Birthstones - Do You Know Yours?

Our Eco Wood Rings are already a deeply meaningful gift. One of many beautiful options for personalising your ring even further, is by including your birthstone or the birthstone of your loved one within the design.

The tradition of each month of the year being associated with a birthstone is believed to go back as far as the Bible. These special stones are also associated with the signs of the zodiac. 

Nowadays, many people wear their birthstone set into a piece of jewellery. Each birthstone is said to represent different qualities and protective elements and each one is just as lovely as the next. There are also normally several birthstones for each month, so hopefully always something that appeals visually too.

Let’s take a look at each of the birthstones and what they look like in some of our beautiful Eco Wood Rings, each of which has been specially commissioned and designed by our clients.

The birthstone for those born in January is the sparkling red garnet. This gemstone is meant to keep the wearer safe when they travel, as well as bringing them love, luck and friendship.

We are sure that you will agree that this spectacular ring, also featuring cherry turquoise, sets off the deep crimson of the garnet perfectly. 

February’s birthstone is the special purple amethyst which is meant to protect the wearer while also giving them courage and strengthening their relationships. The Ancient Greeks were so in awe of its protective elements that they believed it could even protect from the effects of alcohol… That’s one hangover cure we are yet to try!

This gorgeous oak amethyst ring is one of our favourites. It is pictured here with its aquamarine sister which, incidentally, is also the birthstone for March...

As its watery name suggests, aquamarine has had a long association with the beautiful blue of the sea. In fact, it used to be worn frequently by sailors who believed in its protective power. 

Aquamarine was also a doctor in your pocket, apparently curing heart, stomach and liver diseases. All you had to do was soak your gem in water then drink that water. We’re not so sure about this, but hey, whatever floats your historical boat.

We love the simplicity of this design. It is an oak ring with a turquoise inlay and an aquamarine in pride of place for some added sparkle. 

Marilyn Monroe once sang that diamonds are a girl’s best friend and those born in April might be inclined to believe her. Diamonds are said to represent everlasting love, which explains all of those diamond engagement rings. 

These sparkly stones are also supposed to build character and bring balance. We can of course work with cut stones in settings, but another wonderful and ethical alternative is diamond dust – a by-product of the diamond cutting process.

We just adore this greyed maple ring with paua shell and diamond dust. It’s okay, you can include diamonds even if your birthday isn’t in April. We won’t tell anyone!

Lucky May babies. Not only do they get to celebrate their birthday in sunshine (usually) but they also get emerald as their birthstone. We’re sure you’ll agree that this gorgeous green gem is one of the most beautiful. 

Emeralds are associated with fertility, love and rebirth, in line with the perfect new green of springtime. They represent wealth and wisdom too. All the best things!

We can’t get enough of this mahogany ring, inlaid with emerald and malachite. Special enough for any occasion, simple enough for everyday wear.

One of the most recent discoveries as a gemstone, alexandrite is both red and green depending on the light and has been called ‘emerald by day, ruby by night’. It is said to signify health, luck and creativity. 

This oak ring featuring alexandrite, malachite, green tourmaline and mother of pearl is one of our absolute favourites.

This fabulous featured ring is made of mahogany and hornbeam and inlaid with alexandrite, emerald, malachite and finished with a square of glistening mother of pearl.

Rubies have long been sought out by royalty and celebrities, largely due to their red beauty and sparkle. We are sure you won’t be surprised that the red stone represents love, passion and romance. 

It has also been said that rubies signify healing and family. This idea has perhaps been set in stone by Dorothy’s ruby slippers in The Wizard of Oz which protect her and bring her safely home. 

We think that this ring, made from silver birch wood and inlaid with dark pebbles, offsets the contrasting crushed ruby pieces beautifully. 

One of the less well-known birthstones, the pale-green peridot symbolises strength and is also apparently a known stress reliever. 

Peridot dust was found by scientists in our solar system, hence its name of the stardust gem. It is truly out of this world!

A perfect example of its use in one of our rings is seen here. This is an oak band with maple, tanzanite, turquoise, peridot, aquamarine and amethyst! A magical combination.

The many shades of blue of a sapphire are particularly special and sapphire has a reputation for purity and divinity in many different cultures. 

As a birthstone it is said to encourage wisdom and clear thinking. 

This glorious 9ct yellow gold ring is inlaid with a beautiful piece of oak and finished with a resplendent central sapphire for sparkle.

We’ve also been known to crush them and include them in bentwood ring inlays too!

Opal is the most commonly recognised of the two and is the original October birthstone, believed to have originated in India millions of year ago when heavy rains soaked the sun-baked ground, and rainwater carried a dissolved mineral called silica into cracks inside rocks. When the water dried, the silica deposits were left, and these layers formed opal. In Sanskrit it was called upala, a “precious stone.”

Australia now produces 95% of the world's precious opal. It is arguably the most unique, diverse, and beautiful birthstone and is know for it's rainbow like sparkling and flashing effect called 'play of colour.'

Tourmaline is another gem which comes in many colours and each colour is said to signify a different quality. A black tourmaline represents protection and self-confidence, while a green tourmaline symbolises strength and stamina. Of course, a pink tourmaline is all about love!

We are big fans of this versatile birthstone!

This eye-catching oak ring featuring alexandrite, malachite, green tourmaline, and mother of pearl is one of our absolute favourites!

Topaz was very important to the Ancient Egyptians, who often wore it as an amulet for protection. As a birthstone, it is said to symbolise love, affection and joy.

This walnut and maple ring, with an inlay of turquoise and lapis lazuli meeting a topaz in bezel setting is dazzling in every way. 

Last but certainly not least is the beautiful turquoise, which is a love charm for many and also represents strength.

Due to its protective qualities, it was often laid into shields of soldiers before they went to battle.

This gorgeous ring is designed using white gold with rosewood, malachite, & turquoise.

Whether you believe in the properties of birthstones or not, we are sure you will agree that they make a spectacular gift. Take a look at our beautiful collection of birthstone rings in our birthstone collection here.

Feeling inspired to design your ring and wondering how to go about it? Find out more about the process and how to go about it in our custom ring guide.

Then, when you’re ready and have some thoughts on the design, please contact us to start the conversation!