As you browse through www.thediamondjeweller.co.uk, you will see that we offer certain diamond engagement rings, diamond eternity rings, diamond rings, diamond earrings, diamond pendants, diamond bracelets and diamond necklaces made not only from diamonds, but which also contain semi-precious gemstones. Such gemstones provide gorgeous colour and variety to these items of diamond jewellery.

Gemstones are often used to represent birthstones. Here is a list of each birthstone by month, and what it symbolises.

JANUARY - Garnet - 'Constancy'




FEBRUARY - Amethyst - 'Sincerity'




MARCH - Aquamarine - 'Courage'




APRIL - Diamond - 'Everlasting Love'




MAY - Emerald - 'Hope & Success'




JUNE - Pearl or Alexandrite - 'Health'




JULY - Ruby - 'Contentment'




AUGUST - Peridot - 'Married Happiness'




SEPTEMBER - Sapphire - 'Wisdom'




OCTOBER - Pink Tourmaline - 'Hope'




NOVEMBER - Blue Topaz - 'Faithfulness'




DECEMBER - Turquoise - 'Harmony & Prosperity'




GARNET
The most common colour for a garnet stone is a warm and deep red colour. However, garnets also exist in different shades of green, pale to bright yellow, and even orange. Only blue is a colour in which you will not find a garnet stone. Due to their hardness, garnets are fairly robust and resistant to everyday wear and so are ideal for use in jewellery. The existence of garnet has been known about for thousands of years - indeed, it is reported that Noah used a lantern from garnet to steer his Ark through the darkness of night. In years gone by, it was also believed that garnets protected their wearer from all evil. Today, most garnet is mined in East Africa, Sri Lanka and India.

AMETHYST
Purple has always been seen as a royal colour and so it will come as no surprise to find that amethyst has always been in demand throughout history - indeed, fine amethysts make up part of the British Crown Jewels. Amethyst also played an important role in the Catholic church, and many bishops still often wear amethyst rings today. This particular gemstone ranges in colour from pale lilac to deep purple. Today, it is most frequently mined in Brazil, Uruguay, Argentina and Bolivia as well as some of the smaller African countries.

AQUAMARINE
Blue is the most popular colour of all. This is why aquamarine is a favourite amongst jewellery designers and jewellery wearers alike. Blue symbolises trust, sympathy, harmony and friendship, with the aquamarine name derived from the Latin words 'Aqua' (water) and 'Mare' (sea). Aquamarine is almost as popular nowadays as the 'Big 3' of ruby, sapphire and emerald. It is a tough and resiliant mineral which of course helps to protect it from scratching. Nowadays, aquamarine is most commonly mined in South American countries such as Brazil, although it is also found in Nigeria, Madagascar, Afghanistan, Pakistan, Zambia and Mozambique.

DIAMOND
The natural diamond is the hardest mineral known to man. It has been used as a symbol of love and devotion across centuries, and is most commonly found in diamond engagement rings and diamond eternity rings. The sparkle or 'brilliance' of a diamond is determined principally by the skill of the diamond cutter when cutting the diamond from its rough form to its finished and polished form. Diamonds are, most traditionally, white in colour, but 'fancy' colours such as pink, red, green and yellow also exist but on a much rarer scale, therefore commanding high price premiums. The majority of diamonds nowadays are mined in South Africa, Russia and Canada.

EMERALD
Fine emeralds of top quality can be even more valuable than diamonds. They display the most instense and radiant green colour which makes them incredibly popular to one and all. Emeralds mined in Zimbabwe are the oldest gemstones to be found anywhere in the world - these are dated at 2,600 million years old. It is quite rare to find an emerald of good size, colour AND clarity, as the majority of emeralds have intense colour but their transparency can tarnish the overall appearance. Nowadays, most emeralds which are used in jewellery are mined in Colombia, which has over 150 known deposits. Emeralds are most commonly found in diamond pendants and diamond earrings, but also make a lovely sidestone for diamond engagement rings.

PEARL
Pearls are an organic gem which are created when an oyster covers a foreign object with several beautiful layers of nacre. Throughout history, natural pearls have been an important financial asset as many thousands of oysters had to be searched for only one pearl. They were rare because they were, of course, only created by chance. Nowadays, however, pearls are cultivated by man, with the majority produced in Japan. Freshwater pearls are cultured in mussels, predominantly in China. There is a subtle difference between cultured pearls and natural pearls, and imitation pearls. Cultured and natural pearls will feel a little rough to touch, similar to fine sandpaper, whilst imitation pearls will feel as smooth as glass. Pearls are most commonly found in earring, necklace and bracelet sets.

RUBY
For thousands of year, rubies have been one of the most sought-after and valuable gemstones due to their vivid colour, excellent durability and superb brilliance. The ruby is part of the corundum mineral which is one of the hardest minerals on the planet. Today, rubies are most commonly mined in Vietnam and Thailand, with other known deposits in northern Pakistan and Nepal. A lovely stone to have displayed in diamond pendants and diamond earrings.

PERIDOT
The fine pistachio or olive green of peridot makes it an excellent gemstone to wear during the summer months, and indeed, it is the birthstone of August. Whilst it does display lovely colour, it can sometimes be difficult to set into complex jewellery as it is not as durable as other semi-precious stones, and so can easily break during the setting process. Nowadays, the most beautiful peridot is mined in Pakistan and Afghanistan, with other known deposits in China, the USA, Africa and Australia.

SAPPHIRE
Blue is the main colour of sapphire. The main characteristics of sapphire are its durability and transparency, making it a favourite amongst gemstone lovers. The oldest sapphire mines are found in Sri Lanka, but deposits are also located in Burma, India, Thailand, Vietnam, Brazil and Australia. Another popular colour is the pink sapphire.

OPAL
Almost 95% of the world's opal originates from the dry and remote outback deserts of Australia. Ths most popular opal colour is white or milk coloured. Each opal stone contains between 2% and 6% water and, as a result, they can be brittle and so demand care and attention in the jewellery setting process. This gemstone is believed to have healing powers and that it will also help its wearer to find true and everlasting love.

BLUE TOPAZ
Topaz exists in many colours such as orange, yellow, pink and red. However, one of the most popular of all is blue topaz, which has a pale to medium blue colour which has been created by irradiation over time. It is an extremely hard and durable gemstone although it can be split with a single blow, as can diamond. As a result, it should be protected from hard blows. Most topaz today is mined in Russia and Pakistan. Ideal for that perfect earrings and pendant gift set.

TURQUOISE
The brilliant sky blue colour of turquoise makes it one of the all time favourites for jewellery wearers. It has been used extensively through history, with turquoise set artefacts being found in the tombs of the ancient Egyptians. Turquoise should be protected from heat, bright daylight and cosmetics. Nowadays, most turquoise is mined in the USA, Mexico, Israel, China and Iran.

At www.thediamondjeweller.co.uk, we also use other gemstones in our diamond jewellery. These include;

IOLITE
When the Viking explorers set out to conquer far off lands, they used iolite to determine their position in the seas by looking through an iolite lens at the sun, therefore being able to navigate safely to these faraway lands. The iolite gemstone is readily available and surprisingly affordable, and displays a purplish blue when cut and polished properly. It is relatively hard and durable but should always be protected from potential blows.

TANZANITE
Tanzanite, as its name would suggest, is unique to Tanzania in Africa, and is one of the most sought after and desirable gemstones in the world. It is not particularly durable and so should be worn with care, and should never come into contact with acids. It is a light purplish-blue colour which is lovely and magical. Whoever purchases tanzanite wants to communicate self confidence and individuality.

TOURMALINE
Legend has it that tourmaline travelled along a rainbow, collecting all the colours as it went, hence the name 'rainbow gemstone'. Tourmalines are mined everywhere in the world, with the major locations being Brazil, Sri Lanka and south west Africa. The splendour of colours in tourmaline makes it one of the most popular gemstones of all.

ROSE QUARTZ
Quartz, or 'rock crystal', has been used for thousands of years. The pale pink colour of quartz, which can range from transparent to translucent, is known as rose quartz. The most important deposits of rose quartz are located in South Africa, Western Australia, India and the USA.

CITRINE
Due to the hardness and widespread availability of citrine, this is one of the most affordable gemstones in the market. It is lemon yellow in colour but can also be found in orange-brown shades as well. In days gone by, citrine was seen as protection against evil thoughts and venomous snakes. The majority of this gemstone today is mined in Brazil.

CARNELION
This gemstone is often associated with emotional warmth, repoduction, creativity and reincarnation. It is a gorgous red in colour and very durable, making it ideal for use in gemstone jewellery.