Beautiful and Unusual Gemstones.

Amber:

Amber is the fossilized resin from ancient forests. Amber is not produced  from tree sap, but rather from plant resin. This aromatic resin can drip from and ooze down trees, as well as fill internal fissures, trapping debris such as seeds, leaves, feathers and insects. The resin becomes buried and fossilized through a natural polymerization of the original organic compounds. Amber can be yellowish-brown, green also cheery.

Aventurine:

An opaque or semitranslucent brown glass flecked with small metallic particles, often of copper or any of several varieties of quartz or feldspar flecked with articles of mica,  hematite, or other materials. Also called sunstone .

Yet how many people are aware of the fact that these gems, different as they are, belong to a single family? Aquamarine, emerald and morganite are all beryls - just like golden beryl, yellowish-green heliodor, colourless goshenite and the rare red beryl.

Chrysoberyl:    

Chrysoberyl is transparent to translucent and sometimes chatoyant. An interesting feature of uncut crystals of chyrsoberyl are the cyclic twins called trillings. These twinned crystals have a hexagonal appearance, but are the result of a triplet of twins with each "twin" taking up 120 degrees of the cyclic trilling. The word chrysoberyl is derived from the Greek chrysos,  "golden," and beryllos, of uncertain etymology.

Citrine, also called citrine quartz or citrine topaz, is an amber-colored gemstone. It is a form of quartz with ferric iron impurities, and is rarely found naturally. Most commercial citrine is in fact artificially heated amethyst or smoky quartz. Brazil is the leading producer of naturally mined citrine, with much of itsproduction coming from the state of Rio Grande do Sul.

Lapis:

Lapis is a gemstone straight out of fairy tales of the Arabian Nights deepest blue with golden shining Pyrite inclusions which twinkle like little stars. Lapis lazuli, also known as just lapis, is a stone with one of the longest traditions of being considered a gem, with a history stretching back to 5000 BC. Deep blue in color and opaque, this gemstone was highly prized by the pharaohs of ancient Egypt, as can be seen by its prominent use in many of the treasures recovered from pharaonic tombs. It is still extremely popular today. Lapis is a rock and not a mineral because it is made up from various other minerals. To be a true mineral it would have one constituent only.

Fluorite:

Fluorite (also called fluor-spar) is a mineral composed of calcium fluoride, It is an isometric mineral with a cubic habit, though octahedral and more complex isometric forms are not uncommon. Crystal twinning is common and adds complexity to the observed crystal habits. Fluorite's fluorescence color is largely dependent on where the original specimen was located. Blue is the most common color but red, purple, yellow, green and white also occur.

Gaspeite:

Gaspeite crystallizes in the rhombohedra system and primarily in massive formation. The color is a rich limey green. The mineral was first described by D.W. Kohls and J.L. Rodda in 1966 and was named for the Gasp'e Peninsula where it was first discovered. In Australia, the mineral is also known as "Allura". This mineral is said to bring spirituality in every day living, bringing the enchantment and attraction of sanctity to the user. It assists one in removing the curtain between the distress and ignorance and a very clear view of assurance.

Hematite:

Hematite is a very common mineral, coloured black to steel or silver-gray, brown to reddish brown, or red. It is mined as the main ore of iron. Varieties include Bloodstone, Iron Rose, Kidney Ore, Martite, Paint Ore, Specularite (Specular Hematite), Rainbow Hematite and Titano-hematite. While the forms of hematite vary, they all have a rust-red streak. Hematite is harder than pure iron, but much more brittle.

Morganite:

Besides Emerald and Aquamarine, Morganite is probably the best-known member from the fabulous multi-coloured   Beryl-group. Women all over the world love it because of its very fine pink colour which emanates charm, esprit and tenderness.

Peridot:

The name of the gemstone is believed to come from either the Arabic word faridat meaning "gem" or the French word peritot meaning "unclear." Peridot is one of the few gem stones that come in only one color. The depth of green depends on how much iron is contained in the crystal structure, and varies from yellow-green to olive to brownish green. Peridot is also often referred to as "poor man's emerald". Olivine is a very abundant mineral, but gem quality peridot is rather rare. Peridot crystals have been collected from iron-nickel meteorites.

Quartz:

Rose Quartz is a very popular crystal and is one of the most well-known forms of quartz. It is especially common among the crystal collections of people interested in energy work, healing (especially crystal healing and work with chakras), and "New Age" pursuits generally. Rose Quartz is usually mined in masses, granular structures, or large blocks. Natural crystals of rose quartz are rarer but also available, and very beautiful. When they do occur naturally, crystals of rose quartz tend to be small and in the form of clusters.

Rhodochrosite:

Rhodochrosite is a juicy pink gemstone banded with white marbling. Work with rhodochrosite to balance the heart and sacral chakras and replenish the emotional body. Rhodochrosite works gently, to create harmony between body and mind, in particular where belief systems limit self-affinity. Rhodochrosite fosters the ability to receive and experience joy.

Rhodolite Garnet:

Garnet is the name which can be applied to six similar mineral species, namely almandine, pyrope, spessartine, grossular, andradite and uvarovite. To further complicate matters, many garnets are actually a combination of these minerals. Rhodolite garnet for instance, is a combination of almandine and pyrope, and is sometimes referred to as pyrope-almandine garnet. There are also many trade names and other commonly used names which only adds to the confusion, such as Rhodolite, Tsavorite, Hessonite, Malaya, Mozambique, Mandarin, Ant-hill, Leuco, Hydrogrossular, Demantoid, Melanite, Topazolite, Thai. Other names such as "cape ruby" are simply misleading and deceptive. Some garnets also exhibit color change and stars.

 Spinel: Collector Favorite

Spinel is the great imposter of gemstone history: many famous rubies in crown jewels around the world are actually spinel. The most famous is the Black Prince's Ruby, a magnificent 170-carat red spinel that currently adorns the Imperial State Crown in the British Crown Jewels after a long history: Henry V even wore it on his battle helmet! The Timur Ruby, a 352-carat red spinel now owned by Queen Elizabeth, has the names of some of the Mughal emperors who previously owned it engraved on its face, an undeniable pedigree!

Tanzanite :

Beautiful gem stone discovered in 1967 in the Umba Valley near the Usambara Mts. in Tanzania, a precious variety of the mineral oisite, a calcium aluminum silicate. Zoisite is a common rock-forming mineral and is usually white to gray in color. Tanzanite occurs as orthorhombiccrystals,  which may be colorless, yellow-green, brown, or blue to violet when found; when these crystals are heated to 300-400°C, many of them turn sapphire blue, which is the preferred color for gem stones. The blue color is attributed to the presence of small amounts of vanadium.

Tourmaline:

A complex crystalline silicate containing aluminum, boron, and other elements, used in electronic instrumentation and, especially in its green, clear, and blue varieties, as a gem stone.

Ruby:

Which colour would you spontaneously associate with love and vividness, passion and power? Obviously this will evoke the colour red. Red symbolizes love, it emanates warmth and a strong sense of life.  Red is also the colour of Ruby, the King of gem stones. After all, in the fascinating realm of gem stones rubies are the generally accepted emperors.

Sapphire:

The sky is just a gigantic blue Sapphire stone into which the earth is embedded - this belief was cherished in ancient times. And, in fact, does there exist a better image to describe the beauty of an immaculate sapphire of purest blue? This gem stone exists in all the shades of blue skies, from the deep blue of evening skies to the bright and deep blue of a clear and beautiful summer sky which charms all people. The splendid gem stone, however, also comes in many other colours, not only in the transparent greyish misty blue of far horizons, but also displaying the bright fireworks of sunset colours - yellow, pink, orange and purple. So Sapphires are really and truly heavenly stones, although they are being found in the hard soil of our so-called "blue planet".

Opals:

All of Nature's splendour seems to be reflected in the manifold opulence of fine Opals: fire and lightnings, all the colours of the rainbow and the soft  shine of far seas. Australia is the classical country of origin. Almost ninety-five per cent of all fine opals come from the dry and remote outback deserts.

Topaz:

Today we also have blue topaz, which has a pale to medium blue color created by irradiation. Pale topaz which is enhanced to become blue is found in Brazil, Sri Lanka, Nigeria, and China. In early 1998, a new type of enhanced topaz made its appearance, the surface-enhanced topaz, with colours described as blue to greenish-blue or emerald.

Emerald:

Written many centuries ago, the Vedas, the holy scriptures of the Indians, say of the precious green gems and their healing properties: 'Emeralds promise good luck ...'; and 'The emerald enhances the well-being ...'. So it was no wonder that the treasure chests of Indian maharajas and maharanis contained wonderful emeralds. One of the world's largest is the so-called 'Mogul Emerald'. It dates from 1695, weighs 217.80 carats, and is some 10cm tall. One side of it is inscribed with prayer texts, and engraved on the other there are magnificent floral ornaments.

Tourmaline-Paraiba:

Small, rare and very valuable are those copper-containing Tourmalines mined at the Mina da Bathalha in the Brasilian state of Paraiba. The vivid turquoise blue to green colours are not shown by any other gem stone in the world, The exclusive uniqueness of the legendary occurrence make these rare gem stones real treasures.

Amethyst:
 

Purple has long been considered a royal color so it is not surprising that amethyst has been so much in demand during history. Fine amethysts are featured in the British Crown Jewels and were also a favorite of Catherine the Great and Egyptian royalty. Amethyst, transparent  purple quartz, is the most important quartz variety used in jewelry.

 No gemstone is more creatively striped by nature than agate, chalecedony quartz that forms in concentric layers in a wide variety of colors and textures. Each individual agate forms by filling a cavity in host rock. As a result, agate often is found as a round nodule, with concentric bands like the rings of a tree trunk. The bands sometimes look like eyes, sometimes fanciful scallops, or even a landscape with dendrite trees.

 Diamond

Diamonds are the hardest of all gemstones and the hardest transparent substance. Natural diamonds are found in kimberlite or lamproite pipes produced by volcanic magma millions of years ago. Diamonds are a simple crystalline structure of carbon produced by extremely high pressure and temperature. The melting point of a diamond is 4,000 degree C or about 2.5 times higher than the melting point of steel. Gem quality diamonds are rare; this helps to account for their value.

 Alexandrite

One of the most fascinating gemstones throughout history is alexandrite: a gem variety of the mineral chrysoberyl that actually changes color from green in daylight to red in incandescent light. The first time you see it, it is hard to believe your eyes! Gems that show special optical effects are known as phenomenal stones. Chrysoberyl dominates this category, because not only is alexandrite the most spectacular color change gem, cat's-eye chrysoberyl has the most dramatic eye. Alexandrite has a distinguished and glamorous past: it was discovered in 1830 in Czarist Russia. Since the old Russian imperial colors are red and green it was named after Czar Alexander II on the occasion of his coming of age.  

Diamond: Not Necessarily Colorless 

Fancy colored diamonds are not a mass-market product that are advertised everywhere and sold by the numbers. They have more personality than that. Fancy colored diamonds are almost as much fun as colored gemstones! Like colored gemstones, each one is different. They come in fabulously expensive pale pinks and blues, pale to bright yellows, oranges, greens, and all those brown colors that are now being called names like cognac and champagne. So, buy a diamond instead of a colored gemstone if you must, but at least consider a fancy colored diamond which will give your jewelry more character, more individuality, more color!

 Pearls

A pearl is unique, it is the only gemstone to be created from a living creature. Pearls are formed when a foreign particle penetrates the body of a mollusk.  The particle acts as an irritant, in order to protect itself, the mollusc coats the object in concentric layers of nacre, a natural substance commonly called mother-of-pearl.  Only mollusks capable of producing mother-of-pearl are able to create a quality pearl, most notable examples being freshwater clams and saltwater oysters. Irregular shaped pearls are referred to as Baroque and Blister pearls.   

 Jasper: Landscape in Stone

Jasper is often named according to its pattern: landscape jaspers, the most popular, offer a small worldscape in stone. Ribbon jasper, picture jasper, and orbicular jasper describe other designs. Jasper is found in many countries. It is sometimes used to create bowls and other objects and to adorn buildings, such as the Saint Wenceslas Chapel in Prague. 

 Bloodstone: the Martyr's Gem

Bloodstone, green jasper dotted with bright red spots of iron oxide, was treasured in ancient times and long served as the birthstone for March. This attractive chalcedony quartz is also known as Heliotrope because in ancient times polished stones were described as reflecting the sun: perhaps the appearance of the gem reminded the ancients of the red setting sun reflected in the ocean. 

 Coral

The name as such, however, is still puzzling to linguists. Some are convinced that the Greek word „koraillon“ is the root, as this signifies the hard and calcareous skeleton of the Coral animal. Another possible source is “kura-halos”, meaning “mermaid”, and after all, the fine Coral branches sometimes remind us of the shape of people. Other experts favour the theory that the word comes from Hebrew, “goral”, the name for the stones used to cast an oracle, and in fact the Coral branches were used for casting oracles in former times in Palestine, Asia Minor and the around the Mediterranean. 

 Chrome Diopside: Beautiful Gem, Ugly Name

There are a few drawbacks. The chrome diopside is most available in small sizes: in the rare large sizes, the color becomes so rich it is too dark. But for bright green accent stones, chrome diopside is ideal. However, it is relatively soft, with a hardness of 5.5, so it is a better choice for earrings or a pendant than for a ring which will receive a lot of wear. Chrome diopside is mostly mined in Yakutia and Siberia and the liberalization of the economy of the former Soviet Union has made it more available than even before. 

 Kunzite

Millions of years ago, deep in the bowels of our Earth, gemstones were created in innumerable variations. We are familiar with most of them, and indeed we have been so in most cases for thousands of years. Yet every now and again a previously unknown variant of a gem comes to light. One of these 'young' gemstones is kunzite, with its delicate pink hues, a gem which is seen more and more often nowadays, making an attractive eye-catcher in jewellery. Yes, kunzite has only been known for a little more than a hundred years, and yet it is now going through something like a second Renaissance. 

Sapphires: Beautiful Beyond Blue 

Sapphire is often considered to be synonynous with the color blue: you can easily picture sapphire seas. However, sapphire is beautiful beyond blue, in every color but red, because red is called ruby.
The other colors of sapphire can be just as beautiful and rare - or even rarer - than the blue but they are usually priced less. Yellow, orange, lavender, and other pastel shades are especially affordable. 

Andalusite: Cognac Cocktail 

Andalusite is named after Andalusia, the province of Spain where it was first discovered.
Andalusite is pleochroic, different colors in different directions. When cutting most pleochroic gemstones, such as iolite and tanzanite, the trick is to minimize the pleochroism and maximize the single best color. Andalusite is the opposite: cutters try to orient the gem to get a pleasing mix of colors: orangey brown and a yellowish green or gold.