Did You Know?
Certain minerals like hackmanite (a variety of sodalite) are known for reverse color shifting. When exposed to sunlight or UV light, hackmanite shifts from pale pink, violet, or cream to deep purple, then fades back to lighter shades in the dark. Source: Mindat.org – Mines, Minerals and More.
July Birthstone
Ruby: Traces of chromium give this red variety of the mineral corundum its rich color. Long valued by people of many cultures, ruby was called “ratnaraj” or “king of precious stones” in ancient Sanskrit. Source: Gemological Institute of America.
August Birthstones
Peridot: This gemstone is the yellow-green gem variety of the mineral olivine. Peridot is found as nodules in volcanic rock, crystals lining veins in mountains of Myanmar and Pakistan, and inside certain meteorites.
Spinel: This gemstone offers a range of hues from orange, red, pink, purple, blue, violet, and bluish green. Intense reds are caused by chromium, the same trace element that colors ruby and emerald.
Sardonyx: The original, ancient birthstone for August, this stone is an earthy, striped gemstone featuring alternating reddish-brown and white or gray layers. Source: Gemological Institute of America.
