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FAQ
Welcome toTwin-Diamonds Gemological Education Center and Guidance
to Gemstones, Diamonds & Jewelry
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How big is a big Emerald ?
Commercially speaking, an emerald over
ten carats is considered a "big" stone. There is, however,
a special market for crown jewels and special ornaments that
exhibit emeralds of
hundreds of carats. Emeralds in
rough have been known to occur in sizes of thousands of carats.
There is a number of this large hexagonal crystals in museums
in various parts of the world.
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How can you know if an emerald is
from Colombia?
Normally, Colombian Emeralds have
a particular color and intensity. An experienced dealer learns
to distinguish the subtleties of color, to the point of being
able, in most cases, to ascertain the provenance of a stone by
observing the color and intensity, along with a thorough examination
at magnification of 10X . From a more scientific approach, the
correct identification of the origin of a gemstone, can be established
by means of microscopic analysis using magnifications up to 120X
. If no conclusion can be drawn from a careful microscopic observation,
a variety of sophisticated techniques can be employed such as
an electronic scanning microscope. In any event, the correct
identification can be established, since each gemstone carries
within a collection of chemical traces and mineral inclusions
matching the geology of the mine of origin.
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How does the price of Emerald compare
to the price of Diamonds and
other Gems ?
Like the other big commercial gemstones, diamonds, ruby and
Sapphire, emeralds rank
side by side and are considered by some to fetch the highest
prices after diamonds. This, however, is an open issue since
the price of each individual color stone depends on varying factors
that are not as clearly laid out as the pricing structure of
diamonds. Sporadically high quality emeralds in
sizes below 20 carats have fetched prices in the levels of 20.000
to 40.000 us dollars per carat.
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How Gems are
Classified
There is one curious fact that permeates gemology, nothing is
ever simple and straight forward. For every principle or example
put forward, there is always an exception to be found. When it
comes to classifying gems, there are several ways of doing it.
Each method has its own purpose, so that is simple, but each
method also has its exceptions to pay attention to.
Precious and Semiprecious
A couple centuries ago the terms "Precious" and "Semiprecious" gems came
into common use. There are so many exceptions to this classification,
that it no longer has any value. For example diamonds have
always been considered precious gems, yet there are diamonds that
sell for $100 a carat. You can see them, (with sufficient magnification,)
as accent stones on inexpensive jewelry
On the other hand there are garnets that sell in excess of
$1,000 a carat. Garnets have traditionally been considered semiprecious gems,
but some of them are worth more than ten times what a low quality diamond is.
These terms are still used occasionally, but they are frowned
upon. The U.S. Federal Trade Commission, (which sets legal
definitions,) has considered making it illegal to use them
because they can be deceptive. If you want to appear professional
and well educated you should eliminate them from your vocabulary.
Diamonds and Colored Stones
Gems can
be divided into two categories, "Diamonds" and "Colored
Stones." This is due to the extreme hardness of diamond.
It takes special tools to cut diamonds that
aren't suitable for cutting colored stones, and the reverse
is also true. (As usual, there are a few exceptions to
this.)
There are also differences in the mining and distribution of
diamonds. They are the one of the few gems that
has a consistent supply. The marketing is monopolized, which
is also different from all other gems.
From this perspective a blue diamond is
still a diamond, it is not a colored stone. A colorless sapphire or
topaz would be classified as a colored stone. In spite of the
wording there are only two categories, diamonds and
everything else.
Natural and Man Made
There are a couple of terms commonly used for gem material
that is created in a laboratory. "Homocreate" refers to materials
that duplicate their natural counterparts. Emerald, sapphires and
spinel are common homocreates.
"Synthetic" materials have no counterpart in nature. This category
includes the synthetic garnets, GGG and YAG. Cubic Zirconium
was long thought to be a synthetic, but tiny crystals have
now been found in nature. (They were not large enough to be
used as gems.)
While natural and man made materials can share the same physical
and optical properties, there are still considerably differences,
the main one being rarity. A natural gem takes considerable
time to form and is usually millions of years old. Plus, many
feel they have aesthetic qualities not found in mass produced
materials.
While natural and man made materials appear nearly identical,
their values vary considerably. For this reason it is important
to be able to distinguish between the two.
It is also worth pointing out the definition of an "imitation."
Anything that is posing as something else is an imitation.
For example, a white topaz posing as a diamond is
an imitation. A CZ, described as a Cubic Zirconium, is not
an imitation.
Organics and Inorganics
Another approach is to separate gems into
organics and inorganics. Organic gems are
those whose creation is associated with living organisms. Amber
begins life as tree sap and pearls are created inside an oyster.
Hence, they are classified as organic materials.
Inorganic covers everything else. That "everything else" is
primarily the mineral kingdom. Here one notable exception comes
from the political arena. In the United States, the definition
of a mineral includes the requirement that it is created in
the earth. This has the weight of law so there is a certain
amount of wisdom in accepting the definition, especially when
advertising.
By requiring a mineral to be created in the earth, that puts
lab made materials in a separate category. They may have identical
chemical make up, physical and optical properties of their
natural counterparts, but they can't legally be described as
a mineral in the U.S. For purposes of study though, the properties
of minerals are shared by lab grown crystals.
Crystalline and Amorphous Materials
Not all gem materials are crystalline. There are also amorphous
materials that have no regular pattern to their molecules,
no crystalline structure. Amber and opal are good examples
of amorphous materials. Glass is also an amorphous material.
Man made glass is used as an imitation gem, however there
are natural glasses as well. They include obsidian and techtites
like moldavite.
It is important to note that amorphous materials can be both
organic, as is the case with ivory and amber, or inorganic.
Aggregates
There are a number of requirements for crystals to form. Among
them are the proper chemicals, heat, pressure, time and space.
If the material cools off too quickly, or if there isn't
space for the crystals to grow, you end up with an aggregate.
An aggregate will look much like an amorphous material, but
internally it is composed of thousands of microscopic crystals.
The most common example of this is the chalcedony family, which
contains agates and jaspers. These are all members of the quartz
family, so they have many characteristics in common. They will
have the same density and same refractive index as a whole
crystal of quartz, but considerably different appearance.
Rocks
Rocks are a mixture of minerals, where crystals and amorphous
materials have a single ingredient. While not a gem material,
granite is one of the most common and best known rocks. If
you look at it carefully, you will see black, white and gray
bits all bound together in a single material.
In the gem world lapis lazuli is the best known rock.
Minerals
Now we are getting into the heart of how gems are
classified. The vast majority of gems are
minerals. Mineral "species" are defined by a combination of
their "chemical makeup" and their "molecular structure."
"Chemical makeup" refers to the atoms the mineral is composed
of. Diamond has
the simplest chemical makeup, with carbon being the only element
present. Corundum is composed of just two elements, aluminum
and oxygen. Its chemistry is expressed as Al2O3, meaning there
are two aluminum atoms and three oxygen atoms in a molecule
of corundum. The chemistry of other gems can
get a lot more complicated. For example, tourmaline's chemistry
is expressed as Na(Li,Al)3Al6B3Si6O27(OH)3(OH,F).
"Molecular structure" refers to how the molecules attach to
each other. While you can't see the individual atoms, you can
see the result of how they attach to each other in whole crystals. Diamonds form
crystals that look like two pyramids attached at their bases.
Quartz forms elongated crystals with six sides.
This is a result of the molecular structure. It's as if you
had two sets of tiles to work with. Those with four sides will
form one kind of design, others with six sides form an entirely
different set of designs. The two styles can't be fit together,
six sided tiles and four sided tiles are different systems.
These two elements, chemical make up and molecular structure,
must be taken together when defining a mineral. The best example
is comparing diamond and
graphite. Graphite is used in pencil leads. It is very soft
and black. Diamonds are
the hardest substance in nature and colorless.
Both diamonds and
graphite have the exact same chemical makeup, being pure carbon.
It is only when you add the second element of molecular structure
that you can show how they are different. Conversely, you will
find that several minerals share the same structure, then it
is the chemistry that defines them.
Species and Varieties
It is important to note that we are discussing pure minerals.
In nature it is common for a mineral to have impurities.
These are present in very tiny amounts, usually 3% or less
of the crystal by weight. They aren't considered to change
the primary chemistry, so they don't change the name, or
species, of the mineral. However, they do change some of
the mineral's characteristics so we come up with a subclassification
called a "variety."
While impurities don't make a significant difference in the
chemistry of a mineral, they can make a significant difference
in its appearance and this can have a considerable effect on
its value.
A pure mineral is usually colorless and it is the impurities
that give it color. An excellent example is corundum. In its
pure form it is completely colorless. Add a bit of chromium
and we call it a ruby, a bit of titanium and iron and it becomes
a blue sapphire. Pure beryl is also colorless. Add a touch
of chromium and you have an emerald, a bit of iron and you
get an aquamarine. Just a tiny bit of these impurities and
a mineral suddenly becomes exceptionally valuable!
Corundum and beryl are called "mineral species." Their colored
versions are "varieties." Another very common species is quartz,
which has the varieties of amethyst, citrine and smoky quartz.
Now there always has to be an exception or two, so here we
go. Not all minerals are colorless in their pure state. Garnet
is one of the most obvious examples. Also, there are several
species of garnets as well as varieties. Garnets all share
the same structure and a lot of similarities in their chemical
make up. However, they do have variations in chemistry and,
with each variation of chemistry, we have a new species.
The following example is not up to scientific standards of
accuracy, but it will help to illustrate how garnets vary.
Look at your hand and consider it to be a model of a garnet
molecule. All garnets will have the same structure, the shape
of your hand, and pretty much the same chemistry. The last
joints of your fingers represent separate atoms. While most
of the atoms remain the same, different atoms can reside in
those places. If you change the atoms, (the chemistry,) you
change the species, that's the rule. However, you can see that
the shape of your hand hasn't changed shape, nor have any of
the other basic characteristics. Hence they are still garnets.
Common red garnets are either almandine or pyrope. However,
the purest almandine garnet ever found contains 80% almandine
and 20% pyrope. The opposite is also true, the purest pyrope
contains 20% almandine. (It is actually more complicated than
this, with a small percentage of other garnet species involved.)
When a gemologist needs to put a name on a garnet, they will
call it by the component that is in the majority. As you can
see, this is not always a clear distinction. If the purest
pyrope garnet ever found is only 80% pyrope, then there are
a lot more that are closer to being only 50% pyrope.
There are some garnet blends that take on a distinct set of
characteristics. A good example is a rhodolite garnet. A rhodolite
is approximately 70% pyrope and 30% almandine. What makes it
distinctive is its purple coloring. (Remember the two major
components are red, hence the purple is distinctive.) This
quality is distinct enough that rhodolite is considered a variety
of garnet. Not necessarily of pyrope, but simply a variety
of garnet.
Series and Blends
As mentioned above, garnets are never found in their pure state,
but always in combination with each other. For example, most
of our gem grade garnets are in the almandine - pyrope -
spessartite series. Almandine, pyrope and spessartite are
individual species of garnet and they are always found together.
The element that makes up the majority is the one whose name
is given to the gem.
This kind of blend, (always having almandine, pyrope and spessartite
together,) is called a solid state series. The feldspar minerals
also form in a series like this.
Mineral Groups
Minerals are also classed as groups. This is more important
to the mineralogist than the gemologist, but it helps to
know the terminology. The two fields overlap and the terms
show up in gemological text books from time to time.
The garnet group would contain the three species mentioned
above, (almandine, pyrope and spessartite,) plus hydrogrossular,
kimzeyite, goldmanite, schorlomite, knorringite, yamatoite,
andradite and uvarovite. Of these later additions, only the
last two are gem material.
A similar situation exists for the tourmaline and feldspar
groups. They have several members, but only a few are used
as gems.
Mineral Classes
Minerals are also categorized by common chemistry. For example,
all minerals that contain silica will be grouped as silicates.
This kind of grouping isn't important to all gemologists,
but you should at least know that it exists.
It is important to mineralogists, chemical gemologists and
occasionally to the gem cutter. For example, if a lapidary
is about to cut a gem for the first time, the best polishing
compound is a mystery. If he knows what group the gem in question
belongs to, it would be reasonable to start with compounds
that work for other gems in
that group.
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How hard are emeralds compared
with other gemstones?
The hardness of a material is the resistance the material has
to scratching. The Mho's scale of hardness places emerald hardness
between 8-8.5, meaning it will be scratched by minerals with
hardness equal or superior to 8-8.5. The hardness of emerald is
below that of diamond (10)
and corundum (9). However, emerald because
of its irregular cleavage, is difficult to simply fracture. The
toughness, which is the resistance to breakage, is considered
medium-high in emeralds, as it is in other gemstones.
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In every stone there sleeps a crystal
This is your journey into cyberspace gem magic. Gemology is the
study of the history of mineral or organic substances known as
gems.
It has been said that each of us has deep within the knowledge
of all things. And when we ready ourselves to remember this,
then the knowledge is there to be known.
This wisdom is from the Dead Sea Scrolls. In ancient times forgotten,
man's very existence was governed by magic. He believed that
tools of the earth could attract the appropriate powers to create
the desired effect. He believed, and that was the magic. Positive
energy creates our very dreams. You once visualized the very
thing you have recently acquired, that was magic. Add the earth
elements to your visualization and believe in your dreams because...
all things are possible.
Here is a guide from which ancient man existed by without question.
He believed that transformation is the essence of magic, and
stones help us achieve this by lending their powers and providing
focal points for our own energies.
Many of us are awakening to the fact that we have become estranged
from the earth. Old ways are once again accessible to all who
desire to use them. We need not forget the privileges that the
present day technology offers us all, but remember we are a part
of a living planet. When a stone calls to you to pick it up whether
lying in a river bed or on a velvet pillow, you have just come
in contact with your inner self. This is the self you must call
up when visualizing your dreams, clutch the stone in your hand
while your heart feels that dream...this is your formula for
your very own magic.
The powers of the stones will call to you. When have you ever
been able to pass a jewelry store
or crystal craft table without your gaze being caught by a shining
stone? Young children will gaze in amazement and fall under the
spell of a stone as soon as they gain sight.
How can a few rocks change your life? How could they not! Man
has five thousand years of documented
stone magic. The fact that our species has survived is evidence
in itself. Stone magic is simple, believe the powers in the stones
are available to you, they are earthly treasures, and does not
the Earth sustain your very existence? You have your answer.
I will alphabetically arrange some of the major stones which
you can purchase without great expense or
difficulty. Each stone has an association to a certain power,
magic and lore.
May the magic of the stone enhance your life.
AGATE
The blood red agate lends strength, courage, longevity, love,
healing, protection and is good for gardening. In general agate
increases your plant's fertility. In ancient times it was utilized
to ensure the earth be plentiful. Use it in love spells for purity
and to ensure purity of our blood. It would be a good stone to
carry to protect us all from the AIDS virus along with today's
standard protective practices. Agates come in various colours,
each colour lends to you its energy.
Banded agate increases energy and eases stress. Black agate offers
courage and success in competitions.
Black and White agate guards against physical dangers. Blue Lace
agate relieves stress and reduces family quarrels. Brown or Tawny
agate was once worn by ancient warriors in battle and is a wealth
talisman. Green agate is worn to improved the health. Moss agate
due to its curious markings like trees or moss is a gardeners
talisman. It is also used for spells for riches, happiness and
long life. Red agate was worn in Ancient Rome to guard against
insect bites, heal the blood, and promote peace.
AMBER
Amber is perhaps the oldest substance used for human adornment.
Its projective forces bring luck, healing, strength, beauty and
love. It is not a stone but fossilized resin of coniferous trees
of the Oligocene epoch. Beads and pendants have been found in
gravesites dating back to 8000 B.C.E. It was once a living substance
(sap that sustained a trees life) it was believed to contain
the very essence of life itself. Amber has been utilized for
nearly every purpose in magic. Wiccas and Shaman always wear
amber necklaces combined with Jet. Those born in November will
be drawn to its topaz like colour.
See also: fossils and jet
AMETHYST
Amethyst, a purple quartz, is receptive and its powers are used
to overcome alcoholism, protect, heal, bring courage and happiness.
This purple stone is seeped in ancient magic. It a stone used
in spiritual journeys.
Visualize and send your pain to the stone, as your hand releases
the stone release all hurt as well, know that it is gone from
you, and that is the magic. The earth will absorb the hurt, leaving
your amethyst free.
See also: geodes and quartz
APACHE TEAR
The apache tear is projective and will protect and bring luck.
It is a translucent obsidian and carried for a good luck charm.
The Native American Indian Shaman held this stone in great esteem.
AQUAMARINE
The aquamarine is receptive and promotes psychism, peace, courage,
and is the sea-goddesses of Ancient Egypt's stone. Aquamarine
is a protective amulet and can be worn to relieve pain and ensure
good health. Every ancient culture left us with this stone embedded
in its jewelry
AVENTURINE
The aventurine is projective and is used to strengthen mental
powers and eyesight. Gamblers use this stone to increase their
luck. The all-round luck stone will enhance your creative talents.
AZURITE
This deep blue beautiful stone is receptive and has long been
used to increase psychic powers. Hold one in your hand when trying
to decide something in your future.
BERYL
Beryl is receptive and is used in healing and promoting energy.
Dr. Dee, a fifth-century scryer in Ireland, had a sphere of beryl
which is now housed the British Museum. Ancient peoples utilized
beryl in rituals designed to bring rain. Beryl is used to send
energy into the body. Wear it during study to increase your retention
of information.
See also: cat's eye
BLOODSTONE
Bloodstone is a projective green chalcedony flecked with red
spots. In ancient Babylon the stone was worn to overcome enemies
and was used in Ancient Egypt to open doors and break bonds.
Its most famous use is to halt bleeding. It was always carried
by soldiers. Because it is green is utilized wealth, money and
business spells.
The 13th century people believed this stone increased your magical
rites. This is the stone of March. The ancients called this stone
hematite, although what we call hematite today is a different
stone entirely.
See also: chalcedony and hematite
CARNELIAN
This stone is projective and is a red form of chalcedony. Ancient
Egypt believed it could promote peace and harmony and to dispel
depression, healing, courage and sexual energy. Carnelian was
worn to prevent skin diseases and as a general health-inducer.
This stone may be worn to stimulate the sexual drive.
See also: diamond amd
onyx
CAT'S EYE
The cat's eye is projective and is used to promote wealth, beauty,
healing and again is good for gambling. The Ancient Asian cat's
eye was a form of chrysoberyl. It is worn to increase beauty
and preserve youthfulness.
Those born in August will be drawn to this stone. The Cat's eye
can dispel depression and gives pleasure.
See also: chalcedony
CHALCEDONY
Chalcedony is receptive and promotes peace, protection and is
good for nightmares. It is common with other stones in that it
banishes fear, depression and sadness. In the 16th century it
was prescribed by magicians to dissolve illusions and fantasies.
Italian mothers wear beads of chalcedony to increase lactation.
See also: bloodstone and carnelian
CITRINE
The citrine is projective and is used also for nightmares and
carried for protection. Citrine is a form of quartz and will
facilitate psychic awareness. This stone is prized among the
Wiccas and Shaman.
See also: geodes and quartz
CORAL
Coral is receptive and has healing powers. It regulates menstruation,
protects and promotes wisdom. Coral is neither a stone nor a
plant, but the skeletal remains of a tiny sea creature. We have
gone beyond a time when we have to sacrifice living things to
practice magic -- but if you find a piece washed up on the sea
shore, you are harming none. It is up to you if you wish to utilize
commercial coral in magic. The Italians have long believed in
the powers of the coral and in Greek coral comes from two Greek
words meaning daughter of the sea. Coral is worn to effect inner
changes.
DIAMOND
Legend has it that the first diamond that
Europeans found was in the pouch of an African Shaman. The
projective powers of the diamond touch
the spirituality in us all. It is protective and affords us courage
and peace. It is the symbol by which many of us promise our devotion
to one another. Today, the world's supply of diamonds is
carefully monitored to maintain an artificially high price and
make them so coveted. It is the stone of April.
See also: carnelian amd onyx
EMERALD
The emerald is
considered the most expense stone on our planet. It is representative
of our planet. It is receptive and promotes the powers of love,
money, protection and eyesight. Throughout the world the emerald was
worn or utilized in magic for protection. In India it was once
believed to halt nocturnal emissions. This stone is for those
born the month of May.
FLUORITE
Fluorite is a projective stone of the New Age. It increases the
mental powers. It has no long history of magical uses but is
now being discovered. Some people use fluorite to strengthen
the effects of other stones. It may be found at craft tables
in the form of glass-like coke bottle green cubes.
FOSSILS
Fossils are the remains -- or the negative impressions -- of
ancient creatures and plants that perished millions of years
ago. Fossils have been found in neolithic burial sites in Europe.
The ritual uses of fossils are ancient. They are the power tools
of the Shaman used to amplify energy. As they are timeless they
are worn to increase the lifespan. Amber and Jet are two other
fossils I have included because of their magical powers.
See also: amber and jet
GARNET
The garnet a fiery red stone is projective and is used for healing,
protection and strength. It is worn or used in magic to enhance
the bodies strength. It strengthens the aura and creates a shield
of protection for its wearer.
For example, a would-be mugger might pass you be because of the
bad vibes you would emit, thus protecting you. Garnets were once
exchanged by parting friends to ensure they met again.
GEODES
Geodes are hollow concretions containing crystals. All quartz
crystals form within these geodes. When sliced open or halved
they reveal a pattern made of ancient minerals. Amethyst geodes
are some of the most wondrously beautiful objects on this planet.
They somehow recall Merlin's crystal cave the legendary enchanter,
who showed us the ways of the wizard pass all understanding.
See also: amethyst and quartz
HEMATITE
Hematite is a strange stone. It is projective, grounding and
healing. It is heavy, solid and silvery black. To ancients, "hematite" was
not what we currently call hematite, but instead what we have
come to call bloodstone -- so all ancient referrals to hematite
actually refer to bloodstone. Hematite possess curious properties
of healing itself. If you scratch it and then rub your finger
over it, the scratch may disappear. Hold a piece of hematite
and ask a question, the answer will come to you.
See also: bloodstone
HOLEY STONES
That's not a typo -- I'm talking here about stones with holes
in them. In Eddas, Odin transformed himself into a worm and then
slipped through a stone to steal the mead of poetry. This myth
gives holey stones the name Odin Stones. Stones with naturally
occurring holes produced by erosion are highly protective objects.
In ancient Britain holey stones were tied with red ribbons and
hung on bedposts to prevent nightmares. The are receptive and
promote psychism, health and protection. To assist in healing,
charge a holey stone and wear it around your neck. Another use
of the holey stone is to enhance psychism. To look through a
holey stone is said to improve eyesight.
JADE
Jade was and is a sacred stone in China. Its receptive qualities
promote love, healing, longevity, and wisdom.
They are good gardening stones. Ancient instruments were carved
of jade. Jade is believed to have the power over the weather.
In New Zealand, a land untouched by time, jade images of ancestral
figures are worn in ceremonies. The stone is protective and will
guard against accidents. The Chinese sensed in jade the power
to prolong life. Mayans wore jade amulets to guard against kidney
disease and bladder problems.
JASPER
In ancient Assyria one of the oldest civilizations Gug, or Jasper
carvings, have been found. It comes in
numerous colours. It has healing powers and can protect health
and beauty.
- Red jasper is projective and was used to protect and guard.
It sends negativity back to its source.
- Green jasper is receptive and is a healing stone. It can be
worn to promote sympathy to others
with emotion or mental problems.
- Brown jasper is receptive and is used for grounding and centring
ones own self. If you live with
your head in the clouds, wear brown jasper to ward off danger.
- Mottled jasper is projective and is worn for protection against
drowning. If a cross is carved on it,
then you will be protected from the four elements.
JET
Jet is the Wiccas receptive tool used for luck, divination, protection
and health. Black and glasslike, Jet is actually fossilized wood
that is millions of years old. Because it is black it is associated
with the earth elements, but because of its organic origins it
is also related to the Akasha. Jet shares with amber the ability
to become electrically charged. When worn, it is believed to
be absorb part of the wearer's soul. Ancient Greek worshippers
of Cybele, goddess of growth and plants, wore this to obtain
her favour. Jet is a marvellous stone, but beware: much of what
is sold today is actually just black glass. Jet has a very ancient
history as it maintains proper energy, therefore avoiding ill
health.
See also: fossils and amber
LAPIS LAZULI
It is receptive and is the stone of Isis an ancient Egyptian
goddess. It promotes healing, love, joy, fidelity, psychism,
and gives the wearer protection and courage. Its beautiful blue
hue is associated with Kings and Queens. It was a popular substance
for cylinder seal found in ancient Sumer. It is an uplifting
stone and will boost your psychic awareness and promote gentleness
in the wearer.
MOONSTONE
Moonstone is a feldspar. It is receptive and comes in blue, white,
or pink opalescent colours. It has long been dedicated to the
Moon goddess. It is protective and should be carried when away
from home. If you are on a diet, wear a charged moon stone and
reprogram your eating habits. Eat light meals with lots of steamed
vegetables and fresh fruit, avoiding sugar and red meats.
MOTHER-OF-PEARL
This receptive stone is lustrous and opalescent. It is the product
of living creatures, the exterior skeleton of sea mollusks. Collect
it in stream beds and ocean shores since commercial mother of
pearl is obtained by killing the animal. It is related to the
fifth element, the Akasha. In many parts of the world, seashells
were once the medium of exchange.
OBSIDIAN
It is projective and is used for grounding and divination. Obsidian
is naturally occurring glass: it is simply lava that cooled so
fast that the minerals contained within didn't have time to form.
The ancient Aztecs fashioned it into mirrors. It also was popular
for fashioning stone knives and spear heads. In Mexico obsidian
is still fashioned for scrying tools. For some, the blackness
of the stone allows easier contact with the subconscious mind.
ONYX
Onyx is a projective stone used for protection, defensive magic
and when facing adversity. In ancient times onyx was thought
to be an imprisoned deity. It is worn to still sexual desires.
Natural sexual impulses exist for pleasure, union with another
and the divine. Suppression of this desire leads to hatred, isolation
and lessening respect for all life forms. In this present day,
sex is risky. Wear this stone to control ones desires when there
is no chance of quenching it with your partner. When you are
with your loved one again, stimulate your desires with a diamond or
carnelian.
See also: carnelian and diamond
OPAL
The opal is projective and receptive. The opal contains colours
as well as the qualities of every other stone. The ancients used
it to promote astral projection. They can be used to recall past
incarnations. Opals are worn to bring out ones inner beauty.
- Fire opals are used in drawing money.
- Black opals are prized by magicians and Wiccas to increase
the power aroused and released from
the body during magical rites.
PEARL
Pearl, like amber, jet, and mother of pearl, is the product of
a living creature. The power is receptive and attracts love,
money, protection and luck. Since the oyster must be killed to
obtain the pearl, the use of pearls in magic may carry a heavy
debt. Pearls have long inspired religious and magical lore. The
Romans imported pearls from Egypt were they were worn to grant
favours from Isis. The early Chinese thought pearls fell from
the sky when dragons fought amongst the clouds. They are connected
with the moon, so that they should only be worn at night for
magic. Pearls come in many different colours and have many specific
magical uses.
PERIDOT
They are receptive and promote protection, health, wealth and
sleep. Peridot is worn or carried for general healing purposes.
Its deep green hue suggests peridot's use in wealth attracting
spells.
PETRIFIED WOOD
Petrified wood consists of ancient trees that eons ago fell and
were covered with mineral-rich water. The water dissolved the
wood and replaced it with various minerals. It is receptive and
promotes longevity, past life regression, healing and protection.
Because of its great antiquity, it can be carried to increase
enjoyment of the evolution within our present day lives. Petrified
wood is also carried as a charm against drowning.
QUARTZ
The formation of crystal began some 200 million years ago in
veins and pockets within the earth. Long thought by ancients
to be solidified water or ice, its receptive power will capture
you on sight. Quartz is used by all Wiccas and Shaman and is
once believed its misuse was the downfall of the legendary Atlantis.
They are I believe the stones of the New Age. Crystal balls were
utilized in 10th century European magic. Quartz crystals were
once used in early Radio transmission technology, and are widely
used to coordinate the internal operations of computer -- in
fact, there is almost certainly a tiny quartz crystal regulating
the computer you are using right now. A crystal garden of various
coloured crystals will endow your home with peace and harmony.
Rose Quartz is especially used to stimulate love and to open
the heart. In the New Age we have even
more insight into the powers of the mind and combined with the
quartz we can call the up the peace we
so all desperately seek.
See also: anethyst, citrine, and geodes
RHODOCROSITE
This beautifully pink stone is projective and promotes love,
peace and energy. It soothes the emotions and de-stresses us.
RUBY
The ruby is
projective and promotes wealth, protection, power, joy and is
an anti-nightmare stone. This stone has ancient a history with
the peoples of India and China. It is ruled by Mars and worn
to increases energies.
Jewelry set
with rubies is
said to banish sadness and produce joy.
SALT
Salt is receptive and is used for purifications. Salt has long
been a sacred substance. It can be mined from the earth or collected
from shallow water basins. Salt is necessary for life, yet overabundance
can cause death. It is related to the earth elements. It is used
to purify gemstones. You bathe your stones in salt to remove
all negative energies. Salt is a mineral of crystalline structure,
and if you look at it through a microscope you will see that
it is composed of regular, six-sided cubes.
SAPPHIRE
The sapphire is
receptive and promotes psychism, love, meditation, peace, healing,
power and money. The Greeks identified the sapphire with
Apollo. His stone is worn to stimulate the third eye for expanding
psychic awareness. Its soothing deep blue hue is worn during
meditation. Its defensive magic stretches back to antiquity.
It is the birthstone of September
- Star sapphires are
considered to be particularly potent and magical.
SERPENTINE
This stone is projective and promotes protection. Seals in ancient
Assyria were made so the gods and goddesses would send double
blessings. Its other use is to ward off poisonous creatures.
Think about the fact when we leave our artificial environments
we are subjected to nature in all its manifestations, including
stinging creatures. Wearing serpentine you can prevent the misfortune
of being stung.
STAUROLITE
These stones are twinned crystals which form into equal-armed
crosses or x-shapes. At least three presidents of the United
States carried these, including Roosevelt, Wilson, and Harding.
Staurolite crystals are thought to protect and guard against
negativity. They are also worn to draw wealth and energize the
sexual drive.
SUNSTONE
There are at least two stones with this name. One if a form of
translucent quartz which is orange, the other is a form of feldspar
which comes from India. This stone is projective and has long
been associated with the Sun because of its orange-gold sparkling
colours. Unfortunately the sunstone's use in magic seems to be
largely forgotten. If you find a sunstone, treasure it.
TIGER'S EYE
This projective stone promotes protection, courage, energy, luck
and is good for divination and money spells.
This is a warm stone and promotes energy flow through the body.
Roman soldiers wore tiger's-eyes engraved for protection during
battles.
TOPAZ
The topaz is a projective stone and is the stone of the ancient
Egyptian sun god Ra. It is a protective stone and is used to
relieve rheumatism and arthritis as well as to regulate the digestive
system. Wearing a topaz draws love. People born in the month
of November will be drawn to this stone.
TOURMALINE
Tourmaline was unknown to ancient magician, but is a nevertheless
a unique stone in many ways. The stone is transparent when viewed
from the side of the crystal, yet opaque when viewed from either
end. When heated or rubbed to create friction, it polarizes;
that is, one end will become positive and attract ashes or light
straws, the other negative. It comes in many colours to which
each has its own specific uses.
- Pink tourmaline is receptive and draws love and friendship
and to promote sympathy to others.
- Red tourmaline is projective and is worn to lend energy to
the body. Worn, it promotes courage.
- Green tourmaline is receptive and is used to draw money and
success in business. It will also
stimulate creativity.
- Blue tourmaline is receptive and will de-stress you and promote
peace and a restful sleep.
- Black tourmaline is usually too brittle for jewelry but
is good in earth spells.
- Watermelon tourmaline consists of an interior or red or pink
encased in green tourmaline. It
gives the appearance of a sliced watermelon. It is worn to balance
the projective and receptive
energies within the body.
- Tourmalated tourmaline is receptive and is worn to promote
astral projection.
TURQUOISE
Turquoise is receptive and is a sacred stone to many American
Indian tribes. It promotes courage, money, love, friendship,
healing and luck. A piece of turquoise is a required tool in
the Apache shaman's medicine or power bag. This is a protective
stone. Horse riders wear turquoise to protect themselves from
falls. (I wonder if Christopher Reeve knew this before his most
tragic accident?) In Ancient times, turquoise was utilized to
gain wealth. Wearing turquoise can speed the healing process.
Like all blue stones, it is said to attract good fortune.
ZIRCON
Zircon is projective and is a somewhat confusing stone. It is
found in many colours, but some of them have been artificially
produced.
- Clear or White zircon is a magical substitute for diamond.
It clears the thinking process.
- Yellow zircon is worn to increase sexual energy or to attract
love. Carry it to drive away
depression and to increase alertness.
- Orange zircon is worn to increase beauty. Carried during travel
it guards again injury. Set in gold,
it is doubly powerful.
- Red zircon increases riches and guards against injuries. A
protective stone, it vitalizes and heals
the body.
- Brown zircon is used for grounding and centring and is employed
in wealth and money spells.
Green zircon is used in money spells.
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No, Colombia is
not he only emerald producer. Colombia is
the largest producer in dollar value in recent years. Other countries
like Brazil and Zambia produce
substantial volumes of emeralds but
the quality is lower in the larger size goods. There are other
producers like Sandawala in Africa, the Ural mountains in Russia
and the high altitude emerald deposits
of Afghanistan.
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The question of north skylight
North daylight (skylight, as opposed to direct sunlight) has
become the standard, because it produces the least glare, but
blind adherence to such gemological dogma is just as bad as blind
adherence to religious dogma. If you live north of the Tropic
of Cancer (Europe, North America, Japan, China, etc.), north
skylight will provide the least glare year round, because the
sun always passes through the southern portion of the sky. This
is especially true the farther north one goes. The opposite holds
true for those who reside south of the Tropic of Capricorn (in
the southern hemisphere), where the least glare is found using
south skylight.
What about those who live in the tropics? If they are north of
the equator, north skylight is best, except May-July, when south
skylight is preferred. For the tropics south of the equator,
south skylight is best, except from Nov.-Jan., when north skylight
is preferred. And if you live right on the equator, use north
skylight from Oct.-Feb., and south skylight from April-August.
During March and Sept., either north or south skylight can be
used.
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There is More Than One Way to Choose A Birthstone
"My birthstone is emerald,"
a potential customer recently told me. "But I don't
like green,"
she continued, "so I never buy gemstones." Do
we, and our customers, have choices when it comes to selecting
a birthstone? What can we do when we don't like or can't afford
the gemstone assigned
to our month of birth? What should we suggest to our customers
when they ask for help in selecting the "right" birthstone?
A standard list of acceptable birthstones is used today, but
those gemstones were
arbitrarily selected many years ago. I did some research and
learned that there is more than one way to choose a birthstone.
People originally chose which gemstone to
wear based on its color and the magical or healing powers associated
with that color. The color green, for instance, was associated
with spring. Spring and green symbolized faith and fertility. Emerald then
became one of the green stones representing spring, a time
of birth. Because of the meanings attached to green, people
began using emeralds to
help lessen the pains of childbirth. (Gemstones for the
other seasons are ruby for
Summer, sapphire for
Autumn, and diamond for
Winter.)
Gemstone folklore
later came from legends and mythology. An example
of this was the perception that amethyst prevented
drunkenness. That belief started with a Greek
myth about the wine god, Bacchus. Amethyst
was a beautiful and innocent young woman condemned
to die by Bacchus. The goddess Diana turned
Amethyst into a white crystal to protect her
from Bacchus. Bacchus poured wine on the crystal,
staining it purple.
About 1300 B.C. some gemstones acquired
religious significance. In Exodus 28:17-21, specific gemstones were
associated with each of the twelve tribes of Israel. People
of Jewish heritage may choose their birthstones based on their
tribal names. Historians have complied several lists of which
stone goes with each name. The lists vary, according to how
each researcher interprets the ancient names. Paul E. Desautels,
author of The Gem Kingdom, offers the following list, which
uses modern gemstone names:
| Tribe |
Gemstone |
| Reuben |
Carnelian |
| Simeon |
Peridot |
| Levi |
Emerald |
| Judah |
Garnet |
| Issachar |
Lapis lazuli |
| Zebulun |
Rock crystal |
| Joseph |
Zircon* |
| Benjamin |
Agate |
| Dan |
Amethyst |
| Naphtali |
Citrine |
| Gad |
Onyx |
| Assher |
Jasper |
Long before the modern twelve-month calendar was developed,
astrologers transferred the early religious symbolism of gemstones to
the twelve signs of the zodiac. The gemstone associated
with each zodiacal sign has varied through the centuries. For
example, diamond was
assigned to Libra by the Babylonians, to Cancer by the Greeks,
and to Aries by the Byzantines. The modern list is as follows:
| Capricorn |
Ruby |
| Aquarius |
Garnet |
| Pisces |
Amethyst |
| Aries |
Bloodstone (Jasper) |
| Taurus |
Sapphire |
| Gemini |
Agate |
| Cancer |
Emerald |
| Leo |
Onyx |
| Virgo |
Carnelian |
| Libra |
Chrysolite (Peridot) |
| Scorpio |
Aquamarine |
| Sagittarius |
Topaz |
Christianity later influenced the symbolism of gemstones. George
Kunz, in his book The Curious Lore of Precious Stones, says
specific gemstones were
also associated with the twelve guardian angels and the twelve
apostles. He offers the following lists.
| Month |
Angel |
Gemstone |
Apostle |
Gemstone |
| January |
Gabriel |
Onyx |
Simon Peter |
Jasper |
| February |
Barchiel |
Jasper |
Andrew |
Ruby |
| March |
Malchediel |
Ruby |
James/John |
Emerald |
| April |
Ashmodei |
Topaz |
Philip |
Carnelian |
| May |
Amriel |
Ruby |
Bartholomew |
Peridot |
| June |
Muriel |
Emerald |
Thomas |
Aquamarine |
| July |
Verchiel |
Sapphire |
Matthew |
Topaz |
| August |
Hamatiel |
Diamond |
James |
Sardonyx |
| September |
Tsuriel |
Zircon* |
Thaddeus |
Chrysoprase |
| October |
Bariel |
Agate |
Simon |
Zircon* |
| November |
Adnachiel |
Amethyst |
Matthias |
Amethyst |
| December |
Humiel |
Aquamarine |
Paul |
Sapphire |
Other authors have compiled their own lists. There is currently
a set of guardian angels on the market that have "birthstones" mounted
in them. The manufacturers of the angels used the modern list
of birthstone colors (given later in this article) rather than
any historic or traditional list.
Kunz also says that birthstones may be selected based on the
day of birth, as follows:
| Sunday |
Topaz |
| Monday |
Pearl |
| Tuesday |
Ruby |
| Wednesday |
Amethyst |
| Thursday |
Sapphire |
| Friday |
Carnelian |
| Saturday |
Turquoise |
By the 18th century, gemstones were
associated with specific months. Europeans, beginning in Poland,
wore each month's stone during that month. This meant that
each person had to own twelve gemstones. Later, they began
wearing only the gem representing the month of their birth.
That tradition continues today.
The stones associated with each month have varied for several
reasons. Gemstones were
first named according to their colors. For example, all red
stones, including garnets and rubies, were called carbuncles.
Red was the color for January, so people born in January wore
their choice of carbuncle as birthstones.
A second reason for variety was the fact that people in each
country chose birthstones that differed from those selected
in other countries. As the idea of wearing birthstones became
more popular, people began selecting less-expensive alternative
gemstones, leading to more diversity.
In 1912, the National Association of Jewelers adopted the standardized
list that is widely used today.
| January |
Garnet |
| February |
Amethyst |
| March |
Aquamarine, Bloodstone |
| April |
Diamond |
| May |
Emerald |
| June |
Pearl, Alexandrite,
Moonstone |
| July |
Ruby |
| August |
Peridot, Sardonyx |
| September |
Sapphire |
| October |
Opal, Tourmaline |
| November |
Topaz |
| December |
Turquoise, Zircon* |
* Zircon is not the same as cubic zirconia, which is a
synthetic stone.
Imitation gemstones may
be chosen based on the birthstone colors as follows:
| January |
Dark Red |
| February |
Purple |
| March |
Pale Blue |
| April |
White (Clear) |
| May |
Bright Green |
| June |
Cream |
| July |
Red |
| August |
Pale Green |
| September |
Deep Blue |
| October |
Variegated |
| November |
Yellow |
| December |
Sky Blue |
Help your customers choose the "right" birthstone,
by explaining that they have more choices than the month of
their birth. They can select birthstones according to their
zodiacal sign, the day of the week or season of the year in
which they were born, or by religious affiliation. There is
more than one way to choose a birthstone!
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What factors affect the price of an emerald?
As with all other color gems, the price of emeralds depends
mostly on the quality of the color, being ideal, a rich green-yellowish
(or green-bluish), medium to high saturation and a high degree
of brilliance. Clarity or the amount of internal damage affect
the price. The cleaner the stone the higher the value. The cut
and general proportion must also be taken into account. The stone
should be well proportioned and meticulously cut and polished.
The size obviously affects the price; as the size of the stone
increases, so does the price per carat. It is extremely unusual
to find a large emerald, of over 10 carats that will be "eye
clean", which means it has the perfect color and brilliancy.
When a large, eye clean stone appears in the market, it fetches
exorbitant prices.
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What is a Gem?
Emerald, ruby, opal, gems and
jewels. These words have been in our vocabulary for thousands
of years. However, defining what a gemstone is
has proven to be a major challenge. Not for everyday people with
common sense, but for those lexicographers who have a need to
precisely define each work in our language.
Most gems are "minerals
that have been chosen for their beauty and durability, then cut
and polished for use as human adornment." This definition
covers the vast majority of the things we regard as gems. The
problem is, that for every defining feature, there is an exception.
Most gems are
minerals but some, notably pearls and amber, are organics. That
means they were created by living organisms. The coating of a
pearl is mineral which is confusing some folks. By definition
though, a mineral must be created in the earth. Hence, pearls
fall into a different category.
Amber began life as tree sap. After millions of years it has
undergone a transformation into a polymer, a natural plastic.
This most definitely isn't a mineral, but it has been regarded
as a gem for 1,000's of years.
The next qualification is that they are chosen for their beauty.
It would be redundant to say that beauty is in the eyes of the
beholder. There are gems I
don't think are beautiful, like the Pepto Bismol pink and olive
green of unakite. However, I love some brown gems which
are often used in the earth tone jewelry that
is so popular today. To other folks, brown is not a beautiful
color, bringing up images of dirt.
Durability is usually a high priority in choosing a gem, but
two of histories most popular gems are
particularly delicate. Pearls are generally considered to have
a life span of about a century. That is because they are soft
and the simple act of wiping the dust off of them slowly wears
the surface coating away. And woe be to the woman who puts her
pearls on before using her hair spray and atomized perfume. These
can seriously stain and damage pearls.
Opals have been one of the most prized gems throughout
history, but they are notoriously delicate. They have a water
content and as they dry out they may crack. This is usually done
before they are cut and put into jewelry, but many a tear has
been shed over those that crazed long after they were paid for.
Opals are also fragile and can break with the slightest bump.
Not to mention heat sensitive. I knew one poor lady who had a
prized opal set in a brooch, where it wasn't likely to be damaged.
One night she wore it to a Christmas party. As she went from
the warmth of her house into the cold winter night, it shattered
with an audible crack.
So much for beauty and durability, how about cutting and polishing?
Now, more so than a decade or two ago, using whole crystals in jewelry is
quite popular. Natures crystals can be exceptionally beautiful
and some people believe they have special properties that are enhanced when
left whole. So, let's not insist that our gems be
cut and polished either.
The last qualification that is usually associated with a gemstone is
that is be used for human adornment. There are about 3,000 minerals
that have been cut and polished and admired for their beauty.
Of these, only about a hundred show up in jewelry The
rest are simply too delicate to wear well. They are strictly
in the domain of the collector.
I feel sorry for the lexicographers who have struggled to define
what a gemstone is.
There simply isn't a concise definition that covers all the elements
that have been regarded as gems throughout
the centuries. For the average person though, you can recognize
a gem at first glance! To heck with the definitions, if it makes
your eyes light up, it is a true gem!
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What is the difference between GIA & EGL certifications?
GIA is a regional lab operating only in the United States. EGL
is a worldwide lab, having offices in major cities around the
world. The certification process, basically is the same, both
using the most modern measuring techniques. The major difference
between the two is that EGL has a SI3 grade, along with giving
additional measurements such as crown height and pavilion depth
% and EGL also states on the certificate that the stone is Ideal
Cut or Premium Cut. GIA does not give this additional information
nor do they have the grade of SI3.
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What's the difference between Ideal Cut, Premium Cut, etc.
grades
The terms "Premium Cut", "Tolkowsky Ideal Cut",
and "Excellent Ideal Cut" apply only to round diamonds.
Stones receive these grades according to certain angle and percentage
standards. For example, Premium Cuts have a table percentage
from 58.0% to 61.0%, Tolkowsky Ideal Cuts have a table percentage
from 53.0% to 58.0%, and Excellent Ideal Cuts have a table percentage
from 52.5% to 58.4%. Depth percentages on any of them should
not be below 58.0% or above 63.8%.
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Where are the Emerald mines
located?
The emerald mining
areas in Colombia are
basically located in two different states. The most important
producers (Muzo and Coscuez) are in the state of Boyaca, about
200k north from Bogota, and comprise the "Special Emerald Reserve".
The second producing area is located in the eastern part of the
state of Cundinamarca. In this region lie the Chivor and Gachala
mining areas. These two main producing areas, even though hundreds
of kilometers away from each other, share the same geological
fault. To date, no additional mining areas have been discovered
in Colombia.
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Who owns the emerald mines?
The emerald mines,
as all other mineral rights in Colombia are
owned by the State. The State leases out areas to private companies
or individuals. There are two basic types of permits. A permit
granted for the exploitation of larger areas and other permits
for small mining projects. The payment is established in proportion
to the areas granted. A flat rate is established independent
of the levels of production.
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Why are there no A, B,or C color grades?
In order to avoid confusion with a multitude of differing, previously
existing grading systems, the GIA / EGL system was created, and "D" was
designated the highest color grade. This system is now recognized
world-wide.
"D" is also the first letter of the word Diamond.
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