If you have a December birthday, you may experience the winter blues.... but in the best way possible! December babies are lucky enough to have two gorgeous options for birthstone jewelry, Tanzanite and Turquoise. December’s birthstones are best known for their beautiful shades of blue.We've gathered up some fun facts and folklore about these stones.
Named for its limited geographic origin in Tanzania, tanzanite has quickly risen to popularity since its relatively recent discovery. Tanzanite is still only found on a few square miles of land in Tanzania, near famous Mount Kilimanjaro. Tanzanite is believed to have been formed about 585 million years ago, but it was only discovered in 1967.
Tanzanite is said to have qualities of good luck and prosperity, and is associated with celebrations of new life and new beginnings. The Maasai tribe regards the colour blue as sacred and spiritual. This coupled with its characteristics of new life have brought about a tradition where Tanzanite is given to Maasai women after the birth of a child as an offering of health, positivity and prosperity to the child.
Admired since ancient times, turquoise is known for its distinct color, which ranges from a light blue or white to greenish robin's egg blue. It’s one of a very few minerals to lend its name to anything that resembles its striking color. Archaeological excavations reveal that the rulers of ancient Egypt adorned themselves with turquoise jewelry, and Chinese artisans were carving it more than 3,000 years ago. It is even the national stone of Tibet.
In the US, Native Americans were the first to have mined turquoise in the southwestern part of the United States. They have been doing so for nearly a thousand years. They’ve worn it during ceremonies to call upon spirits and to symbolize the god of the sky. They used it to guard burial sites and in divining since it enhances communication between spiritual and physical worlds.
With its blue color streaked with brown ribbons, it is often believed that turquoise symbolizes the earth and sky coming together and the joining of female and male energies.
Both of these gemstones carry a unique blue tone making it a perfect birthstone for Kansas City's chilly December winters. Join us at either location to do some birthday shopping this year. We'll help you find the perfect gift, or even just a little something for yourself!