Czar of Russia, in 1830, in the Ural Mountains of Western Russia. The unusual color-change properties of this stone gave it great supernatural value. It is a variety of chrysoberyl, with a hardness of 8 to 8.5. The stone is extremely rare with more recent finds coming from South America, Asia and Africa. Larger stones are very rare and are many times more expensive than diamonds if the color-change properties are well pronounced. Synthetics have been made by many manufacturers so please purchase your alexandrite with care. At Ralph Miller Jewelers we have genuine alexandrites in stock for your shopping needs.

Pearls

 Natural pearls are formed when foreign substances, such as a grain of sand or a shell particle, are swept into the oyster shell where it lodges and irritates the soft body of the creature within. In defense, the oyster begins to deposit layer upon layer of a smooth, hard substance called "nacre," over the irritant. After many years of such layering and depositing, a lovely pearl is formed. Natural pearls are exceedingly rare and expensive. Some people mistakenly equate cultured pearls with the word "artificial," but nothing could be further from the truth. Cultured pearls are formed in the same way natural pearls are except that man instead of nature inserted the irritant (the nucleus), into the oyster. Cultured pearls an an excellent fashion favorite because they go with all styles of clothing. They are smart and attractive looking with sportswear and office attire in the daytime, while elegant with a glamorous gown in the evening.

It takes nearly 10,000 oysters to produce enough matching pearls to make one 15 inch necklace. This is only one of the reasons that pearls are so precious today. In addition, man has polluted many of the pearl beds off the coast of Japan, causing flaws, color problems, and brittleness. Within recent years we have turned to freshwater pearls as a more affordable substitute for the rarer salt water grown gems. Cultured pearls usually come in three shades: rose, white and cream colors. Black pearls as well as gray and silver are other colors used in todays fashion statements, but are usually slightly more expensive, unless dyed. Some examples of freshwater pearls used are Biwas, corn, potato, button and rice. They are found in many shades of natural or dyed colors. All add a very elegant look to the wearer, especially for the start of summer. (Please see care and cleaning section.) Pearls are calcium, and care must be taken to protect them from staining.

Moonstone

Legend holds that if a unmarried woman places a moonstone to her lips beneath a full moon, and then clears her mind, she will see her romantic future. With rich folklore such as this, it is no wonder that the moonstone is another gemstone associated with the month of June. Moonstones are the most valued of all the feldspar gemstones. It is found in Asia, South America, and the United States. The floating glow, characteristic of the moonstone is called adularescence. This glow is similar in appearance to that of a full moon and thus, its name. It is an excellent stone for everyday wear because cannot be harmed by acids, freezing or radiation. It is especially beautiful in candlelight.

Back to May
On to July


Back to Created Uniques