Most gems are colored by impurities in the crystal. Peridot’s yellow-green is due to the presence of iron. Higher quality stones have an intense color. The best peridot is pure grass green. Most of the stones with the finest color come from Myanmar and Pakistan. Peridot has extremely high double refraction: when you look closely through the gem, you can see two of each pavilion facets.
Emerald is a gemstone known for its bright green color and is the birthstone for May. It also marks a couple’s 35th wedding anniversary.
Emerald is a member of the beryl family colored green by trace amounts of chromium and sometimes vanadium. Beryls have a hardness of 7.5-8 on the Mohs scale, but most emeralds are highly included so their toughness is classified as generally poor. Emerald is the rarest of all gemstones and so is valued accordingly. They are mined all over the world, primarily in Central & South America and Africa.
Smooth graduated lentil shaped deep purple amethyst beaded necklace, untreated Zambian 230ctw. 14KY clasp, 17.5″ total length.
This lovely ring design is one of our best sellers. It is solid and strong and lends itself to many different sizes of gemstones. Here we have set a 10mm round Zambian Amethyst, 3.24ct. This ring can be worn every day because of its strength and durability.
Amethyst is the violet or purple variety of quartz. It is a precious stone of spiritual protection and purification. It is thought of as a natural tranquilizer that relieves stress, soothes irritability, balances mood swings, dispels anger, rage, fear and anxiety. Amethyst is an excellent crystal for creative people because it helps them remain calm, focused, and receptive to any unusual ideas.
Stop by our gallery and see our beautiful amethyst jewelry on display. Ask about our extensive collection of loose amethyst gemstones for collectors or custom designs.
Also known as “Spessartine” this lively garnet is usually orange to reddish-brown and is somewhat rare. Most spessartites especially orange ones, have eye-visible inclusions.
Manganese is the element in Spessartiet that produces the orange color. Spessartite has been found in Brazil, Burma, Madagascar, Mozambique, Namibia, Nigeria, Sri Lanka, and the USA (San Diego County, CA). The most important sources today are Nigeria and northeast Namibia. Spessartites are not enhanced by any method. Hardness is 7 – 7.5 on the Mohs scale.
Tanzanite is a rich blue-violet colored gemstone from Tanzania and one of December’s birthstones. We have many loose tanzanite gemstones for collectors to pick from or for a unique piece of jewelry designed and made in our workshop. We also have ear studs to match this pendant.
An alternative birthstone for December. This endless necklace is made from natural turquoise beads from Arizona. Large polished chunks of natural turquoise are juxtaposed with a mixture of various shapes and sizes of turquoise beads. The red beads are coconut shell that cleverly keep this magnificent necklace in place.
If you’re contemplating green gemstones, one rare but beautiful alternative to emerald is a Tsavorite garnet.
Tsavorite garnet is one of the most important varieties of grossularite garnet. It was first discovered in 1967 by Campbell Bridges, a Scottish geologist. Tsavorite was named after Tsavo National Park on the border between Kenya and Tanzania, where the stones were discovered.
Tsavorite garnets are about 200 times rarer than emeralds, and they are among the most expensive types of garnets because of their rarity.
These types of garnets also tend to be small in terms of carat size. The majority of stones are under one carat. Pieces over two carats are rare and therefore significantly more expensive than the smaller stones. The most preferred color is a pure, highly saturated green.
Unlike emeralds, inclusions are rare, so Tsavorite garnets don’t typically need to be treated or filled. They have a high refractive index which makes them especially brilliant. They are moderately hard, measuring 6.5 – 7.5 on the Mohs scale.
The term “Precious Topaz”, the finest quality of topaz, is often used to distinguish between true Topaz and lookalikes.
Citrine and Yellow Sapphire have been sold as “Gold, Scotch, or Madeira Topaz.”
Brown Topaz does occur naturally but the term “Smoky Topaz” refers to Smoky Quartz.
Blue Topaz can also be natural but most have been heat-treated to produce the specific trademarked Sky Blue, London Blue, Swiss Blue, etc.