What is June’s Birthstone?
The traditional birthstone of June is the pearl. Modern alternative birthstones for June include moonstone and alexandrite.
Bonus Reading: What is My Birthstone?
All About Pearls
| COLOR | The traditional pearl color is white to cream, but pearls can be found in a variety of colors, including the “black” Tahitian pearls. Pearls can also be dyed a variety of colors. |
| HARDNESS | Mohs Rating: 2.5-3.0 |
| TOUGHNESS | Generally good, but can decrease with aging and dryness |
| ETYMOLOGY | From the French “perle,” originally from the Latin word “perna” which meant “leg.” The name was used to refer to an aquatic mollusk that resembled a ham or mutton leg. |
| ANNIVERSARY MILESTONE | 3rd and 30th anniversaries |
| ORIGIN(S) | Japan, China, Australia, and other places |
| COMMON TREATMENT(S) | Bleaching, surface coating, dyeing, irradiation (to create a darker color), |
| CARE RECOMMENDATIONS | Warm, soapy water is generally considered safe for cleaning pearls. If the pearls are strung, make sure the string is completely dry before wearing them again. For routine care, wipe gently with a soft, clean cloth after each wear. Never use an ultrasonic or steam cleaner for pearls. |
Cultured Pearls: A Gamechanger in the Jewelry Industry
As you’ll read below in the sections under “Historical Uses & Spiritual Correspondences of Pearls,” there were multiple cultures where pearls were banned from being worn by anyone other than nobility. This was in part because of how exceptionally rare natural pearls, especially those considered round and lustrous enough for jewelry.
The reason that pearls were so rare is that their very existence is “unnatural.” They are created when an irritant becomes lodged inside the soft inner body of an oyster. This causes the oyster to form a protective barrier around it by secreting a crystalline substance called nacre. The nacre builds up layers around the original irritant until a pearl forms. Besides the creation of pearls being rare, actually finding the pearls was even more of a challenge. Diving for pearl oysters was dangerous and left completely up to chance, as there was no way to identify an oyster with a pearl until it had been opened.
In the 1890s, three separate Japanese men had similar ideas that eventually led to the groundbreaking introduction of “cultured pearls.” The idea was to intentionally introduce an irritant to an oyster in order to jump-start the pearl production process. This removed the dangers of diving for pearl oysters and significantly increased the chances of opening oysters with pearls. Several irritants were tested in the creation of pearls, but the one that is generally considered to be most successful in saltwater pearls is round nuclei cut from U.S. mussel shells.
The three men who pioneered this discovery were a government biologist, Tokichi Nishikawa; a carpenter, Tatsuhei Mise; and the son of a noodle maker, Kokichi Mikimoto. If you recognize the name “Mikimoto,” it’s because his name is still almost exclusively associated with the creation of cultured pearls, as well as the prestigious jewelry house named after him. Mikimoto originally faced backlash over claims that his pearls were fake, but scientific evidence confirmed that cultured pearls had the same properties as natural pearls. Today, pearl farming remains popular in Japan, India, China, and other countries.
Due to the invention of cultured pearls, they became much more accessible to the average consumer. In modern times, it’s not unusual for a person to own pearl jewelry, which is in large part thanks to the reduced rarity of pearls making them more common and affordable.
Natural pearl jewelry can still be extremely valuable, as evidenced by its auction sale prices. A pair of natural grey pearl drop earrings owned by Empress Eugenie of France (wife of Napoleon Bonaparte) sold for $3.3 million in 2014 by Doyle New York. A 16th-century pearl and diamond necklace, The Peregrina, was purchased in 1969 by Richard Burton for $37,000 and given to Elizabeth Taylor. At a Christie’s auction in 2011, The Peregrina sold for $11.8 million. While these particular examples are directly connected to historic figures, they help convey the immense value of natural pearl jewelry.
Historical Uses & Spiritual Correspondences of Pearl
Ancient China
- Around 2300 B.C., pearls were often presented as gifts to Chinese royalty, which was considered a sign of great respect.
Ancient Middle East (Susa, modern-day Iran)
- The “Susa Pearls” is a necklace discovered in the bronze sarcophagus of a Persian princess. The necklace is estimated to be from 420 B.C. and is the oldest known pearl necklace. It contains a total of 216 pearls set in three rows and divided into nine sections by gold discs.
- In the Koran, pearls are one of the precious stones that fill Paradise, along with emerald and jacinth (a reddish-orange to brownish-red variety of zircon). People allowed to enter Paradise receive a tent and a crown made of pearls.
Ancient India
- In ancient Vedic texts, pearls were believed to be created from a combination of the Earth’s water, heaven’s power, and a flash of lightning. They were believed to be daughters of the moon.
- A Hindu legend describes Krishna discovering the first pearl, taking it from the sea, and presenting it to his daughter, Pandaïa, on her wedding day.
Ancient Egypt
- Pearls were discovered in several burial tombs. It is believed that the more pearls there were in a tomb, the wealthier or more famous the person was in life.
- There is a story about Cleopatra, Mark Antony, and pearls. When Mark Antony came to visit, she made a wager that she could consume the wealth of an entire nation in one meal. Once they were seated together, she took one of her pearl earrings and dropped it into a glass of acidic wine. The pearl dissolved, and Cleopatra drank the entirety of the glass. After Mark Antony declined to drink the other pearl, it was cut in half and hung from the ears of the Venus statue in the Pantheon. The earrings are estimated to have been worth approximately 10 million dollars in today’s market. Cleopatra allegedly won the wager.
Ancient Rome
- Pearls became very popular in ancient Rome, and were used to denote people of a higher class.
- Pearls corresponded with Venus, as both were born from the sea.
- While pearls initially symbolized divinity and purity, they eventually came to symbolize overindulgence, decadence, and luxury.
- Pearls were allegedly highly valuable. There is a story that the Roman general Vitellius financed his entire military by selling just one of his mother’s pearl earrings.
- Wealthy Roman women would add pearls as adornments to their furniture and gowns as a symbol of their affluence.
- Following the Edict of Milan in 313 C.E., which ended the state-sponsored persecution of Christians, pearls began to take on a different meaning again. Parallels were drawn to the immaculate conception of Christ and the way that pearls were created, especially since there was still a lot of mythology around pearl origins, like that they grew when a dewdrop fell from the heavens and entered an oyster. Another parallel drawn was the purification of Christ through baptism in water, and the creation of pearls, also in water, with both emerging as symbols of purity, virtue, and divinity.
Biblical Reference
- Matthew 7:6: “Do not give dogs what is sacred; do not throw your pearls to pigs. If you do, they may trample them under their feet, and turn and tear you to pieces.” This passage refers to refraining from sharing wisdom (pearls) with people who may not appreciate it.
Dark Ages (5th-10th centuries)
- Pearl jewelry was treasured by maidens, and knights wore it into battle. They were believed to provide protection.
The Renaissance (14th-17th centuries)
- Pearls became very popular during the Renaissance. Several European countries passed laws that allowed only the nobility to wear pearls.
Colonization of the Americas
- Upon arriving in the Americas, European colonizers discovered Native Americans wearing pearls. By the 17th century, the American pearl oyster population had been essentially decimated by overfishing in an effort to send pearls to Europe for profit. So many pearls were initially exported that the Americas temporarily gained the nickname “The Land of Pearls.”
Bonus Reading: What Do Pearls Symbolize?
All About Moonstone
COLOR | Colorless to White, Grey, Green, Peach, Brown |
HARDNESS | Mohs Rating: 6.0-6.5 |
TOUGHNESS | Fair to good; it can chip or fracture if struck or dropped |
ETYMOLOGY | According to the American Gem Society, the term “moonstone” was coined by the 1st-century C.E. Roman writer Pliny the Elder. Adularescent moonstone was formerly known as “adularia,” a name derived from an early mining site near Mt. Adular in Switzerland. |
ANNIVERSARY MILESTONE | Alternative gemstone for the 13th anniversary milestone. |
ORIGIN(S) | Sri Lanka has some of the most desirable moonstones, although the sources are now mostly depleted. Other sources include India, Madagascar, Myanmar, Australia, Brazil, Tanzania, and the United States (New Mexico, North Carolina, Virginia). |
COMMON TREATMENT(S) | Heat treatment to improve color and clarity – generally a stable treatment, although it can make the moonstone more fragile. Other less common treatments include surface coatings to increase adularescence, dyeing, and fracture filling. |
FAMILY | Feldspar – feldspar minerals make up more than 60% of the Earth’s crust. They also include amazonite, sunstone, andesine, labradorite, moonstone, and others. |
CARE RECOMMENDATIONS | It’s generally recommended to use a soft-bristled brush and warm, soapy water to clean moonstone. Due to its durability, do not use an ultrasonic cleaner or a steam cleaner on moonstone. Consult with a professional jeweler for the best and safest results. |
RANDOM FACT | Moonstone is the state gemstone of Florida, even though they are not found there. They were made Florida’s gemstone following the first moon landings, which departed from the Kennedy Space Center in Merritt Island, Florida. |
What Causes Moonstone to Glow?
The ethereal glow found in moonstone is a phenomenon referred to as “adalurescence.” Moonstone is part of the feldspar mineral family, which has four different species: orthoclase, plagioclase, oligoclase, and microcline. The special adularescence found in moonstone originates from its unique composition as an orthoclase stone.
Moonstones are composed of two feldspar minerals called orthoclase and albite. They form under high heat, which causes the minerals to mix. When the stone cools, the orthoclase and albite separate into distinct layers. Adularescence occurs when light enters the stone and is diffracted and scattered through its various layers, creating the beautiful bluish glow characteristic of moonstone.
Are Moonstone and Rainbow Moonstone the Same?
Rainbow moonstones are a beautiful type of feldspar with similar adalurescent properties as moonstones. While they are both feldspars, they are different species of feldspars. Moonstone, as mentioned above, is of the orthoclase species, while rainbow moonstone is of the plagioclase species (the same as labradorite). So while they are not exactly the same, they could be considered cousins.
Historical Uses & Spiritual Correspondences of Moonstone
Ancient India
- According to ancient Hindu texts, moonstone is made from solidified moonbeams.
- There was a belief that holding a moonstone in your mouth during a full moon would reveal your future.
- Considered a stone of love and was a traditional wedding gift.
- Associated with the moon god, Chandra, whose full name, Chandra Shekara, means “person who wears the moon.” A moonstone was said to have been set in his forehead since the beginning of time and to glow more powerfully during the full moon and become dimmer with the new moon.
- Also associated with Shakti, an archetypal energy representing a Divine Mother and an active, creative principle.
- Worn by pregnant women to help ensure a safe and harmonious pregnancy and birth.
- Associated with lunar qualities of gentleness, intuition, and fertility.
- Believed to help promote harmony by balancing the energies of the body and the mind.
- There was a legend that two people wearing moonstone on the night of a full moon would fall passionately in love. This legend was also spread to parts of Europe.
Ancient Middle East
- Women who wanted to conceive would sometimes sew a moonstone into the lining of their dress or clothing to help with fertility. This is still practiced by some people today.
Ancient Greece & Rome
- Moonstone was linked to moon gods and goddesses.
- The Greek lunar goddesses, Artemis and Selene
- The Roman lunar goddess, Diana
- It was believed that the goddess Diana could be seen while holding a moonstone.
- Priests would sometimes use moonstone to invoke Diana in ceremonies, and it was thought to be particularly potent if done during a full moon.
- Believed to bring good fortune, love, wisdom, and enhance intuition.
- Believed to promote mental clarity and to be helpful in making important decisions, even to the point of enhancing prophetic or psychic abilities.
- Worn as a talisman by women to aid in conception and ease childbirth.
- Ancient Rome associated moonstones with qualities they classified as feminine: romance, femininity, intuition, dreams, and emotions.
Ancient Egypt
- Moonstone was considered a gift from the gods.
- Corresponded with the Isis, the goddess of motherhood, magic, and rebirth.
- Egyptian priests used moonstone to connect with lunar energy during nighttime ceremonies and to invoke divine protection.
- Worn by pharaohs and priestesses to ensure prosperity and wisdom.
Middle Ages
- Moonstone was used as a protective talisman.
- Used to enhance mental clarity.
- Prized by travelers and sailors as it was believed to guide lost souls, repel evil spirits, and ensure a safe return from travel. This has contributed to it being known by some as “The Traveler’s Stone.”
19th & 20th-century America
- Moonstones were popular in the Art Nouveau and Arts and Crafts periods around the turn of the 20th century.
- In the 1960s, moonstone was popular with the “flower child” movement due to its ethereal appearance.
- The New Age movement of the 1990s again brought moonstone into popular design.
Modern Spirituality
- Enhances intuition
- Promotes emotional balance
- Strengthens spiritual connections
- As it is strongly associated with the moon, moonstone corresponds with the astrological sign of Cancer, which is ruled by the moon. The month of June is shared by the astrological signs of Gemini and Cancer.
- In tarot (the Rider-Waite-Smith tradition), moonstone could correspond with a couple of different cards. The astrological sign of Cancer is associated with The Chariot card, and the moon in astrology is associated with The High Priestess card. Although The Moon card corresponds with the sign Pisces, it shares some attributes with those associated with moonstone.
- Moonstone is associated with the element of water. In various traditions, the element of water represents emotions, sensitivity, compassion, intuition, dreams, motherhood, home, and family.
All About Alexandrite
COLOR | Known for its color-changing properties: bluish-green in daylight and purplish-red in incandescent light. |
HARDNESS | Mohs Rating: 8.5 |
TOUGHNESS | Good to Excellent; less prone to shattering |
ETYMOLOGY | Named after Czar Alexander II, known for emancipating Russian serfs and being the great-grandfather of Anastasia Romanov. The colors of alexandrite matched the colors of the imperial Russian military. |
ANNIVERSARY MILESTONE | 12th & 55th anniversary |
ORIGIN(S) | Discovered in the Ural Mountains of Russia in the 1830s. Still found there, as well as Sri Lanka, East Africa, and Brazil. Fine, natural alexandrite is very rare and valuable. |
COMMON TREATMENT(S) | Not usually treated. May occasionally be fracture-filled. |
FAMILY | Chrysoberyl |
CARE RECOMMENDATIONS | Warm, soapy water is always considered safe for cleaning alexandrite. Ultrasonic steam cleaners are typically safe for non-fracture-filled alexandrites. Consult with a professional jeweler for the best and safest results. |
What Makes Alexandrite So Special?
Alexandrite is considered a unique and valuable gemstone for a couple of reasons: its rarity and its color-changing phenomenon known as pleochroism. Natural alexandrite is so rare that in many cases, it can be worth more than a comparable diamond, emerald, ruby, or sapphire.
Pleochrism comes from the Greek words “pleiōn,” meaning “more,” and “chrōs,” meaning color. While pleochrism can occur in multiple gemstone species, the phenomenon in alexandrite is unique enough to have earned its own name: the alexandrite effect. Through a combination of chemical composition, crystal structure, and light-absorption mechanisms, we get the beautiful alexandrite effect.
When a gemstone appears to be a certain color, it’s because that gemstone transmits that color and absorbs the others. For example, emerald appears green because it mostly transmits green wavelengths, along with some blue and yellow. Alexandrite transmits both red and green wavelengths, but its appearance will vary depending on the light source illuminating it. Sunlight and fluorescent light contain more blue, so they will bring out the green to bluish-green color of alexandrite. Incandescent and candlelight have more orange, so they will bring out the orange, red, and/or magenta colors of alexandrite.
Historical Uses & Spiritual Correspondences of Alexandrite
Due to its relatively recent discovery in 1833, alexandrite doesn’t have as extensive and varied a history of usage as some other gemstones we’ve covered in this birthstone series. There is no evidence that it was used or even known to ancient civilizations. The following uses and correspondences are from within the past 200 years.
Russia
- Represented power and prestige.
- Czar Alexander II (namesake of alexandrite) allegedly wore an alexandrite ring as a talisman.
China
- Alexandrite is believed to be connected to blood and to improve the circulatory system.
Hindu Religion
- Alexandrite is considered to help with drunkenness (similar to the Greeks’ belief that amethyst helped with it).
Modern Spirituality
- Due to alexandrite’s pleochrism, it is considered a stone of balance.
- As a birthstone of June, it corresponds with both Gemini and Cancer. Some people feel it more strongly aligns with Gemini because of their parallel dual natures.
- As a green gemstone, it has correspondences with healing, health, and well-being.
- Because of its transformative colors, some believe it is especially helpful in maintaining health during challenging transitions.
- Various sources link alexandrite with the crown chakra, as well as the third eye and heart chakra.
- In astrology, because it corresponds with Gemini and Cancer, it could also correspond with the astrological planets of Mercury and the Moon. Mercurial energy is notoriously unstable (though not necessarily in a bad way; it could be in a creative and transformative way), and the moon is also unstable in its appearance. So it would make sense that alexandrite, with its own unstable appearance, could be associated with these astrology concepts.
- In tarot, there are several cards that correspond with Mercury, the Moon, Cancer, and Gemini: The Magician (Mercury), The High Priestess (The Moon), The Chariot (Cancer), and The Lovers (Gemini). It could also be associated with the Temperance card due to its emphasis on balance, as well as Death and Judgment for their emphasis on transformation.
Conclusion
If you were born in June or have the privilege of getting a gift for a person born in June, you have a lot of options to choose from in a variety of price points. While natural pearls and alexandrite can be costly, cultured pearls and lab-created alexandrite provide affordable options. Moonstone and rainbow moonstone can be found in a variety of price points as well. June is the month in the northern hemisphere when we welcome summer, so it seems fitting that the birthstones associated with this period have an ethereal, almost otherworldly quality that represents the change of seasons and the magic of the abundance around us.
