Iolite

Hardness: 7 – 7.5

Density: 2.53 – 2.78

Chemical composition: Mg2Al3(AlSi5O18)

Crystal structure: orthorhombic

Origins: Brazil, USA, Canada, Madagascar, Sri Lanka, India, Burma Color: Bleu to violet blue

Refractive index: 1.52 - 1.56

Stones are generally not treated

Jasper

Jasper is an ornamental rock composed mostly of chalcedony, microcrystalline quartz, in association with other minerals, which give it colorful bands and patterns. Jasper was a favorite gem in the ancient world, and the name jasper can be traced back in Hebrew, Assyrian, Persian, Greek, and Latin. Jasper is often named according to its pattern: landscape jaspers, the most popular, offer a small world scape in stone. Red jasper is particularly bright. Jasper is found in many countries. It is sometimes used to create bowls and other and to adorn buildings, such as the Saint Wenceslas Chapel in Prague, in the Czech Republic.

Kunzite

Kunzite has only been known to gem collectors and jewelry makers for a barely more 100 years. It has again become very popular since the late 1990s, a phenomenon that can only be described as a second Renaissance.

Kunzite was introduced by a New York jeweler and gemstone specialist George Frederick Kunz (1856 – 1932) who first provided a comprehensive description of this unique gemstone after its discovery in California. Hence, the name o this gem became Kunzite.

Its hardness is fairly good, between 6.5 and 7 on the Mohs scale. There are various aspects to look at when determining the value of a Kunzite gemstone. Its delicate pink color comes first. The more intense the color, the more valuable the Kunzite gem.

To ensure that the fine color is reflected to its full extent, the cutter must align the raw crystal very precisely during his work. Additionally, the angle from which you look at a Kunzite gemstone decides whether it looks violet, pink or may be, colorless. Kunzites found in Afghanistan may appear to have a color of strong violet, a light violet and a light green; based on the angle of observation. In Gemmology, the science of gemstones, this phenomenon is named pleochroism, meaning “being multi-colored.” Generally, Kunzites have a light color, and the darker the hue the more rare and valuable the gemstone.

The second aspect is clarity. Kunzite belongs in the family of gemstones known as spodumen, to which the green or yellowish-green Hiddenite, discoverered by W. E. Hidden. As well as diopside, jadeite and three other kinds of minerals also belong. These stones together make up the group of pyroxenes, which is a word derived from two Greek words, pyr (fire) and xenos (stranger).

Kunzite is mined in the following World regions: Afghanistan, Madagascar, Brazil and the USA.

To protect the color from fading, you should avoid wearing Kunzite jewelry in direct sunlight the color can fade in direct sunlight.

This gemstone with its delicate pink is said to enhance a person's devotion and understanding, and to bestow inner peace and joie de vivre on the person wearing it. Kunzite is also believed to activate the mind and liberate us from worry and anxiety, it is an excellent gemstone for those suffering from stress. Whether or not one actually believes in these positive effects, is of course, based on personal choices and beliefs.

Larimar or Pectolite

Pectolite (trade name Larimar) is a mineral species. It belongs to the triclinic crystal system and offers a chemical composition of NaCa20si3O8(OH). The refractive index is 1.599-1.628 with a specific gravity of 2.81. It is a fairly soft stone being a 4.5-5. It is mainly found in the Dominican Republic, however reports have been made from Canada and the US.

Opens creativity in the throat area, helps soul mates to find one another while healing negative karma between soul mates and lovers. Allows for open communication between soul mates. This is an healing stone that not only aids communication in relationships, but it also radiates a strong sense of peace. It is very calming. Note: The stones are very rarely evenly blue. Most stones have a unique, interesting pattern of light and darker hues of blue spots, reminiscent of the clear blue lagoons of the Caribbean, just the right water for snorkeling!

The most important outcrop of Larimar, also known as blue pectolite, is located at Los Chupaderos, about 10 kilometers southwest of the city of Barahona, in the Dominican Republic. In 1974, Norman Rilling, a member of the Peace Corps of the United States, and Miguel Méndez, a Dominican, found these beautiful, bright blue stones on the seashore. Their expedition took them upstream the Bahoruco river, and they reached Los Checheses, the town Los Chupaderos about 10 kilometers into the mountains from the city of Barahona, the place at which at present the most abundant outcropping of Larimar is found.

The name LARIMAR is due to this discovery. Miguel Méndez' daughter's name is "LARIssa", and the sea (Spanish: "MAR") by which it was found, combined led to the name LARIMAR.

Malachite

Moderately permanent pigment of varying colour. Malachite is perhaps the oldest known green pigment. It is chemically similar to the blue pigment azurite. It is sensitive to acids and to heat. ma • luh • kite

Chemical name>basic copper (II) carbonate

Malachite occurs when carbonated water interacts with copper minerals, or when a solution of copper interacts with limestone. It is a secondary mineral of copper, which means it's formed when copper minerals are altered by other chemicals. Crystals sometimes form as needles that fan out from the rock in which they are embedded. More often, malachite forms as a mass with concentric bands of light and dark green. Malachite is usually found with azurite, a blue secondary mineral of copper. A mineral sample can have alternating bands of green malachite and blue azurite.

Malachite is used as a decorative stone, since it is easily cut and polished. While its softness limits its use as a gemstone, its beauty is hard to resist. It was a popular decorative stone in Czarist Russia, and was used to make the columns of St. Isaac's Cathedral in Leningrad.

Malachite can be found in Russia, Zaire, Australia, and Namibia. In the United States, specimens have been found in the copper mines of Arizona, California, Nevada, Utah, Pennsylvania, and Tennessee.

Malachite is opaque and always green. In ancient Egypt, malachite was used to protect children against evil spirits. Malachite represented joyfulness and was closely associated with the goddess Hathor. Ground malachite was used as a pigment in painting and statuary and malachite jewelry was highly prized. Eye make up made from ground-up malachite was believed to defend against certain eye complaints. Wearing this mae-up was also seen as invoking the protective power of the goddess Hathor. During the Middle Ages, malachite was a popular talisman against the Evil Eye, all forms of sorcery and black magic.

Onyx: Birthstone for January

[Sardonyx, a striped variation]

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 (on the picture above, with pink rose quartz cabochon). Later, the Romans narrowed the term to refer to black and dark brown colors only. 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.

Reddish brown with white pattern onyx 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.

Pearl : Birthstone for June

The word pearl originates in the Latin word perla, meaning the proud son of the ocean.

The first pearls were discovered over six thousands years ago in China, and over five thousands years ago in India, by our ancestors foraging for food in the water. When they discovered clam meat as a food source, they also found the first pearls.

In India and other Ganges cultures pearl has been regarded ever since as a precious jewelry, due to its entirely natural origin, variety of colors and shapes, high luster, and pleasant touch on the human skin. Pearls have quickly ascended to indicate status of wealth. Even today, pearls are among the five most prestigious materials for fine jewelry, in the company of diamonds, emeralds, sapphires, and opals. Buddhists cherish pearls among the seven treasures of Buddhism.

Pearl is a great gift especially for those with a birthday in June, along with Alexandrite and moonstone.

In China and Japan, the most perfect Akoya ocean pearls were worn by members of the ruling dynasties and their household. It is China that started cultured pearl operations first; and today about eighty percent of all freshwater pearls in the world are provided by the pearl farms of that country.

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 humankind. 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 oysters and other mollusks carefully seeded with irritants similar to those produced by nature. The painstaking effort of culturing is one of the most dramatic examples of man's quest to coax beauty from nature.

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. Pearls are most commonly thought of as white, but they are actually produced in many colors, including gold, yellow, champagne, mauve, pink, peach, lavender, gray, black and peacock, which has either dominantly blue or green hues, with some pink shine to it. Produced by a living organism, pearls require special care because they contain calcareous crystals that are sensitive to chemicals and acids. To care for your cultured pearls, avoid using perfume, hairspray, abrasives, solvents, and nail polish removers while wearing them. Like your skin, cultured pearls contain water and may dehydrate and crack if exposed continuously to arid conditions.

Peridot: Birthstone for August

Color: yellowish green, brownish green

Hardness: 6.5 – 7

Refractive index: 1.64 – 1.69

Density: 3.20 – 3.50

Crystal structure: orthorhombic

Lustre: vitreous, greasy

Origins: China, Burma, Pakistan, USA, East Africa, South Africa, Brazil, Norway, Egypt

Prices of peridot (olivine) highly depend on the stone’s clarity. Best stones have vivid yellowish green color. Peridots are generally not treated. Peridot has been adored since ancient times; its history traces back more than 3,500 years when it was prized by the ancient Egyptians. Found in various shades of green, peridot is most desired in lime hues. Peridot has been credited with a host of magical powers and healing properties, such as protection against nightmares and possessing the power to ward off evil. It is the recommended gift for couples celebrating their 16th wedding anniversary. Peridot is relatively soft and should be spared rugged, regular wear if worn in a ring. As a general rule, peridot is not enhanced.

Ruby: Birthstone for July

Color: red, purple red

Hardness: 9

Refractive index: 1.76 – 1.78

Density: 3.99 – 4.06

Chemical composition: Al2O3 Crystal structure: hexagonal

Origins: Burma, Sri Lanka, Thailand, Cambodia, Vietnam, Madagascar, Tanzania, Kenya.

Ruby, the red variety of corundum, is the most expensive gemstone after diamonds. The distinctive rubies of “pigeons blood” color from Mogok (Burma) have the highest value. Specimens over 5 ct. as well as eye clean stones are very rare. Heat treatment is usually applied to improve color and reduce small inclusions.

Gem of passion, of smoldering desire, ruby has been treasured for thousands of years. Because the ancients thought its glowing red color was due to an inextinguishable inner fire, ruby was also associated with courage and power. Throughout most of recorded history, ruby has been the most valuable of gems. It was believed wearing a fine red ruby bestowed good fortune on its owner - although the owner must have already had good fortune enough to possess such a rare and beautiful gem! Despite all the best efforts of gem merchants to use technology to enrich color, fine ruby is still exceptionally rare. After being extracted from the earth, rubies today are commonly heated to high temperatures to maximize the purity and intensity of their red hue. Impurities may also dissolve or become less noticeable after heating. However, heating will only improve the color if the gem already contains the chemistry required. Occasionally rubies with small imperfections are permeated with a silicate byproduct of the heating process, which helps to make small fissures less visible. This enhancement, like heating, is permanent. Another enhancement in rubies is diffusion with beryllium, or a similar element, which artificially adds color to the stone. Whether enhanced or not, rubies remain among the most durable of gems.

Sugilite

Sugilite (also known as luvulite) is a relatively rare pink to purple cyclosilicate. 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 and a specific gravity of 2.75 - 2.80.

Sugilite was first described in 1944 by the Japanese petrologist Ken-ichi Sugi (1901-1948) for an occurrence on Iwagi Islet, Japan where it is found in an aegirine syenite intrusive stock. It is found in a similar environment at Mont Saint-Hilaire, Quebec, Canada. In the Wessels mine in northern Cape Province of South Africa sugilite is mined from a strata-bound manganese deposit. It is also reported from Liguria and Tuscany, Italy, as well as New South Wales, Australia and Madhya Pradesh, India.

Tanzanite: Birthstone for December

Tanzanite exhibits a remarkable range of hues between lilac and blue. Blue violet coloration is the most prevalent. Tanzanite values increase with the saturation of the color, and the deep blue and deep violet blue stones are the most treasured. Tanzanite is somewhat more delicate than many gemstones and jewelry settings exposing the stone to frequent impact should be avoided. Tanzanite is strongly trichroic, and may present different colorations when viewed from differing angles. All Tanzanite is heated to transform this grayish or brownish variety of the mineral Zoisite to the remarkable lavender and blue colors of gemstone Tanzanite. This treatment is stable and permanent. Our supply of Tanzanite is obtained exclusively from Tanzania, Africa.

Topaz

Color: blue, yellow, pink, red, brown, green, colorless

Hardness: 8

Refractive index: 1.60 – 1.64

Density: 3.50 – 3.58

Chemical composition: Al2[SiO4](F,OH)2

Crystal structure: orthorhombic

Origin: Brazil, Madagascar, Russia, USA, Mexico, Pakistan.

The ost valued color for topazes is the orange-pink (imperial topaz from Brazil). Heat treatment is used for yellowish stones; a color of light blue or colorless stones can be enforced by x-ray treatment and heating. Very big clean crystals are common. Prices are subject to noticeable variation due to fashion trends on local markets.

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 examples are pale pink to a sherry red. Sometimes peach-colored topaz can be "pinked" by gentle heating. This color change is permanent. Blue, once the most rare color of topaz, is today the most common, thanks to a stable enhancement process that turns colorless topaz blue. After the raw topaz is extracted from the earth and cut, it is irradiated to brown and then heated to sky blue. This enhancement process is permanent. Due to the popularity of blue topaz, a new enhancement called vapor deposition has been developed to create additional colors of topaz. A thin colored film is bonded on the surface of the stone to create dark blue, red, pink, and green colors or rainbow iridescence. It is our policy not to carry any topaz that has been treated with vapor deposition, as this process is not permanent. Topaz is a very hard gemstone, but it can be split with a single sharp blow, a trait it shares with diamond. As a result it should be protected from hard knocks. Clean with mild dish soap; use a toothbrush to scrub behind the stone where dust can collect.

Tourmaline: Birthstone for October, along with Opals and Agates

Color: wide color range, green, blue, yellow, pink, red, brown, colorless. Bi-color is common.

Hardness: 7 – 7.5

Refractive index: 1.61 – 1.66

Density: 3.01 – 3.25

Chemical composition: (NaLiCa)(Fe11MgMnAl)3Al6((OH)4(BO3)3Si6O18)

Crystal structure: trigonal

Origins: Brazil, Madagascar, Namibia, Zambia, Sri Lanka, Burma, Russia, USA, Afghanistan.

Tourmalines exist in different colors and are known for their bi-color or even tri-color varieties. Most expensive color varieties are intense green, blue and red. Yellow stones could be irradiated to improve color or clarity. Tourmaline's name comes from the Sinhalese word “turmali”, which means "mixed." Occurring in more colors or combinations of colors than any other gemstone variety found in nature, this gem lives up to its name. Perhaps this is why ancient mystics believed tourmaline could encourage artistic intuition: it has the palette to express every mood.

Below you can see some of our gemstone bracelets. To explore our entire inventory, please browse our various categories on the left side of the screen. just scroll all the way up to see all item categories. Best of luck locating that precious gift you are looking for!

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 are permanent.

Avoid exposing them to harsh abrasives and strong chemical solvents.

Turquoise

While turquoise is usually associated today with Native American culture, the ancient Egyptians were mining turquoise in 3200 BC. Many ancient cultures regarded turquoise as a source of metaphysical power. The Egyptian Goddess Hathor was associated with Turquoise, known as "mefkAt". The Turquoise and gold bracelet found on the wrist of Queen Zer is the oldest piece of stone jewelry so far discovered, dating from approximately 5500 BC. Turquoise was mined in Sinai, and its blue color symbolized fertility, good luck, and protection against the evil eye as well as helpful in maintaining virtue.

Turquoise is an opaque, light to dark blue or blue-green gem. The finest color is an intense blue known as Robin's Egg blue. Turquoise may contain narrow veins of other materials either isolated or as a network. They are usually black, brown, or yellowish-brown in color. Known as the matrix, these veins of color are sometimes in the form of an intricate pattern, called a spider web. To improve its color and durability, turquoise is commonly permeated with plastic, a permanent enhancement. It is also sometimes permeated with colorless oil or wax, which is not a permanent enhancement. Some turquoise is dyed to improve its color, but rarely, as this is not a permanent enhancement. Special care is required for turquoise regardless of whether or not it is enhanced. A porous gem, turquoise can absorb anything it touches. Avoid contact with cosmetics, perfumes, skin oil, acids, and other chemicals. Avoid dehydrating it or exposing it to heat.