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Iolite
When Leif Eriksson and the other legendary Viking explorers ventured far out
into the Atlantic Ocean, away from any coastline that could help them
determine position, they had a secret gem weapon: Iolite.
The Viking mariners used thin pieces of iolite as the world's first
polarizing filter. Looking through an iolite lens, they could determine
the exact position of the sun, and navigate safely to the new world
and back.
The property that made iolite so valuable to the Vikings is extreme
pleochroism. Iolite has different colors in different directions in the
crystal.
A cube cut from iolite will look a violetish blue almost like sapphire from one
side, clear as water from the other, and a honey yellow from the top. This
property led some people to call iolite "water sapphire" in the past, a name
that is now obsolete.
Pleochroism may have been helpful in navigation but it makes things difficult
for a gem cutter.
If iolite is not cut from exactly the right direction, no matter the shape of the
rough, its color will not show to its best advantage.
The name iolite comes from the Greek ios, which means violet. Iolite is
usually a purplish blue when cut properly, with a softness to the color that
can be quite attractive.
Iolite is readily available and surprisingly affordable. The better and richer
the blue, the better. It is mined in India, Sri Lanka, Mozambique, Zimbabwe,
and Brazil.
The Vikings probably mined iolite from deposits in Norway and Greenland.
Iolite (Water Sapphire)
Oval Shape
Iolite (Water Sapphire)
Cushion Shape
Iolite (Water Sapphire)
Oval Shape
Iolite (Water Sapphire)
Cushion Shape
Iolite (Water Sapphire)
Fancy Shape
Iolite (Water Sapphire)
Fancy Shape
Iolite (Water Sapphire)
Rhodolite
Natural Garnet - Rhodolite Overview
Garnets are associated with the color red, but they actually are available in a
variety of colors. Rhodolite Garnets are actually composed of pyrope and
almandine this variety of Garnet is fairly scarce.
The most desired hue is Purple Pink, often called raspberry red. These
gemstones are durable and well suited for virtually all jewelry settings.
Garnets are singularly refractive and typically have excellent clarity.
Rhodolite Garnets are not typically treated.
Our Rhodolite Garnets are obtained from Mozambique and surrounding areas
in East Africa, and occasionally India.
Garnets are believed to provide for safety to travelers on journeys.
Garnets were used as weaponry in Asia and their red color was believed to
increase the severity of injuries to foes.
This gemstone takes its name from pomegranate, presumably because of
their resemblance in color and size to pomegranate seeds. In Biblical
recordings, Noah used a Garnet lantern to guide the Ark.
Garnet
Garnet is the birthstone for January, which means that January babies have
a lot of choices!
The name Garnet probably comes from pomegranate. Many ancient pieces of
garnet jewelry are studded with tiny red stones that do look a lot like a
cluster of pomegranate seeds! Jewelry set with garnets from Czechoslovakia
was extremely popular in the nineteenth century and Bohemian garnet
jewelry is still popular today, although today the garnets are mined
elsewhere. When you say garnet, most people think automatically of small
dark red gemstones, even though this is only one aspect of the world of
garnets.
Garnet is a gemstone for all seasons. Garnets are a closely related group of
gemstones that are available in every color. Dark reds, tangerine orange,
vivid lime green, soft bluish-pink, garnet is all these colors and more.
There are garnets that change color in different light, translucent green
garnets that look like jade, garnets with stars, garnets that have been mined
for thousands of years and garnets that were just discovered in the last
decade.
Garnets have long been carried by travelers to protect against accidents far
from home. In ancient Asia and the American Southwest, garnets were used
as bullets because the glowing red color was said to increase the ferocity of a
wound. Garnets in legend light up the night and protect their owners from
nightmares. Noah used a garnet lantern to navigate the Ark at night. The
ancient world is full of praise for the carbuncle, the glowing red coal of a
gemstone we now know as garnet.
Garnets are fairly hard and durable gemstones that are ideal for jewelry use,
except for demantoid, which is softer and requires more protection.
Tourmaline
The gemstone discoveries in East Africa in the 1960s
transformed the jewelry world: new varieties, new colors, and
new variations on existing species made that decade the most
exciting time in the gemstone industry in our lifetimes.
Tanzanite is the ultimate prize of a gem safari. Its rich purples
and blues often have a depth comparable to the finest sapphire.
Paler Tanzanite has a delicate periwinkle color like the eyes of
Elizabeth Taylor. It is supremely rare, coming from only one
place in the world, the Merelani Hills of Tanzania, in the shadow of Mount
Kilimanjaro.
The source of its mesmerizing color is that Tanzanite is trichroic: that is, it
shows different colors when viewed in different directions. One direction is
blue, another purple, and another bronze, adding subtle depths to the color.
When Tanzanite is found in the ground, the bronze color dominates.
However, with gentle heating, the cutter can watch the blue color bloom and
deepen in the stone.
Legend has it that the affect of heat was first discovered when some brown
zoisite crystals laying on the ground with other rocks were caught in a fire
set by lightning that swept through the grass covered Merelani hills northeast
of Arusha. The Masai herders who drive cattle in the area noticed the
beautiful blue color and picked the crystals up, becoming the first Tanzanite
collectors.
The color of Tanzanite is most intense in sizes above ten carats. Smaller
Tanzanites are usually paler in color. Tanzanites, which are more bluer rather
than purple tend to be more expensive because the crystals tend to form
with the blue color axis oriented along the width of the crystal instead of the
length. That means if the cutter chooses to maximize the purity of the blue
color, the stone cut from the rough will be smaller and will cost more per
carat. The blue color, however, is so beautiful, that the sacrifice is often
worth it.
Tanzanite jewelry is a little more delicate than other gemstone jewelry and
should not be set in a ring that will be worn during strenuous activity. Never
clean Tanzanite in an ultrasonic cleaner or resize or repair a ring set with
Tanzanite because the stone could shatter in the heat of a torch. It is
available in a variety of shapes and sometimes in large sizes that are perfect
for an important necklace.
Aquamarine
Aquamarine was also said to have a soothing influence on land, especially on
married couples. Its power to help husbands and wives work out their
differences and ensure a long and happy marriage makes it a good
anniversary gift.
Aquamarine also protects against the wiles of the devil. A dream of
aquamarine means that you will meet new friends.
Aquamarine, the "gem of the sea", derives its name from "sea water". The
reference is obvious: aqua sparkles like the sea and its color is pale to
medium blue, sometimes with a slight hint of green. Aquamarine is the
birthstone for March.
Aquamarine is found in Brazil, Zambia, Mozambique, Angola, Nigeria, and
other countries.
Aquamarine is always in a pastel blue but the darker the color, the more
valued it is. Connoisseurs also prefer a pure blue, with no green in it. If you
prefer a greenish tinge, you will find that these stones are less expensive.
This is a durable and lively gemstone that is appropriate for all jewelry uses.
Its pale fire is flattering to most skin tones
Amethyst
"Stone of spirituality and contentment". Amethyst bestows
stability, strength, invigoration, and peace, the peace being the
perfect peace, which was present prior to birth.
It is "warm and cuddly" as well as regal and ruling. It has been
used to encourage and support sobriety.
It is an excellent stone for one who is attempting to find
freedom from addictive personalities (oneself or another). It has
calming, strong, protective qualities, healing, divine lone and
inspiration.
It also enhances one's psychic abilities.
Purple has long been considered a royal color so it is not surprising that
amethyst has been so much in demand during history.
Fine amethysts are featured in the British Crown Jewels and were also a
favorite of Catherine the Great and Egyptian royalty. Amethyst, transparent
purple quartz, is the most important quartz variety used in jewelry.
Amethyst ranges in color from pale lilac to deep purple.
The pale colors are sometimes called "Rose de France" and can be seen set
in Victorian jewelry. The deep colors are the most valuable, particularly a rich
purple with rose flashes.
Amethyst is mined in Brazil, Uruguay, Bolivia, India and Argentina, as well as
in Zambia, Namibia and other African countries.
Generally, amethyst from South America tends to be available in larger sizes
than African amethyst but amethyst from Africa has the reputation for having
better, more saturated, color in small sizes. Very dark amethyst, mostly in
small sizes, is also mined in Australia.
Amethyst is available in a wide range of calibrated sizes and shapes,
including many fancy shapes.
Large fine stones may be sold in free sizes but generally amethyst is cut in
standardized dimensions.
Citrine
Citrine is one of the most affordable gemstones, thanks to the durability and
availability of this golden quartz.
Named from the French name for lemon, "citron,"
many citrines have a juicy lemon color.
In ancient times, citrine was carried as a
protection against snake venom and evil thoughts.
Although the darker, orange colors of citrine,
sometimes called Madeira citrine after the color of
the wine, has generally been the most valued
color, in modern times, many people prefer the
bright lemony shades which mix better with pastel
colors. Citrine is generally more inexpensive than
amethyst and is also available in a wide range of
calibrated sizes and shapes, including very large
sizes.
Sometimes you will hear citrine referred to as topaz quartz, which is
incorrect.
This name was used in the past in reference to the color, which is sometimes
similar to the color of topaz.
Since topaz is a separate mineral, this type of name can be confusing and
should not be used. However, citrine is considered an alternative to topaz as
the birthstone for November.
Most citrine is mined in Brazil. Supply of citrine is good from the Brazilian
state of Rio Grande do Sul, particularly from the Serra mine, which is
producing 300 kilos of hammered goods a month.
The Iraâ mine produces an additional 100 kilos a month of hammered goods.
Since most citrine on the market started its life as amethyst which was
heated to turn its color to gold, citrine jewelry, as well as amethyst jewelry,
should be kept away from prolonged exposure to strong light or heat.
With this precaution, citrine jewelry will last for many generations.
Emerald
Emerald is the birthstone for May, the month of springtime romance,
and the anniversary gemstone for the twentieth year of marriage, the
perfect emblem of an enduring love.
Because the rich green color of emerald is the color of spring, the
ancients prized it as the gemstone symbolizing love and rebirth.
Treasured for at least 4,000 years by different cultures all around the
world, emerald is said to quicken the intelligence as well as the heart.
Legend gives its owner the gift of eloquence.
The Mughals of India, including Shah Jahan, the builder of the Taj
Mahal, loved emeralds so much they inscribed them with sacred text and wore them
as talismans. Some of these sacred stones, called Mughal emeralds, can still be seen
in museums and collections today
Today scientists tell us that the human eye is more sensitive to the color green than
to any other. Perhaps that is why green is so soothing to the eye, and why the color
green seems to complement every other color: think of the beauty of a garden.
Spring can also be seen in the network of inclusions in the depth of the emerald that
the French call the "jardin," or "garden," because it resembles foliage. The inclusions
are like a fingerprint, giving each emerald a distinct personality. The extreme rarity
of transparent emerald is why emeralds can be more valuable than diamonds.
Emeralds are cut in Jaipur, India and Tel-Aviv, Israel as well as in the mining
countries. Emerald is one of the most difficult gemstones to cut because of the high
value of the rough stone and the many inclusions found in crystals. Small changes in
orientation can make a large difference in the final appearance of the gem. Skilled
craftsmen who specialize in cutting emerald can be found in cities around the world
for jewelers who insist on having stones perfected for the optimum brilliance and
vibrancy.
As you might expect from gems that have been known to spend centuries at the
bottom of the ocean and then return to sell for hundreds of thousands of dollars at
auctions, emeralds are durable gemstones with a hardness of 7.5 to 8. However,
emeralds with many inclusions should be treated with some care and be protected
from blows. With a little care, your emerald will no doubt be treasured by your
descendants thousands of years in the future!
Although many people consider Colombia to be the source of the best emeralds,
country of origin is never a guarantee of quality. Even the best mine produces mostly
low quality gemstones because good qualities are very rare! Fine emeralds also come
from Zambia, Brazil, Zimbabwe, Pakistan, Afghanistan, Madagascar, Nigeria, Russia
and other countries, so don't be afraid to choose the emerald that looks better to
you.
Agate
Agate was highly valued as a talisman or amulet in the ancient
times.
It was said to quench thirst and protect from fever.
Persian magicians used agate to divert the storms. A famous
collection of two to four thousand agate bowls which was
accumulated by Mithradates, king of Pontus, shows the
enthusiasm with which agate was regarded.
Agate bowls were also popular in the Byzantine Empire.
Collecting agate bowls became quite common among European royalty
during the Renaissance and many museums in Europe, including the Louvre,
have spectacular examples.
The mining of agate in the Nahe River valley in Germany which was already
documented in 1497 gave rise to the cutting center of Idar-Oberstein,
Germany. Originally, the river was used to power the grinding wheels.
When the Nahe agate deposit was exhausted in the nineteenth century, Idar
cutters started to develop the agate deposits of Brazil, which also sparked
exploration and discovery of Brazil's rich deposits of amethyst, citrine,
tourmaline, topaz, and other gemstones.
Although the small town of Idar-Oberstein is still known for the finest agate
carving in the world, today Idar imports a huge range of other gem materials
from around the world for cutting and carving in Germany and Asia.
Cameo master carvers and modern lapidary artists flourish along with rough
dealers who scour the world for the latest gem discoveries for export. And
the entire industry sprung from the taste for agate bowls and ornaments
during the Renaissance! Maybe agate is also a powerful talisman for success
in international trade!
Jade
The word yu is used in Chinese to call something precious, as in English
we use gold. Jade was thought to preserve the body after death and
can be found in emperors' tombs from thousands of years ago.
One tomb contained an entire suit made out of jade, to assure the
physical immortality of its owner. For thousands of years, jade was a
symbol of love and virtue as well as a status symbol.
The Chinese knew about jadeite, travelers had brought back some
jadeite from Burma as early as the thirteenth century. But China was
turning inward at that time and this foreign Kingfisher Stone,
as they called it, referring to the brightly colored feathers of the bird, was not
considered to be real jade. It only became popular in the eighteenth and nineteenth
century when trade with Burma opened up again.
The top jadeite jade is usually cut into smooth dome shapes called cabochons.
Jadeite bangles are also very popular in Asian countries.
Beads are also very beautiful and some important jadeite necklaces made during the
art deco period have fetched hundreds of thousands of dollars in auctions in the past
few years.
Because of its smooth even texture, jade has long been a preferred material for
carving.
The most common shape is the flat donut-shaped disc called a pi, which is commonly
worn as a necklace.
While jadeite is mined today primarily in Myanmar, small quantities can be found in
Guatemala. Although neolithic jadeite axes were found in Europe, it is not known
where this prehistoric jadeite was mined, although it is possible that the material
came from a deposit in the Alps.
Nephrite is mined in Canada, Australia, the United States, and Taiwan.
Jade is most often sold by the piece rather than per carat. Although the overall color
is the most important value factor, attention is also paid to translucency, texture,
and also to pattern.
Certain patterns, including moss in snow, are highly valued.
Both jadeite and nephrite are very durable and tough, although jadeite is slightly
harder than nephrite due to its microcrystalline structure.
Moonstone
Moonstone almost seems magical with a ghostly shimmering
glow floating in a crystalline material.
The Romans thought that moonstone was formed out of
moonlight.
Moonstone is a variety of feldspar and the shimmer, which is called schiller or
adularescence, is caused by the intergrowth of two different types of
feldspar, with different refractive indexes.
In Europe, moonstone is considered the birthstone for June, although in the
United States it shares that distinction with alexandrite and pearl.
Moonstones come in a variety of colors. The body color can range from
colorless to gray, brown, yellow, green, or pink. The clarity ranges from
transparent to translucent.
The best moonstone has a blue sheen, perfect clarity, and a colorless body
color.
Sometimes moonstone will have an eye as well as a sheen. Another related
feldspar variety is known as rainbow moonstone. In this variety of labradorite
feldspar, the sheen is a variety of rainbow hues.
Fine moonstone is quite rare and becoming rarer. It is mined in Sri Lanka
and Southen India. The rainbow variety can also be found in Madagascar.
Moonstones are usually cut in a smooth-domed cabochon shape to maximize
the effect. Sometimes they are carved to show a man-in-the-moon face.
Moonstone beads also display the sheen very well and are simply stunning
against a black dress.
Onyx
Onyx was very popular with the ancient Greeks and Romans.
The name comes from the Greek word onux, which means
fingernail.
The story is that one day 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.
True, black isn't normally the color one associates with fingernails. (Did
Venus wear Vamp?) But in Greek times, almost all colors of chalcedony from
fingernail white to dark brown and black were called onyx. Later, the Romans
narrowed the term to refer to black and dark brown colors only.
Onyx which is reddish brown and white is known as sardonyx.
Sardonyx was highly valued in Rome, especially for seals, because it was said
to never stick to the wax. Roman General Publius Cornelius Scipio was known
for wearing lots of sardonyx.
Black onyx especially shines when used a backdrop for color play.
Its fine texture also makes it ideal for carving, making it a favored material
for today's lapidary artists. In the pin by designer Susan Helmich above, a
carved piece of onyx with threads of white provides a stunning backdrop for
a flash of color.
Onyx was often used as the perfect foil for carved rock crystal or the drop
dead red of rubies in Art deco designs.
It is also popular in marcasite jewelry.
So if you would like to add a little black magic to your jewelry design,
consider onyx.
Peridot
Peridot is the birthstone for August.
Peridot had the power to drive away evil spirits and the power
was considered to be even more intense when the stone was
set in gold.
Peridot was also said to strengthen the power of any medicine
drunk from goblets carved from the gemstone.
Small crystals of Peridot are often found in the rocks created
by volcanoes and also can be found in meteors that fall to earth!
A few samples of extraterrestrial Peridot have even been faceted into gems!
Peridot is the gem form of the mineral olivine. Because the iron which
creates the color is an integral part of its structure, it is found only in green,
ranging from a summery light yellowish green to a 7-up bottle green.
In 1994, an exciting new deposit of Peridot was discovered in Kashmir, and
these stones are among the finest ever seen. The new mine is located 15,000
feet above sea level in the Nanga Parvat region in the far west of the
Himalayas Mountains in the Kashmir. Beautiful large crystals of Peridot were
found, some that cut magnificent large gemstones.
One stone was more than 300 carats! This new discovery, combined with
fashion's passion for lime green, has revived interest in Peridot and increased
the popularity of this gemstone.
Today most Peridot is mined by Native Americans in Arizona on the San
Carlos Reservation.
Fine large Peridot are found in Myanmar (formerly Burma) and Peridot is also
mined in China and Sri Lanka.
Although Peridot is treasured in Hawaii as the goddess Pele's tears, almost all
of the Peridot sold in Hawaii today is from Arizona, even though Peridot is
produced by Hawaii's volcanoes.
The island of Oahu even has beaches made.
Ruby
Ruby has been the world's most valued gemstone for thousands of years.
Ruby was said to be the most precious of the twelve stones God created when he
created all things and this "lord of gems" was placed on Aaron's neck by God's
command. The bible says that wisdom is "more precious than rubies," that is to say
very valuable indeed. In the ancient language of Sanskrit, ruby is called ratnaraj, or
"king of precious stones" and ratnanayaka, "leader of precious stones."
The most important factor in the value of a ruby is color.
The top qualities are as red as you can imagine a
saturated pure spectral hue without any overtones of
brown or blue.The word red is derived from the Latin for
ruby, ruber, which is derived from similar words in
Persian, Hebrew, and Sanskrit.
The intensity of color of a fine ruby is like a glowing
coal, probably the most intensely colored substance our
ancestors ever saw.
It is no wonder they ascribed magical powers to these
fires that burned perpetually and never extinguished
themselves.
Ruby is the gem quality of the mineral corundum, one of the most durable minerals,
which exists, a crystalline form of aluminium oxide. Corundum has a hardness of 9
on the Mohs scale and are also extremely tough. In its common form, it is even used
as an abrasive.
The most famous source of fine rubies is Burma, which is now called Myanmar.
The ruby mines of Myanmar are older than history: stone age and bronze age mining
tools have been found in the mining area of Mogok. Rubies from the legendary mines
in Mogok often have a pure red color, which is often described as "pigeon's-blood"
although that term is more fanciful than an actual practical standard in the trade
today.Myanmar also produces intense pinkish red rubies which are also vivid and
extremely beautiful. Many of the rubies from Burma have a strong fluorescence when
exposed to ultraviolet rays like those in sunlight, which layers on extra color.
Burma rubies have a reputation of holding their vivid color under all lighting
conditions.Fine rubies are also found in Thailand. Thai rubies tend to be darker red in
tone:a real red, tending toward burgundy rather than pink, as Burma rubies do.
Some Thai rubies have black reflections, a phenomenon called extinction, which can
make their color look darker than it really is. But Thai rubies also can have a rich
vivid red that rivals the Burmese in intensity. Sri Lankan rubies can also be very
beautiful. Sri Lankan stones are often pinkish in hue and many are pastel in tone.
Some, however, resemble the vivid pinkish red hues from Burma.Occasionally a few
fine top-quality rubies appear on the market from Afghanistan, Pakistan, or the
Pamir Mountains of the Commonwealth of Independent States. The terrain in these
areas has made exploration for gemstones very difficult but someday they may
produce significant quantities for the world market.
Sapphire
Sapphire is the birthstone for September, the month when the most babies are born.
Ancient lists also name sapphire as a birthstone for April and the gemstone for the
sign of Taurus.
Sapphire has long symbolized truth, sincerity, and
faithfulness. Tradition holds that Moses was given the ten
commandments on tablets of sapphire, making it the most
sacred gemstone. Because sapphires represent divine
favor, they were the gemstone of choice for kings and
high priests. The British Crown Jewels are full of large blue
sapphires, the symbol of pure and wise rulers.
Since sapphire symbolizes sincerity and faithfulness, it is
an excellent choice for an engagement ring. When Prince
Charles chose a sapphire engagement ring for Princess
Diana, couples all over the world were inspired to revive
this venerable tradition.
The most valuable sapphires have a medium intense, vivid blue color. The best
sapphires hold the brightness of their color under all different types of lighting. Any
black, gray, or green overtones mixed in with the blue will reduce a stone's value. In
general, a more pastel blue would be less preferred than a vivid blue but would be
priced higher than an over dark blackish blue color. As with all gemstones, sapphires
which are "clean" and have few visible inclusions or tiny flaws are the most valuable.
However some very fine sapphires, in particular those from Kashmir, have a velvety
mist-like texture which enhances the richness of the blue Sapphires come from Sri
Lanka, Thailand, Australia, and Cambodia. Nigeria, Kenya, Tanzania, China, Vietnam,
Madagascar, and the United States also produce some sapphire. The most famous
sources for sapphire are Kashmir and Burma, which is now known as Myanmar.
Kashmir sapphire, which was discovered in 1881 when a landslide in the Himalayas
uncovered beautiful blue pebbles, has a rich velvety color prized by connoisseurs.
Burma sapphires, from the same region that produces fabulous rubies, are also very
fine. However, today, these two sources account only for a very small quantity of the
sapphire on the market.
Most fine sapphire on the market today comes from Sri Lanka, which produces a
wide range of beautiful blues from delicate sky blue colors to rich saturated hues.
Kanchanaburi in Thailand and Pailin in Cambodia are renowned for deep blue, even
colors. Two relatively new mining localities are showing promise: Madagascar, which
has produced some exceptionally fine stones in small sizes but has no organized
mining yet, and Tanzania, which has long produced sapphire in other colors but is
starting to produce blue colors as well from a new deposit in the south.
Sapphire is perhaps the toughest and most durable gemstone available on the
market. With a hardness of 9 on the Mohs scale, sapphire is harder than any other
gem but diamond and it has no cleavage plane so it cannot be cut with a single blow
like a diamond. In fact, synthetic sapphire is used for scratch-resistant watch
crystals, optical scanners, and other instruments because its durability can be
trusted.That durability ensures that sapphire jewelry will be treasured for
generations.
Tanzanite
The gemstone discoveries in East Africa in the 1960s transformed the jewelry world:
new varieties, new colors, and new variations on existing species made that decade
the most exciting time in the gemstone industry in our lifetimes.
Tanzanite is the ultimate prize of a gem safari. Its rich purples and blues often have
a depth comparable to the finest sapphire.
Paler Tanzanite has a delicate periwinkle color like the eyes of
Elizabeth Taylor. It is supremely rare, coming from only one place in
the world, the Merelani Hills of Tanzania, in the shadow of Mount
Kilimanjaro.
The source of its mesmerizing color is that Tanzanite is trichroic:
that is, it shows different colors when viewed in different directions.
One direction is blue, another purple, and another bronze, adding
subtle depths to the color.
When Tanzanite is found in the ground, the bronze color dominates.
However, with gentle heating, the cutter can watch the blue color
bloom and deepen in the stone.
Legend has it that the affect of heat was first discovered when some brown zoisite
crystals laying on the ground with other rocks were caught in a fire set by lightning
that swept through the grass covered Merelani hills northeast of Arusha.
The Masai herders who drive cattle in the area noticed the beautiful blue color and
picked the crystals up, becoming the first Tanzanite collectors.
The color of Tanzanite is most intense in sizes above ten carats. Smaller Tanzanites
are usually paler in color.
Tanzanites, which are more bluer rather than purple tend to be more expensive
because the crystals tend to form with the blue color axis oriented along the width of
the crystal instead of the length.
That means if the cutter chooses to maximize the purity of the blue color, the stone
cut from the rough will be smaller and will cost more per carat.
The blue color, however, is so beautiful, that the sacrifice is often worth it.
Tanzanite jewelry is a little more delicate than other gemstone jewelry and should
not be set in a ring that will be worn during strenuous activity.
Never clean Tanzanite in an ultrasonic cleaner or resize or repair a ring set with
Tanzanite because the stone could shatter in the heat of a torch. It is available in a
variety of shapes and sometimes in large sizes that are perfect for an important
necklace.
Topaz
Topaz is the birthstone for those born in the month of
November.
The Romans associated topaz with Jupiter, who also is the god
of the sun.
Topaz sometimes has the amber gold of fine cognac or the
blush of a peach and all the beautiful warm browns and
oranges in between. Some rare and exceptional topazes are
pale pink to a sherry red.
Wear topaz only if you wish to be clear-sighted: legend has it
that it dispels all enchantment and helps to improve eyesight as well!
The ancient Greeks believed that it had the power to increase strength and
make its wearer invisible in times of emergency. Topaz was also said to
change color in the presence of poisoned food or drink.
Its mystical curative powers waxed and waned with the phases of the moon:
it was said to cure insomnia, asthma, and hemorrhages.
Perhaps the most famous topaz is a giant specimen set in the Portuguese
Crown, the Braganza, which was first thought to be a diamond. There is also
a beautiful topaz set in the Green Vault in Dresden, one of the world's
important gem collections.
Brown, yellow, orange, sherry, red and pink topaz is found in Brazil and Sri
Lanka.
Pink topaz is found in Pakistan and Russia.
Today we also have blue topaz, which has a pale to medium blue color
created by irradiation. Pale topaz which is enhanced to become blue is found
in Brazil, Sri Lanka, Nigeria, and China.
In early 1998, a new type of enhanced topaz made its appearance, the
surface-enhanced topaz, with colors described as blue to greenish-blue or
emerald green.
Topaz is a very hard gemstone but it can be split with a single blow, a trait it
shares with diamond. As a result it should be protected from hard knocks.
Turquoise
Turquoise is one of the oldest known gem materials. The Egyptians were
mining turquoise in 3,200 BC in the Sinai.
The blue of turquoise was thought to have powerful metaphysical properties
by many ancient cultures. Montezuma's treasure, now displayed in the British
Museum, includes a fantastic carved serpent covered by a mosaic of
turquoise. In ancient Mexico, turquoise was reserved for the gods, it would
not be worn by mere mortals.
The Apache believed that turquoise helped warriors
and hunters to aim accurately. The Zuni believed
that it protected them from demons.
In Asia it was considered protection against the evil
eye. Tibetans carved turquoise into ritual objects as
well as wearing it in traditional jewelry. Ancient
manuscripts from Persia, India, Afghanistan, and
Arabia report that the health of a person wearing
turquoise can be assessed by variations in the color
of the stone.
Turquoise was also thought to promote prosperity.
In Europe even today, turquoise rings are given as forget-me-not gifts.
The most important turquoise deposits are in Iran, Tibet, China, and the
Southwestern United States.
Turquoise is a mineral usually found in association with copper deposits.
Turquoise is sometimes mined as a by-product of copper mining.
Turquoise from Iran is often said to be the best because it is sometimes a
clear sky blue with no green modifying color and no black veins running
through it. Turquoise just as fine is produced in Arizona and New Mexico.
In general the bluer the blue, the more highly valued. A clear even texture
without mottling or veins is also preferred. However, some people prefer
turquoise with veins, sometimes called spider webs, which set off the color.
Turquoise is porous and should be kept away from chemicals.
Clean it with warm soapy water only gemstones.
Zircon
Hindu poets tell of the Kalpa Tree, the ultimate gift to
the gods, which was a glowing tree covered with
gemstone fruit with leaves of zircon.
Zircon has long had a supporting role to more wellknown gemstones, often stepping in as an
understudy when they were unavailable.
In the middle ages, zircon was said to aid sleep, bring
prosperity, and promote honor and wisdom in its
owner.
The name probably comes from the Persian
word zargun which means "gold-colored," although zircon comes in a wide
range of different colors.
Zircon occurs in a wide range of colors but for many years, the most popular
was the colorless variety which looks more like diamond than any other
natural stone due to its brilliance and dispersion.
Today the most popular color is blue zircon. Most blue zircon, which is
considered an alternate birthstone for December, is a pastel blue, but some
exceptional gems have a bright blue color. Zircon is also available in green,
dark red, yellow, brown, and orange.
Zircon is mined in Cambodia, Sri Lanka, Thailand, Myanmar, Australia, and
other countries.
Zircon is one of the heaviest gemstones, which means that it will look smaller
than other varieties of the same weight.
Zircon jewelry should be stored carefully because although zircon is relatively
hard, it can abrade and facets can chip.
Dealers often wrap zircons in individual twists of paper so that they will not
knock against each other in a parcel.
The wide variety of colors of zircon, its rarity, and its relatively low cost
makes it a popular collector's stone.
Collectors enjoy the search for all possible colors and variations.