May’s birthstone, emerald, is aptly named the gem of spring. Its vibrant green color evokes a lush garden. In fact, inclusions in emeralds are sometimes called an internal “jardin,” the French word for “garden.” The most desirable emeralds range from bluish green to green with vivid color saturation.

Composed of a single element—carbon –and formed under extreme temperature and pressure, diamond’ remains one of the world’s most coveted gems – and the birthstone for those lucky enough to be born in April.

March’s aptly titled birthstone, aquamarine, grows in gorgeous crystals and sparkles like the ocean on a sun-kissed day. But do you know what to look for when shopping for aquamarine?

Known for its majestic purple color, amethyst is the gemstone of choice for those born in February.

January’s birthstone, garnet, is known for its impressive variety of eye-catching colors, which can be almost any color of the rainbow. Garnets occur in green (demantoid and tsavorite), orange (spessartine), red (almandine and pyrope), and purplish red (rhodolite), plus a few rare garnets even change color under different types of light. But color is far from a garnet’s only attractive feature.

Those celebrating December birthdays are fortunate to have a few birthstones to choose from – zircon, tanzanite, blue topaz and lapis lazuli, among them. But one of the best known and most loved December gems is turquoise, a gem that has been mined and used for thousands of years.