• The month of April that includes the zodiac signs of Aries and Taurus has an assortment of 12 stones listed as birthstones.
• The birthstones marked for April are diamond, opal, and sapphire.
• The zodiac signs add on nine more birthstones bloodstone, topaz, jasper, coral, amber, turquoise, emerald, aventurine, and garnet.

Diamond is an amazingly simple stone in its structure and yet it is the most brilliant natural gem. It is the most coveted gem for its bright sparkles. Diamonds have been revered throughout history & used extensively to embellish items such as crowns, swords and emblems as well as jewelry.

It is also hardest known natural substance in nature. Diamond has four directions of cleavage, meaning that if it receives a sharp blow in one of these directions it will cleave, or split. Thus though hard, it is not impervious. It has a value of perfect 10 on the Mohs scale of hardness. It has a broad color range, high refraction, high dispersion or fire, very low reactivity to chemicals, rarity, and of course, extreme hardness and durability. Pure diamond is completely colorless and transparent over a larger range of wavelengths. Diamonds may be nearly any color in the rainbow including browns, grays, and white. Shades of yellow are most common, followed by colorless. Blue, black, reddish, and greenish are more valuable.

Most natural diamonds are formed at high-pressure high-temperature conditions existing at depths of 140 to 190 kilometers (87 to 120 miles) in the Earth mantle. Diamonds are brought close to the earth's surface through deep volcanic eruptions by a magma, which cools into igneous rocks known as kimberlites and lamproites. Diamonds are believed to have been first recognized and mined in India, where significant alluvial deposits of the stone could then be found many centuries ago along the rivers. These gemstones are found primarily in Australia, the Soviet Union, Canada and Africa.

• Hindus called the diamond "Vajra" for its brightness and extreme hardness. Vajra is Sanskrit word for lightening and also a name of the mighty weapon of Indra- the lord of gods.
• Queen Victoria declared the celebration of her 50th year of reign a "Diamond Jubilee."
• The true beauty of the Diamond was not revealed until the 16th century, when gemstone cutting and polishing techniques were perfected. Prior to this time, it was considered taboo to modify the original state of a Diamond. Today, the value and appeal of this stone depends largely upon how skillfully it is cut and faceted.
• Diamonds have been treasured as gemstones since their use as religious icons in ancient India and also in engraving tools of early human history.
• Ancient Greeks believed that diamonds were the tears of god while Romans thought of them as splinters of fallen stars.
• In Tibetan Buddhism, also known as Vajrayana (Diamond Vehicle), diamonds are considered symbolic and the Diamond Sutra is one of the most popular texts.
• During the Middle Ages, it was believed that diamonds would grow darker in the face of guilt and shine brightly for the innocent.
• Another belief is that in the presence of poison, diamond also changes color. The rainbow colors of the prism were thought to give magical power over Evil Eyes.
• According to occultist myths, it was believed that diamonds possess several supernatural powers.
• It was also thought to bring victory against any number of enemies, if bound to the left arm of the warrior.

• It is given to commemorate the tenth wedding anniversary.
• Diamonds have also been credited for having certain medicinal properties. During the middle ages, these gemstones were thought to heal illness and the patients were required to warm the stone with their body heat.
• Diamond make s a perfect gift for someone you love as the stone symbolizes everlasting love and enduring relationship. Thus they are popularly set in engagement and wedding rings as a symbol of durable, faithful and pure love.
• It is used for treating all ailments related to our psyche.
• It is also used as a therapy for treating serious diseases like leukemia.
• Diamonds help in diminishing negative emotions like jealousy and anger and gives a boost to the wearers self confidence.
• Owing to its harness, a diamond is a perfect symbol of power, strength, brilliance and unparalleled beauty.

Rock crystal is an aternate birthstone for April. It is a variety of quartz. Although it is one of the less expensive gemstones, cut rock crystal has been used as imitation diamonds. The term Crystal is from the Greek word 'krystallos', which means "ice," as the early Greeks believed that rock crystal formed from ice. Rock crystal lacks the fire, color and rarity to be ranked as a fine precious gemstone but it is in wide use as a gemstone due to its beauty, affordability, availability, and ease of cutting. The best rock crystal sources are in the areas of Arkansas, USA; Cumberland, England; St. Gotthard, Switzerland; Brazil and Madagascar. The quartz crystal, in various shapes and sizes, is truly one of the most versatile and useful crystals the earth has to offer.