what is the origin of birthstones?
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http://www.classbrain.com/artteenah/publish/article_44.shtml\n\n\nBirthstones\n\nDid you know that there are traditional, modern, and mystical birthstones? Find out what your stones are with this breakdown by month and link to some cool sites to learn more about their significance.\n\nThe Modern birthstone list is from the American National Association of Jewelers, which later evolved into the Jewelers of America. The Traditional birthstone list is an older version of the Modern birthstone list recommended by the American National Association of Jewelers. It is based on societal birthstone traditions spanning from the 15th to the 20th Century. The Mystical birthstone list is based loosely on a list of Tibetan origin from over 1,000 years ago. To learn more about a particular stone, click on the name or check out the learning links below. \n\nThe following list has a modern, a traditional, and a mystical birthstone listed in that exact order, after each corresponding birth month.\n\n\nModern, Traditional, and Mystical Birthstones \n\nJanuary - Garnet, Garnet, Emerald\n\nFebruary - Amethyst, Amethyst, Bloodstone\n\nMarch - Aquamarine, Bloodstone, Jade \n\nApril - Diamond, Diamond, Opal\n\nMay - Emerald, Emerald, Sapphire\n\nJune - Pearl, Alexandrite, Moonstone\n\nJuly - Ruby, Carnelian, Ruby\n\nAugust - Peridot, Sardonyx, Diamond\n\nSeptember - Sapphire, Sapphire, Agate\n\nOctober - Opal, Tourmaline, Jasper\n\nNovember - Topaz, Citrine, Pearl\n\nDecember - Zircon, Turquoise, Onyx
891983
Sumey\nmeans flower\nasian origin
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Your best bet is to take the ring to a jewelry store and ask them about the ring. Some people who have been in the buisness a long time may be able to tell you some of the history on different stones etc.
133225
Even though my birthstone is Garnet, I really like the Emerald. I'd have one set in a silver ring; I prefer silver, not gold.
532624
Amathyst. (I cant spell). Its yer birthstone I believe.
118729
Because DeBeers had a kick ass marketing campaign in the 1920's. Prior to the advent of the DeBeers company engagement rings held the birthstone of the woman, but they were able to convince everyone that they NEEEEEEDED a diamond or they didn't love their intended. Don't be fooled  by slick advertising, tradition has merit.
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Amethyst (SiO2) is a violet or purple variety of quartz often used as an ornament. The name is generally said to be derived from the Greek a, "not," and methuskein, "to intoxicate," expressing the old belief that the stone protected its owner from drunkenness. It was held that wine drunk out of a cup of amethyst would not intoxicate. However, the word may probably be a corruption of an Oriental name for the stone.
381199
that'll be chalcedony. it differs from quatrz in it's shape, as it usually occurs in botryoidal masses, whereas quartz occurs more in hexagonal prisms. chalcedony is similar to opal, but can be distinguished by its higher specific gravity. it can be formed as a dehydration product of opal, hence the connection. the colour is highly variable, as it can be white, blue, red, green, brown or black, and varieties of chalcedony include jasper, agate, chrysoprase, onyx and carnelian. it's formed in rock cavities, especially lavas, and it develops at relatively low temperatures, whereas quartz occurs in any rock type, and usually formed at higher temperatures
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stone (st) \na traditional British unit of weight, rarely used in the U.S. Originally the stone varied in size, both from place to place and according to the nature of the item being weighed. A stone of sugar was traditionally 8 pounds, while a stone of wool could be as much as 24 pounds. Eventually the stone was standardized at 14 pounds avoirdupois or approximately 6.350 29 kilograms -- a convenient size because it makes the stone equal to exactly 1/2 quarter or 1/8 hundredweight. Today the stone is used mostly for stating the weight of persons or animals. No -s is added for the plural.\n\nfortnight \na traditional English unit of time equal to 2 weeks or 14 days. The word, a contraction of "fourteen nights," has been used since at least the 1100s.
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This website should provide you with information: http://www.goodmanandsons.com/Birthstones_nov.asp\n\nMany jewelry stores will clean items for free or for a low price, however. If you're not sure how to clean it, it's best to let professionals do it to avoid damaging the piece.
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Asterism in quartz (as well as sapphire and ruby, which are both varieties of corundum) is caused by the presence of abundant microscopic needles of the mineral rutile that are oriented with their long axes parallel to the prism faces of the hexagonal crystals of these minerals.  The rutile needles preferentially reflect light relative to the matrix mineral.  Not all samples of rose quartz have rutile inclusions in sufficient number to create a "star".\n\nIf there are enough rutile inclusions, the "star" figure will be centered on the "c" axis of the the quartz or corundum crystal.  The "c" axis is the "long" axis that is parallel to (i.e., doesn't intersect) the 6 prism faces.  \n\nUnfortunately, unlike corundum, rose quartz does not form nice, large, euhedral (i.e., with nice faces) crystals, which makes it almost impossible to determine the crystallographic orientation of a piece of rose quartz from it's crystallographic morphology.  Furthermore, it's almost impossible to see the asterism in an unpolished piece.  Your best bet is to tumble the rough and look for asterism under a bright, single source of light.\n\nThe reference below discusses asterism in the context of corundum, but the same ideas also hold for rose quartz.
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http://www.genealogytoday.com/names/origins/\nhttp://www.last-names.net/Articles/Anatomy.asp
250432
Some historians think that the custom of the birthday cake was observed in ancient Greece, and they report that the birthday cake began with the Greeks who used to make honey cakes or bread. Ancient Romans celebrated three different types of birthdays: Private celebrations among family and friends, the birthdays of cities and temples, and the birthdays of past and present emperors or members of the imperial family. The 50th year was celebrated with a honey cake made of wheat flour, grated cheese, honey, and olive oil.\n\nOthers contend that the Birthday Cake tradition was started in Germany in the Middle Ages where a sweetened bread dough was made in the shape of the baby Jesus in swaddling clothes and were used to commemorate his birthday.  The Birthday Cake later re-emerged in Germany as a kinderfest, or a birthday celebration for a young child. \n\nIn England, birthday cakes are baked with symbolic objects inside. In medieval times, objects such as coins and thimbles were mixed into the batter. People believed that the person who got the coin would be wealthy, while the unlucky finder of the thimble would never marry. Today, small figures, fake coins and small candies are more common.\n\nBirthday candles originally were placed on cakes to bring birthday wishes up to God. In ancient times, people prayed over the flames of an open fire. They believed that the smoke carried their thoughts up to the gods. Today, we believe, that if you blow out all your candles in one breath, your wish will come true.
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My best guess would be that it comes from stone masonry.\n\nTo "hew" something is to make or shape stone or wodd with an axe as in "to hew out a path in the rock" with the E at the end of stone being lost somewhere along the line.\n\nSo... "to shape stone" as a name derived from the work someone did, like Baker, Sailor, or Cooper (barrel-maker)
1046468
the birthstone for March is Aquamarine a light blue color stone close to a blue topaz
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When I was a kid, back in the 1950s, you could buy a liquid called water glass, for preserving eggs.   It was a saturated solution of sodium silicate.   It was colourless and as viscous as treacle.   You'd pour it into a jam jar and carefully place crystals of coloured salts into it, so they'd sink to the bottom.I remember using copper sulphate (blue), cobalt chloride (purple), ferrous sulphate (green), and ammonium dichromate (orange).   After about two days, you'd see coloured threads growing upwards from the crystals.   That's a silica garden.   It's an attractive ornament.
1101748
All I can find is that the origin is Hindu, and it's numerology is 3. I would suggest calling your local Hindu Temple Society and asking for further assistance. They will be completely thrilled to share their culture, trust me.\n\nGood luck!