HISTORY OF THE JUNE BIRTHSTONES
The very rare alexandrite gemstone was first discovered in 1834 in the Ural Mountains and changes
color
from blueish green in fluorescent light to a purplish-red in incandescent light. This shift happens
as a
result of an uncommon chemical composition allowing the stone to be one of the most expensive and
rare
birthstones. Pearls are the only gemstone which are made by living creatures; mollusks. Natural
pearls,
the most valuable pearls, are confined to the Persian Gulf waters, freshwater cultured pearls come
from
China, and south sea pearls are cultured along the northwestern coastline of the Philippines,
Indonesia,
and Australia.
