| Vocabulary |
| gemstone: clear, pure,
crystalline
forms of a number of minerals |
| transparent:
something clear and easily seen through |
| durable:
able to resist, wear, and decay |
| zircon:
a common mineral, a silicate of zirconium, occurring in tetragonal crystals,
variously colored red, yellow, brown and green |
| luster:
a bright shine on the surface |
| birthstone:
a gem associated with a certain month of the year. |
|
corundum: an extremely hard mineral consisting of aluminum oxide |
| |
|
Gemstones are minerals
found in nature. Gemstones can be transparent, rough, and durable. Minerals make bright colors in
gemstones. Sometimes light bounces off gemstones in
another direction. The color and luster are revealed by skilled cutting and
polishing . Gemstones are rare and sometimes
known as crystals. Nearly all these beautiful stones are found beneath the
surface of the Earth. They are formed in many different ways. Some are formed
from magma, others like emeralds, rubies and zircon are metamorphic because they
are formed by heat and pressure. Features like luster and fire of zircon often attract people and for this reason it is popular in jewelry. Most diamonds
are formed in a volcano and opals are formed by a build up of water and sediment.
Opals are found on every continent and in nearly every country. You may have
heard that "diamonds are a girl's best friend". There are many kinds of
diamonds. Gemstones have been admired and collected by people from ancient times
to collectors today. Emeralds, rubies, opals, sapphires and diamonds are some of
the most collected gemstones because of their color. Color is an important
property. Some people think color tells something about people's personalities.
A birthstone is a gem that is a symbol of the month
a person was born. Wearing your gemstone is said to bring good luck.
If you were born in the month of January, your birthstone would be the garnet. If
you were born in February, you would wear an amethyst. March's stone is the
aquamarine. April would be that girl's best friend, the diamond. May's
birthstone is the emerald and June's is the moonstone. July's birthstone is the
ruby which is made out of corundum as is September's sapphire. Going
back to August, Leo's would wear peridot. October's gem is the opal. November's
birthstone is the topaz and December's can be the blue topaz or turquoise.
Birthstones are a fun way to share something about yourself with other people.
What is yours?
|