April Birthstone Diamond of the Season

I’ve resurrected my Sparkly Stones Series, Sparkle Squad! April’s a perfect time to showcase the sparkly diamond! After watching Bridgerton, I have a new affinity for this month’s birthstone. Check out this gem’s details in my companion YouTube video so you can join in the sparkle-tastic fun with the April Birthstone Diamond of the Season! 

Sparkly Stones Series

I began my Sparkly Stones Series back in 2021 on my main Sparkle by Monica YouTube channel to showcase the monthly birthstones.

I’ve been sharing research on various crystals, minerals, rocks, stones and gemstones used in jewelry making and healing rituals. The information I have compiled is partly from my knowledge or experience with them, as well as what I’ve researched.

I feel drawn to certain beads, stones, shapes, textures and colors in my jewelry making, but had never fully fleshed out birthstone jewelry before. As you get more invested in beading, you’ll discover a love for all things bead-related and gemstones are just part of the sparkly journey to enlightenment as you hone your expertise and knowledge of materials available to create your bespoke designs.

Diamonds Have Multi-Faceted Properties, Uses, and History

This month we’ll look at the birthstone gem for April, known as the Diamond. In my series, I not only tell you what each month’s birthstone is, but I research details about the stone to include Zodiac signs (based on Astrology), healing properties, historical references, myths and legends, Biblical stories, trends, modern notions and even fun facts for sparkly trivia buffs.

Just as there are many colors, there are a variety of Zodiac birthstone charts identifying the Ancient, Traditional and Modern Birthstones for each of the Astrology signs and birth months. In 1912, the monthly birthstones were standardized by the American National Retail Jewelers Association (now called the Jewelers of America) and is still the standard birthstone list. No matter which era or method is commonly used to identify birthstones, each person can simply choose to wear the stone(s) that they resonate with the best.

Characteristics of the Diamond

The diamond is a symbol of love in its purest form and activates purity, harmony, prosperity and abundance while offering emotional attunement, peace, and inspired visualization. It inspires creativity, ingenuity, faith, and endurance. Diamond is a symbol of the richness of the Self and promotes optimism and grace. Diamond is great for people in creative professions like actors, singers, musicians, and artists.

Diamond cleanses and balances all the chakras, centering your body and inspiring clarity and calm. Most prized for being crystal clear in color, or flawless, diamonds are linked to the 7^th or “crown” chakra, which affirms enlightenment and source energy. Diamonds can assist other chakras due to their availability in other colors such as yellow, blue, pink, and even black. Diamonds radiate their high-frequency energy and help to purify any negative or stagnant energy that surrounds you. Their energy vibrations can help alleviate ailments, promote cellular regeneration, and boost the immune system by removing stagnant energy, negativity, and emotional blockages while promoting rejuvenation.

Diamond is the zodiac stone for those born under the sign Aries, usually falling between March 21^st to April 19^th. For the adventurous, dynamic and energetic Aries, your other alternative Diamond clear stones are White Topaz & Zircon. Taureans are not to be left in the shadows, for those born approximately April 20^th to May 20^th may also choose the diamond over the commonly accepted Emerald birthstone. Leo also benefits from the diamond as a Zodiac stone.

Diamond is the stone of the equally stunning planet Venus. Some ancient cultures, however, preferred associating it with the planet Mars, due to a warriors’ custom of wearing diamond stones in battle for protection, strength and invincibility. The Diamond is also associated with the element of fire. It is truly the essence of all the elements though, much like carbon is the building block for life on Earth.

I am intrigued by the various ways that people use and regard gemstones and semi-precious stones throughout different eras in history, but also across cultures. Naturally occurring crystals and stones are appealing to me as an earth sign of Taurus. Before I began researching these materials though, I never understood the correlation.

Fun Facts About Diamonds

1. Fifty light years away from Earth, there is a plant named Lucy that is effectively a 10 billion trillion, trillion carats Diamond. Help me sing the song, y’all. Lucy in the Sky with Diamonds…
2. The Crater of Diamonds State Park in the U.S. state of Arkansas is the world’s 8^th largest diamond-bearing volcanic crater. The park offers the public a chance to search for this valuable precious stone and keep your treasures!
3. Many skin care products on the market today use diamond dust as an active ingredient.
4. The legendary and much desired Hope Diamond has historically been labeled cursed. Harry Winston was the last private owner, donating it to the Smithsonian Institute in 1958. Greatly reduced from its original 115-carat size, this French gem weighs in at almost 46 carats. The Koh-I-Noor, currently at approximately 106 carats, is another Golconda diamond unearthed between the 1600s and 1800s that has also severely decreased size (by about 85 carats) during its multiple sketchy ownership transfers.
5. There are 2 potential inspirations for the fictional “Heart of the Ocean” necklace in the movie Titanic. The main one is thought to be the real Hope Diamond, mentioned above, but the other is a story of actual passengers onboard the Titanic. Kate Florence Phillips, age 20, was gifted this necklace by her married paramour, Henry Samuel Morley, age 40. He could not swim and therefore drowned, but she was able to be rescued aboard one of the lifeboats after being adrift for 8 hours. Kate discovered her pregnancy about 4 weeks after being rescued. Although she tried to be a mother to her baby named Ellen Mary Walker, ultimately this relationship was too tumultuous which led to her child being raised by the grandmother in Worchester, England. In 2007 while berthed near Belfast’s Odyssey complex, this necklace was exhibited on the Nomadic, the ship which ferried passengers back and forth to the Titanic before the disaster. The exhibit curator, David Scott-Beddard of the Nomadic Trust, described the artefact as a small, one-inch-long pendant necklace with an “oblong sapphire surrounded by diamonds and attached to a very simple thin chain”. In 2012, Beverley Lynn Roberts, the great-granddaughter of Kate believes that her estranged grandmother Ellen sold the necklace to a woman in Florida while experiencing hard times in the 1990’s. In 2020, Beverley stated that Ellen’s lack of a father being noted on the birth certificate along with a subsequent signed document denying knowledge of Ellen’s father (so the Morley’s would pay for Ellen’s education) led to the inability to prove herself as Henry’s biological daughter.

Various Resources about Gemstones and Crystals

I have collected many books and resources regarding gems, crystals and stones. The Beading Answer Book by Karen Morris was the most helpful book that I got when I first began making jewelry. I usually refer it to all of my jewelry making students. A comprehensive source for those interested in the identification and valuation of beads is Beads: A Reference and Price Guide by Sindi Schloss.

I’ve also segued my interests into the guilty pleasures of the beading and/ or crafts themed cozy mysteries genre. Good times!

Please visit my Sparkle by Monica YouTube channel for upcoming videos in my Sparkly Stones Series along with content covering other stones and bead types. 

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