Gemstone info
This page contains some useful information relating to most of the gemstones used within our jewellery designs. Further gemstone information will be available soon.
Please note: Birthstone information was extracted from the Standard UK Zodiac Birthstone Chart and differs to the information provided by The 1937 British National Association of Goldsmiths. Birthstones also vary dependant upon your country of origin. |
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Amethyst
Birthstone: February (Pisces - February 19th - March 20th)
Amethyst is a beautiful vivid purple or violet gemstone available in a wide variety of faceted and cabochon styles. Its wonderful variety of colours makes it the most popular of the quartz family to be used in jewellery production.
Amethyst can differ in colour depending upon the region in which it has been mined and generally varies from a pale lilac to a deep purple.
It is mined in Brazil, Uruguay, Bolivia, Argentina, Zambia and several other African countries. A darker variety of amethyst is also found in Australia.
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Onyx (Black)
Birthstone: July (Leo - July 23rd - August 23rd)
Onyx is a chalcedony that occurs in bands of different colours. It is also found in brown, gray and white.
Onyx is composed of relatively straight, parallel layers of different colours. When the dark layers are brown or brownish red, it is often called sardonyx. Onyx is usually cut into cabochon or beads. Some onyx is natural but much is produced by the staining of agate.
It is available in the regions of the USA, Germany, Brazil, Mexico, India and Africa.
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Chalcedony (Blue)
Blue chalcedony is a translucent to transparent milky blue or grayish quartz. It is a finely crystallised or fibrous quartz that forms rounded crusts or stalactites in volcanic and sedimentary rocks. Chalcedony, agates, jaspers, bloodstone, carnelian and onyx all make up the chalcedony gemstone family.
Being relatively inexpensive, chalcedony is the best available and most collected gemstone. Having good healing powers, the gemstone is believed to banish fear, depression and reduce fevers.
Chalcedony is found in many parts of the world, but the most valued chalcedony are from India, Madagascar, Burma, Brazil, Mexico & the USA.
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Topaz (Blue)
Birthstone: November (Sagittarius - November 23rd - December 21st)
Topaz is a blue, yellow, brown, pink or colourless aluminium silicate mineral, often found located within granite rocks and valued as a gemstone. Under suitable conditions, topaz grows into enormous crystals. It derives its name from the Sanskrit word tapas, meaning 'fire'.
Being a transparent stone with a vitreous lustre, its pure crystals look beautiful in exclusive jewellery items. Although red and pink are the most rare and most desirable colours for topaz, blue topaz is extremely popular. Topaz is a very hard gemstone but it can be split with a heavy blow - a trait it shares with diamond.
It is said that topaz balances emotions and gives feelings of joy and is referred to as the spiritual rejuvenation gemstone.
Deposits of topaz are found in the regions of Russia, Siberia, Brazil, Sri Lanka, Africa, China, Japan, Pakistan, Myanmar, Nigeria, Australia, Mexico, and the USA.
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Carnelian
Birthstone: August (Virgo - August 24th - September 22nd)
Carnelian is also known as chalcedony and ranges in colour from bright orange to reddish orange. The shades of red are due to inclusions of iron oxide.
Most carnelian is stained chalcedony from Brazil or Uruguay, but it can also be naturally sun-treated to change its brown tints to red.
The best carnelian is found in India.
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Citrine
Citrine is a pale yellow variety of crystalline quartz resembling topaz. It is considered an alternative to topaz but is a separate mineral altogether.
Being one of the most affordable gemstones, citrine is durable, slightly softer and has less brilliance than precious topaz.
Citrine derives its name from the French word citron meaning lemon. The different shades range from yellow, gold, orange and brown.
Most citrine is mined in Brazil, although some is reproduced through heat treating amethyst.
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Fluorite
Fluorite is a mineral often fluorescent under ultraviolet light.
Deposits form as beds and cavities in sedimentary rocks, in hot spring deposits and in pegmatites (igneous rock with extremely course grain).
The colour of fluorite varies from light green, blue, yellow, brown and colourless.
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Garnet
Birthstone: January (Aquarius - January 21st - February 18th)
Garnet is an aluminium or calcium silicate mineral found embedded within igneous and metamorphic rocks.
The colour of garnet ranges from shades of red, pink, purple, orange, yellow, violet, green, colourless and occasionally black.
Garnet derives its name from ancient Greeks, as its colour reminded them of the pomegranate seed or granatum. It is a renowned ancient gem, treasured for thousands of years.
Garnet is said to stimulate the bloodstream and help to combat depression and lethargy. It symbolizes fire, faith, courage, truth, grace, compassion, constancy and fidelity.
It is found in the regions of Kenya, Sri Lanka, Thailand, Brazil, India, Madagascar, Canada, Czech Republic, Spain and the USA.
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Iolite
Birthstone: April (Taurus - April 21st - May 21st)
Iolite is a blue silicate mineral that occurs as crystals or grains in igneous rocks, as a result of the contamination of volcanic magma by aluminous sediment.
Iolite has different colours running in different directions within the crystal, which helps us to understand how the gemstone changes colours depending upon which angle it is viewed.
The name iolite comes from the Greek ios, which means violet.
It is found in the regions of Sri Lanka, Burma, India, Madagascar and Brazil.
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Labradorite
Labradorite is one of a series in the family of plagioclase feldspars (complex silicates with varying amounts of sodium and calcium). This family also includes the moonstone and sunstone.
The mineral property 'labradorescence' gets its name from this mineral and refers to the luminous blue, green, gold and red sheen given off when turned under light.
Thought to have excellent healing properties for eyesight, stress and mental agitation. It is found in Madagascar, Finland, Oregon and Mexico.
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Lapis Lazuli
Lapis Lazuli is an opaque to translucent blue, violet-blue or greenish-blue gemstone composed mainly of lazurite, calcite, pyrite and sodalite. The rich blue colour is due to the sulphur inherent within the structure of lazurite.
Lapis Lazuli is said to cleanse the mental body while releasing old karmic patterns.
It is currently extracted from the former Soviet Union. Other significant deposits are found at Ovalle, Cordillera, Chile; Mount Vesuvius, Italy; Cascade Canyon, San Bernardino Mountains and Ontario Peak, California, Colorado, USA.
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Pearl
Pearls are not classed as gemstones, although we thought the information would be useful. They are created by oysters (and a small group of other shellfish) when a small irritant such as a grain of sand gets trapped under their shells. To avoid further irritation, the oyster will start producing nacre and coat the intruder to sooth its discomfort. Over years of treatment, a pearl is produced.
Nearly all marketed pearls are cultured, where a relatively large bead or piece of tissue from a mussel is placed inside the body of the host oyster. This stimulates the formation of a cultured pearl. These pearls generally come from Japan, Tahiti and other South Sea waters including Australia.
Pearls vary in colour from black, pink, cream, silver-gray, blue, yellow, lavender and green.
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Peridot
Birthstone: September (Libra - September 23rd - October 23rd)
Peridot, which is a volcanic gemstone, is a yellow-green variety of olivine. It is composed of silica, magnesia and iron. The gemstone is formed of olivine, a silicate found in igneous rocks and a major constituent of the Earth's upper mantle.
Peridot derives its name from the French word peritot meaning 'unclear'. It is also believed to take its name from the Arabic word faridat meaning 'gem'. Small crystallites of peridot are often found in the basalt rocks created by volcanoes but have also been found in iron-nickel meteorites called pallasites.
Peridot is mined in the USA, Myanmar, Egypt, China, Sri Lanka and Pakistan.
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Rainbow Moonstone
A significant portion of the Earth's crust is composed of minerals from the feldspar group such as moonstone, amazonite, oligoslase and labradorite.
In India, moonstone is considered to be a sacred stone and has a floating light effect and sheen called adularescence, similar to the light of the moon.
It is usually set as a cabochon and rarely faceted.
Moonstone specimens commonly exhibit chatoyancy and sometimes display a strong cat's eye. Colours vary from typically white, colourless or light grayish blue.
The rainbow moonstone often produces a full spectrum of colours when turned under a light, hence its name.
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Rose Quartz
Rose Quartz is one of the most desirable varieties of the quartz family. Its colour is obtained through iron and titanium impurities within the natural stone.
Rose Quartz beads, dating back to 7,000BC, have been located in Mesopotamia. It is said that the Assyrians and the Romans were the first to use it.
Rose Quartz is often referred to as the 'love stone', as it is said to open the heart. The gemstone is also believed to bring gentleness, forgiveness, compassion, kindness, tolerance and remove fear and anger.
It is found in Madagascar, Brazil, India, Germany and several regions of the USA.
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Rhodochrosite
Rhodochrosite (and its often confused relative Rhodonite) is a pink manganese carbonate mineral. Rhodonite is a manganese silicate mineral. Both Rhodochrosite and Rhodonite are distinctly different in appearance and hardness - Rhodochrosite being the softer mineral.
Rhodochrosite and Rhodonite are most often used in cabochon form. As each stone has individual shades and patterns, they make unique pieces of jewellery.
Banded Rhodochrosite of good quality has shades of luscious rose pink mixed with creams. The most popular Rhodonite is deep pink and contains black traces. The black areas are formed by concentrations of manganese oxides.
Rhodochrosite represents selfless love, compassion and imparts a positive attitude.
Rhodonite nurtures love, helps maintain emotional equilibrium and encourages the humane spirit.
Rhodochrosite became popular as an ornamental stone in the 1930's after fine quality stone was discovered in Argentina. Later in 1974, a new important source was discovered in South Africa.
Colorado officially named Rhodochrosite as its state mineral in 2002. The reason for this lies in the fact that, while the mineral is found worldwide, large red crystals are found only in a few places on earth and some of the best specimens have been found in the Sweet Home Mine near Alma, Colorado, USA.
Rhodonite is found in Russia, Australia, Sweden, Brazil, Mexico and Britain.
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Tiger's Eye
Tiger's Eye is known as a pseudomorph (the result of one mineral replacing another), which contains oriented fibres of Crocidolite that have been replaced by silica.
Tiger’s Eye displays chatoyancy (a vertical luminescent band like that of a cat's eye). It typically has lustrous alternating yellow or brown bands.
Cutting is crucial with Tiger’s Eye because the rough crystals reveal little or nothing of the exciting chatoyancy of the finished gem.
Coveted since antiquity, Roman soldiers wore Tiger’s Eye for protection in battle. Due to its appearance, in the ancient world Tiger’s Eye was thought to be all seeing, offering protection during travel, strengthening of convictions and confidence.
It also is reputed to relieve such physical conditions as high blood pressure, bronchial asthma, heart disease and psoriasis.
Tiger's Eye is found mainly in South Africa, but also in Australia, Burma, Namibia and California in the USA.
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Tourmaline (Pink)
Tourmaline is a complex crystalline silicate containing aluminium, boron and other elements. Its name has been derived from the Singhalese expression tura mali meaning 'stone of mixed colours'. The name refers to the unique spectrum of colours displayed by this gemstone.
Tourmalines are red, pink or green, but they can also range from blue to yellow.
It is found in Africa, Brazil, Madagascar, Mexico, Myanmar, Namibia, Sri Lanka and the USA.
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Turquoise
Turquoise is a blue to blue-green mineral of aluminium and copper.
It derives its name from the name Turc (Turkish in French), as it was transported to Europe through Turkey.
It is one of the oldest known gem materials on our planet. Turquoise is a mineral deposited from circulating waters.
Ancient manuscripts from Persia, India, Afghanistan and Arabia report that the health of a person wearing turquoise can be assessed by variations in its colour. It is also said to bring good fortune.
Deposits are found in Iran, Africa, Australia, Tibet, China, Siberia, Europe and southwest USA.
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