Learn About Gemstones
Peter & Co. Jewelers’ team is dedicated to helping customers find the exact pieces they are seeking, all while providing jewelry education. Many questions come up when searching for the perfect gemstone or birthstone, and we’re standing by to answer all your questions so you can feel confident in your purchase.
In our Gemstone Guide below, find the information you need to differentiate between different gemstones and birthstones. Whether you’re shopping for a birthday gift, anniversary, or just because, you can browse various styles that feature dazzling aquamarine, opal, pearl, and many other gemstones.
January Birthstone - Garnet
Shop Peter & Co. Jewelers’ gemstone selection by visiting our store in Avon Lake, Ohio, proudly serving the Cleveland, OH, area. Customers outside of the area can shop the same great selection on our website, with stunningly accurate photography to help you make your decision. As always, feel free to call or text (440) 933-4871 with any questions.
February Birthstone - Amethyst
Amethyst is a member of the quartz family, and ranges in color from light to deep purple. Amethyst is derived from the Greek word emthystos meaning not drunk. The ancient Greeks and Romans made drinking cups out of Amethyst believing that it would prevent intoxication.
March Birthstone - Aquamarine
Aquamarine, from Latin “aqua marina” or “water of the sea”, was named because of its blue or turquoise color. In the U.S., Aquamarine can be found in central Colorado and Wyoming.
April Birthstone - Diamond
The word Diamond comes from the Greek word adamas, meaning unbreakable, or unalterable. Diamonds are composed of a single element, and are the purest of all the gemstones. The Diamond is the ultimate symbol of love, and is said to symbolize strength, and enhance relationships.
May Birthstone - Emerald
Emeralds can range in color from light to dark green. Its name comes from the Greek word smaragdos meaning green gem. Emeralds from Columbia are generally considered the most valuable.
June Birthstone - Pearl
When thinking of the Pearl the color white usually comes to mind, but you can find pearls in black, gray, blue, yellow cream, lavender and mauve. When purchasing a Pearl you want to consider the surface, luster, color, and shape. The ideal pearl is perfectly round and smooth, but there are many shapes of pearl.
July Birthstone - Ruby
The word Ruby is from the Latin ruber, meaning red. The ruby is pink-red in color. The Ruby is extremely hard, and second only to the diamond in hardness. The ruby is one of the four precious stones, along with sapphire, emerald, and diamond.
August Birthstone - Peridot
Peridot is one of the few gemstones that occur in only one color, an olive green. The most valued color is a dark olive-green.
September Birthstone - Sapphire
Sapphire is from the Greek word sappheiros, meaning blue stone. Although blue is the most well-known color for sapphires, sapphires are made up of any color of corundum except for red, which are rubies.
October Birthstone - Opal
97% of the world's Opal is from Australia. Opals fluctuate in color and are often multi-colored. The most valuable is black.
November Birthstone - Citrine
Citrine is a premier stone of manifestation, imagination, and personal will. Carrying the power of the sun, it is warm and comforting, energizing and life giving. It stimulates the chakras like the sunlight of spring, clearing the mind and stirring the soul to action.
December Birthstone - Blue Topaz
Blue Topaz is a stone of peacefulness, calming to the emotions, and ideal for meditation and connecting with spiritual beings. It is a natural magnifier of psychic abilities, assisting those who wish to attune to inner guidance, as well as those who serve others through readings or spiritual healing.
- Alexandrite
- Amethyst
- Aquamarine
- Diamond
- Black Diamonds
- Lab Grown Diamonds
- Emerald
- Garnet
- Lapis Lazuli
- Moonstones
- Morganite
- Onyx
- Opal
- Pearl
- Peridot
- Rhodolite
- Ruby
- Sapphire
- Spinel
- Tanzanite
- Topaz
- Tourmaline
- Turquoise
- Zircon
Zircon
Though most famously of a sky blue color, it can be nearly every color of the rainbow, from earth tones to near colorless, Zircon's rarity and relative affordability make it a prime choice for fashion jewelry.