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Natural Gemstones
Onyx
The name of this gemstone comes from the Greek word onux, which means fingernail. According to Roman Mythology, Cupid cut the divine fingernails of Venus with an arrowhead while she was sleeping. The fates turned the clippings into stone so that no part of the goddess would ever perish. Sometimes the onyx has a white band or ribbons that are often carved into delicate raised designs with layered backgrounds called cameos. The onyx used in our jewelry is formed by color enhancing chalcedony, which is a variety of quartz. The primary color used in our line is black, although blue and other colors are sometimes used to accent a particular design. It is mined in Brazil, Uruguay and California. Onyx ranks 6.5 to 7 on the Mohs Scale of Hardness, and is the anniversary gemstone representing the 7th year of marriage.
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Peridot
Peridot is one of the few gemstones which exist only in the color of green. The ancient Romans noticed its color did not change in artificial light, so they named the stone “evening emerald”. The fresh lime green of peridot is its distinctive signature. Currently it is found in the U.S. in Arizona and New Mexico, Burma, Pakistan and China. It ranks 6.5 to 7 on the Mohs Scale of Hardness. Peridot is the traditional birthstone for the month of August, and the anniversary gemstone representing the 1st and 16th year of marriage.
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Smokey Quartz
Smokey Quartz gets its color as a result of natural radiation. It is known for its versatility, which is alluring in color and clarity. Sources include Brazil, Switzerland, the Himalayas, and Mexico. Smokey Quartz is ranked 7 on the Mohs Scale of Hardness. Ultrasonic cleaners are generally safe but should be used with caution, steaming is not recommended. Avoid prolonged exposure to excessive heat which can alter the color or damage the stone.
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Tourmaline
For centuries tourmalines have adorned the jewels of royalty. The Empress Dowager Tz'u Hsi, the last empress of China, valued the rich pink colors above all other gemstones. The people of ancient Ceylon called tourmaline "turmali," the Sinhalese word for "more colors." Perhaps this is why ancient mystics believed tourmaline could encourage artistic intuition. Because tourmalines are a complex crystal often mixed with elements such as aluminum and boron, it occurs in more colors than most minerals, and can even have more than one color or hue. Green and red are the better known colors as well as multicolored stones. Dark blue, blue-green, and green tourmalines are occasionally heated to lighten their color. Red tourmalines, also known as rubellites, and pink varieties are sometimes heated or irradiated to improve their colors. Heat and irradiation color enhancement of tourmalines is permanent. Tourmalines are mined around the world, and in Maine and Utah in the U.S. It ranks 7 to 7.5 on the Mohs Scale of Hardness. Tourmaline is an alternative to the opal as the modern birthstone for October, and the anniversary gemstone representing the 5th and 8th year of marriage.
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Zircon
In the middle ages, zircon was said to aid sleep, bring prosperity, and promote honor and wisdom to those who wear it. The name probably comes from the Persian word zargun which means "gold-colored." The mineral zircon comes in many colors using a heat enhancement process. It is most often sought after in the shade of blue, and is famous for its luster and fire. Major sources of zircon are found in Thailand, Cambodia, and Vietnam. It ranks 7.5 on the Mohs Scale of Hardness. Zircon is the modern birthstone for the month of December, and the anniversary gemstone representing the 4th year of marriage.
Cultured Pearls
According to ancient Chinese legend, the moon holds the power to create pearls, instilling them with its celestial glow and mystery. Pearls have been treasured for their lustrous, creamy texture and subtle iridescent reflections since the dawn of mankind. Pearls are unique in the world of colored gemstones since they are the only gemstone formed within a living creature. Because natural pearls are so rare and difficult to recover from the ocean's depths, man invented the technique of culturing salt and freshwater pearls from mollusks carefully seeded with irritants similar to those produced by nature. Cultured pearls come in many beautiful colors including: gold, yellow, champagne, pink, peach, lavender, gray and black. Due to demand for perfectly matched white pearl strands, cultured fresh and saltwater pearls are often bleached to achieve a uniform color. They may also be polished in tumblers to clean and improve their luster. Dyes, heat treatment, and irradiation are sometimes applied to produce a wide range of hues such as yellow, green, blue, purple, gray, and black in freshwater and Akoya cultured pearls. Some South Sea cultured pearls are bleached to lighten their hue, but most South Sea and Tahitian cultured pearls are not subjected to enhancements to create or improve their color. Cultured pearls come in many shapes and sizes. The pearl ranks 3 to 4 on the Mohs Scale of Hardness. It is the traditional birthstone for the month of June, and the anniversary gemstone for the 3rd and 30th year of marriage. For more information on this gemstone, please refer to our PEARLS brochure. |
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