The Topaz gemstone : The Stone of True Love and Success

Topaz is one of the twelve breastplate stones of the High Priest referred to in the Book of Exodus. The breastplate stones are considered sacred to twelve mighty angels who guard the gates to Paradise.credit: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/File:Large_Topaz_Gemstones.jpgSilver Topaz is colorless and untreated. Colorless topaz is often irradiated and heat treated to form blue topaz. Silver Topaz is also called "white topaz".Topaz is a gemstone of all colors, and its most valuable color is a golden orange-yellow, called "imperial topaz". Topaz is commonly thought of as a sky-blue gem, but it was not until this century that blue topaz became widespread...

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The Opal Gemstone : The Queen of Gemstones

History and General Information of Natural Opal GemstoneThe word opal comes from a combination of the Sanskrit word ‘upala’ and the Latin word ‘opalus’, both of which mean precious stone’ The opulent flashes of color that are displayed by the opal gemstone cannot be compared to any other gemstone, making it phenomenally popular the world over. It has been regarded as the luckiest and most magical of all gems because of the special display of all colors of the rainbow.The opal rough was first mined in Czechoslovakia (former Hungary) in the 14th century. However, in the 1800’s the gem lost its popularity since it was associated with bad luck. Like...

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The Sapphire Gemstone : The Stone of Loyalty and Fidelity

credit: http://andaranora.blogspot.com/2008/09/lab-created-sapphire-rings-better-or.htmlColor is of paramount importance when judging the value of sapphire. The purer the blue of a natural sapphire, the greater the price the gemstone can command. Gems that are too dark or too pale are usually less valuable, but not necessarily less appealing. Beauty is in the eye of the beholder and color preferences are subjective.In recent years technology has perfected the process of heat-treating sapphires--exposing them to very high temperatures to eliminate impurities. In fact most sapphires on the market today have been heat-treated to improve clarity...

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The Peridot Gemstone : The Stone of Emotional Healing

http://www.echinastone.com/gemstones/learn/articles/peridot_story_known_facts.htmlPeridot has enjoyed a recent rise in popularity. Fortunately, this increase in demand has been offset by increased production, especially from the fertile mesa of the San Carlos Apache reservation.credit: http://www.alljewelrydesigners.com/peridot-jewelry-evening-emerald/Peridot is a clean stone, the darker the green the better the stone. Some peridot can be very light and almost lime green, and thus is not highly regarded. And while peridot most always has an olive tone -- it's the gem variety of the mineral olivine -- look for stones that aren't overwhelmingly...

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The Ruby Gemstone : The Stone of Fire and Passion

http://www.sndgems.com/rubyeducation.htmColor is of paramount importance when judging the value of a ruby. Prized colors--which can command high prices--are pure reds with no overtones of brown or blue. Very light or dark shades are usually less valuable, but not necessarily less appealing. Beauty is in the eye of the beholder and color preferences are subjective.Of course, clarity, cut and carat weight factor into the cost of a gem. Better quality rubies are usually eye-clean with some inclusions under magnification. Ruby is more available under two carats, gems over five carats have become scarce. In ruby's finest quality, any size is rare.credit:...

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The Pearls : The Symbol of feminine wisdom

left: http://phuketnews.phuketindex.com/opinion/me-against-pearl-169416.htmlright: http://www.perlas.com.mx/blog/?tag=natural-black-pearlThe English word pearl originated (via French perle) from the Latin word perla. A "natural pearl" or "wild pearl" is one that forms without any human intervention at all, in the wild, and is very rare.A pearl is a hard object produced within the soft tissue (specifically the mantle) of a living shelled mollusk. Just like the shell of a mollusk, a pearl is made up of calcium carbonate in minute crystalline form, which has been deposited in concentric layers. The ideal pearl is perfectly round and smooth, but...

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The Emerald Gemstone : The Healer's Stone

When judging an emerald's value, its color is of paramount importance. The more vivid the green, the more valuable the stone. There are also attractive lighter green emeralds that are lively and vivid when set in jewelry and darker green gems that make up in rich green color what they lose in brightness. Generally speaking, however, very light or dark emeralds are less expensive. Unlike a diamond, a finely colored emerald is not significantly devalued by inclusions.credit: http://www.designingjewels.com/knowlsharing/gemstones.aspxThe fewer fissures, the more expensive the emerald. Cut natural emeralds of top quality weighing more than two carats...

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The Diamonds : The King of Gemstones

The name diamond is derived from the ancient Greek αδάμας (adámas). Diamonds are thought to have been first recognized and mined in India, where significant alluvial deposits of the stone could be found many centuries ago along the rivers Penner, Krishna and Godavari. Diamonds have been known in India for at least 3,000 years but most likely 6,000 years.Diamond is one of the best known allotropes of carbon. The hardness and high dispersion of light of diamond make it useful for both industrial applications and jewellery. Diamond is the hardest known natural mineral. This makes it an excellent abrasive and makes it hold polish and luster extremely...

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