November 21, 2017
TANZANITE Tanzanite is the blue to violet to purple variety of the mineral zoisite. It is mined commercially only in one area of the world: the […]
October 21, 2017
CITRINE People have used quartz in jewelry for thousands of years. Egyptians gathered ornately striped agates from the shore and used them as talismans, the ancient […]
September 21, 2017
OPAL Opal is the product of seasonal rains that drenched dry ground in regions such as Australia’s semi-desert “outback.” The showers soaked deep into ancient underground […]
August 21, 2017
Blue sapphire belongs to the mineral species corundum. It can be a pure blue but ranges from greenish blue to violetish blue. The name “sapphire” can […]
July 21, 2017
PERIDOT Peridot has always been associated with light. In fact, the Egyptians called it the “gem of the sun.” Some believed that it protected its owner […]
July 15, 2017
In 2014, the International Gem Society (IGS) held an essay contest. Members were asked to write short pieces promoting awareness of colored gemstones. The following essay […]
July 12, 2017
June 22, 2017
Red is the color of our most intense emotions—love and anger, passion and fury. It’s associated with objects of power and desire—like fast cars and red […]
June 21, 2017
People have coveted natural pearls as symbols of wealth and status for thousands of years. A Chinese historian recorded the oldest written mention of natural pearls […]
June 12, 2017
Through the ages, topaz’s most popular and enduring mystical association has been with wealth. However, topaz symbolism and lore has also covered many other areas, such […]
May 26, 2017
Gemstone color owes a little to pigments and a lot to light. Some gems get their color the same way paints receive their color. For example, […]
May 12, 2017
Rare and beautiful, emerald easily earns its reputation as “The Jewel of Kings.” The list of celebrated royalty who conspicuously displayed this green gem includes no […]
April 23, 2017
Emerald is the green to greenish blue variety of beryl, a mineral species that also includes aquamarine as well as beryls in other colors.
April 12, 2017
Sapphire symbolism encompasses diverse subjects in many cultures. Traditionally, people have prized these gems for their celestial blues and violets. These beautiful colors have helped the […]
March 23, 2017
On almost all modern birthstone lists, diamond is recognized today as the birthstone for April. Diamond is also the gem that marks the 60th and 75th […]
February 23, 2017
Aquamarine is the birthstone for March and the gem of the 19th wedding anniversary. Named after seawater, aquamarine’s fresh watery hue is a cool plunge into […]
January 23, 2017
Amethyst is the birthstone for February and the gem for the 6th and 17th wedding anniversaries. Amethyst was as expensive as ruby and emerald until the […]
January 20, 2017
With a silvery light that seems to come from within, moonstone has many associations with the Moon. That connection isn’t surprising. However, this beautiful gem also […]
January 13, 2017
Garnet is the birthstone for January and the gem for the second anniversary. Red garnets have a long history, but modern gem buyers can pick from […]