JUNE: The month of June has the only birthstone that is not mined from Earth, but instead comes from a living creature.

That would be a pearl, naturally formed inside mollusks such as clams, oysters and mussels when an irritant is introduced. The color of the pearl is based on the color of the mollusk’s shell.

Farmers’ Almanac says, “Pearls symbolize purity and loyalty and are believed to bring peace, balance, and protection to its wearer.

“Since their discovery, pearls have been associated with wealth and wisdom. The Ancient Romans associated pearls with wealth and wore them to symbolize status, and enacted laws that forbade anyone outside of royalty from wearing pearls. Ancient Chinese legend also makes a connection between wisdom and wealth with the pearl. Have you ever heard the phrase pearls of wisdom? This saying comes from the belief that dragons held a pearl between their teeth. The warrior who vanquished the dragon would claim the ‘pearl of wisdom.'”

There are two alternate birthstones for the month of June — alexandrite and moonstone.

“Alexandrite is known for its ability to change color depending on the lighting it’s under. Colors range from hues of green to blue and even a purplish-red. Alexandrite was originally discovered in the 1830s in the Ural Mountains of Russia. It is said to bring luck, joy, and intuition to the wearer,” Farmers’ Almanac says.

“Like the pearl, moonstone is connected to the moon. Moonstone comes in many colors including white, cream, yellow, blue and green. It signifies new beginnings, intuition, and luck. It has been called ‘the travelers’ stone’ because it is thought to bring protection and good luck.”