Catherine the Great (Empress Catherine II of Russia, 1729–1796) had a penchant for amethyst and decked herself in amethyst necklaces, earrings and other ornaments. Amethyst is the most prized member of the quartz family, thought to keep its wearers clear-headed and quick-witted. The name “amethyst” derives from the Greek amethystos, which means “a remedy against […]
February’s Birthstone – Amethyst Read More »
Garnet is a very diverse stone, having a large range of colors. Garnet is a group of several minerals, five of which – pyrope, almandine, spessartine, grossular and andradite – are important as gems. The name “garnet” originates from the medieval Latin granatus, meaning “pomegranate,” in reference to the similarity of the red color. Garnets
January’s Birthstone – Garnet Read More »
Tanzanite was one of the most exciting gemstone discoveries in the 19th century. Due to its amazing velvety looking shade of rich blue or violet, Tiffany & Co. believed it would be an international sensation – and they were right! Tanzanite is pleochroic, so as you move the stone you’ll see different colors. Tanzanite is
December’s Birthstones – Part Three: Tanzanite Read More »
One of the most recognizable stones in the United States, especially in the Southwest region, turquoise has been used by indigenous cultures for centuries. It’s also shown up in Ancient Egyptian tombs, including in King Tut’s headpiece, and carved turquoise from Ancient China has been found recently. Turquoise has a wide range of purported benefits,
December’s Birthstones – Part Two: Turquoise Read More »
December has a total of four birthstones: blue topaz, turquoise, zircon, and tanzanite. Writing about all four stones in one post would create a novel! So, we’ve decided to make one post a week, so we can cover each of these interesting stones in more detail. So, for this week, we’ll focus on blue topaz.
December’s Birthstones – Part One: Blue Topaz Read More »
Citrine is an intriguing stone, known throughout history. It has been used in jewelry for thousands of years, such as in ancient Rome. Its color is reminiscent of the changing leaves on the trees, which makes it perfect for fall! Citrine is known for its yellow to brown color. It gets this color from the
November’s Birthstone – Citrine Read More »
Although tourmaline doesn’t have the famous play-of-color that opals do, it does have a staggering amount of colors, and can display a cat’s-eye effect. Let’s look deeper into this intriguing stone’s history! Tourmaline’s name comes from the Sinhalese word toramalli, which means “stone with mixed colors,” because it often has multiple colors in one crystal. There
October’s Birthstones – Part Two: Tourmaline Read More »
October is a special month, because it has two distinct birthstones: opal, and tourmaline. In this post, we’ll talk about opals, and share their distinctive features. Many cultures believed that opal had supernatural origins and powers. In Arabic culture, it was believed to fall from heaven in flashes of lightning. The Greek people thought it
October’s Birthstones – Part One: Opal Read More »
Did you know sapphires come in more colors than just blue? They also come in purple, violet, green, golden, pink, and many other shades! Padparadscha is a color of sapphire that’s a very specific pink-orange with vivid saturation of color. It’s a gorgeous stone, and its price tends to reflect that. Sapphire is associated with
September’s Birthstone – Sapphire Read More »
Peridot is widely recognized as August’s birthstone. Known for their vibrant warm green color, it’s a very noticeable stone. Not mentioned as frequently is sardonyx, a type of chalcedony. It’s one of the oldest, most abundant gems in the world. Peridot: Has historically been associated with light. It was believed to protect from nightmares and
August’s Birthstones – Peridot and Sardonyx Read More »
