GARNET - is the birthstone for January. Look-alike Ruby, Garnet is actually a large family of gems that occur in every shade but blue. The varieties that consumers are most familiar are red, brownish-red and pinkish-violet.

AMETHYST - is the birthstone for February. Amethyst symbolized a variety of virtues, including piety and humility, to the ancients. The gem's name is derived from the Greeks word amethustos that means 'to prevent drunkenness'

AQUAMARINE - is the birthstone for March. Aquamarine belongs to the same family, beryl, as emerald. Most Aquamarines are heated to remove green and permanently intensify their blue color.

DIAMOND - is the birthstone for April. Diamond is the hardest and most brilliant of gems. It is the symbol of marital happiness and as such, the most popular engagement and anniversary stone.

EMERALD - is the birthstone for May. Emerald is one of the most sought after and valuable of all gems. Emerald symbolizes faithfulness and undying love.

ALEXANDRITE - is the birthstone for June. Because of its rarity, the value of this gemstone is very high. The interesting feature of the gem is color change. Many writers have referred to it as 'an emerald by day and a ruby by night'.

RUBY - is the birthstone for July. Ruby is known as the 'King of Gemstones' and one of the hardest and durable of all gems. Ruby is the symbol of passion and devotion.

PERIDOT - is the birthstone for August. Believe it or not, the fabled emeralds of Queen Cleopatra may really have been peridots mined on a Red Sea island - the coast of Egypt.

SAPPHIRE - is the birthstone for September. Sapphire is one of the hardest and durable gems and most popular as a blue gem but it occurs in a wide variety of colors - pink, gold and yellow.

OPAL - is the birthstone for October. Opal symbolized with hope.

TOPAZ - is the birthstone for November. Topaz holds the distinction of being the gem with widest range of curative powers.

ONYX - is the birthstone for December. Black Onyx enjoyed its greatest vogue during the Art Deco period of the 1920 - 1930 because it lent itself to geometric arrangements and provided bold contrasts with diamond and pearls.