Stones, Gemstones and Pearls
We offer a huge selection of stones, gemstones and pearls in our jewelry
line. Below is a descriptive listing of some of the most common stones, gemstones
and pearls. This listing is provided in order to assist you in making an informed
decision regarding your purchases. We hope this will add to your shopping experience
at Glittering Treasures.
Gemstones have been used by cultures around the globe for thousands of years.
The uses of gemstones in history have been among others, for personal adornment,
currency, and even for their supposed medicinal properties.
The ancient Greeks sought Amethyst to ward off the effects of drinking too much
wine. Opals were desired by various cultures for the luck it was believed to hold.
A diamond has always been used in culture to symbolize wealth and prosperity.
Lets start our descriptive listing with Birthstones. Birthstones are gemstones
that are associated with a given month. They may be precious stones, such as diamonds,
or semi-precious, such as Lapis. In each case they are considered lucky for their
particular month. For those who believe, birthstones are purported to heighten healing
powers during their months.
Some people buy a set of twelve birthstones and rotate them for each month. You
will find all twelve months of birthstones represented and available at Glittering
Treasures.
Modern Birthstone List: This list contains the official birthstone
list from the American Association of Jewelers, Jewelers of America. These gemstones
were officially adopted in 1912. In the US, this is the accepted list.
January – Garnet
February – Amethyst
March – Aquamarine
April – Diamond
May – Emerald
June – Pearl, Moonstone
July – Ruby
August – Peridot
September – Sapphire
October – Opal, Tourmaline
November – Citrine, Yellow Topaz
December – Topaz, Turquoise
Garnet- is a group of minerals that have been used since the
Bronze Age
as gemstones and abrasives. Garnets are most often seen in red, but are available
in a wide variety of colors spanning the entire spectrum. The name "garnet" comes
from the
Latin granatus ("grain"),
possibly a reference to the Punica granatum ("pomegranate"),
a plant with red seeds similar in shape, size, and color to some garnet crystals.
Amethyst - is a purple variety of
quartz often used as an adornment.
The name comes from the
Greek a ("not")
and methuskein ("to intoxicate"), a reference to the belief that the stone
protected its owner from
drunkenness. The
ancient Greeks and
Romans wore amethyst
and made drinking vessels of it in the belief that it would prevent
intoxication.
Aquamarine - (Lat. aqua marinā, "water of the sea") is a
gemstone-quality transparent
variety of
beryl, having a delicate
blue or turquoise color, suggestive of the tint of
seawater. It's closely
related to the gem
emerald. In the
United States, aquamarines
can be found at the summit of
Mt. Antero in the
Sawatch Range in central
Colorado. Much of
today's aquamarine is heated to give it a deeper color blue. The deeper the blue
color, the more valuable the gem is considered.
Diamond - is the hardest known
natural material.
The name diamond derives from the
ancient Greek
adamas (“invincible”). They have been treasured as
gemstones since their
use as
religious icons in
ancient India and
usage in
engraving tools also
dates to early
human history. The
popularity of diamonds has risen since the 19th century because of increased supply,
improved cutting and polishing techniques, growth in the world economy, and innovative
and successful advertising campaigns. They are commonly judged by the “four Cs”:
carat, clarity, color and cut.
Emerald - is a variety of the
mineral
beryl, colored green
by trace amounts of
chromium and sometimes
vanadium. Emeralds
come in many shades of green and bluish green. There is a wide spectrum of clarity,
dependent on the inclusions and fractures in the crystal. Most emeralds are highly
included (flawed),
so the brittleness (resistance to breakage) is classified as generally poor. The
origin of the word "Emerald" is said to be a Sanskrit word meaning "green".
Pearl – Natural or real pearls are made by oysters and other mollusks. Cultured
pearls are also grown by Mollusks but with human intervention; that is to say, an
irritant introduced into the shells causes a pearl to grow. Imitation pearls are
man-made with glass, plastic, or organic materials. Because natural pearls are very
rare, most pearls used in jewelry are either cultured or imitation. Cultured pearls
are generally more expensive than imitation pearls. The value is largely based on
its size and the quality of its nacre coating which gives it luster.
Moonstone - is typically a potassium aluminium
silicate. The moonstone
is characterized by an enchanting play of light. Indeed it owes its name to that
mysterious shimmer which always looks different when the stone is moved and is known
in the trade as 'adularescence'. The sheen is caused by light reflecting internally
in the moonstone from layer inclusions of different Feldspars. Moonstones can be
numerous colors, including grey, white, pink, green and brown, but the most valuable
are deep blue.
Ruby - Red is the color of love. It radiates warmth and a strong sense of vitality.
Red is also the color of the ruby, the king of the gemstones. In the fascinating
world of gemstones, the ruby is the undisputed ruler. Ruby is the red variety of
the mineral corundum, one of the hardest minerals on Earth, of which the sapphire
is also a variety. Pure corundum is colorless. Slight traces of elements such as
chrome, iron, titanium or vanadium are responsible for the color. These gemstones
have excellent hardness. There was a definite reason that the name 'ruby' was derived
from the Latin word 'rubens', meaning 'red'. The red of the ruby is incomparably
warm and fiery. Two magical elements are associated with the symbolism of this color:
fire and blood, implying warmth and life for mankind. So ruby-red is not just any
old color, no, it is absolutely undiluted, hot, passionate, powerful color. Like
no other gemstone, the ruby is the perfect way to express powerful feelings. Instead
of symbolizing a calm, controlled affection, a ring set with a precious ruby bears
witness to that passionate, unbridled love that people can feel for each other.
Peridot - This gemstone has no fewer than three names: 'peridot', 'chrysolite',
from the Greek 'gold stone', and 'olivine', for the peridot is the gemstone form
of the mineral olivine. In the gemstone trade it is called 'peridot', derived from
the Greek word 'peridona', which means something like 'to give richness'. The peridot
is one of the few gemstones which come in one color only. The rich, green color
with the slight tinge of gold is caused by very fine traces of iron. From a chemical
point of view, peridot is an iron magnesium silicate. The intensity of the color
depends on the amount of iron actually present. The vivid green of the peridot,
with just a slight hint of gold, is the ideal gemstone color to go with that light
summer wardrobe. No wonder – since the peridot is the gemstone of the summer month
of August.
Sapphire - This gem comes in all the blue shades of that firmament, from the
deep blue of the evening sky to the shining mid-blue of a lovely summer's day. However,
this magnificent gemstone also comes in many other colors: not only in the transparent
greyish-blue of a distant horizon but also in the gloriously colorful play of light
in a sunset – in yellow, pink, orange and purple. Sapphires really are gems of the
sky, although they are found in the hard ground of our 'blue planet'.
The sapphire belongs to the corundum group, the members of which are characterised
by their excellent hardness (9 on the Mohs scale). Indeed their hardness is exceeded
only by that of the diamond.
Opal - All of Nature’s splendor seems to be reflected in the manifold opulence
of fine Opals: fire and lightning, all the colors of the rainbow and the soft shine
of far seas. Australia is the classical country of origin. The name Opal was probably
derived from Sanskrit “upala“, meaning”valuable stone“. This was probably the root
for the Greek term “opallios”, which translates as “color change”. Due to
the differing percentage of water, Opals may easily become brittle. They always
contain water – usually between 2 and 6 per cent, but sometimes even more. If Opals
are stored too dry or exposed to heat over a longer period of time, they will show
fissures and the play of color will become paler. Therefore, Opal jewelry should
be worn as often as possible. They love the much needed humidity from the air and
from the skin of the wearer.
Opals are not very hard: they only achieve 5.5 to 6 on the Mohs’ scale. Therefore
they appreciate a protective setting. In earlier days Opal’s sensitive surface was
often oiled, but today sealing them with colorless artificial resin has become quite
popular.
Tourmaline
- are gems with an incomparable variety of colors. According to an old Egyptian
legend, the tourmaline, on its long journey up from the center of the Earth, passed
over a rainbow. While passing, it assumed all the colors of the rainbow. And that
is why it is still referred to as the 'gemstone of the rainbow' today.
The name tourmaline comes from the Singhalese words 'tura mali'. In translation,
this means something like 'stone with mixed colors', referring to the color spectrum
of this gemstone, which outdoes that of all other precious stones. There are tourmalines
from red to green and blue to yellow. They often have two or more colors. There
are tourmalines which change their color when the light changes from daylight to
artificial light, and some show the light effect of a cat's eye. No two tourmalines
are exactly alike.
Citrine - the citrine is a member of the large quartz family, a family which,
with its multitude of colors and very various structures, offers gemstone lovers
almost everything their hearts desire in terms of adornment and decoration, from
absolutely clear rock crystal to black onyx. And it does so at prices which are
by no means unaffordable.
The name is derived from the color, lemon yellow, although the most sought after
stones have a clear, radiant yellowish to brownish red. Like all crystal quartz,
the citrine has a hardness of 7 on the Mohs scale and is thus, to a large extent,
insensitive to scratches. Citrine jewelry shimmers and brings a hint of sunshine
to those dull November days.
Yellow Topaz - The most common color for topaz is yellow. The topaz is attributed
with a cooling, styptic and appetizing effect. It is said to dispel sadness, anger
and nocturnal fears, to warn its wearer of poisons and protect him or her from sudden
death. It is reputed to make men handsome and intelligent and sterile women fertile
and happy. A fluorine aluminum silicate in chemical terms, the topaz is considerably
harder and heavier than quartz, and it has a higher refractive index, which endows
it with more fire when the color is good. It does have one weakness: its good cleavage
qualities, which must be taken into account when it is being worked on.
Turquoise – In many cultures of the Old and New Worlds, this gemstone has been
esteemed for thousands of years as a holy stone, a bringer of good fortune or a
talisman. It really does have the right to be called a 'gemstone of the peoples'.
Light to dark blue, greenish blue to dark green in color and many show dark veins
and or splotches of matrix. The cause of the color is Copper in blue turquoise and
Copper and Iron in green Turquoise. The stones are semi-translucent to opaque. The
major sources worldwide are the Southwestern United States, historically, Nevada,
Arizona, New Mexico, and Colorado, Australia, Iran, Pakistan, Chile, China, and
Mexico. The wearer should avoid high heat, and chemicals. It is recommended to remove
turquoise jewelry when applying skin oils, lotion, soap or cosmetics as they may
turn blue turquoise dark green.
Topaz - It is a fluorine aluminum silicate and comes in yellow, yellow-brown,
honey-yellow, flax, brown, green, blue, light blue, red and pink ... and sometimes
it has no color at all. These so-called apocalyptic stones are intended to serve
in protection against enemies and as a symbol of beauty and splendor. It cannot
be proved conclusively whether the name of the topaz comes from the Sanskrit or
the Greek, though the Greek name 'topazos' means 'green gemstone'.
Other
Stones
Lapis - The name is actually “Lapis lazuli”, which is composed
from 'lapis', the Latin word for stone, and 'azula', which comes from the Arabic
and means blue. Lapis lazuli is regarded by many people around the world as the
stone of friendship and truth. The blue stone is said to encourage harmony in relationships
and help its wearer to be authentic and give his or her opinion openly.
Sugilite – Sometimes called Lavulite or Royal Lavulite. This stone is semi- transparent
to opaque, red-purple to bluish purple, and rarely pink. Semi-transparent stones
are deemed the most valuable. Sugilite crystallizes in the
hexagonal system with prismatic
crystals. The crystals are rarely found and the form is usually massive. It has
a
Mohs hardness of 5.5 to 6.5.
Onyx - The black magic of jewelry pieces. A black chalcedony
quartz with a fine texture.
Some onyx also displays white bands or ribbons against a black background. If the
layers are even, this type of onyx can be carved into cameos. Onyx was very popular
with the ancient Greeks and Romans. The name comes from the Greek word 'onyx', which
means nail or claw. Mythology tells us that one day the frisky Cupid cut the divine
fingernails of Venus with an arrowhead while she was sleeping. He left the clippings
scattered on the sand and the fates turned them into stone so that no part of the
heavenly body would ever perish.
Tanzanite - Tanzanite is an extraordinary gemstone. It occurs in only one place
worldwide. Its blue, surrounded by a fine hint of purple, is a wonderful color.
Thanks to its unusual aura and the help of the New York jeweler’s Tiffany, it has
rapidly become one of the most coveted gemstones in the world. Tanzanite is a blue
variety of the gemstone zoisite. It consists of calcium aluminum silicate and is
not particularly hard, having a value of 6.5 to 7 on the Mohs scale. Tanzanite will
continue to fascinate us with its unusual, captivating aura. Its deep blue with
the slightly purple tinge is one of the most extravagant colors known. It personifies
immaculate, yet unconventional elegance. A person who wears it exudes confidence
and individuality. The almost magical color of a perfectly cut tanzanite is one
that not only suits confident young women; it is also excellently suited to underlining
the individuality of the more mature woman.
References:
International Colored Gemstone Association
Wikipedia: The free encyclopedia
