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Amethyst The legend of the origin of amethyst comes from Greek myths. Dionysus, the god of intoxication, was angered one day by an insult from a mere mortal and swore revenge on the next mortal that crossed his path. He created 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. At the sight of the beautiful statue, Dionysus wept tears of wine in remorse for his action. The god's tears stained the quartz purple, creating the gem we know today. The Greek work "amethystos" 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! The gemstone still symbolizes sobriety. Leonardo Da Vinci wrote that amethyst was able to dissipate evil thoughts and quicken the intelligence. Because amethyst was thought to encourage celibacy and symbolize piety, amethyst was very important in the ornamentation of Catholic and other churches in the Middle Ages. It was, in particular, considered to be the stone of bishops and bishops still often wear amethyst rings. In Tibet, amethyst is considered to be sacred to Buddha and rosaries are often fashioned from it. Amethyst is mined in Brazil, Uruguay, Bolivia and Argentina, Zambia, Namibia and other African countries. Very dark amethyst, mostly in small sizes, is also mined in Australia. Amethyst is usually available as a cut stone but can also be found in cabochon form when it resembles rich glossy black-current jellies. It is often used in earrings, rings, necklaces bracelets and pendants. Amethyst is the birthstone for February and the gemstone for the sixth wedding anniversary. ~~~~~ Chalcedony Chalcedony, agates, jaspers, bloodstone, carnelian, onyx, and chrysoprase all make up the chalcedony gemstones. Agates are banded, bloodstone has red spots on a green ground and moss agate has a vegetal pattern. Jasper sometimes looks like a landscape painting. Another staple of the jewellery industry is black onyx, chalcedony quartz which owes its even black colour to an ancient dying process that is still used today. Carnelian, another chalcedony valued in the ancient world, has a vivid brownish orange colour and clear translucency that makes it popular for signet rings and seals. Carnelian is the birthstone for July. Chrysoprase, a bright apple green translucent chalcedony, is the most valued. It was a particular favourite of Frederick the great of Prussia, who loved its bright green colour. It can be seen today decorating many buildings in beautiful Prague, including the Chapel of St Wencelas. Chalcedonies come in many different pastel colours - blue, lilac, aqua, white, yellow and grey - and have a waxy appearance. The blue toned chalcedonies are the most popular for jewellery. They are porous and can be stained by metallic salts. ~~~~~ Citrine The name citrine is from the French "citron" meaning lemon. Although the darker, orange colours of citrine, sometimes called Madeira citrine after the colour of the wine, has generally been the most valued colour, in modern times, many people prefer the bright lemony shades which mix better with pastel colours. Citrine is generally less expensive than amethyst and is also available in a wide range of calibrated sizes and shapes, including very large sizes. Most citrine is mined in Brazil. In ancient times, citrine was carried as a protection against snake venom and evil thoughts. Pretty useful if you were an Egyptian peridot miner! Citrine should not be confused with topaz which is a totally different mineral although similar in colour. Citrine jewellery mostly features cut stones, often large. Both citrine and topaz are birthstones for November. Citrine is the gemstone for the thirteenth wedding anniversary. ~~~~~ Garnet Garnets belong to the group of gems that come in all shades except blue. Tsavorite garnet is a bright yellow green to grass green colour, and is mined in Tanzania and Kenya. Legendary demantoid garnet combines bright green with a dazzling brilliance that seduced the Tsars of Russia, who used it lavishly. Unfortunately demantoid garnet was only ever available in small sizes and is extremely rare today! Malaya garnet, another popular mixed variety, ranges from orange to gold and is mined in Tanzania and Kenya. Pyrope garnet is a very saturated red. Beautiful small pyrope garnets found in Arizona are called anthill garnet because they are mined by ants, who carry them up to the surface when they are excavating their anthills. One garnet growing in popularity is newly discovered in Namibia. It is a bright orange spessartite and is called mandarin garnet because its colour is a true orange. Hessonite and Spessarite garnets mostly come in golds, oranges and browns and are sometimes called cinnamon garnets. Grossular, the variety of garnets that gives us tsavorite, is also available in pale pinks, greens and yellows. With the exception of demantoid, garnet is a hard gem and ideal for jewellery. It also has uses in industry as an abrasive for wood, glass, metal, plastic and leather. It forms in cubic crystal structure. Garnet is said to stimulate the bloodstream & pituitary gland and combats depression and lethargy. It should be carried close to the body and possesses balancing and peaceful energy. Garnet symbolizes fire, faith, courage, truth, grace, compassion, constancy and fidelity. Garnets are most often used as cut gems in earrings, rings, necklaces pendants and bracelets but are sometimes used in cabochon form when they resemble glossy red jellies. Garnet is the birthstone for January and the gemstone for the second wedding anniversary. ~~~~~ Peridot It comes only in green varying from yellow/green to rich bottle and is the gem form of the mineral olivine. The proportion of iron in the mineral determines the shade. The more iron the browner the colour. The most attractive and sought-after peridots are rich green. Peridot was mined in ancient Egypt on an island called Zeberget. Mining was done at night because legend said that peridot could not be easily seen during the day. The island was infested with serpents which made peridot mining a very hazardous occupation until one Pharaoh finally had them all driven into the sea. Today most peridot is mined by Native Americans in Arizona on the San Carlos Reservation. Fine large peridots are found in Myanmar (formerly Burma) and peridot is also mined in China and Sri Lanka. The Romans called peridot "evening emerald," since its green colour did not darken at night but was still visible by lamplight. Peridot was later often used to decorate mediaeval churches, probably carried back to Europe by the Crusaders. Large peridots, more than 200 carats in size, adorn the shrine of the three magi at the Cologne Cathedral. 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. It was also said to strengthen the power of any medicine drunk from goblets carved from the gemstone. The peridots used in today's jewellery are usually small cut gems making up delicate earrings, necklaces and bracelets. Peridot is the birthstone for August and the gemstone for the sixteenth wedding anniversary. ~~~~~ Topaz Topaz is an aluminium silicate and grows in crystalline form in granites and pegmatites. It contains up to 20% water or fluorine the proportion of each affecting the colour and shape of the gem. The higher the water content the pinker or browner the colour and the longer the crystals. The higher fluorine content creates the colourless, yellow and pale blue shades and a squatter crystal shape. Although topaz is the hardest silicate crystal, like diamond it cleaves easily along a direction parallel to the base of the crystal. Some gem quality crystals are huge and can weigh many kilos. 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 colour 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 haemorrhages. As topaz has a hardness of 8, keep your gems in separate boxes to protect other jewellery from scratches. Also avoid large temperature changes. Topaz often becomes paler if kept out in the sun. Do not clean topaz in a home ultrasonic cleaner. The best way to clean topaz is in warm soapy water. Blue topaz is the birthstone for December. ~~~~~ Turquoise One of the first gems to be mined, it also inspired early imitations. The Egyptians and the Aztecs valued turquoise for its beauty and used it widely in jewellery, mosaics and ceremonial costumes. The Egyptians mined turquoise 6000 years ago in Sinai and quickly exhausted supply. Steatite imitations have been found in graves dated at 4000BC. The best turquoise is mined in Nishapur in Iran although it is also available in south western USA, Africa, Tibet, China, Siberia, Europe and Australia. Turquoise gets its colour from the copper and iron content and varies from blue (the influence of copper) to green (the influence of iron) to grey. The most sought-after colour is blue and the finest examples of this gem have no veining and a waxy texture. Some collectors prefer a little veining to verify its authenticity. Turquoise is relatively soft and porous. It can be damaged and altered by hot water, chemicals such as make up, hair spray and household cleaners, prolonged bright light and skin oils. Some turquoise is treated to preserve its colour and lustre and care should be taken not to remove this finish. Turquoise will easily chip and scratch. Given as a gift, Turquoise is believed by many to bestow wealth and happiness upon its receiver. Turquoise is said to be a guard against all diseases. It assists in tissue regeneration, subtle body alignment & strengthening. Turquoise is also believed to bring happiness and good fortune to all. It's said that turquoise attracts healing spirits, making it a premier healing stone. Also believed to be a protective stone, turquoise is worn to guard against violence and accidents. Turquoise is also a valuable amulet for travellers. Good value for money! Turquoise is the birthstone for December and is the gemstone for the eleventh wedding anniversary. ~~~~~ |
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