April Birthstone
A birthstone symbolizes a particular month of birth and is usually a gemstone which people wear in the form of jewellery pieces on different body parts. There are 2 categories of birthstones- traditional and modern. The ancient traditional birthstones were based on societal norms and often reflected the Polish tradition. The Gregorian calendar of the English speaking society has stones matching every month of the calendar. The interesting thing about these calendars is that a small poem is dedicated to each of the months and their associated birthstones. The one for April is:
“She who from April dates her years, Diamonds shall wear, lest bitter tears For vain repentance flow; this stone, Emblem of innocence is known.”
Thus, the birthstone for April born people is Diamond. In 1912, the American National Association of Jewellers adopted the list of birthstones officially. The list was updated in 1952 by the Jewellery Industry Council of America wherein some of the birthstones were altered but diamond retained its place as the April birthstone. Now, diamond does not need any introduction. It is the most expensive and hardest gemstone occurring naturally. We all know about the beauty of diamond and its capability to bring fortune for the person wearing it in any form.
Diamonds are available in different colours nowadays. Red, blue, yellow brown are some of the colours which are
popular among diamond buyers, though the blue diamond is rare. Most of the diamonds in the world are now mined in South America and Africa. The US happens to be the biggest market of diamonds in the world, buying more than 40% of the gemstones.
The term diamond is derived from the Greek term ‘Adamas’ which means invincible and indestructible. The Diamond is literally an indestructible stone because it is basically fireproof. Therefore, it is associated with courage, strength and invincibility. So, investing in a diamond ring, pendant, necklace or earring is a wise decision. The first ever man to give diamond to a lady was the Archduke of Austria who gifted a diamond to Mary of Burgundy in 1477. If you think that Earth is the only place where diamonds are found then think again. Space is also home to diamonds in the shape of white dwarfs. These stars have diamond cores. Hence, the sparkling and expensive diamonds are not only in demand on Earth but also in space.