December 10, 2011
Zircon
Not to be confused with Cubic Zirconia, Zircon is a rare mineral that comes in many colors. It is 
commonly used as a diamond alternative as the crystals resemble diamond in luster, and in colorless form can be mistaken as diamonds.
Zircon is often found in rocks that formed as a result of volcanic activity, and in very small grains elsewhere. The most common color is Blue, but it can be found in a variety of colors. The brown varieties found mostly in Southeast Asia are often heat-treated to create the Blue color that is known as the December Birthstone. The stone is usually transparent to slightly translucent. Some very-rare crystals contain trace amounts of radioactive elements Thorium and Uranium- these are not found in quantities large enough to harm anything but the crystal structure which, over time can begin to break down from the inside out, causing it to look loose luster. The stone is found in loose deposits throughout Southeaster Asia, and parts of Africa and Brazil. Zircon is one of the densest gemstones- this means that when comparing by weight, the dimensions of a Zircon will be small than other stones of the same weight.
Zircon is a brittle stone- it should be protected from knocks and bangs as it tends to chip along faceted edges. When used in a ring, it should be in a protective setting, or used for occasional wear, and all jewelry containing this stone should be stored carefully.
In the middle ages, Zircon was believed to aid sleep, bring prosperity, wisdom, and honor to its owner. During the Middle Ages, it was believed that the cosmos were reflected in gemstones, and the Planet Pluto is assigned to Zircon. The stone is also believed to help when worn in direct skin contact varicose veins, blisters, and other problems.
September 27, 2011
Tahitian Pearls
The Tahitian Pearl sometimes referred to as Tahitian Black Pearls, have been very misconstrued for years. The pearls are not in fact from Tahiti, but come from the surrounding islands of French Polynesia. Tahiti is the largest island of the territory, and is the location of the market, but no pearls are actually manufactured on the island. Another mistake often made is referring to them as black pearls. Tahitian pearls are in fact found in all shades of dark gray, green, and blue, but not in black. Some are darker than others, but the way they reflect light is different from black pearls. Tahitian pearls create a spectrum of many beautiful colors with their unique luster, whereas traditional pearls reflect only one color. These magnificent gems are becoming more and more popular in today’s world, along with many other varieties of colored pearls, such as black, pink, and chocolate pearls.
Because natural Tahitian pearls are so rare, most of the Tahitians on the market are cultured, which means that somebody, a grafter, inserted a small piece of shell taken from another oyster inside the mother oyster. Tahitian Pearl culturing began in the early 1960’s by a man named Jean-Marie Domard when he started experimenting with the Black Lipped Oyster using Japanese culturing techniques. The pearl is formed inside the pearl in the same environment as natural pearls, but it wouldn’t have formed without this influence. The grain is inserted into the ovary of the oyster and, the oyster is then attached to lines that are hung approximately two feet under water in the most ideal climate for pearl production, along with hundreds of thousands of other oysters. A single pearl farm may graft 100,000 oysters, and only be left with 20,000 good quality marketable pearls, and many of the oysters will reject the foreign object when inserted.
The black lipped oyster was hunted nearly to extinction when the culturing methods were discovered. Since then, the government has stepped in and regulated the farming of the oysters. These mollusks in particular are valuable for their pearl making abilities as well as for their nacre, commonly known as mother of pearl.
September 16, 2011
The Price of Gold
Many of us have been amazed in the past few months at how expensive gold has become. At one point, costing over $1,900 for one oz of pure gold (a nugget approximately the size of the top jointed section of your pinky finger), the precious metal has gone up so high in price, many have been rushing to sell their scrap chains, single earrings, and old jewelry for cash, and jewelry stores have been buying more gold than they are selling. Since March of 2011 to the present, the per ounce price of gold has risen approximately $400. In 1971, the fixed for one troy ounce of gold (approx 0.91 oz) was $35. Today, 1 troy oz would cost approximately $1,650. Ok, so these are the price comparisons, but how is gold traded? How does the price of gold get so high in such a relatively low period of time? The Gold market is not entirely a matter of supply and demand, and when it really comes down to it, gold is not something anybody needs, it is something we value. Historically, the price of gold has risen in times of economic distress, or social unrest. This is because the world views gold as a commodity that will not lose it’s value- it doesn’t tarnish, is very versatile, and will not perish. People buy gold when they have nothing else to invest it- the stock market goes down, but the gold goes up, because the stock market is more or less artificial, whereas gold is a physical product that won’t disappear in the future. In fact studies show that almost all of the gold ever mined from the earth and used in art, jewelry, electronics, etc. is still there, and accounted for, and it is believed that all of the gold on earth, could be molded into a cube that would measure 19 meters each side. In the gold market, there is no physical gold changing hands. Most of the gold in the world that is not in commercial use is held in central banks across the globe. It is stored there as a type of insurance for the bank- if all else fails, they have gold to make money on- an investment of sorts. The price of gold can be dramatically changed when one of the banks decides to sell a portion of their gold. This therefore increases the supply of gold available for purchase, causing a decrease in price. The price recently has risen so much because of all of the factors throughout the world- crisis in the middle east, the US economy’s current state, and the natural disasters throughout the globe. The market closed on September 16th 2011 at $1,812.00.
August 16, 2011
Amethyst
Amethyst, the birthstone for February, gets its bright, vibrant violet color from exposure to radiation. The crystal begins as quartz with traces of iron, which, when irradiated, turn the well known purple color you see. In high heat, the irradiating process can be interrupted, causing the color to change to yellow, or green. For this reason, Citrine is sometimes referred to a “burnt amethyst”. It is also the reason for the occurrence of Ametrines,
Faceted Ametrine
a unique quartz that has areas of Amethyst and Citrine next to each other on the same specimen. A green amethyst is called a Prasiolite, which gets its name from the Greek for “leek”, Prasiolite literally means “garlic green color stone”.
The name, Amethyst, is believed to come from the ancient Greek, methustos, meaning “intoxicated, and ameaning not. The ancient Greeks believed Amethyst would protect the owner from drunkenness. The ancient Greeks and Romans would wear Amethyst and use Amethyst drinking vessels to prevent intoxication. This belief could be part of the reason for it’s selection as birthstone of February, as there is plenty of celebrations in lieu of Carnival. It is also believed to protect the wearer from seduction, and
Wine Glass Carved From Amethyst
enhance friendship and relationships, which may be the reason many of the ecclesiastically powerful wear amethyst. Even in ancient times, amethyst was carved into images, and objects such as wine glasses.
Amethyst is found largely in Brazil and South Korea where it mined from large geodes within volcanic rock. The largest opencast amethyst deposit in the world is found in lower Austria. One of the largest amethyst producers in the world is Zambia, in Africa, who produces approximately 1,000 tons.
In the United States, Amethyst is found in Arizona, Texas, Delaware, Pennsylvania, North Carolina, Yellow Stone National Park, and in the Lake Superior regions of Minnesota, Wisconsin, and Michigan. It is also relatively
Natural Amethyst Geode
common in areas of Ontario, Canada, where the largest Amethyst mine in North America, Thunder Bay, is located.
The Value of amethyst has been lost since the 18th century, before which it was amongst the most valuable gemstones, when the discovery of large deposits were discovered around the world. Gem collectors around the globe look for the depth of color in the stones. The highest grade Amethyst, known as “Deep Russian” is exceptionally rare, so much that its value depends on the demand of the collectors, although it is still much lower in cost than the highest grade Sapphires and Rubies.
July 19, 2011
Ruby Alternatives
Although Rubies are the official birthstone for July they can be pricey. But don’t fret, as there are many alternatives to Ruby that are less expensive and potentially more desirable, and nobody except a skilled gemologist (and you) will know the difference!
Spinel~ for centuries was mistaken for Ruby because of its extreme similarity in color. In The English Crown Jewels, both the Black Prince’s Ruby-gifted to the Black Prince by the king of Spain, and the Timur Ruby, were believed to be rubies, but, after gemological studies and tests, been found in fact to be Red Spinel. Even today, many substitute Spinel for both Ruby and sapphire as they are less expensive and have impressively similar properties. Spinels are found in Sri Lanka, Afghanistan, Thailand, Myanmar, and Cambodia in deposits along with ruby and Sapphire. They are, however more rare than rubies and sapphires, but still remain more cost effective.
Red Zircon~ Found mainly in Thailand and Cambodia, Zircon is an excellent substitute for Ruby. The stone has the highest refractive index of any naturally occurring gemstone second only to diamond. This means that the stone has an intense brilliance. Another unique, spectacular characteristic of zircon is birefringence–light actually splits into two rays as it passes through the stone, causing the facets to appear as double images.
There are other substitutes for Ruby, and many gemstones occur in several different colors, such as tourmaline, topaz, garnet, and even diamond. Depending on the stone’s, color, cut, clarity, carat, and rarity, the price will vary, but there are many options!
June 10, 2011
June’s Birthstones are Pearls and Alexandrite
An add a pearl necklace on a cala lily. This necklace and other add a pearls are available for purchase
Check out our post describing the June Birthstones:
https://marrymejewelry.wordpress.com/2010/06/09/pearls-tear-drops-from-the-skies/
June 2, 2011
January- Garnet, it goes with anything!
January’s birthstone, garnet, is most commonly found in a dark red color, which is where it gets it’s name, from the Middle English term for “dark red”. The term garnet actually refers to over ten different gems that have very similar chemical makeup, which is also why garnets come in just about any color and shade imaginable. The rarest color of garnet is a turquoise, green color. Blue garnets are exceptionally valuable because of their color changing properties, similar to Alexandrite. There are several species of garnet, therefore it is difficult to pinpoint a hardness, however, they range from 6.5-7.5 on the Moh’s scale. Their exceptional hardness has made them popular abrasives since the Bronze Age, and today for uses such as sandblasting, and in water jets. Many cabinet makers prefer garnet paper for finishing bare wood. Garnet rich sand is found most often on the Indian, and Austrailian coasts. Garnet’s crystalline structure does allow for interesting properties, such as stars. The garnet is the State Mineral of Connecticut, the State Gemstone of New York, and the star garnet is the State Gemstone of Idaho. Red garnets were the most used gems in the Late Antique Roman world, and also during the Migration Period by the Barbarian people who took over the Western Empire. Today, Garnet is used in jewelry as the January birthstone, and any color is acceptable for this use, though dark red is the most common variety.
April 7, 2011
April: Diamonds- A Girls Best Friend!
Diamonds we’ve heard of them, we wear them, we are familiar with them- but we don’t really know what they are. Diamonds are, believe it or not, more than just pretty shiny rocks that cost a lot of money.
Basic Information
The word “Diamond” comes from the ancient Greek word adamantos meaning “unbreakable”. Diamonds are what is called an allotrope of carbon. Allotropes are different structural forms of the same element- this is significant because the physical properties can change drastically just by arranging the atoms in a different way. For example, graphite, more commonly known as pencil lead is made of carbon, along with coal. Both of these substances are black, and conduct heat well, and are fairly brittle compared to their cousin, the diamond, who is the hardest substance on earth.
Diamonds are mined from the earth, and are often found in areas where there is high pressure and temperature, allowing them to form, such as Africa, and Australia. Approximately 130 million carats (26,000 kg) of diamonds are mined each year, and about 100,000 kg are created in laboratories annually, using high temperature and pressure technologies.
Folklore
Diamonds are the April Birthstone because it is believed that people born in April are very conscious of time, and diamonds are forever. Diamonds have been for centuries a symbol of excellence and purification. Because of its extreme hardness and clarity, diamond is also considered a symbol of power and strength, as well as brilliance and unmatched beauty. It is said that ancient Greeks believed diamonds to be the tears of the gods, and the Romans perceived them as splinters from fallen stars. In ancient India, diamonds were not cut for fear that they would lose their magical properties. During the Middle Ages, diamonds were believed to grow dark in the face of guilt, and shine brightly in the face of the innocent, and that they would change color in the presence of poison.
Diamonds are used in engagement rings because today, they are thought of as a symbol of love and eternity. The first diamond engagement ring is believed to have been given by Archduke Maximilian of Austria to Mary of Burgundy in 1477. The stone was not faceted as we do today, but was used in its natural crystalline form (octahedral; an 8 sided figure resembling 2 pyramids adhered at the base.) where one half was completely hidden within the setting.
March 24, 2011
March- Water
General Information
It is fitting that the name reminds you of water, because Aquamarine means “seawater”- aqua meaning water, and marine meaning the sea- also its color is a sea like shade of blue or green. From the Beryl group- gets its color from trace amounts of iron that slip their way into the crystal structure. The most valuable gems are transparent, but can sometimes contain long rod-like inclusions. Occasionally when other minerals find their way into the structure at a perfect alignment, asterism can occur, creating star, or cat’s eye aquamarines.
The leading producer of aquamarine is Brazil, but these beautiful gems can also be found in places like Australia, parts of Asia and the Middle-East, as well as in parts of Africa and the US.
Many Aquamarines have been heat treated at very specific temperatures to alter the color to make the stone a more desirable blue-green.
Many of the largest aquamarines ever found don’t even make it to the cutting wheel, due to their weak, grayish color, or opaqueness. The largest aquamarine of gemstone- quality dates back to 1910-the same year the Titanic tragically sunk- called the “Minas Gerais” after the Brazilian state in which it was mined. The stone was cut into several stones making up a total weight of more than 100,000 ct.
Folklore and Myths
Aquamarine is said to have originated in the treasure chests of fabulous mermaids, and is therefore known as the sailors’ lucky stone so they wore it to keep themselves safe, and prevent seasickness. In the middle ages, it was believed that the universe is reflected in gems, and the planet Neptune is affiliated with aquamarine. It has long been believed that Aquamarine gives the wearer foresight, courage, and happiness, and is also said to increase intelligence and maintain youth.
Special Beliefs
Aquamarine is believed to have healing powers. One should simply wear the aquamarine (in contact with the skin) on the troubled area. It is especially noted to be helpful for arthritis, varicose veins, eye inflammation, and sore throats, and cure hiccups. It is also said to help with anxiety, and in the Middle Ages, was believed to help reduce the effect of poisons.
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