A gemstone variety of quartz, the amethyst is the birthstone of February. It is known as the gemstone of spirituality and contentment. The Amethyst is also known to endow its wearer with stability, strength and peace.

The gemstone’s purple color is associated with royalty and has been used around the world to adorn regal crowns and jewels. Since amethyst is considered to symbolize piety and encourage celibacy as well as to represent humility, it is often worn by clergy of the Catholic Church.

Amethysts in History

The earliest recognition of amethyst comes from Ancient Greece – where the gemstone gets its name. Derived from the Greek,”amethystos” meaning “not drunken”, the name reflects the belief that the stone protected its owner from drunkenness.

This legend is drawn from a Greek myth about the god of wine, Bacchus. The myth tells that Amethyst, a beautiful woman, was condemned to death by the hands of Bacchus.

When the goddess Diana turned Amethyst to crystal to protect her, Bacchus was remorseful and wept tears of wine onto the crystal. This stained Amethyst purple. In Ancient Greece, drinking from a cup fashioned from amethyst was thought to prevent drunkenness.

Historically, this gemstone has been used by royalty and is included in the British Crown Jewels. They were also a favorite of Catherine the Great as well as the royalty of Egypt.

Origins and Presentation

Mined primarily in Brazil, Uruguay, Bolivia and Argentina, amethysts are also found in African countries. Amethysts mined from South American countries are available in larger stones. Yet, African amethyst enjoys a reputation for deeper colors.

The gemstone ranges in color from pale, lilac-purple to a rich, deep color. The deeper, vibrant purple shades are considered more valuable. If it were not for the widespread availability of amethyst, the popular gemstone would be quite expensive.

This Amethyst Cross Ring is only $17!

Searching for the perfect present? Gemstones are wonderfully personal gifts to mark a special occasion! Full of meaning and personal significance, they can be selected to commemorate anniversaries, birthdays, even to enhance personal appearance. Remember, you can also simply select a gemstone by color.
Go beyond the birthstone! Explore the world of gemstones and add a personal touch to your gift-giving.

Birthstones and Zodiac Gemstones

Is there a difference? Yes! While birthstones are determined by birth month, Zodiac gemstones are matched to your astrological sign. For example, for a birthday of September 22nd, the birthstone (for the month of September) is Sapphire. However, the Zodiac stone for this birthday would correspond to the Libra stone Opal.

Other Special “Birthstones”

These special Day of Birth gemstones correspond to the day of the week that you were born. Monday babies have a different stone than Thursday babies born within the same month or Zodiac sign.
Looking for a gemstone gift that is really unexpected? There are gemstones to match the hour of the day when you were born! Giving the gift of an Hour of Birth gemstone is not only unique and thoughtful but highly personal.

Wedding Anniversary Gemstones

Most people are aware that gemstones make fantastic birthday gifts. But you can also celebrate with wedding anniversary gemstones, marking each distinct year of your marriage with a gem equally as special and unique.

The cubic zirconia is widely known as a diamond stimulant. It is actually a mineral rarely found in nature, but commonly created for this use. While its most common use is to simulate the diamond, cubic zirconia (CZ) is available in a wide variety of colors to represent most gemstones.
The cubic zirconia is inexpensive, durable and extremely clear with a flawless appearance. In fact, the cubic zirconia shows far more brilliance and clarity than a genuine diamond.

Cubic Zirconia and the Diamond

Due to its inexpensive nature and similarities in appearance, cubic zirconia has been the leading diamond imitator since the middle of the twentieth century. It is so close in appearance, in fact, that often it can only be distinguished by a trained eye. Basic guidelines in distinguishing CZ from diamonds include:

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• Cubic zirconia has greater dispersion than the diamond. This simply means that the CZ reflects more light, offering extra sparkle.
• Cubic zirconia weighs nearly twice that of a diamond the same size.
• The diamond’s hardness is ranked a 10 compared to the CZ’s 8.5. This discrepancy is reflected in the CZ’s susceptibility to surface scratches.
• The appearance of the cubic zirconia is nearly flawless. Nearly all diamonds include some defect.

Colorless diamonds are extremely rare. By contrast, cubic zirconia is easily made colorless. Also, the shades achieved with colored CZ are distinct from the shades of fancy colored diamonds.

History of Cubic Zirconia

Cubic Zirconia in its natural state is extremely rare. In fact, it was discovered in the 1930’s by German mineralogists and has been found nowhere since! The discoverers did not name the substance, which explains why it is still known by its scientific name. In the 1970’s cubic zirconia crystals were grown in Soviet laboratory. CZ became widely popular in the 1980’s when it began to be produced by the Australian jeweler Swarovski & Co.

The birthstone for the month of November, topaz is radiant in warm shades of the sunset: gold, brown and orange. Its name is derived from the Sanskrit word meaning “fire”. Said to enhance clarity, of both vision and perception, topaz has been known to bring strength and insight.

The Topaz in History

The bronze colors of topaz were known in Ancient Egypt as a glow coming from the sun god, Ra. For this reason, topaz was believed to offer protection to the faithful. The Ancient Greeks thought topaz made its wearer invisible when threatened. During the middle ages, people thought topaz could heal mental and physical disorders and even prevent death. Red and pink topaz was used in the royal jewels of Russian czars and czarinas in the 18th and 19th centuries. These shades of topaz are known as imperial topaz. The most famous colorless topaz is a mammoth gemstone which adorns the Portuguese crown. It is known as the “Braganza Diamond.” This topaz is a whopping 1680 carats.

Origins and Presentation of Topaz

Topaz is found primarily in granite rocks of the Czech Republic, Sweden, Norway, Japan, Mexico and the United States. Common colors of topaz are also found in Sri Lanka and Brazil. Pink topaz is found mostly in Russia and Pakistan. Topaz is a hard gemstone. Like the diamond, a topaz can be split with a single blow. While topaz usually appears in the warm colors of autumn, a pale blue variety of topaz is also available. Often topaz is enhanced. For example, a deep green topaz was introduced through enhancement in the late 1980s.

Topaz is a beautiful stone. Whatever color or style of topaz you choose, you’re sure to be delighted.

Most think a girl needs a diamond engagement ring, but there ARE other gemstones that can make a prettier engagement ring than a plain old diamond.

‘Lordy! What is this woman saying!’ you ask. But it’s very true. An engagement ring need not be diamond. You heard me. An engagement ring need not be diamond!

These days many boyfriends seek his girlfriend’s advice re: engagement ring. It’s a strange new engagement ring tradition, but there you go. So when my friend asked my (the gemstone gypsy’s) engagement ring opinion, I wasn’t surprised. Now most people in my shoes would’ve advised my friend get a giant diamond engagement ring, but I wasn’t about to go there. Diamonds are overrated, boyfriend’s a working stiff and my friend just isn’t a diamond kinda girl. I suggested a different gem for her engagement ring.

At first my friend was shocked: what’ll people think of such an engagement ring? Can you get a non-diamond engagement ring (our jewelry assumptions can be quite ridiculous)? Would her engagement ring look cheap? What’ll her boyfriend think of this lapse in engagement ring etiquette? After some convincing, I assuaged her fears and she was excited about a non-traditional engagement ring.

On the aside I’d like to mention that in many countries, diamonds aren’t the engagement ring stone. In fact, an engagement ring might flaunt any stone imaginable without breaking engagement ring tradition.

After perusing multiple gemstones, my girlfriend decided upon an aquamarine engagement ring (her boyfriend’s eyes are blue). I sent her happily off to shop with her hubby-to-be for an engagement ring.

I am delighted to say the engagement ring is beautiful! My friend and her fiancée are thrilled with her engagement ring and everyone she’s showed her engagement ring to loves it. Something different!

So there you go girls, sometimes the engagement ring tradition’s meant to be broken.

Although I’m not an August baby, I do love Peridot. In honor of August babies everywhere, here’s a little information on this beautiful gem.

Peridot is a transparent lime green gemstone whose color is due to iron. For over 3500 years, Peridot has been mined from St. John’s Island, located in the red sea. Peridot is also mined in Australia, Brazil, China, Egypt, Myanmar, Norway, and the USA. Created during volcanic ashes, sometimes Peridot can be found in the sands of Hawaii.

Peridot and Myth

According to legend, pirates believed Peridot protected against evil. A Peridot set in gold was believed to protect the wearer from night terrors. When given as a gift, Peridot is a symbol of dignity, fame and protection.

Wearing Peridot

Given its bright and brilliant color, Peridot is the ideal summer stone. Complementing bright greens, yellows and even earthy tones, Peridot is a gemstone one should definitely get to know. Even better, Peridot can be rather affordable.

Peridot Care

• As with all gems, don’t roughhouse while wearing your Peridot
• Protect your Peridot from drastic changes in temperature
• Don’t clean peridot in a home ultrasonic cleaner
• Take your peridot jewelry to a jeweler for check-ups

We girls do love our gemstone jewelry! 

Gemstone jewelry looks great on!  With all the different colors, types and cuts of gemstone jewelry available, it’s hard to decide what to wear.  Whatever you prefer, your gemstone jewelry is certain to be beautiful.  Gemstone jewelry makes a girl feel good!

These days there’s a lot of gemstone jewelry to choose from.  The good news is gemstone jewelry is inexpensive and easy to find.  Building a collection of gemstone jewelry is fun.  I love my gemstone jewelry (and there’s a lot of it)!  I like to buy gemstone jewelry sets for accessorizing. Before long you too can have lots of gemstone jewelry to enjoy!

Gemstone jewelry has been linked to birthdates for centuries!  Even today we usually count our birthday gemstones as our favorites.  I know I do!  I love to give people gemstone jewelry for their birthdays.  Here’s a list of birthstones in case you like that idea too:

• January: Garnet
• February: Amethyst
• March: Aquamarine
• April: Diamond
• May: Emerald
• June: Pearl and Moonstone
• July: Ruby
• August: Peridot
• September: Sapphire
• October: Opal and Tourmaline
• November: Yellow Topaz and Citrine
• December: Blue Topaz and Turquoise

Whether for yourself or for others, you just can’t go wrong with gemstone jewelry!

-Summer

This December birthstone continually resurfaces as a fashion trend. The bright blue, opaque gem has been worn in jewelry for thousands of years. From the burials of Ancient Egypt to contemporary designer collections, turquoise has a presence unlike any other. Its name is inspired by the story of its passage to Europe from the Mediterranean. Turquoise was brought to Europe by the people known as the Turks.
Turquoise has been known in many cultures to attract money, success and love. Sacred to certain Native American tribes, the stone is often carved into the shape of birds and animals. These carvings have been buried with the dead to offer protection.

Turquoise in History

The use of turquoise in jewelry dates as far back as 5500 BC. Queen Zar, ruler during Egypt’s first dynasty, was buried with the famous four bracelets of turquoise. Her mummified remains, wearing the jewelry, were recovered by archeologists. Writings from explorers, such as Marco Polo, indicate early decorative use of turquoise across the world.

Origins and Presentation

Iran produces the most valuable turquoise today. Other famed sources of the gemstone are Persia and Tibet. However, turquoise also comes from Arizona, California and Nevada.
Turquoise is a relatively soft stone that is often stabilized with resins to enhance durability. Because of its complimenting sky-blue, a bright and cheerful color, this gemstone is always in vogue. Clear and light blue (or robin-egg), shades are the most valuable in turquoise. With green tones, irregularities or spots its value decreases.