Welcome
Shop Information
| January | garnet |
| February | Amethyst |
| March | Aquamarines or Blue Topaz |
| April | Diamond |
| May | Emerald |
| June | Alexandrite, Pearl and Moonstone |
| July | Ruby |
| August | Peridot |
| September | Sapphire |
| October | Opal or Tourmaline |
| November | Topaz or Citrine |
| December | Zircon or Turquoise |
Page Index
| Aries | Bloodstone |
| Taurus | Sapphire |
| Pisces | Amethyst |
| Aquarius | Garnet |
| Gemini | Agate |
| Cancer | Emerald |
| Leo | Onyx |
| Virgo | Carnelian |
| Libra | Peridot |
| Scorpio | Aquamarine |
| Sagittarius | Topaz |
| Capricorn | Ruby |
GEMS
Currently, the most widely-known values associated with gems are those of their aesthetic and monetary values but in the past people were likely to be as well-versed in both the symbolic and magical values of gemstones as well.
Below is a list of the most popular gemstones with a brief description of the gems physical characteristics, symbolic meanings, purported magical qualities and any additional trivia that I have come across during my research. More gems will be added to this page as time allows and as I uncover more information it will be added to these descriptions.
Diamond
:
The Diamond has long been called the " King of Gems" by its admirers. It is the hardest substance known to man but if heated red hot while being exposed to the air, it will evaporate as carbon
dioxide (a diamond is pure carbon).
Diamonds that are of non-gem-quality are used extensively in manufacturing and industry because of their strength (diamond saws, diamond grit,etc.).
The type of gem-quality diamond that is most commonly seen is a clear, colorless stone that has been faceted to bring out all of its tremendous "fire". It is this "fire" that has made the diamond such a popular stone.
When a faceted diamond is struck by a light, it seems to come "alive" in a riot of sparkles.
The diamond actually comes in an array of colors, such as; pink (rare and mainly from Australian mines), blue, canary yellow (true canaries are quite rare), purple (not a vibrant purple though), brown, green, and red (very rare).
These stones with intense color are called "fancy" diamonds and are quite rare and pricey.
The diamond has become the most popular stone for engagement rings within only recent history ( largely due to clever marketing by the de Beers diamond cartel that controls about 80 percent of the diamond market). However, it is not at all an inappropriate choice for an engagement ring since the diamond has traditionally been credited with enhancing love and devotion between spouses and with signifying "eternity".
The diamond is generally regarded as having a very protective power over its owner.
It once was believed that the diamond was either a poison itself or a cure for poisoning. Along these same lines, during the Black Death in Europe the wealthy believed that a diamond could protect them from becoming infected with plague. It was also once believed that it bestowed courage on its owner.
:Emerald is the Persian word for "green" and the reason for this is self-evident. The emerald, a beautiful, vibrant, deep green stone, is and always has been the most popular and sought after form of the beryl family of stone which also includes aquamarine .
The most beautiful emeralds on the current world market are almost always from South America (specifically, from Colombia). Emeralds are almost always "flawed" with inclusions. These inclusions are called "jardins" (the French word for gardens)because they commonly resemble the branching of plants. At the time of the conquest, the Incas were in possession of an emerald that is reputed to have been the size of an ostrich egg and which was believed by the Incas to be home to the chief goddess of Peru at that time. This goddess was called, appropriately enough, Esmeralda and in her temples the Spanish invaders found tremendous stores of the gem that had been offered as tribute to her.
The ancient Greeks believed that this gem ensured security in love and associated it with their goddess of love, Aphrodite (the Roman goddess Venus).
The ancient Romans carried on the Greek tradition by associating this stone with Venus and believed that it was a symbol and increaser of fertility. The Romans also believed that the emerald would become pale or otherwise change color if it was placed in the presence of deceit or treachery.
Another long-term belief is that the emerald is an eyesight strengthener even to the point of providing vision into the future.In fact, it was a generally healing and protective stone in the beliefs of many people.
In Europe during the middle ages, the emerald was believed to protect female chastity and ensure that a husband remained loving to his wife.
To the Victorians, the emerald primarily meant "fidelity". It is, therefore, easy to see why so many have chosen an emerald as an engagement ring rather than the diamond.
:The sapphire is a member of corundum family of stones to which ruby also belongs. Sapphire is generally thought of by most as an intensely blue stone.In fact, its name is derived from the Latin word "sapphirus" which means "blue". However, all corundum that is not red is considered to be a sapphire. Corundum is surpassed only by the diamond with regards to hardness. Sapphires can be pink, yellow, orange, colorless, purple, black, brown, green, etc and these, like colored diamonds, are called "fancy" sapphires.
When a sapphire is blue, it should be a very rich blue that is of a medium color. During the middle ages the sapphire was believed to; reveal treachery , protect its wearer from being envied, maintain chastity, protect against poisoning and disease, and reveal if its wearer was impious(by loosing its luster).
It was supposed to increase intellect and good humor and help one feel tranquil. The sapphire also helps one in meditation and is sometimes referred to as being a "philosopher's stone". The sapphire was long the stone of choice for royalty, nobility and popes.
:The ruby offers the diamond a competitor for the title "King of Gems" or "The Lord of Gems". The ruby also generally beats-out a diamond of equal size and quality in the prices they fetch. The ruby is the form of Corundum that is red and all other colors are called sapphire .
The ideal ruby is as red as anything you have ever seen without any other tones tainting its purity of color. Because it is a form of Corundum, the ruby joins its sister the sapphire as being second in hardness only to the diamond.
The ruby was believed to have its own inner source of light and heat. Some thought it was a spark that had been struck from the planet Mars while others associated it with the sun.
The ancient Egyptians considered it the greatest physical protector of any gem and also credited it with giving good fortune and courage.
The Burmese (now citizens of the country Myanmar) believed that a ruby physically inserted into a person's flesh would make that person invulnerable.
The theme of protection runs throughout world ruby lore. In the middle ages, it was believed that the ruby would warn it's owner of impending danger by changing to a dull and dark stone or by paling greatly. It was also traditionally believed that the ruby would protect one from evil thought and evil men.
It has long been believed that to own a ruby insures one of a healthy, safe, peaceful and content life.
:Pearls are one of the few gems that are organic rather than stone. Pearls have been of enormous popularity and value for countless years.
As early as 2200 BC, the pearl was of such enormous importance in China that they were collected as taxes and as tribute. Pearls are the product of a mollusk that has had an irritant introduced into its shell by either natural or artificial means.
Pearls are created by the animal secreting nacre around the irritant in layers. Both freshwater and saltwater mollusks make pearls but the saltwater pearls are generally the most valuable.
Pearls have a beautiful, luminous quality that make them quite a unique looking gem. Pearls come in three official color classifications ; white, black and colored. Pearls have a body color and also may have intangible "overtone" color.
White pearls can have either white or cream body colors with; no overtone, cream overtone, pinkish overtone, deep rose overtone or a blue overtone.
Black pearls come in various body colors that either do or don't have a metallic overtone.
These body colors are; black, grey, bronze, dark blue, blue-green, or green.
Colored pearls are most often freshwater pearls and their colors range from; purple, violet, blue, green, red and yellow. These pearls are generally without definite overtone colors.
Pearls have long been associated with tears and, in Hebrew tradition, pearls were believed to have been created from the tears Eve wept at being evicted from Eden.
In Eastern tradition, pearls are believed to have the power to preserve purity and virtue.
To the Hindus the pearl was representative f the Moon. In ancient China, pearls were symbols of long-life, wealth and honor.
The opal was called the "the Gem of the gods" in ancient times. The name "opal" was derived from the latin word "opalus" and the Sanskrit word "upala" which both translate as "precious stone". The opal is a supremely beautiful stone possessing a truly remarkable play of colors within its depths. Precious opals are classified most commonly by their basic body colors.
These colors are ;black, white,water (transparent), and fire. Opals that are classified as black were only discovered in Australia in the late 1800s and Australia currently produces the majority of opal on the world market.
Black opals have a black or dark blue, green or gray color as a background to the rainbow play of colors. White opals have a white background and water opals have a transparent, colorless background. Fire opals are produced commercially on by by Mexico and at their best are colored a vibrant red. Fire opals also come in yellow, orange and brown colors and are about the only opals that you will find occasionally cut with facets rather than the more usual cabochon cut. This is due to the fact that they are quite a translucent stone and lend themselves to a faceted cut.
Opals are notoriously fragile stones that can be shattered merely by a large change in temperature. Their fragility is based on the fact that they have a very high water content and this makes the stone's structure less stable than that of most other gems.
Opals must be treated with great care in order to preserve their beauty. The traditional beliefs about opals are many but the most well-known seems to be that they are bad luck.
This belief seems to stem from fairly recent times with the publication on Sir Walter Scott's book Anne Of Geierstein in which an opal figured prominently as a stone of ill-fortune. However, prior to the book, Australian Aborigines held the belief that opals are half-devils that lie in wait to lure men to their doom. In other traditions the opal is seen in quite a different light.
Opal has been seen as a stone that will heighten psychic vision and strengthen weak emotions and memories. In ancient India, it was believed that the passing an opal in front of one's forehead, the mind would be cleared and the memory strengthened. During the Crusades a lady often presented her husband with an opal before he left in order to provide him with good fortune during his battles.
During the Victorian Age the opal experienced a boost in popularity from Queen Victoria. The queen became quite enamored with this beautiful stone and made wedding gifts of it to all of her daughters.
:Alexandrite is a most extraordinary stone. Good quality Alexandrite changes from a very vivid red color in artificial light to an equally vivid green in sunlight. It was discovered in the Ural Mountains of Russia in 1830 and was named for the Russian Czar Alexander II.
The colors red and green were also the colors of the Russian Imperial Guard. It became almost immediately one of the most popular gems among Russia's aristocracy and the gem was largely mined-out in Russia by the mid-1900s. New deposits of the gem were found in Sri Lanka and Brazil.
Alexandrite is a variety of chrysoberyl and examples of this gem that have a pure color change without any "bleeding through" are very rare, highly prized and highly priced. Because of its relative "youth", there is not all that much gem lore surrounding this very beautiful and exotic gem. In Russia the gem is considered to be one of good omen (which it apparently was not for the Russian imperial family).
:Peridot is the beautiful, vibrant gem form of the stone olivine. Because of the nature of the stone, it appears only in the color green but varies in shade from a very light, lime green to an intense bottle-green to a green that is decidedly olive-toned. Peridot is a gem that is found in meteorites as well as in volcanic rocks. The most important source for peridot mining on earth has since ancient times been the Egyptian island of Zabargad (alternately called Zeberget) although many peridots now come from Pakistan, Myanmar and Arizona. The island of Zabargad (Arabic for "olivine") is in the Red Sea and has been mined intensively for peridot for over 3000 years. This island offers no green other than the beautiful peridot, for it has no fresh water and no plant life.The peridot was known to the ancient Egyptians as a sun stone and was in such demand that it was at one time used to pay tribute to the pharaohs. It was believed that the peridot could only be found at night because it radiated with an inner light like a sun in the dark. The ancient Romans were the first to call the peridot "the Evening Emerald". It was thus named because it remains vibrantly green even in dim light unlike green stones such as the emerald . It was the only gem that the ancient Romans set in transparent form and they did this in the belief that by doing so, it afforded them protection from evil, enchantment, unhappiness and delusion. To the native peoples of Hawaii, peridot stones are seen as the tears of the great goddess Pele. The Victorians Believed that the peridot was able to make one graceful and charming.
The amethyst is the transparent, purple member of the quartz family. It varies with shades ranging from the palest lavender to the deepest purple. It derives its name from the Greek meaning "without drunkenness". This brings us directly to one of the oldest beliefs about this stone which is that it prevents drunkenness. The amethyst also is believed to rid one of evil thoughts. In Tibet, the amethyst is considered a stone sacred to the Buddha. The stone was favored by Egyptian royalty and their soldiers who believed that it would provide them with calm in times of danger. Amethyst has long been believed to repress evil thoughts and protect its wearer against disease and excess. It is also often called "The Bishop's Stone" because of its use in rings by Bishops in the Catholic Church to symbolize their victory over worldly passions.
:Aquamarine is a member of the beryl family which also contains the emerald . The Aquamarine in a beautiful, cool blue color and sometimes also has a hint of green. Its name is derived from the latin words "Aqua" (water) and "Marine" (sea) and means "seawater". Just as one might suppose from its name, this stone has long been associated with the sea and sailors. It is a protective stone for sailors and will prevent them from drowning. It was also once associated with mermaids but now seems to be more associated with magical genies who will give its wearer whatever his or her heart desires. An interesting belief from the Middle Ages is that the aquamarine protects one from the devil. The aquamarine is also supposed to foster calm and peace and banish fears and phobias. It is a stone of happiness and eternal youth.
:Topaz is a popular stone that comes in many colors. Up until recent times, topaz was generally thought of as a beautiful, transparent stone of a rich yellow color. This has changed due to the market being flooded with blue topaz (which has hurt the market for aquamarine because the stones are pretty-much identical in all respects except for price with the topaz being much cheaper). The yellow topaz that one does see is most likely that lovely pretender sunny citrine . The interesting thing is that the blue topaz that has come to dominate the blue-stone market is not often naturally blue in color. While topaz does appear naturally in yellow, blue, pink, and even (very rarely) in red, it is found in its greatest quantities as clear or faintly colored stones. These clear stones are irradiated and thus are made into the brilliant blue stones that you see in your jeweler's case. There is no health hazard from these stones because they are left in quarantine for at least three months and up to a year until the radiation levels are extremely low. The topaz that is referred to in ancient legends is the yellow topaz but one should be safe in extending to the other colors of this stone the benefits that have been traditionally attributed to the yellow topaz. The ancient Egyptians associated the topaz with the sun god Ra and it protected this gods faithful followers from danger. The Greeks called topaz "The Stone of Strength" and associated it with healing. The ancient Romans followed the Egyptians in associating the topaz with their sun god "Jupiter". In the Middle Ages, the topaz came to be believed to protect one from sudden death and madness.
Citrine is a sunny yellow stone that has all but replaced yellow topaz on the modern market. Citrine is the yellow form of quartz and its name derives from the French word "citron" which means "lemon". It appears in shades of yellow varying from the expected lemon yellow to deeper amber and amber-brown. Much of the citrine on the market today is actually heat treated amethyst that is too pale a purple to be valuable...as to how this affects its powers is anyone's guess. Citrine is traditionally believed to bring prosperity and enhance healing, cheerfulness and mental energy.
Garnets are most commonly thought of as vibrant red stones but the truth is that they come in all colors except blue. There are many varieties of green garnets and some, such as the rare and fairly recently discovered tsavorite rival the emerald in pure green glory. The pink-toned rhodolite garnet has gained in popularity due to its very beautiful color. However, most garnet owners own the red variety. The garnet derives its name from the latin word for the pomegranate fruit, "granatum", because of the resemblance of the stones to the fruit's red seeds. The most famous legend about the garnet is that a single large garnet was used by Noah to light the Ark. The garnet was believed by the ancients to relieve depression. Garnet has long been seen as a symbol of faith, truth and constancy. Because of its traditional association with the color red, the garnet has come to be identified with blood and wounds. Oddly enough, the beliefs associating garnets with blood and wounds are contradictory. It was believed by some that it could stop hemorrhaging and heal wounds but to others it was the deadliest of bullets. The garnet was once used by some of the peoples of both Asia and the North American Southwest as bullets in the belief that the red color of the garnet meant a fiercer wound. This seems eminently logical since the red of the stone would make it much more difficult to find and remove from the wound to allow healing. There are even preserved examples of these garnet bullets. In a milder vein (pun intended), garnets were believed to protect one from nightmares.
:Moonstone is a beautiful member of the feldspar family of stone. Although it is usually thought of as a colorless or white stone, it actually comes in a variety of colors; blue, grey, yellow, pink, green, and brown. However, its beauty springs not so much from its body color as from its ghostly shimmer. The moonstone almost seems to glow with a soft but definite inner light which mirrors the moon for which it was named. In fact, the ancient Romans believed that moonstone was actually formed from the Moon's light. The moonstone is a very sacred stone in India. It is believed to symbolize the Third Eye and is sold displayed on yellow cloth because yellow is a sacred color. The moonstone is almost universally associated with love. Many believe that wearing a moonstone will bring love into your life and make you more sensitive to the feelings of others. Moonstone is also believed to drive away sleepiness and to protect travelers.
Lapis lazuli derives its name from both the latin word "lapis", meaning simply "stone", and the arabic word "azul", meaning "blue". The ancient alchemists referred to lapis lazuli as "The Stone of Heaven".Lapis lazuli is an opaque stone of radiant royal blue that often has gold specks that add to its beauty. Lapis lazuli has been an amazingly popular stone since the dawn of human civilization when both the ancient Egyptians and Mesopotamians began making extensive use of this beautiful stone. In the early days of the Egyptian empire, only the royal family and the powerful priests were permitted the use of lapis lazuli and many of their tombs are replete with glorious carvings done in this stone. In modern times, a similar example of this use for lapis is to be found in the Pushkin Palace of St.Petersburg where Catherine the Great had an entire room paneled in Lapis lazuli. Some may be surprised to learn that lapis was crushed into a fine powder and used as a cosmetic and medicine in ancient Egypt. In fact, some have asserted that crushed lapis lazuli was the world's first eye-shadow. Later it was crushed and made into a marvelous blue paint (take a look at an Illuminated manuscript and you will see the vibrant blue of lapis lazuli). Lapis lazuli was also popular in China and with the ancient Greeks and then Romans. Some of the powers attributed to lapis lazuli are; peace of mind, success in love, relief from depression, wisdom and healing.
Malachite is an opaque stone of a vivid Kelly-green color. Its name is derived from the Greek word "malaku" which means "mallow plant" because the green of malachite is very much like that of the leaves of the mallow plant. Malachite provides lapis lazuli with a rival for being possibly the first eyeshadow. The ancient Egyptians crushed malachite and used it for this purpose just as they used the blue lapis lazuli. Malachite has long been believed to be an excellent protective stone. It is especially good for children and is thought to drive away nightmares and increase feelings of emotional security. During the Middle Ages, malachite was used as a protection against the Evil Eye as well as other forms of black magic. Malachite is a very beneficial stone that is believed to increase all positive forms of personal power in its owner.
Onyx is a member of the chalcedony family of stone. Although it is commonly believed to be a pure black stone, it is actually an opaque stone made-up of black and white bands in its natural state. Onyx takes dye easily and is generally dyed the all-black color by which it is popularly known. Onyx has been dyed since very ancient times and the same process is still in use today. Onyx is thought to be a stone of great stabilizing power that is quite beneficial in times of stress. Another power attributed almost world-wide to onyx is its ability to cool passions. The ancient Egyptians believed that it was some effective in this respect that one had to be cautious in its use or face the consequence of losing a lover through discord.
Turquoise is, of course, turquoise colored. The term "turquoise" originated in the 1200s when Venetian merchants brought the stone to Europe from Turkey. This was the dawn of its first real popularity in Europe but, in this regard, Europe was lagging behind the rest of the world by millennia. It is perhaps the first gem to be mined and it has known world-wide popularity from time immemorial. As early as 5000 BC it was being fashioned into jewelry by the peoples of ancient Mesopotamia. The ancient Egyptians also made tremendous use of this beautiful, sky-blue stone and even invented the first artificial gem (made of quartz paste that was shaped, glazed sky-blue and fired in ovens) when the quantity and quality of turquoise available to them proved to be insufficient. This faux-turquoise, called "faience", was of such quality that surviving examples were believed to be genuine turquoise until fairly recently. Turquoise was (and still is) a gem of immense importance to many Native Americans of North, Central and South America. The Aztecs held this stone in such high esteem that its use as personal adornment was reserved for the gods alone. It was of greater monetary value to the Aztecs than gold. Farther north, the Apache, Zuni, Hopi and Navajo peoples all agreed that turquoise was a very valuable stone. Various attributes were ascribed to turquoise by Native American peoples. The Apache believed that turquoise insured accurate aim in war and in hunting while the Zuni believed that it had the power to protect one from demons. The Navajo believed that turquoise could be used to call down rain by throwing it into a river while praying to the rain god. In many other areas of the world, turquoise has many other magical associations. In Tibet, turquoise has long been used to fashion ritual objects and jewelry. Its popularity and importance in that ancient land has been said to mirror that of jade in China. A wide-spread Near Eastern belief is that the health of a person can be judged from the color of his or her turquoise. The stone is said to grow pale and lose its color as its owner's health fades or is endangered. Alternately, the paling of a turquoise was said to indicate a wife's infidelity. Another wide-spread belief that is still held by many today is that a turquoise has the power to take danger and harm on itself in order to prevent it from befalling its owner, but that it can do so only if it was given as a gift to its owner.
The first thing to note about amber (other than its beauty, of course) is that it is the fossilized resin from species of extinct pine trees and also, possibly, some sort of legume plant. Therefore, it is not a true stone. However, it is certainly a true gem. Its name is derived from the arabic word "ambar" which means "ambergris". Ambergris is the waxy substance expelled by sperm whales which is used as a perfume fixative. In ancient days it was believed that amber was created when the sun descended into the sea and bits of it broke off, cooled and became amber which then washed-up on shore. Therefore, both substances (amber and ambergris) were valuable substances which came from the sea. Amber is a gorgeous, golden, translucent or transparent gem that often has inclusions contained within its depths. These inclusions were trapped when the future amber was still in its sappy state. They can range from parts of plants to insects. Inclusions generally increase amber's value because they testify to its genuineness. This is important because amber is a very easy gem to imitate. It is such a light gem that one may distinguish impostors by trying to float the gem in salt water...if it sinks, it's a fake. Amber has long been a popular gem. It was used by the Minoans of ancient Crete when their empire still ruled the Mediterranean world. To the ancient Romans, amber provided protection from poisons (a definite plus during latter the days of the Empire) and from black magic. Amber has been almost universally believed to be an incredibly healing gem with the power to protect one from almost any illness.
The Victorians were well-versed in the "language of stones" and made great use of the deeper meanings of gems in their choice of jewelry. One of the most popular means of doing this was to place two or more gems in a single piece of jewelry to "spell out" a message to its recipient.
An example of this would be a brooch, ring or pendant with two emeralds (signifying "faithfulness") on either side of a diamond (signifying "eternity") to express the sentiment of "eternal fidelity".
Another way that stones were used by the Victorians to convey a message was to use them to spell-out a word. This was done by choosing stones whose first letters would combine to spell the desired word.
An example would be the combination of a ruby , an emerald , a garnet , an amethyst or an aquamarine , another ruby, a diamond and a sapphire to spell the word "REGARDS".
These charming customs have fallen out of use yet they seem tailor-made for our own times. All one needs is a little knowledge and imagination (and possibly ALOT of money) to adapt these customs to one's own use.
White:
This color represents purity. Lighter colors raise consciousness and understanding.
Red:
This color represents energy and primal force. Red is the dynamic color. This color is associated with the western zodiacal signs of "Aries" and "Scorpio"
Pink:
The color of love and compassion.This color is associated with the western zodiacal sign of "Taurus".
Magenta:
This color represents emotional healing. It is reputed to encourage the healing of a broken heart.
Purple:
This color represents the meeting and blending of the mind and spirit. In the west, it was long a color of royalty. This color is associated with the western zodiacal sign of "Cancer".
Blue:
This is the color of calm and quiet. This is one of the most soothing of colors. This color is associated with the western zodiacal signs of "Libra", "Aquarius", and "Virgo".
Turquoise:
This color represents universal Brotherhood. It is a friendly color. This color is associated with the western zodiacal sign of "Sagittarius".
Green:
This is the color of sensitivity and healing. Green has traditionally been associated with fertility and abundance. Green is the most restful color and has great powers of healing. This color is associated with the western zodiacal sign of "Capricorn" and "Pisces".
Yellow:
This is a cleansing color. It helps clear the mind but should be used with moderation since in its more vivid shades it is the most tiring color to the human eye. Utilize this color conservatively. This color is associated with the western zodiacal sign of "Gemini".
Orange:
This is a color of warmth and creativity. This color is associated with the western zodiacal sign of "Leo".
Black:
This color can attract negativity. However, it can also be helpful in keeping its wearer protected from negative energies.
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