Mystique Moonstone

Moonstones possess a delicate beauty, a luminous glow and a soft shimmer of pale blue that is as enchanting as the moon. It was believed that the moonstone could be recognized in the waxing and waning of the phases of the moon and that is the reason for its name. Another synonym for moonstone is 'selenite', from the Greek 'selene' which means 'moon'.

Moonstones belong to the feldspar group. It belongs to the variety of feldspar known as 'adularia'. The shimmer and light of the stone, as scientifically explained, is due to the light rays that get refracted and scattered, which results in the effect of light that is so distinctive.

This gemstone is surrounded by a fair deal of mystique and magic. It has been revered for centuries in India as a stone that provides emotional harmony and wellbeing.

As gemstone in jewelry, moonstones need to be cut in a specific way to be able to get the desired effect of light. The more intense in color, the higher is the value of the Moonstone. Most commonly the gem is whitish in color. There are other colorful varieties of the stone like blue, pink and yellow.

Sri Lanka is the origin of moonstones. However, they are also found in the USA, Brazil, Australia, Myanmar and Madagascar.

Moonstone Trivia
These gems were seen in the jewelry worn by the Romans in AD 100
Oriental adornments belonging to the period before AD 100 had moonstones in them.
Famous jewelry houses like Cartier's and Tiffany's used moonstone in their creations.
Moonstone is the official gem of the state of Florida, USA.
Moonstones are available with the colors of the rainbow, reflected in them.

Coral and pearl, although drastically different in appearance, are actually closely related to each other. Just like pearls, corals are also products of the water. They are the products of tiny living beings found in the depths of the ocean. Corals are calcareous, skeleton-like deposit of the coral polyp. The polyps, surrounded by a fleshy skin, excrete a carbonic substance from which the corals grow, like trees and branches. Corals grow on rocky sea bottom with low sedimentation, and in dark environments.

Traditionally corals are thought of as red being their typical color. The color of coral however depends on the depth at which it is found. The best-colored corals are found between depths of 100 and 160 feet. Other than red, Corals are found in a wide range of hues from pink, white, yellow, ochre, cream, chocolate, blue and even black, which are becoming increasingly popular.

Coral is among the most ancient of gemstones, used for adornment since pre-historic times. Most coral used in jewelry are found in the Mediterranean Sea or in the Pacific Ocean. The Italian Coral is particularly famous and widely admired. It is basically cut into beads and attached with gold and silver in jewelry. They are also versatile enough to be carved and made into ornamental objects.

Unprocessed, corals are a little dull and do have blotches. They need to be processed and polished to make it shine and blemish free. Corals of high quality are of an even color and free of cracks and blotches. But these are rare.

Coral is used extensively in jewelry today. It is believed that the presence of coral in a piece of jewelry imparts to it a certain vibrancy which is in turn transferred to the wearer of the gem.

The Romans believed coral could protect children from harm, as well as cure wounds.

Coral jewelry has been found in ancient Egyptian and prehistoric European burials

Turquoise has always occupied a very special position among gemstones, owing to its color. The shining sky blue of the turquoise never goes unnoticed. It is its unique hue that has made it a gem of alluring value.

Turquoise is an opaque, blue-to-green mineral and it is mostly found in places where there is a high concentration of copper in the soil. The best quality turquoises are of a pure, radiant sky blue, a color which is highly esteemed. They are found in parts of USA, Mexico, Israel, Iran, Afghanistan and China.

This gemstone has been esteemed since ancient times as a holy stone, as it is supposed to offer protection and joie de vivre to the wearer. In modern gemstone therapy, those suffering from depression are recommended to wear a turquoise as the vibrant blue color exudes cheer. The turquoise' cheerful color is said to endow the wearer with more confidence and positive energy.

In the days of yore, turquoises were worn on the turban, along with pearls to give it an ornamental look. It was adorned on daggers, sabers and bridles of horses and was believed that the gem would protect the wearer in times of distress. Turquoise was also used in ornamental carvings and for other artistic purposes.

Though ancient, the turquoise is never out of fashion. They are used extensively in jewelry and as embellishments and accessories

We have many pieces of jewelry to chose from right here at Handcrafted Jewelry By Amy

The fascinating stories revolving around gemstones are many and varied. The Ammonite is one such gem with an absorbing story behind its discovery.

Ammonites are marine animals or mollusks of the prehistoric era which have become extinct. They are similar to squids. But they have left behind unusual gemstones, treasured and valued. The story dates back to seventy five million years ago, when ammonites were in abundance. They were devoured by other animals especially the crocodilian reptile or the Mosasaurs. The shells of these mollusks were the only left over which eventually got crushed and buried. Over the years these shells got buried deeper and deeper into the earth. The fossilization of these shells brought about chemical changes in them that turned them into the beautiful gemstones that we know today - as the stunning, opalescent Ammonite or Aragonite.

The gem contains multiple color combinations, which give it a unique rainbow effect. It is found in hues of blue, green, orange, purple, red, and yellow. Because of the unique color combinations, no two ammonite stones are alike.

The spectacular colors that these gemstones posses may hove been due to the crushing of the shells and the addition of other elements along the process that may have been added from the waters of the seas and rivers.

Some of these ammonites have been discovered whole, but they do not acquire the quality of gems. It is the crushed shells that exude a brilliance that only Ammonite possesses. This is quite possibly due to the reactions that occur while crushing.

Ammonite fossils are found in almost all the continents but those found in and around Alberta, Canada display the most vivid colors. It is the gems from these fossils that are treasured as gems.

Whatever the specific conditions, the shells of the extinct mollusks that are rarer than diamonds, have resulted in the gemstones that the world cherishes and values

Admired for centuries for its brilliant color, the Ruby has always been desired for its color, its luster and rarity.

It is one of the precious gems that have always been regarded as a symbol of freedom, dignity and divine power. In fact there is a mention of it even in the Bible. "The price of wisdom is above rubies", says Job , implying that rubies were highly prized even then.

Ruby is a red variety of the mineral corundum. All other varieties of corundum are called sapphire. It is the Red that stands out among the sapphires. The color of ruby ranges from bright red to dark reddish-brown to shades of pink and purple, depending on the chromium and iron content of the stone. Besides the color, Rubies must be transparent and flawless to possess gem value. Like diamonds, rubies are graded by using the 4 C's (color, cut, clarity and carat) to evaluate their value. Among them however, color and clarity are more important than the other characteristics in their evaluation

The Burmese believed that gemstones ripened like fruit. The redder the color, the riper the ruby. Ruby's fiery red color and regal heritage is what makes it a preferred choice for jewelry lovers. Burma has always been the most important source of a fine quality deep red ruby. Other producers are Sri Lanka, Thailand, Cambodia, India, Australia, Africa and North Carolina.  

Some varieties of Ruby are :

Burmese Ruby - Ruby with exceptional color (usually from Burma)

Pigeon's Blood Ruby - Blood-red ruby with a hint of blue

Star Ruby - Ruby displaying asterism

The quite, gentle shine and softness that it exudes have made pearls possess an endearing quality. Over the ages pearls have been highly valued as gemstones and objects of beauty.

Creation of a pearl
Pearls are formed inside the shell of shelled mollusks. It is produced within the soft tissue or the mantle of the mollusk. The small irritants like sand or particles of organisms enter the animal when the shell valves are open for feeding or respiration. The mollusk, as a defense mechanism being irritated by the intruder, as a defense mechanism, secretes the calcium carbonate and conchiolin to cover the irritant. This secretion process is repeated many times, to seal off the irritation, thus producing a pearl.
Freshwater and saltwater pearls
Natural freshwater pearls form in various species of freshwater mussels, which live in lakes, rivers and ponds while salt water pearls grow within pearl oysters, which live in the oceans and seas.

Nacreous pearls are the best-known and most significant among pearls. A unique quality of these pearls is that while one family of nacreous pearl oysters lives in the sea, the other lives in freshwater.

Pearls are either natural or cultured. A natural pearl is one that forms without any human intervention at all while cultured pearls are pearls that have been formed by artificial means.

Natural pearls are rare and difficult to find and are therefore highly valued. Earlier natural pearls were found in many parts of the world while present day pearls are found mostly in the seas of Bahrain and in the Australian Indian Ocean. It is no wonder that the pearl is referred to as the Queen of the Sea.

As since Ovid's time, we know that trees are responsible for amber's origin. Truly the "lifeblood of the twig," the sweetness of a tree's honeyed serum is preserved for us through the geological journey of this fossil resin. Amber is unique - it cannot be duplicated by human effort yet, although many have tried and faild. The resin of trees today cannot be simply heated nor treated to create authentic amber. It must be diligently sought in the good earth and carefully nurtured to create treasures such as these.

Amber is a most interesting substance.  Commonly referred to as tree sap, it is anything but sap.  Amber forms from resin and contains succinic acid, or succinite.  Sap is the fluid substance which flows in the heartwood of the tree and provides nutrients to the tree itself.  Resin flows beneath the bark and protects the tree when it's wounded by boring insects or loses a branch due to storm damage.  Resin flows like syrup and has a distinct piney, sweet smell.  The piney, sweet smell is due to chemicals in the substance known as terpenes.  When you see a photograph of a mountainous area full of trees, and there is a light, misty cloud hanging over the trees - that is due to these aromatic chemicals being released by the conifer trees.  Time and particular strata that the amber lay in for millions of years help those terpenes break down and escape from the resin, forming amber.  Immature amber or copal is a substance in which all the volatile terpenes have not yet left the resin.