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Amethyst

Amethyst is the birthstone for the month of February & the anniversary gemstone for the 6th year of marriage.

Amethyst is a purple color gemstone. The legend of the origin of amethyst comes from Greek myths. Dionysius, the god of intoxication, was angered one day by an insult from a mere mortal and swore revenge on the next mortal that crossed his path, creating fierce tigers to carry out his wish. Along came unsuspecting Amethyst, a beautiful young maiden on her way to pay tribute to the goddess Diana. Diana turned Amethyst into a statue of pure crystalline quartz to protect her from the brutal claws. Dionysius wept tears of wine in remorse for his action at the sight of the beautiful statue. The god's tears stained the quartz purple, creating the gem we know today.
Purple color has long been considered a royal color so it is not surprising that amethyst has been so popular throughout history.

Fine amethysts are featured in the British Crown Jewels and were also a favorite of Catherine the Great and Egyptian royalty. Amethyst, transparent purple quartz, is the most important quartz variety used in jewelry. Amethyst was thought to encourage celibacy. Because of that, amethyst was very important in the ornamentation of churches in the Middle Ages. Bishops still often wear amethyst rings.

· In Tibet, amethyst is considered to be sacred to Buddha and rosaries are often fashioned from it.

· The Greek work "amethystos" basically can be translated as "not drunken."
Amethyst was considered to be a strong antidote against drunkenness, which is why wine goblets were often carved from it! The gemstone still symbolizes sobriety.

Amethyst ranges in color from pale lilac to deep purple. The pale colors are sometimes called "Rose de France" and can be seen set in Victorian jewelry. The deep colors are the most valuable, particularly a rich purple with rose flashes.
Amethyst is mined in Brazil, Uruguay, Bolivia and Argentina and some African countries. Generally, amethyst from South America tends to be available in larger sizes than African amethyst but amethyst from Africa has the reputation for having better, more saturated, color in small sizes. Very dark amethyst, mostly in small sizes, is also mined in Australia.
Amethyst is available in a wide range of calibrated sizes and shapes, including many fancy shapes. Large fine stones may be sold in free sizes but generally amethyst is cut in standardized dimensions.

Aquamarine

Aquamarine is the birthstone for the month of March & the anniversary gemstone for the 19th year of marriage.

Aquamarine is the birthstone for March, and derives its name from "sea water". Aqua (water) sparkles like the sea and its color is light to medium blue, sometimes with a slight greenish splash. According to some legends, it is the treasure of mermaids, with the power to keep sailors safe at sea. Aquamarine is said to be a particularly strong charm when immersed in water (which is a good thing, since that is when sailors need its power most!)

Aquamarine was also said to have a soothing influence on land, especially on married couples. Its power to help husbands and wives work out their differences and ensure a long and happy marriage makes it a good anniversary gift. Aquamarine also protects against the wiles of the devil. A dream of aquamarine means that you will meet new friends.

Aquamarine is found in Brazil, Zambia, Mozambique, Angola, Nigeria, and other countries. Aquamarine is always a pastel blue but the darker the color, the more valued it is. Professionals prefer a pure blue, with no green in it. Stones with a greenish tone are less expensive.
Because the color is generally pale, aquamarine should have a good clarity. These stones are often cut in ovals and emerald cuts. More saturated colors are unusual in small sizes: usually it takes some size for the color to hold in a darker shade.

Bloodstone

Bloodstone, or green jasper dotted with bright red spots of iron oxide, was treasured in ancient times and long served as the birthstone for March. This attractive chalcedony quartz is also known as Heliotrope because in ancient times polished stones were described as reflecting the sun: perhaps the appearance of the gem reminded the ancients of the red setting sun reflected in the ocean.

Medieval Christians often used bloodstone to carve scenes of the crucifixion and martyrs, leading it to also be dubbed the martyr's stone. The legend of the origin of bloodstone says that it was first formed when some drops of Christ's blood fell and stained some jasper at the foot of the cross. A beautiful example of carved bloodstone with the seal of the German Emperor Rudolf II can be seen at the Louvre museum in Paris.

Even today, finely powdered bloodstone is used as a medicine and aphrodisiac in India. Perhaps that explains why today it is difficult to find fine specimens of bloodstone on the market. Bloodstone is mined in India, Australia, and the United States.

Blue Topaz

Topaz is the birthstone of November (Yellow Topaz) and December (Blue Topaz). Blue Topaz is the anniversary gemstone for the 4th year of marriage.

For the Egyptians topaz was a very powerful amulet against harm, because they believed that topaz was a gemstone colored with the golden glow of the mighty sun god Ra.
The Romans associated topaz with Jupiter, who also is the god of the sun. Legend has it that it dispels all enchantment and helps to improve eyesight.

The ancient Greeks believed that it had the power to increase strength and make its wearer invisible in times of emergency. Topaz was also said to change color in the presence of poisoned food or drink. It was said to cure insomnia, asthma, and hemorrhages.

Topaz sometimes has the amber gold of fine cognac or the blush of a peach and all the beautiful warm browns and oranges inbetween. Some rare and exceptional topaz are pale pink to a sherry red.
The most famous topaz is a giant specimen set in the Portuguese Crown, the Braganza. There is also a beautiful topaz set in the Green Vault in Dresden, one of the world's important gem collections.

Color
Brown, yellow, orange, sherry, red and pink topaz is found in Brazil and Sri Lanka. Pink topaz is found in Pakistan and Russia. Today we also have blue topaz, which has a pale to medium blue color created by irradiation. Pale topaz which is enhanced to become blue is found in Brazil, Sri Lanka, Nigeria, and China. In early 1998, a new type of enhanced topaz made its appearance, the surface-enhanced topaz, with colours described as blue to greenish-blue or emerald green. Blue topaz has become a popular alternative in recent years for those who prefer faceted stones.

Carnelian

The wearing of carnelian is recommended to those who have a weak voice or are timid in speech, for the warm-colored stone will give them the courage they lack, so that they will speak both boldly and well," reports G. E Kunz, well known gemologist and historian.

Carnelian was admired by Muslims, because Muhammad himself wore a silver ring/seal set with an engraved carnelian.
Napoleon I, while on a campaign in Egypt, picked up a fabulous octagonal carnelian, upon which was engraved: "The Slave Abraham Relying Upon The Merciful God."

Carnelian is a reddish variety of quartz, translucent to opaque and moderately hard. In antique jewelry carnelian lends itself to engraving (ring sand cameos). It is a relatively inexpensive stone with great warmth and beauty.

Citrine

Citrine is one of the most affordable gemstones, thanks to the durability and availability of this golden quartz. Named from the French name for lemon,"citron," many citrines have a juicy lemon color.

Citrine includes yellow to gold to orange brown shades of transparent quartz. Sunny and affordable, citrine can brighten almost any jewelry style, blending especially well with the yellow gleam of polished gold.

In ancient times, citrine was carried as a protection against snake venom and evil thoughts.

Although the darker, orange colors of citrine, sometimes called Madeira citrine after the color of the wine, has generally been the most valued color, in modern times, many people prefer the bright lemony shades which mix better with pastel colors. Citrine is generally more inexpensive than amethyst and is also available in a wide range of calibrated sizes and shapes, including very large sizes.

Most citrine is mined in Brazil. Supply of citrine is good from the Brazilian state of Rio Grande do Sul, particularly from the Serra mine, which is producing 300 kilos a month of hammered goods. The Ira’ mine produces an additional 100 kilos a month of hammered goods.

Sometimes you will hear citrine referred to as topaz quartz, which is incorrect. This name was used in the past in reference to the color, which is sometimes similar to the color of topaz. Since topaz is a separate mineral, this type of name can be confusing and should not be used. However, citrine is considered an alternative to topaz as the birthstone for November.

Since most citrine on the market started its life as amethyst which was heated to turn its color to gold, citrine jewelry, as well as amethyst jewelry, should be kept away from prolonged exposure to strong light or heat. With this precaution, citrine jewelry will last for many generations.

Diamonds

The Diamond is the birthstone of April and the anniversary gemstone for the 10th and 60th years of marriage. Diamonds were discovered in India in 500 B.C., and the name "diamond" comes from the Greek word "Adamas" which means unconquerable - suggesting the eternity of love. Since ancient Greece, diamonds and diamond jewelry have been the traditional symbol of love, and the ancients believed they were hardened dew drops, splinters from the stars or crystallized lightning. A diamond is the hardest substance known to humankind, and is made of a crystallized carbon that has unique powers of light reflection. Since diamonds are composed of a single element, they are the purest of all gemstones.

The Structure of a Diamond

Proportion refers to the angles and relative measurements of a polished diamond. More than any other feature, proportions determine a diamond's optical properties. Studies have shown that table size, crown angle, and pavilion depth have a dramatic effect on a diamond's appearance.

Symmetry is a grading term for the exactness of shape and placement of facets. Variations in symmetry include off-center culets and tables, poor facet alignment, misshapen facets, out-of-round girdles, and wavy girdles.

The Cut is the factor that determines the brilliance of a diamond. A classic round brilliant cut diamond has 58 facets : 33 on the top, 24 on the bottom, and the culet (1 point at the bottom). Each of the diamond's facets must be placed in exact geometric relation to one another when the stone is being cut. Quality diamonds must be properly cut and not "spread", which means that the proper proportions are compromised to make the diamond weigh more.

The Clarity of a diamond is based on the number, location, size, and type of inclusions found in the stone. An inclusion is an imperfection or trace mineral in the stone that is visible under the magnification of a jeweler's loupe. The fewer inclusions the diamond has; the clearer, more brilliant and more expensive the diamond will be. A "Flawless" diamond is one that has no inclusions and is extremely rare and valuable.

Colorless and near-colorless diamonds are the most valuable. Though most diamonds may appear colorless to the naked eye, the majority of diamonds contain slight traces of yellow or light brown when viewed under a jeweler's loupe. Depending on the stone's size, a single increase in color grade can boost the value of a diamond by thousands of dollars per carat. A traditional engagement diamond is usually colorless or near-colorless.

In nature, diamonds can also occur in shades of red, pink, blue, green and deep yellow - These are called "Fancy diamonds". In the United States and around the world colorless diamonds are graded on an alphabetical scale, introduced by the Gemological Institute of America (GIA). "Colorless" or "rare white" diamonds are of color grades D, E and F. Diamonds of color grade D are very rare, and extremely valuable.

The weight of a diamond is measured in carats. But, the carat weight alone is almost meaningless unless you also consider the cut, clarity and color of the diamond. A large diamond is not very valuable if it lacks brilliance, purity and high-grade color. However, since larger stones are rarer than smaller ones, diamond value rises exponentially with carat weight. Therefore, a diamond weighing 3.0 carats, will always be worth more than three 1.0 carat stones of the same quality. No two diamonds are exactly alike, and you must weigh all of the factors - color, cut, clarity and carat weight - when making your buying decision.

Emerald

Emerald is the birthstone of May & the anniversary gemstone for the 20th and 35th years of marriage.

Emerald - gem of eternal spring. We all are fascinated by the emerald's rich history, lore and tradition. Emeralds have been cherished for as long as there has been a written history. Archaeologists have traced the origins of the use of emerald to almost 3000 B.C. in both ancient Egypt and India.

· Cleopatra prized her emeralds more than any other gem.

· The Romans also loved emeralds because, as the ancient scholar Pliny said, "nothing greens greener."

· The Moguls of India loved emeralds so much they inscribed them with sacred text and wore them as talismans.

Whatever your reasons, you may be feeling somewhat intimidated by the emerald's reputation as an expensive gemstone. Well, here's an interesting fact. You can buy an emerald for as little as $25 a carat. Sound surprising? Don't get us wrong.. emeralds can be very expensive; some even reach the lofty heights of $10,000 or $15,000 per carat. But a very respectable emerald can be purchased for a few hundred dollars per carat - thereby making emeralds affordable for practically every one's budget. And remember that though you can buy a $25 emerald, it probably won't look exceedingly good, either.

Why do prices vary so widely and what constitutes a good emerald? What we're talking about are differences in the quality of the emeralds. First, a small definition of emeralds: This King of greens is a variety of the mineral beryl. It must be primarily green, though it can be modified by small amounts of yellow or blue. Some definitions go further, demanding that beryls only be called emeralds if they are green and colored primarily by chromium. If they are not green enough, they are referred to as green beryls. If the beryls are blue, they are aquamarines.

For Clarity's Sake
The most desirable emeralds are bright green and as close as possible to being free from inclusions (internal growth characteristics of the gem often seen as crystals and/or whitish cloudy areas). These characteristics - color and clarity - can begin to give you a clue as to the vast differences in price. However, very very few emeralds are ever completely "clean." In fact, since most emeralds are included, these growth characteristics, which point as clues to a gem's origin, have been romanced as 'jardins" (or gardens). Most of history's most notable emeralds are laced with inclusions. The Size of the emerald also has an obvious bearing on price.

Cut Counts
A few more factors go into determining price. Among them: is the stone proportionately and exactingly cut? This means that the gem has been faceted to return more light and color to the eye, that all of the facet junctions meet crisply, and that the overall outline is proportional and pleasing. Another question to ask: has the emerald been treated or enhanced? For example, emeralds have long been treated with color-less oils such as linseed or cedarwood oils to soften the visible effect of the inclusions. A practice that has not been accepted by the trade is that of treating emeralds with epoxy resins such as Opticon. In a process similar to oiling, an emerald's surface-reaching cracks and fissures are filled with epoxy resins. But while the oils tend to soften the effect of inclusions, epoxy properties are such that inclusions tend to be hidden. This practice is considered deceptive if it is not fully disclosed to you, the consumer, since you might think you're getting something better than the emerald actually is. Origin of the emerald has some effect on price, though this aspect should be down-played. You may have heard that emeralds from Colombia are the very best (and often they are), but equally fine emeralds have been mined from such locations as Zambia, Nigeria, Brazil, Russia or other localities.

Garnet

Garnet is the birthstone for the month of January & the anniversary gemstone for the second year of marriage.

Garnet derived its name from the Latin word granatus, meaning like a grain, which refers to the mode of occurrence wherein crystals resemble grains or seeds embedded in the matrix. Garnet is a family of minerals having similar physical and crystalline properties.
There are a number of trade and variety names for garnet, most of these names are for particular colors of a specie.

· Hessonite is the variety name for a fine orange, cinnamon brown, or pinkish variety of grossularite, while tsavorite is the trade name for fine dark green grossularite.

· Melanite is a black titanium bearing variety of andradite and demantoid is a rich green variety.

· Malaya is a trade name for a pyrope-spessartite that varies in color from red, through shades of orange and brownish orange to peach and pink.

· Rhodolite is a purplish red pyrope-almandite solid solution garnet.

· Fine-quality pyrope garnets from Czechoslovakia are often called Bohemian garnets.

· Almandite and almandite-pyrope solid solution garnets are the best abrasive types, but andradite, grossularite, and pyrope also are used.
All species of garnet have been used as gemstones.
Garnet displays the greatest variety of color of any mineral, occurring in every color except blue. For example, grossularite can be colorless, white, gray, yellow, yellowish green, various shades of green, brown, pink, reddish, or black. Andradite garnet can be yellow-green, green, greenish brown, orangy yellow, brown, grayish black or black.
Pyrope is commonly purplish red, orangy red, crimson, or dark red; and almandite is deep red, brownish red, brownish black or violet-red. Spessartite garnet can be red, reddish orange, orange, yellow-brown, reddish brown, or blackish brown.
A few garnets exhibit a color-change phenomenon. They are one color when viewed in natural light and another color when viewed in incandescent light.

Lapis Lazuli

Lapis Lazuli, is the blue rock loved by the ancients, from Mesopotamia, to Egypt, to Persia, to Greece and Rome. The ancient city of Ur has a thriving trade in lapis as early as the fourth millennium B.C.
The name is international, from the latin, "lapis", which means stone, and from the Arabic, "azul", which means blue.
When lapis was first introduced to Europe, it was called ultramarinum, which means beyond the sea. Ground lapis was the secret of the blue in ultramarine, the pigment which painters used to paint the sea and the sky until the nineteenth century. Lapis was also popular in inlays. The Romans believed that lapis was a powerful aphrodisiac. In the Middle Ages, it was thought to keep the limbs healthy and free the soul from error, envy and fear.

Lapis is a dark blue microcrystalline rock composed primarily of the mineral lazurite. It often sparkles with golden pyrite inclusions.
Lapis lazuli is still mined at the deposits of the ancient world in Afghanistan. Lapis is also mined in Chile. Small quantities are also produced in Siberia, in Colorado in the United States, and in Myanmar.

Lapis lazuli is somewhat porous and should be protected from chemicals and solvents. Warm soapy water is the best way to clean it. Lapis is not very hard at 5.5 and should be protected from other jewelry when stored to avoid scratches.

Moonstone

Moonstone almost seems magical with a ghostly shimmering glow floating in a crystalline material. The Romans thought that moonstone was formed out of moonlight. Moonstone is a variety of feldspar, and the shimmer which is called "schiller" or "adularescence", is caused by the intergrowth of two different types of feldspar, with different refractive indexes.

In Europe, moonstone is considered the birthstone for June, although in the United States it shares that distinction with alexandrite and pearl.
Moonstones come in a variety of colors. The body color can range from colorless to gray, brown, yellow, green, or pink. The clarity ranges from transparent to translucent. The best moonstone has a blue sheen, perfect clarity, and a colorless body color.
Sometimes moonstone will have an eye as well as a sheen. Another related feldspar variety is known as rainbow moonstone. In this variety of labradorite feldspar, the sheen is a variety of rainbow hues.
Fine moonstone is quite rare and becoming rarer. It is mined in Sri Lanka and Southen India. The rainbow variety can also be found in Madagascar.

Moonstones are usually cut in a smooth-domed cabochon shape to maximize the effect. Sometimes they are carved to show a man-in-the-moon face. Moonstone beads also display the sheen very well and are simply stunning against a black dress.

Opal

Opal is brittle, heat sensitive, and breaks and scratches easily. Some varieties self- destruct through the loss of water. Even with these drawbacks, opal still is a premier gemstone.
Opal's name evolved from the Roman word opalus from the Greek word opallios - "to see a change of color." The Greek word was a modification of the ancient Indian Sanskrit name for opal, upala, which meant "precious stone." If one spoke in mixed tongues, then opal would be opallios upala, "to see a change of color precious stone."

As indicated by the derivation of its name, opal has centuries of history as a treasured gemstone. Historically, beliefs associated with the wearing of opal have varied.

The early Greeks thought that opals gave their owners the powers of foresight and prophecy.

· Romans adored it as a token of hope and purity.

· Eastern people regarded it as sacred.

Arabs believed it fell from heaven.
In the nineteenth century, superstitions grew about the bad luck or fate that could befall one for wearing opal if it were not the wearer's birthstone. Today, these superstitions have diminished, but some people still believe it is bad luck to wear opals.

Opal has over one hundred variety and trade names, but the list of accepted or commonly used names is much shorter. The most important and most widely known opal is the precious opal. Precious opal may be subdivided further by color modifiers, white, black, pinks, and blue, which describe the body color of the opal.
Australia is famous for its white and black precious opal. Fire opal, the bright red, reddish-yellow, orange body colored opal is the second most important opal commercially. Until recently, the best fire opal came from Mexico.

Pearls

The sparkling beauty of a strand of pearls has held the attention of brides for millennia. The ancient Greeks believed that wearing pearls would promote marital bliss and prevent newlywed women from crying. During the Crusades in the Middle Ages, pearls were the gift of choice for a knight to give to his lady. During the 14th and 15th centuries, royal wedding scenes closely resembled a sea of pearls, with everyone from the bride down to her male guests adorned with impressive arrays of pearl jewelry.

In modern times, cultured pearls have graced such 20th century brides as Queen Elizabeth II, the late Jacqueline Kennedy Onassis and Elizabeth Taylor.

You may have seen the term "cultured" preceding the word pearls at your jewelry store. Cultured pearls are pearls that are nudged to life when a worker surgically implants a tiny bead into the oyster (that's the shellfish in which pearls grow). The host oyster is then lowered back into the water and, if all goes well, it deposits layer upon layer of a substance called nacre around the bead, eventually forming a pearl large enough to harvest. Of course, some oysters continue to produce pearls without any help, forming nacre around a natural irritant that gets inside their shells, they are rare however. Culturing produces far more pearls than nature could alone.

The Essentials of Pearls

Luster

Of all in cultured pearls, luster is perhaps the most important. Fine luster produces an almost mirror-like reflection on the surface of pearls, when looked at in normal light. You should avoid cultured pearls that look dull and chalky.

Surface

The surface of a cultured pearl should be relatively clear of blemishes, pockmarks and pits. Since cultured pearls are grown inside an oyster, it's very rare to find a completely blemish-free pearl. But the fewer the blemishes, the greater the value of the pearl. Sometimes if these imperfections are near the drill hole of the cultured pearl, they will be less noticeable in a necklace.

Color

Color in pearls is a preference often based upon geographical location or skin tones. In the U.S., white pearls with a slightly pink overtone tend to be the most popular, although pearls with a golden tone are gaining popularity.

Size

Size is another factor best left to personal preference. Some people like smaller, more delicate cultured pearls, from 3.0 mm to 5.0 mm, while others like larger pearls, 6mm and up. Size does affect price; usually the larger the pearl, the more valuable it is. Factors such as luster, however, also have an effect on price - a smaller pearl with better luster can sometimes equal the cost of a larger, less lustrous pearl.

Shape

For many wearers, roundness in cultured pearls equals perfection, and it is the traditional sublime shape. But modern tastes vary, and you may want to explore baroque, or irregularly-shaped, cultured pearls. Baroque pearls, for example, more often flash with "orient," a display of iridescent colors that moves across a pearl's surface.

Peridot

Peridot is the birthstone for the month of August & the anniversary gemstone for the 16th year of marriage.

Peridot, the volcanic gem, is the best known gem variety of the mineral olivine, a species of magnesium-iron rich silicate minerals. This bright yellow-green to green gemstone has caught the fancy of humans for thousands of years.

· Some historians even suspect that at least some of the "emeralds" worn by Cleopatra were actually peridot.

· The Romans called peridot "evening emerald," since its green color did not darken at night but was still visible by lamplight.

· Peridot later was also often used to decorate medieval churches. Large peridots, close to 200 carats in size, decorate the shrine of the three magi at the Cologne Cathedral.
Peridot was mined in ancient Egypt on an island called Zeberget. Mining was done at night because legend said that peridot could not be easily seen during the day. The island was infested with serpents who made peridot mining a very dangerous occupation until one Pharaoh finally had them all driven into the sea.

Much of its recent popularity can be explained by its currently being recognized as the birthstone for the month of August, and people wear the stone because it is supposed to bring the wearer success, peace, and good luck. The United States was for many years the largest producer of peridot. The value of production in 1999 was estimated to be about $1.5 million, according to the USBM. The United States is getting major Competition from China and Pakistan for the title of world's largest producer.

The earliest recorded production of peridot was in about 70 A.D. from St. Johns Island in the Red Sea, about 24 miles off the coast of Egypt. Most of the earliest known peridot gems came from this location and small amounts of material are still being produced from there today. Later, very large, fine-quality peridot was produced from deposits in Myanmar (formerly Burma). These deposits were well known for their 20- to 40-carat cut stones of superb color and clarity.

Ruby

Ruby is the birthstone of July & the anniversary gemstone for the 15th and 40th years of marriage.

Ruby's day is Tuesday, its season summer, and its apostle St. Matthew. The scarlet-colored gem is July's birthstone under the sign of Cancer, is said to accord wearers wisdom, happiness and health, and to bring particularly good luck to gamblers and lovers.

Rubies are more than talismans or good-luck charms, not only historic and exotic but also valuable. Value is a human set of conditions: gems must have rarity, durability and beauty. Great rubies display all three hallmarks. Rubies - especially fine rubies - are rarer than diamonds, emeralds or sapphires. The beauty of their color is without peer. And their durability is often a surprise to new buyers.

On the famous Mohs hardness scale of 1 to 10, everyone knows that a diamond, as the hardest natural substance on earth, rates a 10. Rubies, at Mohs 9, are harder than any other material except diamonds. You may already have noticed that rubies and sapphires are often paired. For good reason. They belong to the same family, corundum, the crystal form of aluminum oxide.

Fine rubies are the most expensive of all gems (with the one exception - very rare colored diamonds, such as red). It is safe to say that, outside of museums, most people never see either large or fine rubies. Most of the material sold today is commercial quality, usually small and heavily included.

If you own rubies, it is good to remember that hardness and susceptibility to breakage are not necessarily related. Even though exceedingly hard, heavily included stones may crack or chip when hit. Let common sense be your guide. Remove jewelry before doing heavy work. Take care of your ruby by treating it gently and by keeping your gems and jewelry clean. Lightly included stones usually go safely into ultrasonic cleaners. Soaking rubies in alcohol (or vodka) overnight loosens stubborn debris, which then can be rinsed and brushed away. Always use a soft brush but no abrasives, not even toothpaste; such abrasives will not hurt rubies but will scratch the softer gold or platinum settings.

Some of the famous rubies recorded were a 98- and 74-carat pair, a 400-carat rough that was later cut to produce a 70-carat finished jewel, a 45-carat gem said to have sold in Mandalay and a 20-carat jewel sold in Calcutta.

When buying, use a few simple guidelines. Size, quality, color and price are absolutely related. You can get a ruby twice the size for the same price if you are willing to have one with less than half the color and quality. When one feature improves, others have to come down to hold the same price.

Shape is a personal preference. Most rubies are fashioned as ovals or cushion-cuts. But there are emerald-cuts, rounds and more if those set your heart pumping. Cutting standards are far more relaxed for colored stones than for diamonds. Most rubies are faceted overseas, producing what the trade calls "native cuts." Dealers here often have to recut off-center which produces asymmetrical gems.

Clarity guidelines are not as rigorous with rubies as with diamonds because a natural flawless ruby is a virtual impossibility. Rubies, like emeralds, are expected to have inclusions. If you ever see an almost flawless ruby, stop where you are. Do not buy this ruby until you have had it tested.

It is perfectly reasonable as a gem customer to ask to see your stone with a loupe or under a microscope. Look to see if the inclusions adversely affect the overall look of the gem or if they are severe enough to threaten its integrity. Fractures that reach the surface present risks. The less expensive the ruby, the more inclusions you may see. Avoid inclusions so numerous as to make the gem cloudy or even opaque.

Of course, color is everything with rubies. How much red can you afford? The richer, deeper, better the red, the more expensive and rarer the ruby. Factor color into your personal mix to decide what you want. Imagine a red without undertones.. .a pure red. Your dream red may well be the vivacious color of Burmese rubies.

Now imagine a can of red paint to which you add a little black. That darker undertone would produce a color normally associated with rubies from Thailand. Then suppose instead of black you add purple, another marketable ruby color. Finally, suppose you have, instead of red, a paler color between light and dark pink. As the buyer you will want to see these described and priced as pink sapphires, but the seller may want to sell them as pale rubies.

Sapphire

Sapphire is the birthstone of September & the anniversary gemstone for the 5th and 45th years of marriage.

Sapphire - gem of the heavens, or the divine gemstone, has been cherished for thousands of years. The ancient Persians believed that the earth rested on a giant sapphire and its reflection colored the sky. Sapphire is found in all colors: from midnight blue to the bright blue of the noon sky, from a golden sunrise to reddish-orange, and the delicate violet of twilight. The most famous and valuable sapphires are a truly royal blue.

History & Romance
Sapphire symbolizes sincerity and faithfulness, and is an excellent choice for an engagement ring. When Prince Charles gave Princess Diana a sapphire engagement ring, couples all over the world were inspired to revive this ancient tradition.

Quality
Mainly, sapphires come from Thailand, Sri Lanka, Australia and Cambodia. The United States, Nigeria, Kenya, Tanzania, China and Madagascar also produce some sapphires. The deposits in Montana produce a range of fancy colors, and deep blue sapphires come from one of the world's largest deposits at Yogo Gulch, where sapphires are small in size but have a beautiful blue.

Some of the most famous sources for sapphires are Kashmir and Burma. The Kashmir sapphire, which was discovered over 100 years ago, has a rich velvety color prized by professionals. Burma sapphires, from the same region that produces excellent rubies, are also very fine. Unfortunately, today these two countries produce very small quantities of sapphires.

Most fine sapphires on the market today come from Sri Lanka, which produces a wide range of beautiful blues from delicate sky blue colors to rich saturated hues. Kanchanaburi in Thailand and Pailin in Cambodia are renowned for deep blue sapphires.
Two relatively new mining localities are showing promise: Madagascar, which has produced some exceptionally fine stones in small sizes but has no organized mining yet, and Tanzania, which has long produced sapphires in other colors but is starting to produce blue colors as well from a new deposit in the south.

Color variations
Sapphires are available in every color but red. Sapphire in colors other than blue is often referred to as fancy sapphire. The most valuable sapphires have a medium intense, vivid blue color. The best sapphires hold the brightness of their color under all different types of lighting. Any black, gray, or green overtones mixed in with the blue will reduce a stone's value. In general, a more pastel blue would be less preferred than a vivid blue but would be priced higher than an overdark blackish blue color. As with all gemstones, sapphires which are "clean" and have few visible inclusions or tiny flaws are the most valuable. However some very fine sapphires, in particular those from Kashmir, have a velvety mist-like texture which enhances the richness of the blue.

Cut
Sapphires are most often cut in a cushion shape - a rounded rectangle - or an oval shape. You can also find smaller sapphires in round brilliant cuts and a wide variety of fancy shapes, including triangles, squares, emerald cuts, marquises, pear shapes, baguette shapes, and cabochon cuts, or smooth domes.

Star sapphires
Some sapphires contain unusual tiny needle-like inclusions, and are cut in a cabochon shape to display a dancing six-rayed white star. Star sapphires, which are becoming more rare, are very popular for men's rings. Star sapphires are judged by the sharpness of the star, the evenness of the rays or "legs" of the star, and the body color of the sapphire. It is extremely rare to find a star-sapphire with a sharp star and a bright blue body color. The ancients regarded star sapphires as a very powerful talisman, a guiding star for travelers and seekers of all kinds. They were so powerful, they were said to continue to protect the wearer even after being passed on to someone else.

Enhancement
By some estimates 99.9% of sapphires are heated at very high temperatures to improve the color or clarity. This process dissolves trace elements already present in the sapphire. There is no price difference between heated and non-heated sapphires.

It is very difficult to scratch a sapphire, which is harder than any other gem ( 9 on the Mohs scale) except a diamond. Synthetic sapphire is used for scratch-resistant instruments, optical scanners, watch crystals, etc, because of its durability.

Topaz

Tourmaline

Tourmaline has a special place in the hearts of mineral collectors as well as in that of gem and gemstone enthusiasts. Its nearly universal popularity is based upon two very important facts:

· It is a bright and beautiful gemstone that can be found in just about any color;

· Materials that are of acceptable quality are affordable to most purchasers.
The word "rainbow" is used figuratively to describe tourmaline. In reality, it is a well recognized fact that tourmaline's diversity in color is not limited to the seven colors of the rainbow.
Tourmaline can be colorless to just about any color, hue, or tone known to man. And if range of colors among different tourmalines is not enough, individual crystals can vary in color along their length or in cross-section.
The variations in color along a crystal's length give rise to the bicolor and tricolor tourmalines which have multitudes of color combinations.

Turquoise

Turquoise is the birthstone of December & the anniversary gemstone for the 11th year of marriage.

Turquoise, or the robin's egg blue gemstone worn by Pharaohs and Aztec Kings, is probably one of the oldest gemstones known. Yet, only its prized blue color, a color so distinctive that its name is used to describe any color that resembles it, results in its being used as a gemstone.
Turquoise has been, since about 200 B.C., extensively used by both southwestern U.S Native Americans and by many of the Indian tribes in Mexico. The Native American Jewelry or "Indian style" jewelry with turquoise mounted in or with silver is relatively new. Some believe this style of Jewelry was unknown prior to about 1880, when a white trader persuaded a Navajo craftsman to make turquoise and silver jewelry using coin silver. Prior to this time, the Native Americans had made solid turquoise beads, carvings, and inlaid mosaics.

Recently, turquoise has found wide acceptance among people of all walks of life and from many different ethnic groups. The name turquoise may have come from the word Turquie, French for Turkey, because of the early belief that the mineral came from that country (the turquoise most likely came from the Alimersai Mountain region in Persia (now Iran) or the Sinai Peninsula in Egypt, two of the world's oldest known turquoise mining areas.) Another possibility could be the name came from the French description of the gemstone, "pierre turquin" meaning dark blue stone.

Chemically, a hydrated phosphate of copper and aluminum, turquoise is formed by the percolation of meteoric material or groundwater through aluminous rock in the presence of copper. For this reason, it is often associated with copper deposits as a secondary mineral, most often in copper deposits in arid, semiarid, or desert environments.

For thousands of years the finest intense blue turquoise in the world was found in Persia, and the term "Persian Turquoise" became synonymous with the finest quality. This changed during the late 1800's and early 1900's when modern miners discovered or rediscovered significant deposits of high-quality turquoise in the western and southwestern United States. Material from many of these deposits was just as fine as the finest "Persian."
Today, the term "Persian Turquoise" is more often a definition of quality than a statement of origin, and the majority of the world's finest-quality turquoise comes from the United States, the largest producer of turquoise.

Yellow Topaz

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