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Gem Guide
Alexandrite
The very first crystals of Alexandrite were discovered in April
1834 in the emerald mines near the Tokovaya River in the Urals.
This discovery was made the day the future tsar came of age,
hence it was named for the Russian tsar Alexander II
(1818-1881). This gem actually changes color from green in
daylight to red in incandescent light.
In 1987, a new Alexandrite was discovered in Brazil. The
Hematita Alexandrite changes from raspberry red to bluish green.
Though it is a beautiful and top quality gem, Alexandrite is
very rare and hardly ever used in modern jewelry.
It’s been said that this jewel can assist one in centering the
self, reinforcing self-esteem, and enhancing ones ability to
experience joy. Alexandrite is the birthstone for the month of
June and is also the symbolic gemstone for the 55th wedding
anniversary.
Amethyst
Amethyst is derived from the Greek word "amethystos", which can
be translated as "not drunken." Amethyst was considered to be a
strong antidote against drunkenness, which is why wine goblets
were often carved from it. Today this gemstone still symbolizes
sobriety.
The legend of its origin comes from Greek myths. Dionysius, the
god of intoxication, was angered by an insult from a mere mortal
and swore revenge on the next mortal that crossed his path,
creating fierce tigers to carry out his wish. Along came
unsuspecting Amethyst, a beautiful young maiden on her way to
pay tribute to the goddess Diana. Diana turned Amethyst into a
stature of pure crystalline quartz to protect her from the
brutal claws of the Dionysius’ tigers. Dionysus wept tears of
wine in remorse for his action at the sight of the beautiful
statue. The tears of this powerful god stained the quartz
purple, creating the gem we know today.
Since the color purple is traditionally the color of royalty,
amethyst has been used since the dawn of history to adorn the
rich and powerful monarchs and rulers. Fine amethysts are
featured in the British Crown Jewels and were also a favorite of
Catherine the Great and Egyptian royalty.
In medieval times, amethyst was still credited with protecting
one from the effects of drunkenness, both of the cup and also
from the intoxicating effects of being in love. Wearing amethyst
was also known to protect soldiers from harm and give them
victory over their enemies, and assist hunters with the capture
of wild animals.
The astrological signs of amethyst are Pisces, Virgo, Aquarius
and Capricorn. Amethyst is the birthstone for the month of
February and the symbolic gemstone for the 17th wedding
anniversary.
Aquamarine
Derived from the Latin for 'sea water', aquamarine is the
legendary treasure of mermaids and was believed to be a
particularly strong charm when immersed in water.
During the Middle Ages, aquamarine worn as a talisman,
aquamarine was believed to cure laziness, quicken the intellect
and provide courage. It was thought to contain the power of the
sea and so was dedicated to a number of sea goddesses, including
the Greek love goddess, Aphrodite, whose name means “born of the
foam”. Sailors used it as an amulet to keep them safe from
storms and bring them securely home.
The biggest aquamarine ever mined was found at the city of
Marambaia, Minas Gerais. It weighed over 110 kg, and its
dimensions were 48.5 cm long and 42 cm in diameter.
Aquamarine is the birthstone for the month of March. It is also
the symbolic gemstone for the 19th wedding anniversary.
Citrine
One of the two traditional birthstones for November, citrine is
also known as citrine quartz and citrine topaz, as it ranges
from yellow to brown. In some ancient cultures, it was believed
that citrine was used to protect people from evil thoughts and
snake venom. Citrine is a form of quartz with ferric iron
impurities, and is rarely found naturally because it needs to be
artificially heated to achieve the gem used in jewelry. While
all citrine is individually gorgeous, most favor the darker
"sherry"-colored variety.
Citrine is found predominantly in Brazilian mines, with much of
its production coming from the state of Rio Grande do Sul.
Diamonds
The Romans believed that diamonds brought courage and bravery
during battle. Jewish high priests used diamonds to decide the
innocence or guilt of the accused; it was believed that a stone
held before a guilty person dulled and darkened while a stone
held before an innocent person glowed with increased brilliance.
The Hindus believed that this brilliant gem was created when
bolts of lightning struck rocks. Diamond is referred to as the
“King Gem”.
It is said that to make an effective talisman, diamonds would
have to be given as a token of love or friendship. If bought or
sold, they would lose their powers.
Diamonds are said to increase personal clarity and honesty.
Supposedly, the higher quality the diamond, the better it
supports these qualities. A symbol of innocence, justice, faith
and strength, the diamond was believed to make its wearers
courageous and victorious over their enemies. When set in gold
and worn on the left side, it held the power to drive away
nightmares and calm terrible beasts. Diamonds were even thought
to be so powerful that they could stop lechery.
Diamond quality is evaluated by four characteristics, called the
"4 C's": carat weight, clarity, color and cut. Though many
people like to debate the value of each characteristic, most
knowledgeable jewelers agree that a balance of all four
characteristics make a quality diamond. A proper cut enhances
the brilliance of the stone. Diamonds with exceptional clarity
reflect their purity. Larger diamonds are more rare, and
therefore, the larger the carat size, the rarer the diamond.
Similarly, purer colored diamonds are less common and therefore
more highly prized.
While India was the world's main source of diamonds for over
2,000 years, most diamonds now come from Africa, Russia and
Australia. Of all diamonds mined, only a quarter of them are gem
quality.
Emeralds
The most valuable gemstone in the world (based on weight) is
emerald, easily recognized by its lustrous green shine caused by
trace amounts of chromium and, less often, iron. The major
sources for emerald are Colombia and Africa.
Historically first used by the Egyptians, the first high-profile
admirer of the stone was Queen Cleopatra, who had her own mines
during her reign. At least one of her mines has been discovered
by archeologists, but they were beat to it by looters.
The most valuable emeralds were discovered in Colombia. The
Aztecs and the Incas used emeralds in their worship rituals, and
in the 1500's, when Spanish Conquistadors arrived, the gems were
quickly taken away, only to be lost at sea in shipwrecks.
Emerald has been believed to have medicinal purposes, and said
to have properties able to soothe strained and tired eyes, break
fevers, prevent epileptic attacks, and even cure digestive
problems if used in a "gem elixir." Additionally, it’s had a
role in improving concentration.
Unlike most gems, emeralds have found their way into mythos and
fantasy, best noted in L. Frank Baum's book (and its consequent
film) The Wizard of Oz. In the story, Dorothy visits the Emerald
City and needs to wear protective, green-tinted glasses to
shield her eyes from the shine of the resplendent greenery.
Garnets
While especially known for their rich, purple-red color, garnets
actually come in the following hues: red, purple, green, yellow,
orange, brown, black, and even colorless. In the 1990's, blue
garnets were manufactured in Madagascar, although these stones
are incredibly rare. Brilliant, colorful and durable, garnets
have been found on every continent, but most are mined in
Southeast Asia, Brazil and Africa.
Traced back to the Bronze Age, garnet would find prominence in
Egyptian decoration, Greek jewelry, and in the Bible. Garnet has
become the birthstone for the month of January.
Since the Middle Ages, garnet has been associated with powerful
properties of healing, strength, and protection. It was used to
alleviate skin inflammations, heart and blood flow
irregularities, and ward off depression. To give someone a
garnet before they travel signifies an insurance that they will
be safe in their travels and return in good health.
Jade
There are two types of Jade: Jadeite and Nephrite.
Jadeite is rarer and its highest quality form is known as
imperial Jade. It comes in many colors: red, yellow, green,
lilac, black, orange, white, pink, blue and brown, and has a
hardness of 7. Jadeite is found in Myanmar, Japan, and the
United States (Alaska and California). Nephrite Jade is from
Myanmar, Russia, China and the US (Wyoming).
Nephrite jade is more common and often used in Chinese carvings.
This type of jade comes in various tones of green -- mostly with
an olive green tone.
Jade is considered a very balanced stone. It both aides in
relaxation and envisioning tasks through to satisfactory
completion. Some say that jade is the concentrated essence of
love. In China, jade is regarded as a special stone. When
handled, some of the secret virtue of jade is said to be
absorbed into the body. Legends have it that the Spanish
conquerors of Central America wore amulets of jadeite to
prevent/cure hip and kidney complaints.
Onyx
This stone has always attracted those with a different sense of
style. Usually not worn by itself, onyx is frequently used as
backdrop of some sort and paired with other gems. The Romans
were responsible for onyx’s current association with black or
dark brown colors. However, the word “onyx” is derived from the
Greek word "Onux", meaning fingernail. Therefore, onyx had
previously meant any color ranging from black to brown to
fingernail white.
Sardonyx, another form of onyx, is reddish brown and white. This
stone was highly valued in Rome, especially for seals, as it was
said to never stick to wax. Primarily used for carving or
backdrops, it adds a bit of mystery and allure to any piece of
jewelry.
Opal
One of the oldest stones in circulation, opal has always been
regarded as a beautiful gift from the gods. Said to have been
created by the rainbow itself, opals reflect the very elements,
from the fiery reds of the sunset to the deep blues of the skies
and oceans. Each opal shares only one thing in common with
another: its ability to shine and dazzle in an array of various
colors.
Derived from the Sanskrit word "Upala", meaning valuable stone,
the opal's name changed throughout the ages. The Greeks called
it "Opallios", meaning color change. Finally, the Romans named
it "Opalus", meaning stone from several different elements.
What made opals so interesting was that up until the 1960's, no
one understood why the stones reflected so many different
colors. During the 1960's, Australian scientists used an
electron microscope to discover that rather than being made up
of complex crystal structure, the inside of the opal was
compacted spheres of silica that reflected the light, creating
the various colors of the rainbow through reflection and
refraction.
Ninety-five percent of opals are found in Australia. The
remaining five percent can be found sporadically in Brazil,
Mexico, and even in such states as Idaho and Nevada.
Opal is a very personal stone due to its fragile nature. Being
two to six percent water, the stone requires that it be worn
frequently, to acquire the necessary humidity from the air as
well as from the skin. Therefore, it is not a good idea to keep
these stones in dry, hot places, or else cracks and fissures
will appear within the stone and it will lose its brilliance.
Likewise, due to its relatively modest rating on the Mohs scale
(5-6), the wearer should encase the stone in a clear resin, or
find another way to keep the stone safe from tarnish and
scratches when not in use.
The value of an opal is determined by rareness, size, color and
other basic attributes that define a good gem. However, unlike
most gems, “play of color” is highly important when measuring
the quality of an opal.
Black, gray, crystal and Mexican Fire are the four most
expensive and luxurious categories of opal. With these colors as
a base, the reflections in an opal are brilliant and vibrant;
the deeper the core color (black, gray, etc.), the more luminous
the reflecting colors. For their wearer, opals reflect emotion
itself. Said to aid in calming its wearer, opal will help
dissolve depression, as well as help find true and lasting love.
One of October's birthstones, it is guaranteed to not only be a
great anniversary gift, but truly a gift of emotion.
Pearls
The Pearl is a symbol of love. Everyone seems to adore the
beauty inherent in a strand of pearls. Pearl necklaces are
classic pieces of jewelry that are treasured. Pearl is said to
self-clarity help improve self-worth. Giving a loved one a gift
of natural pearls is one of the nicest gifts one can give. It
allows the wearer to see the love of the person who gave them
the pearls.
Pearls were once thought to be the tears of God. As an emblem of
modesty, chastity and purity, the pearl symbolizes love,
success, and happiness. Pearls often symbolize a happy marriage
and in many countries are used as a wedding gift. Pearl is often
referred to as the "Queen Gem."
Natural pearls are formed in shellfish as a reactant to an
irritant such as a piece of sand. Cultured pearls are created by
adding a piece of mussel or shell inside of an oyster or another
mussel. This then creates a pearl as layers of the inside of the
shell grow over the added substance. Pearls are generally white,
brown, silver, cream, black or pink depending on the type of
shellfish and water origin.
Peridot
A beautiful olive green stone, peridot is worn in necklaces,
earrings, pendants and bracelets. Peridot is found in Australia,
Brazil, China, Egypt, Myanmar, Norway, and in the USA,
specifically Arizona, Colorado, Hawaii, and New Mexico.
Peridot is created during volcanic action and occasionally,
peridot crystals are found on the black sands of Hawaii. The
stone is used to help dreams become a reality and is given as a
symbol of fame, dignity, and protection.
Legend has it that pirates favored peridot to protect them
against evil. When the peridot was set in gold, it also
protected the wearer from terrors in the night. Peridot has been
mined from St. John's Island in the Red Sea for over 3500 years.
Ruby
Ruby-red, Ruby slippers, passion, love… these words and more are
associated with one of the most popular gemstones: rubies. A
member of the corundum family, a ruby’s hardness is second only
to the diamond and shares a hardness scale of 9 with its
brother, the sapphire. As a matter of fact, anything not red in
the corundum family is known as a sapphire, unless it is a rare
colorless form of corundum.
Known in Sanskrit as "ratnaraj" or “King of Gems”, the ruby is
an impressive, brilliant stone that reflects the passions and
desires of its wearer. Occurring in places like Myanmar, and
neighboring countries of Vietnam on the Chinese border, the more
precious rubies are known as Burmese rubies. They are named not
because they have Burmese origin, but rather because the rubies
have a similar color (a deep red with a slightly blue hue) to
the famous occurrences in Burma, or modern day Myanmar. Also
dubbed "dove-blood-red," the more accurate term for a
description of such rare rubies is "Burma-colored."
Another area that produces rubies is Thailand. However, where
other places produce vibrantly red stones, Thai rubies are dark
red on the verge of brown, and are said to have a "Siamese
color." Other places that mine rubies are East Africa, Laos,
Nepal, and Afghanistan. Where other gemstones are examined and
judged based on a variety of qualifications, the measure of a
ruby is placed primarily on its color.
Normally other materials such as liquids, gases, or solids
appearing in a gemstone would decrease the value of the stone.
In rubies the opposite is true; unless these inclusions
interfere with the clarity of the stones, rubies will possibly
become even more valuable, seeing that these incursions act as a
sort of proof of authenticity for the gems. A gift of passion,
love, and desire, the ruby is not only perfect for those with
July birthdays, but for anyone towards whom a carnal desire is
felt.
Sapphire
Existing in all shades of blue, from the bright sky blue of a
summer's afternoon to the deepest depths of the ocean, sapphire
has always had a mesmerizing hold over those who gaze into it.
Not many know, though, that sapphire also comes in other colors
besides blue, such as red, pink, orange, and purple, almost as
if it were a sunset in a stone.
Although sapphires bring up images of blue skies or deep oceans,
there is a category of sapphire known as “fancy”. These gems are
yellow, purple, pink, white, or green. It is with these stones
that the wearer can truly express his or her individuality, as
these ‘fancy sapphires' are truly the rarest of the rare.
Located in India, Burma, Ceylon, Thailand, Vietnam, Australia,
Brazil and Africa, the stone’s price and rarity are affected by
where it originated. Burma and Ceylon sapphires are among the
more costly group of sapphires. However, other factors account
for the price of a stone as well. For example, the treatment, or
lack of treatment (which is now preferred) to a stone will
heavily affect the price. In today's market, the less a sapphire
is chemically treated, the more expensive it is.
Symbolizing loyalty, faithfulness, sapphire is an ideal stone
for engagement rings as it also is said to have powers to
stabilize emotions and enhance communication and understanding
while at the same time, express deep love and desire.
Their high hardness (9) is second only to diamonds, which makes
them easy to care for. Sapphires require only the usual
attention and care from their owner.
Sapphires are September's birthstone and make not only the
perfect gift for anniversaries or birthdays, but due to their
rarity and beauty, a gift that anyone can truly cherish.
Tanzanite
Home to only Tanzania, the jewelry mogul Tiffany's & Co. turned
this precious purple-blue colored stone into a hot commodity to
own.
Due to how it forms, tanzanite is usually mined in small
portions in Africa, not because there is no need or desire for
the precious stone, but rather because it is extremely difficult
to find a crystal vein that produces a large enough size
crystal. Hence, its rarity, popularity, and, of course, high
cost.
Originally, tanzanite was named blue zoisite, but when it was
initially marketed, Tiffany & Co. decided to rename it, fearing
the original name sounded too similar to the word "suicide."
Because of its brilliant blue and purple hues, the wearer of
this stone omits an air of confidence, beauty and individuality.
Tanzanite is an ideal gift for someone whom you think is special
and truly one in a million.
Topaz
Through the ages, topaz has always been associated with the
various Gods of the Sun, due to its golden appearance. Usually
topaz appears in shades of brown or gold, with the most
brilliant gems having an amber gold color similar to cognac.
Topaz is said to give various abilities to its wearer including:
improved vision and clarity, healing with the various phases of
the moon, and also has been said to help cure insomnia, asthma,
and hemorrhages. The most famous topaz is the piece set in the
Portuguese Crown called the "Braganza" which, at first, was
thought to be a diamond.
Brown, yellow, orange, sherry, and red topaz can be found in
Brazil and Sri Lanka. Pink topaz can mainly be found in Pakistan
and Russia. Blue topaz that is found primarily in Brazil, Sri
Lanka and China is formed by exposure to radiation.
Topaz is the birthstone for November, as is Citrine.
Tourmaline
Also known as the "Rainbow Gemstone," tourmaline comes in an
array of colors such as reds and greens, as well as everything
from yellow to blue. Tourmaline is especially fascinating
because of its ability to show more than one color at a time. In
fact, it is rare if tourmaline is found in only one color.
Deriving from the Senegalese expression "tura mali" or "stone of
mixed colors", the name exemplifies the unique quality of
tourmaline. Said to have a strong influence on friendship and
love, the stone makes an excellent gift for the stability and
longevity of newly formed relationships.
To have a better understanding of tourmaline's range of colors,
a better understanding of gemology is needed. Tourmalines are
made up of complex crystals with varying composition; any change
in this composition can result in a completely different color
to appear. Likewise, due to the complex crystal structure of
tourmalines, looking at them through various angles and
different forms of light (artificial versus sunlight) will
result in a different intensity of the color. In fact, the
deepest color will always appear at the axis, or center of the
stone, an important factor for gemstone cutter to keep in mind.
It is because of these various complex crystal formations that
different colors of tourmalines exist.
Deep red tourmaline is dubbed "rubelite” if it shows the same
intensity of color in various lights. If it shows different
color intensity in artificial light, it is then called pink
tourmaline. Similar nicknames for tourmaline exist for the
various color intensities it can show. Found everywhere in the
world, the most important occurrences are in Sri Lanka, Brazil,
South and Southwest Africa.
Zircon
Naturally formed, this stone is often confused with cubic
zirconia, the man-made diamond imitation. Possibly hailing from
the Persian word zargum meaning "gold-colored," zircon can come
in a variety of colors, ranging from colorless to the more
popular blue zircon.
Zircon was originally believed to possess abilities to aid its
wearer in restful sleep, prosperity, honor and wisdom. Today the
stone is a collector’s favorite due to its beauty, rarity and
relatively low cost. Hailing mainly from the east, zircon is
mined heavily in Cambodia, Sri Lanka, Thailand and Australia.
The stone is quite hard (7.5), but careful storage is
recommended when it’s not being worn.
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