An alternative birthstone for December. This necklace is made from natural turquoise beads from Arizona. 14KY lobster clasp. Traditional and beautiful.
Turquoise
Tag: made in the Berkshires
Tsavorite Garnet
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.
“Precious Topaz” Jewelry
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.
Citrine, Alternative November Birthstone
Citrine is an alternative birthstone to topaz.
Shown here is a spectacular pair of square radiant cut citrine with
South Sea golden pearl drops.
We have a nice collection of loose citrine to choose from for a custom order!
Topaz, November Birthstone
Topaz, the birthstone for November, is naturally a transparent gem but it is found in various tones of yellow, gold, orange, red, blue, green, pink, and brown. It has a hardness of 8 on the Mohs scale, making it a nice jewelry gemstone.
Tourmaline, Alternative October Birthstone
The many colors of Tourmaline provide an alternative October birthstone.
Tourmaline is 7-7.5 on the Mohs Hardness scale making it more durable than it’s rival for October babies – Opal.
We have an extensive collection of loose tourmaline for collectors or custom design pieces. Many tourmaline jewelry pieces are on display in our gallery.
Opal, October Birthstone
Colorful opal, appropriate for fall. The shifting play of kaleidoscopic colors is unlike any other gem.
Each opal is unique in pattern, shape, color, and type, making for one of a kind jewelry. Although it is only 5.5 – 6 on the Mohs Hardness scale, opal makes a beautiful jewelry gemstone.
Montana Sapphire
This lovely teal-green color sapphire is a natural gemstone from Montana. Available for custom orders or collectors.
Wedding Jewelry
Sapphire is one of the two gem-varieties of corundum, the other being ruby. Although blue is the best-known sapphire color, they occur in many colors, including purple as shown here in these earrings. A pinkish orange variety of sapphire is called padparadscha. Sapphire, being 9 on the Moh’s hardness scale is a perfect gem for engagement rings and other wedding jewelry.
Peridot, 15th Wedding Anniversary
Peridot is an attractive summer green color that goes with all colors. We have a nice selection of peridot earrings, rings, and necklaces in our gallery.