Peridot Facts and Buying Guide

    Peridot Facts and Buying Guide

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    Peridot Facts and Buying Guide

    by Sheweta Dhanuka

    It is the birthstone for those born in the month of August and anniversary gemstone for the 16th year of marriage. Due to its close resemblance to the precious stone ‘ Emerald’, it is quite a sought-after semi precious gemstone.

    Peridot, an Olivine mineral variety is rich in magnesium and iron. The name is derived from a French word ‘peritot’ meaning unclear, maybe due to the inclusions present in stone. It is also named from the Arabic word ‘faridat’ meaning gem. Few jewelers refer this gem as Chrysolite, Olivine and Evening Emerald too.

    It is the birthstone for those born in the month of August and anniversary gemstone for the 16th year of marriage. Due to its close resemblance to the precious stone ‘ Emerald’, it is quite a sought-after semi precious gemstone. Also its incredible colour and transparency makes it most desired gem in every corner of the globe. To make the purchase of genuine Peridot, buyers ought to have some awareness about it. Therefore, this article aims to endow with the crucial facts and act as a buying guide. All the general gemstone characteristics are covered in order to help the buyer make the right purchase.

    Colour

    Colour is a unique characteristic of this stone. It is one amongst the small number of gemstones that subsist in single colour. The basic colour is light green with the slender touch of golden/yellow in it. Variation in green is dependent on amount of iron present in the chemical composition. It is the coloring agent for this fine-looking gemstone; more the iron content deeper is the green colour. The best-colored Peridot would have it between 2-14%.

    While buying the stone one should always look for the intense and even distribution of colour all over the stone. Genuine stone would appear same in colour in dark as well as dim light. Also, brightness of the gem must be similar from front and back too. Authentic stones emanate rich shinny blaze when the ray of light passes through it.

    Cut

    This fabulous gem is little tough to handle during the initial stages. The rough crystals are difficult to process and call for precision of gemstone cutters while cutting else might break into pieces. It is cut as per the crystal structure. Stones bigger in size are cut into exclusive specimen stones while the smaller ones are shaped as calibrated gemstones. All the classical shapes are given viz. round, oval, pear, emerald, marquise and many more. Cabochons shape is preferred when flaws are more in the crystal.

    Clarity

    Clarity of the crystal is on the average side. Few flaws are always present which are removed while cutting. On the whole the disconcerting inclusions are removed while few fine silky inclusions are left as it is. Stones with full transparency can be seen but are quite rare.

    Carat weight

    It is the main determinant of the worth of the stone in economic terms. More the carat weight more is the cost. Usually, smaller cut stones that are set in jewelry items are between 1-4 ctw. Gems more than 4 carat is quite expensive. Carat weight between 10-15 is rare and priced most. Deposits at Egypt and Myanmar are acknowledged for 20-40 carat cut stones (occurrence is very rare and kept only in museums).

    Price

    Price is ascertained on the basis of colour, clarity, carat weight and location. Intense green colour distributed evenly fetches high price. With the increase in clarity/transparency and carat weight the value also increases. Gemstones acquired from Zagbargad (Zebirget), island in the Red Sea off the coast of Egypt and Mogok in Myanmar are finest quality and rare thus, priced most. Arizona State of USA produces maximum quantity making it quite an affordable gemstone. Although it falls under the category of affordable stone for the common man but a deep green stone with negligible flaws and large in size, acquired from the countries offering excellent quality would demand a bulging pocket.

    Occurrence

    Exceptional quality gems are procured from Egypt and Myanmar. In ancient times Zagbargad (Zebirget) Island in Egypt was the main source and was mined for centuries. United States of America produce middling quality but abundance quantity. Other countries proffering average quality stones are Afghanistan, Hawaii, China, Tanzania, Ethiopia and Australia. Minas Gerais at Brazil, Kohistan in Pakistan, Eifel at Germany and Chihuahua at Mexico are also good source of this stunning stone.

    Enhancement

    It comes into existence during the volcanic eruption in best form. Mother nature has created it perfectly thus, seldom man made treatments with oil, wax or resin are required to further enhance its beauty. Natural appearance in itself is enthralling.

    Imitations

    The green gemstones confused with this startling stone include green tourmaline and green sinhalite (both exhibit pleochroic phenomena strongly), moldavites and green garnets (have no double refraction), apatite (that is a lot softer) and green zircon (much heavier). None of the imitations possess the elite yellow factor to its green colour.

    Uses

    It being a jewelry stone is ideal for the daily wear. Also, not much care is required. With innovative designs it makes amazing ornaments. It is thought-out idyllic for the summer wear jewelry due to its light colour and admirable transparency. For accent stones and jewelry pieces faceted stones are used. The tumbled gems are best suited for baroque jewelry, beads and mosaics.

    Sterling silver, 14K or 18K white gold, 14K or 18K yellow gold and platinum are used for making the jewelry holding this marvelous stone. It goes very well with yellow gold and then its effect is further appreciated. Rings, pendants, earrings and necklaces can have either the single stone or many stones of varied sizes depending on the design. When total carat weight of all the stones put up together falls between 2-4 ctw then it is priced moderately. For the jewelries where carat weight exceeds 4 ctw, it becomes little expensive. In many designs it is paired with other precious and semi precious gemstones. In Navarathna ornaments in place of emerald, Peridot can be used and the wearer would get similar advantages.

    Precautions

    It is between 6.5-7 Mohs on the hardness scale. As per the hardness scale it is quite easy to care for but certainly demands the common gemstone precautions. Has to be protected from sharp blows & scratches and harsh chemicals present in cleaning agents & cosmetics. Must be kept away from sudden large temperature changes and excessive heat else it would fade the colour of the stone.

    For cleaning the gemstone or jewelry, mild soapy water and soft bristle brush must be used instead of home ultrasonic cleaner. Then after, it should be wiped off fully with a soft cloth. Cleaning must be done only once in a couple of years and not on a regular basis. It should be stored in the box lined with cotton/velvet/soft cloth.

    Beliefs

    Since ancient times this astounding stone is cherished a lot. Romans, Greeks and Egyptians had special thoughtfulness for it. It was also believed to chase off the evil spirits. Pirates used it extensively.

    Today, astrologers associate it with success, peace and fortuity. It is said to increase the expressiveness and confidence of the wearer. Person experiencing fear or bad dreams is recommended to wear this gem in gold. With regular wearing it is held to wave off the odd traits like ego, jealousy etc. and bring positive energy and vibrations. In case of medical treatments, it is used for curing asthma, heart problems, lung diseases and sinus. It also helps in proper functioning of liver and adrenal system.

    Queen of beauty, Cleopatra used to take pleasure in wearing Peridot jewelry. Many of her jewelry pieces had this gem instead of emerald. Besides, it was amongst her favorite gems. It is alleged to possess power and properties similar to emerald. Experience the persona of emerald by paying half of its real worth through Peridot. It certainly is a good haggle. Worth trying !!!

    Tourmaline buying guide

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    Tourmaline buying guide

    by Suma Shreyas

    This stunning stone in colors ranging from all shades of green,blue,yellow, black, pink, red and clear is a feast to one’s eyes. Word tourmaline itself comes from Ceylon or as it is now known as Sri Lankan word “Turumali”, it means “gemstone” or sometimes referred as “mixed parcel” as it contains variety of minerals.

    I was first introduced to this stunning stone called Tourmaline when I first laid my eyes on this exquisite pink stone and have been a great fan of this multi-colored stone ever since. The more and more I learnt about this gem the more I am in awe of this stone, astounded by its range of colors and its beauty.

    This stunning stone in colors ranging from all shades of green, blue, yellow, black, pink, red and clear is a feast to one’s eyes. Word tourmaline itself comes from Ceylon or as it is now known as Sri Lankan word “Turumali”, it means “gemstone” or sometimes referred as “mixed parcel” as it contains variety of minerals. It is also called “Verdalite” which comes from Latin, known as “greenstone”.

    Tourmaline is a collectors delight as we find enthusiastic collectors from all parts of the world on the look out for the rarest of colors, size of the stone, the setting and the concentration of colors with little or no banding of colors.

    “Color” -this gives the beauty to tourmalines. Colors in every hue, shade and nuance graces this stone. Some tourmalines even have more than one color. The color that the stone gets depends on the place from where it is mined. Pariba tourmaline is a electric blue stone. While Brazil is home to green and bluish green tourmaline.

    SriLanka possesses Rubellite which is blessed with colors of ruby ranging from pink to red. Malawi produces bright yellow tourmalines.

    Some of the varieties of tourmalines are Rubellite (red), Indicolite ( blue), Chromolite (rich green), Canary (bright yellow), Watermelon ( green-edge and red-heart combo) Paraiba ( intense green to rich blue), Bi-color (more than one colored) Cats eye (variety of colors) and Color-change (Color changes with light from red to green ). Rest of the tourmalines are just called with the color prefix like pink-tourmaline. The color of the stone takes a different hue depending on the mineral and the proportion in which is present in it . Pariba tourmaline is said to have copper in small amount and even traces of gold.

    “Cut” this is also an important factor one must remember when looking for tourmaline. It can be as varied as its color and can add or subtract to the beauty of the stone. Each cut can bring out the colors differently. Always go in for the cut-style that is appealing to you, making sure that the angles are right, light is coming back to the eye in a pleasing way and bring out the colors beautifully. Usually lighter colored tourmalines are oriented with table facet perpendicular to the c-axis to bring out the deepest color. Tourmalines are usually cut as rounds, triangles, trillions and ovals.

    Tourmaline is quite a hard stone with it hardness being 7.5. Tourmalines must be protected from scratches and blows, this is to warn you that one must not wear them while boxing or wrestling!!!!.

    Large temperature changes could cause harm to the stone.

    “Clarity”- Usually tourmalines always comes with inclusions and can never be clean as diamonds. Tourmaline is a very popular gem with its price ranging from fairly affordable to being very expensive depending on the concentration of color and size of the stone.

    “Carats” which means the weight of the stone. It becomes dearer with the increasing weight of the stone which is measured in carats. A carat is approximately one fifth of a gram. Larger stones being rare is very valuable. Paraiba being the most expensive tourmaline.

    So the 4 C’s play an important role in determining the value of a gemstone and have to be considered while we are buying tourmaline too. They influence the fifth C being the “Cost”.

    Tourmaline has this physical property to change its electric charge when heated so in seventeenth century Dutch sailors brought tourmaline to Europe and used them to clean the pipes as it attracted ash other light objects by becoming polarized crystalline magnet. they called them “aschntrekkers”

    Moreover the very unusual colors of tourmaline ranging from electric blue to emerald green, from ruby red to exquisite pink is sure to attract attention. Tourmaline can also be used as birthstone as it comes in all colors and birthstones are determined by the color of the stones. Many mystical properties are also attributed to this exquisite gem. Pink tourmaline is said to enhance female balance and protection while green tourmaline is its counterpart enhancing male balance. Legend also has it that the wearer of all colors of tourmalines are protected from evil-eyes, misfortunes and wards off danger. Multi-coloured tourmaline is also the anniversary birth-stone on the 8th year of marriage. So if one’s marriage is on the rocks its time to get this rock. It is an eye candy if it is set in the right way.

    While we are shopping for tourmalines we should enquire as to where it came from, its size and the richness of color. One must also examine the tourmaline in all kinds of lighting before buying as it can look completely different in day-light and in incandescent lighting. Soon one can become a connoisseur and be able to discern the finest of gem and be able to appreciate them. Tourmaline’s wide spectrum of colors provides innumerable options for any kind of jewellery to go with any kind of outfit making it a collectors delight.

    Peridot Earrings

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    Peridot Earrings

    by Ardamun

    Select a pair that has a vivid light green color. Peridot with little or no olive tones is most popular for earrings.

    Peridot Earring Buying Tips

    Peridot, a volcanic gem, is the gem variety of Olivine – a species of magnesium-iron rich silicate minerals. Gem quality Peridot comes from a variety of sources, the oldest being the ancient Zagbargad Island in the Red Sea, off the coast of Egypt. The earliest recorded production here was around 70 AD. Unconfirmed records have it that mining could have gone on, during the time of the Pharaohs, as early as 1500 BC! The other sources are Mogok in Myanmar (formerly Burma), Pakistan, Brazil, Germany, Australia, Peridot Mesa at San Carlos Apache Reservation in Arizona, and Salt Lake Crater in Oahu (Hawaii). Folklore has it that it was once treasured by native Hawaiians as the tears of Pele – the Goddess-of-Fire. peridot earrings

    courtesy: mineralminers.com

    Buying Peridot Earrings

    From the ancient times, Peridot has been popular for jewelry; in fact, it is its best-known use. It is believed that the Emeralds worn by Cleopatra were in fact Peridot. Found in varying shades of olive green, yellow-green, and brownish-green, its most valued color for jewelry is a lively lime green.

    Peridot is a clean stone, with the hardness of 6.5 to 7 on the Moh’s scale of hardness. The darker shade of green is considered a better stone. A lively lime green Peridot, though, lends its elegance to earrings. For earrings, look for gemstones that are not overwhelmingly ‘olivey’. As in the case of all gemstones, the cut of Peridot, its facets, decide its value for earrings. The cut should produce an even fire. There should be no large dark patches when you look directly down on the table. Observe the gemstone in both, the incandescent and fluorescent light sources. This will give you an idea of the change in its color and fire when you wear your earrings under those lights. Just for this basic quality, it is an ideal evening adornment.

    When buying Peridot earrings, look for the following

    • Select a pair that has a vivid light green color. Peridot with little or no olive tones is most popular for earrings.
    • Observe its cut. The faceting should produce an even fire, with no dark patches.
    • Most American Peridot is 3 carat or less, and is an ideal size for earrings.
    • Like all gems, the value of Peridot increases with its carat weight. Look for small sizes of cut Peridot for your earrings. The small size will look great in earrings and will be easier on your pocket.

    Peridot is ideochromatic, and its rich grass green and vivid light green colors are ideal for earrings. Peridot is a very appropriate gemstone for jewelry in general, and for earrings in particular, as it looks good under all light conditions. Peridot is not an expensive gemstone and one should go for clean clarity. Certain Peridot have a ‘sleepy appearance,’ caused by small platelet inclusions found in the stones from Myanmar. This lends its own charm, and can be considered when shopping for earrings. The relative affordability of Peridot makes it popular among those who cannot afford emeralds or sapphires for their earrings.

    The beauty of Peridot is that you can apply all types of cuts and shapes to it. This quality makes your pair of earrings standout, whether they are worked in gold or in sterling silver. Jewelers can be asked to focus on the cut of your earrings, as they are not terribly expensive. You can let your imagination run wild and design your own cuts for your pair of earrings. The elegance of your Peridot earrings is enhanced by good cutting, proportions and symmetry.

    Peridot sizes range from miniscule to faceted stones of 10 carat or more. Ideal sizes for earrings are anything from 1 carat or less to 5 carats combined weight for a pair. They make lovely pairs whether as drop down earrings, clip on earrings, or post style earrings. Though Peridot has never been synthesized, a number of imitations exist, such as tourmaline and green glass. Glass can easily be found out by its single refraction.

    Peridot is one of the gemstones that are enhanced to improve its appearance. It is routinely enhanced by filling surface-breaking fissures with a colorless oil, wax, resin or any other colorless substances. This process improves its durability and appearance.

    Peridot Facts and Lore

    Peridot is a green in color and is a very popular gemstone for jewelry, used in Earrings, Necklaces, Pendants and Rings. The ancient Romans called it the ‘evening emerald,’ because in a lamplight its green color shone even more intensely to resemble deep green emeralds. Legend has it that in ancient Egypt, mining was done at night because Peridot could not be easily seen during the day, but its pale shimmering green was easily lit up by lamplight at night.

    Pakistan, today, produces the finest Peridot and in large quantities. China, too, produces in large quantities, but of inferior qualities. Myanmar produces large size Peridot, 30 carats and up, and is mainly of interest as collector’s items. The largest cut Peridot, a 310-carat gem, is now displayed at The Smithsonian Institution in Washington, D.C. A yellowish-green 192.75-carat stone of the czars is now a part of the Diamond Treasury in Moscow. A 146-carat step-cut Peridot resides in Geological Museum in London.

    Peridot is the birthstone of Libra, the lucky charm of Leo, and the anniversary gemstone for the 16th year of marriage. Peridot earrings will make ideal gifts as birthday or 16th wedding anniversary presents.

    Mystical properties have been attributed to Peridot. It is thought that it helps dreams become a reality. It is a symbol of fame, dignity, and protection. According to legends, Peridot protected pirates against evil, and when set in gold, it protected against the terrors of the night. In the olden times, drinking medicine from a goblet made from Peridot was thought to double its strength. Taken internally, ground Peridot, was once used as a treatment for asthma.

    In the recent times, Peridot has enjoyed a rise in its popularity as the gemstone, especially, for earrings. It lends elegance to the wearer, and is designed intricately with 14k or 18k gold, or with sterling silver. This is the time to enhance your wardrobe with Peridot earrings, and you can do so at very affordable prices. Happy shopping!

    Tourmaline Facts and Buying Guide

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    Tourmaline Facts and Buying Guide

    by Shweta Dhanuka

    It is the hard stone having the hardness of 7-7.5 Mohs and could be used for wearing daily in earrings, rings or pendants. However, in order to endure years of wear keep it away from steam cleaning, home ultrasonic cleaner and heating. It should also be protected from scratches and sharp blows.

    Tourmaline, the name is derived from the Sinhalese word “tura mali,” that was referred as mixed assortment of colored gemstones. The name of this semi precious gemstone is justified with its source name as it is found in many different colours and in diverse colour combinations. This is the reason why it is very close to the heart of people with the creative and artistic instinct.

    It is the gemstone for the August born person and wedding anniversary stone for the couples in the 8th year of their marriage. Being a versatile gem, no two gemstones are similar in appearance. The difference lies in colour and facets of the stones. Therefore, while making the purchase of this splendid gemstone, give time to see it under different light source. Specific light sources are suitable for different colours. Read this and more about the varied varieties along with common characteristics of Tourmaline in the text below. It is written to make the buyers fully acquaint with the diverse facts about the gemstone that would act as buying guide. This would enable the buyers to make the purchase of actual gemstone at the right price.

    Colour -This gemstone occurs in all possible hues, tones and shades of colours. The multiplicity of colour for this gem is not restricted to the rainbow colours rather it is found in almost all the primary and basic colours like shades of green, red, blue, yellow, brown, pink, black, colourless etc. The colour disparities along the gemstone’s length lead to the bicolour and tricolour crystals that have whole host of colour amalgamation. In simple words, bicolour tourmalines are those that display two colours while tricolour display more than two colours in the same stone. These varieties having colourful bands are quite fashionable. Combinations of different colours in concentric circles and triangular patterns in one single stone are also commonly seen like one colour at the center of the stone while other colour around it.

    This entrancing stone exhibits strongly the phenomena of Pleochroism. Under it, the crystal is seen in diverse colours is diverse directions. There is mix of dark, medium and light shades of the colour. Different colour shades are seen along the vertical and horizontal axis. The maximum dark colour shade is at all times observed from the bottom axis of the crystal.

    Varieties – On the basis of the colour this gemstone is classified into ten varieties. Colour variations occur due to presence of different mineral in the chemical composition in form of impurities. All the different types are exclusive and special for the jewelry lovers. Sometimes the jewelry designers create incomparable ornaments using all the colour varieties in form of rainbow.

    Watermelon Tourmaline –  This is only one of its kind variety having pink colour in the heart of the stone and green colour encircling pink. It is the best example for colour variation in cross-section that appears in concentric circles. Jewelry designers create fabulous ornaments using it in a very unique way by setting it in slices instead of faceted stones so as to boaster the incredible phenomenon.

    Paraiba Tourmalines – It is a stone blue to bluish green in colour. Minute quantity of copper and a tad of gold are responsible for the colour. In the year 1987, it was first mined in Paraiba State of Brazil and so named accordingly. This variety is to a large extent in demand when found in good quality. Gemstone lovers procure it as the lifetime asset.

    Red Tourmalines – It is also called as Rubellite. Mineral responsible for red shades is lithium. The colour of the stone varies from pale rose to deep ruby red with the minimum to maximum quantity of lithium present in the composition respectively. Absolute deep ruby red shade is very rare to be seen thus is very expensive. Finest quality is acquired from Nigeria. A genuine high quality red colour stones shows same intense red colour in incandescent light plus in daylight. Poor quality stones would display brown hues in change of light source. It is believed to have prominent sway on love and friendship, leading to permanence and firmness in everlasting relations.

    Blue Tourmalines – Across the world this variety is in high demand but because of the limited supply it is not easily obtained. Nigeria is the prime source for the best quality gems. Indicolite and Indigolite are additional names for this variety. The originality of this colour could be judged in daylight. It is alleged to radiate high grade of concord and the wearer is trusted to experience frankness and patience. It could be seen in different shades blue, black and brown in triangular pattern.

    Yellow Tourmalines – It was first found in the mines of East Africa. The gemstones acquired from Malawi in Africa possess brilliant clarity thus are named as ‘Canary’. The pure yellow colour without the traces of any other colour appears due to the fine quantity of magnesium in the composition. Alas, every single stone is not intense and clear yellow in colour. Therefore, the pale stones are treated with circa at 700 degree Celsius to achieve the desired bright colour. Difference between original and enhanced stone could be distinguished in incandescent light.

    One matchless aspect of this colour variety is that it can be distinguished with its excellent fragrance. Malawi canary or yellow tourmalines as rough are covered with black coating when it is obtained from the mines. The first step of processing for this variety is to separate the stone from the unwanted black material. So the roughs are boiled in the mixture of water and lemon juice. As a result the black material is removed and the stones exhibit dazzling lemon yellow colour with fantastic aroma.

    Green Tourmaline – It is gaining popularity at the rapid pace. Fortunately with good supply it is sort of affordable. As pink gem suits females, green is for males as it endorses male stability and safety. It is also called as Verdelite or Elbaite. Green colour is due to the presence of chromium mineral in the composition. This stone is best observed in daylight.
    Black Tourmalines : It is the iron-rich variety hence is black to bluish-black to deep brown in colour. It is said to defend the wearer against pessimism. Schorl is it’s additional name. Commonly used for engravings and in esotericism as it is believed to protect its wearer against detrimental waves.

    Pink Tourmaline – It is available widely thus is reasonably priced. It is more apposite for females as it encourages female balance and security.
    Colourless Tourmaline : As the name specifies it is having no colour. It is called as Achroite and is rare in nature.

    Brown Tourmaline – It is further more rare than the colorless variety. It is also called as Buergerite and Dravite. These varieties are not very popular.

    Clarity – This fabulous gemstone is found in large crystals as rough. Absolutely crystal clear gems are rarely obtained. The majority inclusions in tourmaline are fractures and liquid-filled healed fractures. In some stones needle like inclusions are also seen. However, clarity varies from one stone to other with respect to its colour. For example – Blue and green coloured gems consists less inclusions than red and pink stones. Moreover, the commonly occurring inclusions could be removed with efficient cutting. Minute fine and soft inclusions are sometimes appreciated and do not affect the price.

    Cut – It can be cut into any shape and size. However, it is not that simple for the cutter. For this multi-colored gemstone cutters need to use his/her skills at the optimum level to identify the right angle and side of cutting so as to maximize the effect of Pleochroism. In order to enhance the main colour, it is suggested to check the colour spots from all the directions before cutting. The final look of the gemstone is totally in the hands of cutter.

    Dark colored gems are cut in a way that exhibits two lighter pleochroic colours. Such stones have c-axis cut in parallel to the outer facet. Similarly, light colored stones are cut to highlight the pleochroic deeper shades. To achieve this, light shades are cut having c-axis perpendicular to the outer facet. The phenomenon of Pleochroism is best seen in long rectangular shapes. Also due to long and narrow crystal shapes of the gemstone, rectangular cut is best to view the real beauty of the gem. Some stones displaying cats-eye effect are cut into a cabochon as in this cut the upshot is boosted. Emerald and oval cuts are next in the list of preference. Rounds, triangles and trillions cut are followed then after.
    Carat weight – Different varieties are found in different carat weight. Paraiba gems are found maximum to 2 carat weight. More than this weight, the crystals are considered as gems only for royal families. Red, blue and green gems could be found between 3-5 ctw and beyond 10 ctw is rare and too costly. Yellow gems could be procured between 1-3 ctw. Rest others tend to be less than 3 ctw.

    Price – This stunning gemstone could be an affordable gem as well as an expensive buy too. It all depends on the colour varieties and their respective quality and supply. Paraiba tourmalines are the priced maximum then follows blue, green, red and watermelon gems. Intensity, rarity and clarity of these varieties further affect the price. Final price is ascertained on the basis of the carat weight. With every increase in the carat weight of the gemstone the equivalent price increases.

    Occurrence – This gemstone is amongst the most complicated silicate mineral. Being a complex silicate of Aluminum and Boron, its chemical composition varies with the presence of varied minerals like sodium, calcium, iron, magnesium, lithium and many more. Granite & granite pegmatite igneous rocks and marble, sandstone & schist metamorphic rocks are the rocks where tourmaline occurs. Lithium-rich stones and Magnesium-rich stones occur in igneous and metamorphic rocks respectively. It has the Trigonal crystal system thus has three sides. It is found as long, thin to broad prismatic and columnar crystals that are habitually triangular in cross-section.

    Source – It is mined through out in the world. Minas Gerais and Bahia at Brazil are the prime source for all the varieties. Kenya, Madagascar, Mozambique, Mexico, Myanmar, Namibia, Nigeria, Afghanistan, Pakistan, Russia and Sri Lanka are few more countries that produce good amount of this gemstone. Fascinating green and lovely pink colored gemstones are procured from California, Utah and Maine State of United States of America respectively. Tanzania is rich source of chrome variety green colour.

    Enhancement – A small number of pale stones are heat treated to improve its colour. Some are irradiated to enhance the overall look of the stone. Sporadically it is oiled to bury the apparent inclusions and other surface-reaching cracks.

    Imitations – It is yet to be synthesized by modern methods and techniques. However, man-made imitations such as glass are frequently seen in the gemstone trade market. Also poor quality natural stones are treated to look like different varieties of tourmalines. All these and more are sold under fancy trade names to dupe the innocent buyers.

    Uses – This fascinating gemstone is used for creating attractive jewelry items. Using the creative mix of varied colours of gemstone, jewelry designer produce alluring designs. Rings, earrings, pendants, broaches, back-pins, necklaces etc are created to suit the casual as well as formal attire. All jewelries are made in 14K or 18K yellow gold/white gold. Sterling silver is also widely used for making the stylish jewelry. Other than the jewelries, it used as an ornamental stone. Figures and carvings made up of this gemstone are popular in every corner of the globe.

    Apart from these usual gemstones use, it is an important component in making pressure gauges, specialist microphones and electronic instrumentation. It is highly thought of by the scientist as it confers the thermal and fluid history of rocks where it is formed. Also is closely allied with several foremost metallic ore deposits, preserves chemical marks of it’s rock sources, succumbs isotopic proof for the environmental supply of the boron and is a significant link in the boron cycle. One of its unusual physical characteristics is that by heating or rubbing vigorously it gets charged. Then it shows positive charge at one end while negative at the other end. This is termed “pyro-electricity”. Due to this feature it is used to extract the ashes and dust from the pipes (Pipes used for smoking) and named as “Aschetrekker”.

    Precautions – It is the hard stone having the hardness of 7-7.5 Mohs and could be used for wearing daily in earrings, rings or pendants. However, in order to endure years of wear keep it away from steam cleaning, home ultrasonic cleaner and heating. It should also be protected from scratches and sharp blows. Large temperature change is hazardous for the long-term life of the stone thus, must be avoided. Exposure to sweltering sunlight, excessive heat, acids and harsh chemical present in cosmetics and cleaning agents must be sternly avoided else the stones are ruined badly. These few precautions and care would enable the forever the brightness and glow of the gemstone.

    Beliefs – In ancient time, many royal families used it in their royal jewels like Russian Crown from the 17th century had red tourmalines instead of ruby and the last Empress of China, Empress Dowager Tz’uHsi adored pink tourmaline. She had an enormous collection of this startling gemstone.
    It is believed to shield the wearer in opposition to many adverse circumstances and bad luck. It inculcates the positive traits like confidence, enthusiasm, constructive thinking etc. and overcomes the negativity. It creates the balance between different energies. It is trusted to be idyllic for relationships as it fosters potent sway on love and friendship resulting in immovability and constancy.

    This awe-inspiring gemstone is treasured for its multi-coloured look. The inimitable gamut of colours and plechorism flaunted by the stone makes it very special for the gemstone collectors and admirers in the entire universe. The soothing colours of the gem offer elegance and classy touch to the looks of the lady. This rainbow gemstone suits all moods and surely would fill as many its colours in your life.

    Tourmaline Properties

    Chemical CompositionIt is Complex Aluminium Borosilicate and the chemical formula is (Na,Ca)(Mg,Li,Al,Fe2+)3Al6B3Si6(OH)4.
    ColoursGreen, red, blue, yellow, brown, pink, black, colourless etc. Also bi-colours found like amazing watermelon.
    StreakColourless.
    Hardness7 – 7.5 Mohs.
    LusterVitreous
    Refractive Index1.616 – 1.652
    Specific Gravity3.03- 3.25
    Solid StateTransparent to opaque.
    Crystal SystemTrigonal crystal system.
    FracturesSub-conchoidal to uneven.
    CleavageGood to poor prismatic.
    BirefringenceMedium. Varies between 0.014 to 0.021
    DispersionMedium (.017)
    PleochroismStrong
    TenacityBrittle.
    SourceBrazil, USA, Tanzania, Kenya, Madagascar, Mozambique, Mexico, Myanmar, Namibia, Nigeria, Afghanistan, Pakistan, Russia and Sri Lanka.
    EnhancementOften enhanced through heat treatments, irradiation and oiling.
    PrecautionsAll general gemstone care and precautions.

    Tourmaline Earrings

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    Tourmaline Earrings

    by Preeti Sharma

    Tourmaline earrings are available in styles like pierced and clip-on. Keeping these two basic styles, the tourmaline earrings further branch out in a vast variety of shapes and designs. The pierced earring has the most popular style that includes simple studs, posts with hanging earrings at the front.

    Tourmaline Earring Buying Guide

    Tourmaline earrings are a beautiful piece of jewelry art, striking to look at. Tourmaline earrings can be bought to enhance your overall look and beauty. Before you buy the tourmaline earring for yourself, here is our Tourmaline earring buying guide to help you to get your best deal of tourmaline earrings.

    Features of Tourmaline

    Tourmaline is a group of associated mineral species. The name Tourmaline is derived from Sinhalese word tourmali, meaning a “mixed parcel.” Before we discuss the styles of tourmaline earrings and give you tips to buy them, let us first tell you what the tourmaline stone looks like in general.

    Color

    For Tourmaline, color is crucial. You can get this stone in several hues and shades than any other gemstone. Tourmaline comes in all possible colors. There are also tourmalines that you can find in more than one color at the same stone. Let us tell you about some of the important varieties of tourmaline color. They are Rubellite (red) and Indicolite (blue).

    Chrome is an intense green color highlighted by chromium or vanadium.

    The bi-color tourmaline displays two or more colors in one stone. Watermelon tourmaline is really beautiful to see. It is a bi-color stone that has green skin and red core. This stone is often cut in slices. The Canary color of tourmaline stone is bright yellow from Malawi. Paraíba is an intense blue color to green colored by copper from Brazil. The Cat’s Eye tourmaline is chatoyant in a great assortment of colors.

    The color change of Tourmaline varies from green color in daylight to red in candent light. As it is prevalent with most of the gems, the color should be as strong as possible. It must not be too dark or too light.

    Watermelon Tourmaline

    courtesy: Mineralminers.com

    Lighting

    On the color variety of tourmaline, the proper lighting condition depends. The colors like red, orange and yellow mostly look best under the candent light. The other colors like green, blue and violet look even prettier in daylight. While buying any tourmaline or say any gem broadly, it is a practically good idea to analyze the stone under the light sources. This will not make you surprised or shocked in future.

    Clarity

    There are different varieties of tourmaline stone. All of them tend to have a different level of clarity. You can find neat large tourmaline stones in blue and blue-green colors. About all the red and pink tourmaline stone indicates features visible to naked eye. One of the most common inclusions in tourmaline is the fracture and liquid-filled healed fracture. You can also get to see the needle inclusion quite commonly.

    Cut

    One can find the cuts variety in tourmaline as variegated as its color. With its strong Pleochroism the dark color tourmalines have cuts to show the lighter stone of the two pleochroic colors. The tourmaline gem has cut with the orientation that often has rectangles and the rectangular emerald cuts. This is chiefly due to the prolonged nature of the crystals of tourmaline. The Tourmaline stone of light color is oriented particularly with table facet vertical to the c-axis. This helps to display the affluence of the color as possible. This is why you can get the tourmaline stone often cut in rounds or triangles or trillions and ovals.

    Price

    You can find tremendous variation in the prices of tourmaline stone. The cost depends largely on the variety and the quality of the stone. One of the most expensive varieties is of the Paraíba tourmaline. Paraiba can reach up to the tens of thousands of dollars for each per carat. The chrome color Rubellite, fine indicolites and bi-colors of tourmalines may sell for as high as $1000/ct. and more. The other varieties available in the market are for the price between $50-750/ct. The price as such depends on the richness of tourmaline color.

    Size

    Most of tourmaline stones tend to be less than one ct. The Paraíba tourmaline is an extremely rare variety of the faceted stones above 2 carats. The chrome tourmaline has a rare quality and size that is above 10 carats.

    Imitation

    Though tourmaline is never been synthesized, but there are some imitations that exist. This includes natural stones and other man made imitations like glass.

    The Tourmaline Earring styles

    The tourmaline stone gives the earrings a fashion statement to make it more than just a decorative jewelry for your ear. Tourmaline earrings have it all – excellent style, flare, and the quality to enhance the look of the wearer. You can get the tourmaline earrings in all possible designs and styles with all possible metals.

    Tourmaline earrings are available in styles like pierced and clip-on. Keeping these two basic styles, the tourmaline earrings further branch out in a vast variety of shapes and designs. The pierced earring has the most popular style that includes simple studs, posts with hanging earrings at the front. The posts hold a round hoop or embraced earring. The pierced tourmaline earring is attached to the ear with a wire that runs through the earlobe other than the post. The clip on tourmaline earrings are what the name involves attaching the ear with a hole through the earlobe. They have a clip on with a spring attachment or screw in the post.

    The Silver or white gold looks really attractive with tourmaline. The cool colors of tourmaline like blue and ferozi appear even prettier. You can even try the earring embellished with three or four small stones in different colors set in an exclusive combination and style in one earring. It has a very stylish look. Some of the best combinations are pink, blue, green and yellow. More so, you can wear it with all kinds of dresses.

    Tourmaline earring can be worn with both formal and casual apparel. You can also mix yellow and white gold in a tourmaline earring with one single stone. This makes the overall look of the stone real smart and unlike. If you pick a small or medium size of stone for the design of earring, the emphasis must be on both the design and stone. Keep in mind the design of the earring before you select the stone.

    If you are creative enough you can make your own design of the tourmaline earring and give it to the jeweler to carry it out in real. Otherwise, internet is the best medium to browse on some of the exquisite styles of tourmaline earrings. You can put a glance on the design, improve it further with your imagination and get a brand new unique earring made for your self.

    Check the facts below while buying a tourmaline earring

    • The quality of the stone
    • The nature of stone-real or synthetic
    • Obvious scratches, chips or inclusions.
    • Overall smoothness of color.
    • The cut of the stone
    • The small sizes of cut in tourmaline for earrings give it a great look. It is also easy to handle and care.
    • Purchase your tourmaline earring from a registered jeweler. It will help you to make it sure you are not plying for a false stone.

    Peridot Rings buying tips

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    Peridot Rings buying tips

    by Ashutosh Roy

    Peridot, the pseudo emerald gemstone, is the birthstone of August and more popularly known as the summer stone. The most important factor is that all its varieties conform to only one colour, Green, the colour variation starts from yellowish green and ends in greenish yellow.

    Peridot Rings

    (images: minealminers.com)

    Everybody cannot be lucky enough like Elizabeth Taylor to murmur, “The first thing I saw was an engagement ring”. The romantic feeling of offering a gorgeous ring to hypnotize your dream girl starts from a very tender age.

    Peridot, the pseudo emerald gemstone, is the birthstone of August and more popularly known as the summer stone. The most important factor is that all its varieties conform to only one colour, Green, the colour variation starts from yellowish green and ends in greenish yellow. The shining of the Green colour becomes more dazzling at night when the Sun goes behind and the lamplight takes the charge. The brilliant green of Peridot has been giving sparkling effect to the various parts of the body like fingers, earlobes, throat etc. since the Egyptian culture. The gemologists find the resurgence of Peridot with the discovery of Kashmir Peridot. The main advantage of Peridot is that it can be shaped to fit your exact requirement and the inherent toughness does not let it to be too fragile.

    Peridot are available mostly in Globe, Arizona, Burma and China and most recently in the Kashmir valley, which has been highly popular all over the world. It is also a very old yet the most modern gemstone. It started with the people of the oldest culture of Egypt and Greece. Like every gemstone Peridot has also been rated very high for its healing power. There was a time when people not only restrained themselves from wearing Peridot but also used to swallow as a medicine of Asthma. Peridot is supposed to bring success and good luck for you.

    Peridot, combined with diamond in the original Gold base give you a gorgeous look. Rings are available, when the diamonds are embedded on the two sides of the rings, slowly converging to a mounted Peridot. The yellow colour of the Gold, the sparkling whitish diamond and the glitter of Peridot simply becomes irresistible. The varieties have been given some popular names like clover design, Diamond Bezel Peridot, Pave Diamond Peridot etc depending upon the various settings as imagined by the designers. Sometimes even more than one peridots are placed in the same ring in the form of bezel settings where each of the peridot is surrounded by a set of tiny diamonds using claw settings. But you can easily imagine that the budget will pinch you too much. In reality the Green peridot surrounded by white diamond becomes stunning.

    The artist imagines and the designer translates his dream in black and white, the craftsman implements them. As nobody can control over the imaginative power of the artist, a real creative variety comes up just by using the method of permutations and combinations. So what is so surprising if you find a ring where the stunning Amethyst is placed in the center with two Peridots sitting on the either sides. And that too if made in a quality yellow gold, then the colour of Green, Yellow and transparent purple will sparkle under the lamp. When the stunning Peridot is placed in the center point of a peacock feather design in combination with different coloured enamels, it reveals the imagination and designing power of the ancient people. At times Peridots are even combined with Blue Topaz to reveal the truth that variety is the spice of life. But if all of the above just go beyond your budget, don’t get disheartened! The Sterling silver and Gold mix also gives you the stunning effect to win the heart of your fiancé.

    Now, what to check while buying? Unlike most common light and fragile gemstones, the Peridots are hard (6.5 to 7 in mohs scale) enough which requires hardly any treatment of adding extra toughness. A simple waxing is adequate for polishing. The same good old methodology is applicable in case of buying a Peridot ring. Check the settings. If it is a prong setting, you need to ensure that the claws should reach adequately inside the stone, not merely the edges to hold the peridot or other gemstones properly. If you also want the effect of the gemstone then ensure that the claws are small enough to allow the gemstone to touch your skin directly. In case of Bezel Settings, check the evenness of the lip of the Bezel or Flush. Any hitches or distortion ought to be avoided. The peridot fitted inside the Bezel should not wobble. If it is a Pave kind of setting, then ensure the look and feel. And finally you need to check, whether peridot has got evenly distributed colour, which basically depends on the cutting process. The light green colour without any overtone are most attractive when fitted in a golden ring. But buying is a one-time process and maintenance is a life long process. So, if you want to increase the ring’s lifeline with a prolonged stunning nature, then clean it with light warm water. Use light soap and just rinse which should not stain the gemstone. Try to hide it from the direct heat to get rid of unwanted scratches in your hard earned ring. Use velvet or fabric lined jewelry box to keep it safe.

    Where to buy? Peridot rings are available in most of the popular gem houses like Walsh Brothers, eBay, Nex Tag, Apple of Gold Jewelry, Jewel Warehouse, Jewelry Impression. The budget starts from $50 and upto the capacity of your pocket.

    Why to wait for the sixteenth anniversary? If you want to win the heart of your beloved one, then perhaps the brilliant splash of colour of peridot ring will allow you to say ” I came, I saw, I conquered” like Julius Caesar. But be cautious! The Peridot may bring more power, success and better luck for the owner, just to supersede you in every walk of life.

    Peridot Jewelry some tips

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    Peridot Jewelry some tips

    by Preeti Sharma

    Peridot is actually a transparent stone that is available at large with good amount of clarity. It is interesting that the name topaz may have been applied to Peridot initially because it is found on the Topazos Island in the Red Sea.

    Peridot Jewelry Buying Guide

    The jewelry made of Peridot gemstone with lustrous green color can lure any jewelry lover. But before you adorn your fingers with that shining green ring or lace your neck with a Peridot necklace, it is important for you to know which Peridot stone has the best quality and features to be a proud part of your beauty. Here is our Peridot Jewelry Buying Guide to tell you all that you should know or want to know about Peridot jewelry.

    peridot jewelry
    courtesy: mineralminers.com

    What is Peridot?

    Peridot is one of the most beautiful green gemstones. It has a color that is more or less the epitome of immaculate green grass. The gem variety of the Peridot stone is Forsterite to Fayalite Olivine series. It is formed at the time of volcanic eruptions. Peridot is the August birthstone. But its sparkling color makes it well popular with people born in any month of the year.

    Peridot is actually a transparent stone that is available at large with good amount of clarity. It is interesting that the name topaz may have been applied to Peridot initially because it is found on the Topazos Island in the Red Sea.

    Colors of Peridot

    Peridot is ideochromatic stone colored by the ferrous iron. It is a basic fact to the composition of the stone. The best colors of Peridot stone generally have about 10 to 15 % of iron in them. The ideal color that is selected quite often for jewelry is rich grass green. It is the lime green color that is associated with youth, spring, and eternity as per ancient wisdom. But there are some Peridot stones that have yellowish green or greenish yellow or brown color. The color of the Peridot stone can range from yellowish green to dark lime green.

    The brown color versions are also found, but are not desirable generally by the jewelry makers to make jewelry. Usually the dark green color of the stone labels the gem a Peridot. If the color goes more on the yellow side, it turns into a Chrysolite.

    Lighting of Peridot

    Peridot is not dependent on light as the red and blue gems. It is likely to shine and look good under all lights. Even after the sundown, the color of the stone does not get darken.

    Clarity of Peridot

    Peridot has the best quality that it is available with eye clean clarity. This is the standard form of the stone. The strong 0.036 double refraction of Peridot can also give stones a little sleepy look. This is most marked out in 10 carats plus large stones.

    Cuts in Peridot

    There is no limit to the cuts and shapes applied to Peridot. Even if there is any limit, it is the imagination of the jewelry designing. As Peridot is not terribly expensive, the gem cutters can focus on its beauty than its weight retention. You can better expect good cutting techniques, symmetry and proportions. Note here that it is important to stay away from the badly shaped native cut gems. They can be cheap enough to cut with good proportions.

    Sizes of Peridot

    Peridot is regular in sizes ranging from melee to faceted stones of 10 carats and more. There are more than 300 carats fine faceted stones known, but they are quite rare.

    Prices of Peridot

    For well-cut gems, Peridot ranges in price from about $50-80 ct. In the 1-2 carat size, it amounts up to as much as $400 – 450 carat for top color of large and fine gems.

    Peridot Buying Tips

    The most popular type of Peridot is vivid lime green with no olive tones. It is better to select Peridot with equally distributed color. It should not have overtones. The price of the gems increases with the weight of carat. The same rule follows with Peridot too. The small sizes of well cut Peridot and beads of Peridot are available in affordable price range. The larger Peridot stones come from Pakistan and China. The Pakistani Peridot is comparatively high in demand. The American Peridot is mostly three carats or less than that.

    The Styles of Peridot Jewelry

    The styles of Peridot jewelry depend on nothing but imagination. The creativity and beauty sense of the jewelry makes decides for the styles of Peridot jewelry. You can have just everything in the range of Peridot jewelry-from stunning cuts to whirled beads and dangling necklaces.

    Peridot jewelry is quite fashionable these days, owing to its attractive color and mind-blowing styles. You can get the Peridot jewelry in many pretty shades of the gemstone-ranging from clear and kiwi green to yellowish green. The dark shades of the Peridot gemstone jewelry can be blended with many metals and other stones to make a stunning collection.

    The jewelry lovers who want bright colors and flexibility wear Peridot jewelry. The green gemstones break away the conventions in jewelry styling. As you team them up with white gold settings or even with yellow gold, it looks spectacular.

    Peridot can be fashioned to make earrings, bracelets, chains, pendants, cuff links and rings. It is even sold as it is in different shapes and various shades of green. Its best part is for ladies as Peridot is believed to slow down the aging process and to bring healing and vitality to the body.

    Beware of Peridot Imitations

    Though Peridot is reportedly never synthesized, but you should beware of its imitations. There can be a number of imitations of the gemstone. This includes the natural stones such as tourmaline and other imitations such as glass. Use of green glass is the most common imitation of Peridot. You can make out the imitation with giving a close look its single refraction.

    Peridot Jewelry Care

    Measuring on the Mohs measurement, Peridot is between 6.5 and 7. it is certainly not a weak gem. This is way Peridot doesn’t need much protection and can be used easily in daily wear.

    The best way with which you can care for Peridot stone is to clean it with warm and soapy water. Not here, to avoid the exposure of Peridot from heat, acid and quick temperature changes. Peridot can have scratches easily.

    To preserve Peridot, you must keep it away from the salty water and all other harsh detergents or chemicals. Keep Peridot away from the spray of perfume or hair spray. Avoid using any such chemical while you are wearing Peridot or handling it.

    If you follow the tips from our Peridot Jewelry buying guide and use it when you go off to buy an attractive Peridot jewelry style, you will not face any problem and will surely end up with a best deal.

    Garnet gold jewelry

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    Garnet gold jewelry

    by Madubanthi Rudra

    Many of the world famous antique jewelleries are crafted out of gold and garnet. As a matter of fact, the Czechoslovakian garnet jewelleries were extremely popular among the elite aristocracy of 19th century Europe.

    When life becomes too monotonous and emotions do not seem to go by the codes of brain, do not let your spirit die. Add a little bit of color to your otherwise drab lifestyle and let the wild impulse in you, run loose. The indulgence in the riot of color is sure to bring back the lost music of your life. Spring is in the air. So borrow some color from the nature, a vibrant canvas in itself and pamper yourself with some really colorful jewelry.When it comes to the selection of jewelry with vibrant color and gorgeous looks, the first thing crosses our mind is the shimmer of yellow gold. But when this glitter of gold is accompanied by the sparkle of stones, the piece becomes the statement of vanity. But if you are among those stylish few who always adore the royal and vintage touches in the designs of jewelry, the garnet gold jewelry would be the most appropriate choice for your wardrobe.

    The extra-ordinary combination of garnet and gold creates such a magical impact that can be aptly defined in these three words- Chic, bright and vibrant. From the aesthetic point of view, the reasons are obvious why gold is regarded to be the most accomplished partner of garnet; the extra-ordinary luminous quality of garnet can be best exploited only when it is accompanied by an equally bright metal like yellow gold. In the practical front, the combination of garnet and gold offers one of the most cost efficient options of jewelry investment. Then, the gold and garnet jewelries have a typical universal aura and an eternal flavour, that makes them equally eligible for gracing the crown of a European prince or as an ornament ornate the delicate neck of an oriental beauty queen. The flaming red grains of stones that remind us of the succulent pomegranate seeds at first sight are the glowing red coals of carbuncle family.

    Many of the world famous antique jewelries are crafted out of gold and garnet. As a matter of fact, the Czechoslovakian garnet jewelleries were extremely popular among the elite aristocracy of 19th century Europe. Even the formidable Tsars of mediaeval Russia were arrested by their alluring beauty. The demantoid garnets, very rare and famous for their dazzling green appeal, earned the permanent seat in the pages of Russian history recording the opulence of this mightiest family of pre-communist Russia. On the other hand, The Bohemian garnet jewelries still attract the admiration of the gem-lovers all over the world.

    Variety

    Although red garnets are most popular and they occur most frequently on red, only a few are informed about the varieties of which garnets are found in nature. A specialist’s version of garnet refers to the denomination for a group of ten different gemstones depicting same chemical characteristics. Except in blue, garnets occur in a number of vibrant shades of orange, pink and even soft green. These varieties go by the names of rhodolite, Malaya, grossular,hessonite,  spessartite, almandine, mandarin and few others.

    The deep red garnet, that remained the most popular among its kinds right since ancient days, belongs to the rhodolite variety. However, the color, red is most saturated in small pyrope garnets, which are also known as anthill stones as they are mined by the ants at the time of their home making by digging out the earth. In order of popularity, orange and brownish garnets occupy the second position just after the red garnets. These varieties are known as spessartite and hessonite respectively. The red garnets may be the traditional favorite, but these orange, pink or green varieties of garnets are getting increasingly popular with their innovative use in the works of young designers.

    Characteristics

    The most valuable fact about garnet is, all its beauty is a gift from the mother nature. The dazzling splendor that used to allure the eyes of Victorian aristocracy is not the result of any human manipulation. Without any chemical treatment, this stone is adored for its own inner beauty. Hardness is another important reason behind the immense popularity of garnet in modern times. It records an excellent hardness of 7 to 7.5 in Mohs’ scale of hardness. So from the point of view of wear ability, garnet jewelry are the perfect choice for the widely traveled modern women. Another physical tenet of this stone that makes for its repute is its high refraction index resulting in an astounding brilliance. Because of this amazing brightness, this stone is immortalized in the pages of folklores for being used as the light in legendary Noah’s lantern. The unique rounded shape of the garnet crystals is also very interesting. They are always found in the nature in the shape and forms that appear like grains and thus justifying its etymological origin of the Latin word, granum, meaning grain. It is this natural shape of garnet that inspired the mediaeval Bohemian craftsmen to create the necklaces by tightly clasping the garnets against each other in a row to give the impression of the cluster of pomegranate seeds.

    Design option

    Although the tradition of garnet jewelry dates back to the days of early Greeks and Romans, taking note of the minimalist philosophy of current fashion trends, modern jewelry artists drifted a lot from those motif oriented patterns. They rather emphasize on intricate design options. So far as garnet jewelry is concerned, the basic design idea should be focused on the use of brilliance of this stone to its fullest advantage. Although, the shelves of the leading jewelry stores all over the world are flooded with garnet ornaments, it is always sweet to custom make your own jewelry pieces. Before going for a gold garnet combination one should be clear about the fact that gold and garnet pieces are usually meant to add a dramatic effect to the ensembles. When the extra ordinary brilliance of this stone is captured within the boundary of gold, the statement it pronounces is essentially festive and just one piece of them can ravishingly complete any outfit. However, garnets look equally good on heavy as well as thin daily-wear like stuffs. But they definitely look outrageous on bigger sets and so the type of the piece should be discreetly chosen according to the type and color of the attire. Although, garnet is able to receive any classical cut, in order to create a unique piece for yourself, you can experiment with some innovative cuts on your garnet. Only keep in mind that the gold used in the ornament should be hallmarked and the stones should carry with it a certificate announcing its authenticity.

    Jasper Buying Guide

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    Jasper Buying Guide

    by Madhubandi Rudra

    Jasper is a fine grained variety of Chalcedony. In the circle of jewellery trade, jasper is also recognized by the names as, Stone Canyon, Leopard Skin, Poppy and Opelite. In nature Jasper occur as microcrystalline quartz which are made up of over twenty percent of foreign materials. In fact, the color and the overall appearance of the stone are determined by the presence of these foreign materials.

    Jasper is a vibrant and exotic stone in which, eternal beauty meets in a riot of color against the backdrop of myth and legend. This opaque stone comes with myriad ranges of color and patterns, which is really astounding. When these colorful stones are woven into beautiful necklaces, bangles, earrings or finger rings, the appeal of these versatile gems become quite irresistible.

    Color is a powerful element ruling our responses to the environment throughout the life. Different colors have different impact on our existence. Blue is soothing, green brings freshness, yellow makes us happy, red implies jubiliation.Probably, because of these strong influences of color, the importance and use of colored gemstones in jewellery designing are ever rising. If you have had enough gold and diamonds, it is now the high time that you opt for the more colorful options of semiprecious gemstones. These alluring gemstones would definitely sprinkle a dash of color to your wardrobe, but without burning a hole on your pocket. Lately many semiprecious gemstones have emerged as the show stealer, but few among them retained a consistent position on the popularity chart. Jasper acquires a position of pride among these few. This is because; jasper is a gem that heightens your spirit, just like the vibrance of the stone itself. An energetic rhythm is part of this gemstone, so much so that, it is difficult to stay unmoved and not get overwhelmed by all its aplomb and stimulus. May be for this reason you feel so much alive and full of energy whenever you flaunt a piece of jasper, in any range of its color.

    The multiple shades of jasper give the impression, as if the creator had stolen colors from rainbow in the time of its creation. Although red and yellow are the most commonly used colors in Jasper jewelleries, they are also found in the shades like, green, pink, grey and bluish purple. The gems and jewelleries are the reflection of the finer and softer sides of human psychology and therefore, their beauty always inspires poetry among the men with an artistic bend of mind. But these elements of color and beauty emanating there from are the result of complicated chemistry that has nothing to do with poetry or beauty. But the prospective buyers of any gemstone should know the tidbits of the background and properties of the stone of his or her choice.

    First of all, Jasper is a fine grained variety of Chalcedony. In the circle of jewellery trade, jasper is also recognized by the names as, Stone Canyon, Leopard Skin, Poppy and Opelite. In nature Jasper occur as microcrystalline quartz which are made up of over twenty percent of foreign materials. In fact, the color and the overall appearance of the stone are determined by the presence of these foreign materials. As for instance, bright brick red which is the most common color of Jasper, owes its source to admixed hematite. If the crystals occur in clay admixed, then the stone acquires a yellow or brownish shade. It is an important point to note that, uniform distribution of color in Jasper is rare. Jasper is basically a multicolored stone with stripes and spots on it. During the time of the formation, various organic elements and mineral oxides got trapped into it that are responsible for rendering the stone, various kinds of unusual patterns. These patterns often take the forms of landscapes and thus the name; “picture Jasper” came into existence.

    Jasper is not a translucent stone; it is only after a skilled polish that the beauty of this stone starts to radiate. Cut is also important to bring out the best look. Cabochon cut suits it most and they are most commonly worn as beads. Jaspers are rather hard recording a score of 6.5 to 7 in the Mohs’ scale of hardness.

    When history and legend are added to the beauty of any gemstone, the demand for the stone increases. Although not very expensive, Jasper has been always admired for its mystical powers. It has been admired worldwide for its magical power of protection. The stone that finds reference in the ancient Assyrian, Hebrew and Greek literature, was believed to carry curative properties against snake or spider bites. In early mediaeval, it was believed that jasper causes rain. In the List of Birthstones, Jasper has been assigned as the birthstone for the Sun sign of Virgo. From pure astrological aspect, it gives protection to the star sign of Aries. While blood red Jaspers were regarded as the “mother” of all gemstones, the green variety was used to cure kidney and gall bladder ailments. In general, Jasper is prescribed in all stomach related problems.

    Style is a way of life and that gets reflected in the manners how the hip and modern women of today present themselves. Fashion today is a minimalist affair and that is also true of the jewelleries and other accessories. The jewellery designers have done a phenomenal job by using the colored gemstones’ legacy to create an ambience of elegance. By using these semi precious gemstones with gold, sterling silver and even platinum, they have finely integrated cosmopolitan posh elements with conventional. The colorful jaspers with various innovative cuts receive a new dimension when set into bracelets, necklaces or earrings. The net result is the synthesis of unique style and glamour which become quite irresistible.

    Garnet Rings

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    Garnet Rings

    by Madhubanti Rudra

    The finger ring which is basically a metallic circle, sometimes adorned with bright stones, is probably the most expressive form of ornaments. Because the very circular shape of ring denotes bondage.

    Gems and jewelleries have always been regarded the most powerful expression of human might and vanity. There are many instances in the history of mankind, when, rank and position in the social hierarchy has been stipulated by the possession of these glittering pieces of metal and crystals. Human history is full of examples where desire for gems and jewels sparked the flame of war, changed the destiny of nations, forced the re-write of the history. This great journey of jewels as a decisive actor in the stage of world -politics, was initiated at the dawn of civilization with the innovation of an object as small as a finger ring. Over the ages, the significance of this tiny ornament transformed and gradually it came to acquire immense symbolic value.

    The reason for having a garnet ring

    The finger ring which is basically a metallic circle, sometimes adorned with bright stones, is probably the most expressive form of ornaments. Because the very circular shape of ring denotes bondage. Depending on the purpose, Rings are described by many different names; engagement ring, promise ring, friendship ring and many more. Whatever may be the occasional background, the rings on your fingers are supposed to complement the shape and beauty of your hands. But irrespective of any category, rings universally symbolize the culmination of trust and commitment. That is why every ring in your possession is special and it does not matter how many rings you are the proud owner of. Usually, the ring is such an accessory that can be worn with any attire. However, from time to time you may need a real show stopper to complement a special outfit or to make an individualistic fashion statement on a very special occasion. Sometimes, you may need to think of a special gift to make an impression on the mind of someone you really care for. A garnet ring is something that is sure to make all these special moments of your life really unforgettable, and that is without spending a princely sum from your pocket. This highly luminous stone called garnet was hugely admired even by the snob European aristocracy of 19th century. It has something royal in its appearance that all the garnet jewelleries both in traditional or contemporary designs look sophisticated, at the same time, gorgeous.

    Basic information about Garnet

    In early European literature, they were described by the Latin word, granum which means grains. This name refers to the unique round-edged shape of garnet that looks like pomegranate seeds and other food grains in the form of rough crystals. The Germans fondly called them, karfunkel because of their glowing red color. In modern gem trade circle they have acquired several pet names like Arizona ruby, Montana ruby, Arizona Spinel and a few more. The phenomenal glow that gave birth to the belief that Noah had used a piece of garnet in his lantern to illuminate the way for his Ark continues to enthrall the gem lovers across the globe. Science attributes this breath taking brilliance to a high degree of refraction index. Thus clarity is the most important price determining factor so far as garnet is concerned. Another characteristic feature that makes for the value of this stone is its considerably good hardness that amounts to 7 to 7.5 in Mohs scale. Because of this hardness, garnet remained a favorite choice of the jewellery designers at all ages.

    Whenever we think of a garnet stone, the image of the red flames automatically passes through our mind. But a thorough enquiry about the stone informs us about the many varieties of garnet that are equally brilliant in their luster but different in color. All the variety belong to the same Carbuncle family and all of them display the same chemical structure. In addition to deep red, garnets occur in pink, orange, light brown, pale yellow and vibrant green. The Rhodolite garnets that are available in a range of pink to purplish red and hugely mined in many places of India, srilanka and Africa are most popular and most commonly used on jewelleries. The Pyrope variety of garnet in which the saturation of red color is maximum is most sought after variety of this stone.

    Among its green variety, Tsavorith earned the maximum fame. But the Demantoid variety has a class in itself because of its high brilliance and extreme rarity. This green beauty which even obtained praise from the mighty tsars of Russia has always remained a collector’s delight. Then the discovery of huge reserve of fine orange garnets on the valley of Namibia and Angola sparked a dramatic increase in the international garnet trade activities. These high quality garnets were conferred the name, spessertine following their original place of occurrence in German Spessart mountains.

    The last few words

    Garnet being very sturdy is a good choice for making rings. Because, rings are those parts of your jewellery that get the maximum exposure to abrasion, the stones for your ring should be selected cautiously. The ring stone should be hardy enough to immune itself from scratches and chipping. This very factor makes garnets an ideal option for making engagement rings which are worn constantly all through the daily cores of life. Then, the garnets which used to adorn the Royals and the aristocrats of Victorian Europe carry such an intrinsic sophistication that is sure to give your personality a different height. Although the antique looks are something that is very closely associated with garnet jewelleries, the innovative cuts in the hands of modern artists can give your garnet ring a contemporary touch. It is always prudent to choose gold and that is a yellow one to create your garnet ring because the amazing brilliance of the stone can be properly illustrated only when it is accompanied by an equally bright and high polished metal. And finally a reminder about the protection of the garnet ring. It ranks high on Moths scale does not mean that it is immune to unlimited pressure and always keep in mind that these beautiful red stones that remind of the spark of fire, themselves respond adversely when exposed to uncontrolled temperature.