gemology

Agate

Agate is a type of quartz, chiefly chalcedony, characterised by its fineness of grain and brightness of color. Most agates occur as nodules in volcanic rocks or ancient lavas. It is distinguished by its multiple colors that are often vivid. The bands of color may be white, red, blue, grey, brown, or black. Agate comes in many different forms ranging from transparent to opaque. Varieties include Blue Agate, Blue Lace Agate, Crazy Lace Agate, Green Agate, Indian Agate, Moss Agate, Fire Agate, Tree Agate, Onyx, Sardonyx and Wood Agate. Agate is one of the oldest known gems

Amazonite

This aqua colored feldspar derives its name from the Amazon River and is sometimes called Amazon stone. It has a beautiful deep blue-green gem, often with white streaks. It has also been called the Hope Stone because some people believe it inspires confidence and hope. It is believed to have a soothing effect on the brain and nervous system.

Amber

Amber is the common name for fossil resin or tree sap that is appreciated for its inherent and interesting mixture of colours and it is widely used for the manufacture of ornamental objects. Although not mineralized, it is sometimes considered and used as a gemstone. Powers attributed to Amber include love, strength, luck, healing, and protection, calming for hyperactivity and stressed nerves, finds humor and joy. When you rub Amber, static electricity is generated. In fact, the word electricity is derived from the ancient Greek word for Amber, Elektron or Sun Made.

Amethyst

Amethyst is the birtstone of February. Amethyst is a variety of quartz, and comes in pale lilac to rich, deep purple shades. It is these deeper more intense colors that generally are considered the most precious.

It is believed that Amethyst holds the power to change anger into tranquility, it is also believed that Amethyst is a protective gem that bounces off psychic attack, reverting negative energy into positive. As a gemstone of great healing and meditative powers, Amethyst is also believed to purify the energies of the mind, body and spirit.

Ametrine

Ametrine is a naturally occurring variety of quartz. It is a mixture of amethyst and citrine with zones of purple and yellow or orange. The colour of the zones visible within ametrine are due to differing oxidation states of iron within the crystal. The different oxidation states occur due to there being a temperature gradient across the crystal during its formation. Ametrine is said to posses all the metaphysical benefits of both Amethyst and Citrine, as well its own unique properties. Ametrine is said to aid in meditation, relieve tension, disperse negativity and help to eliminate prejudice.

Aquamarine

Blue, the world’s most popular color, is famous for its calming effect, and out of all the blues available none match the serenity found in Aquamarine. Deriving their name from the Latin word Water of The Sea, Aquamarine gemstones embody all that is natural. Aquamarine, the sparkling birthstone for March, ranges from pastel blue to light green its passive tones reminiscent of an invigorating sea breeze.

Aventurine

Aventurine is a form of quartz, characterised by its translucency and the presence of platy mineral inclusions that give a shimmering or glistening effect termed aventurescence. Aventurine ranges in color from green, peach, brown, blue and creamy green. Legends say that it is an all-purpose healer, used to reduce stress, develop confidence, imagination and improve prosperity.

Carnelian

Carnelian is a translucent orange to red variety of Chalcedony, uniformly colored cryptocrystalline quartz. Cornelian has been recommended for those with bad memories, creative blocks, befuddled minds, weak voices and a lack of courage.

Chalcedony

Chalcedony has a waxy lustre, and may be semitransparent or translucent. Its color is usually white to gray, grayish-blue or a shade of brown ranging from pale to nearly black. Other shades have been given specific names: A clear red chalcedony is known as carnelian.

Citrine

Citrine is a golden yellow form of quartz that takes its name from Citron, the French word for lemon. Citrine is believed to be the gemstone of happiness and the Citrine promotes creativity, helps personal clarity and eliminates self-destructive tendencies.

Coral

Corals are marine animals. The group includes the important reef builders that are found in tropical oceans, which secrete calcium carbonate to form a hard skeleton.

Fluorite

Deriving its name from the Latin word Fluere, meaning to flow. Fluorite is known as The World's Most colorful Gemstone. Fluorite, from which we get the word fluorescent, crosses an entire spectrum of color, from deep purple to crimson red, paraiba blue to emerald green and frosty orange to lemon yellow. Fluorite is one of the more famous fluorescent minerals.

Garnet

Garnet is the birthstone of January. Garnet stones are found in every color except blue, including green tsavorite garnet, raspberry pink rhodolite garnet, and orange malaya garnet. Other than the Quartz family, the Garnet family is the most diverse of all the gem mineral families. Garnet has long been associated with fire, and was thought to possess the ability to illuminate the sky at night. Today, Garnets remain a symbol of faith, truth and light.

Hemimorphite

Hemimorphite is one of the more common Sorosilicates and is found in a variety of colors including blue-green, green, white, colorless, brown and yellow. Regarded by some as a powerful healing gem, Hemimorphite is also believed to bring good fortune and good luck.

Howlite

Howlite is a snow-white opaque gem with dispersed grey, black or dark-brown veins. Also know as the Tranquility Stone, Howlite is believed by some to help with memory retention and the desire for knowledge.

Lolite

The name Iolite comes from the Greek word los which means violet.
Iolite is a transparent, violet-blue, light blue or yellow-gray gemstone. A pleochroic gem, Iolite will show many colors in a single piece.

Jade

Jade is composed of silica and magnesia and its color is determined by the amount of iron present in the mineral. Less iron content produces lighter colors such as white, cream, yellow, gray, green, blue, red, brown, and lavender. More iron content produces the darker colored Jade, such as darker gray and darker green.

Jasper

Jasper is an opaque and fine grained variety of Chalcedony. It is found in red, brown, pink, yellow, green, grayish white and shades of blue and purple. Patterns can arise from the formation process and from flow patterns in the sediment or volcanic ash that was saturated with silica to form jasper, yielding bands or swirls in the rock.

Kyanite

Kyanite, whose name derives from the Greek word kyanos, meaning blue, is a typically blue silicate mineral. The most popular varieties display intense cornflower blues similar to sapphire, and sparkling greenish-blues reminiscent of aquamarine. The powerful blue hues of Kyanite have long been thought to inspire calmness, composure, serenity, loyalty and respect.

Labradorite

Gemstone varieties of labradorite exhibiting a high degree of iridescence are called spectrolite, moonstone and sunstone are also commonly used terms, and high-quality samples with good iridescent qualities are desired for jewelry. Available in brilliant pastels and deep gold colors.

Lapis Lazuli

Lapis is a rock and not a mineral because it is made up from various other minerals. The finest color is intense blue, lightly dusted with small flecks of golden pyrite. It has great healing, purifying and curative properties.

Malachite

A secondary copper mineral, Malachite is a popular gem that has light and dark vivid green banded areas. According to modern crystal healers its powers include: protection, power, peace, hope, love, and success in business.

Moonstone

Moonstone is a member of the Feldspar group of minerals and is closely related to Sunstone. Moonstones characteristic shimmer or sheen is also known as Schiller or Aventurescence and is caused by the intergrowth of two different types of feldspar with different refractive indexes. Moonstones come in a variety of colors, ranging from colorless to gray, brown, yellow, green, rainbow or pink.

Onyx

Today when we think of Onyx we often preface the word with black to distinguish it from other varieties of Onyx that come in white, reddish brown, green, brown and banded. Onyx which is reddish brown and white is known as Sardonyx. Onyx is said to banish grief and bring fortune to the possessor of it. It's said to also bring recognition of personal strengths.

Opal

Opal is the birthstone of October. White opal has a white or light body color with flashes of many colors. Black opal has a black, dark blue, dark green or gray body color with vivid flashes of color such as red, pink and bright green. Opals possess a special quality called Iridescence. Opal symbolizes hope, innocence and purity.

Pearl

Pearl is the birthstone of June. Pearls come in a wide range of colors. Pearls represents modesty, chastity and purity. They have come to symbolize a happy marriage.

Peridot

Peridot is the birtstone of August. Peridot should be a lively lime green. Peridot is one of the few gemstones that comes in only one color. The depth of green depends on how much iron is contained in the crystal structure, and varies from yellow-green to olive to brownish green.

Pyrite

Pyrite has isometric crystals that usually appear as cubes. Its metallic luster and pale-to-normal, brass-yellow hue have earned it the nickname fool's gold due to many miners mistaking it for the real thing, though small quantities of actual gold are sometimes found in pyrite. In fact, such auriferous pyrite is a valuable ore of gold. It is believed that it enhances intelligence, mental stability, logic, analysis, creativity, memory and psychic development.

Rhodonite

The name comes from the Greek word, Rhodos meaning pink. Rhodonite is believed by crystal healers to be calming and soothing and to imbue the wearer with confidence in matters of the heart. It is sometimes called the Singer’s Stone, because it is said to enhance sensitivity to sound. Rhodonite is typically pink, red or orange with black or green.

Quartz

One of Earth’s most abundant minerals, Quartz is also one of the most interesting! It makes up about 12% of the Earth's crust, occurring in a wide variety of rocks. The gem varieties of Quartz have been used as gemstones and other ornamental objects for thousands of years. Folklorists classify Quartz as a receptive gemstone credited with the ability to attract positive energies, such as peace and love. The subtle energy of Quartz is said to balance the emotions, giving inner peace, harmony and enhancing the bonds of relationships. It is also said to calm aggression and increase self-esteem.

Amethyst is the queen of the Quartz varieties and in better qualities it is the most expensive of the Quartzes. Amethyst ranges from pale to dark violet.
Ametrine is a bi-color variety that is part Amethyst colored and part Citrine colored.

Citrine is a golden yellow form of quartz that takes its name from Citron, the French word for lemon.

Rock Crystal is colorless Quartz.

Rose Quartz is the pink variety of Quartz; it is rarely transparent. Facet grade material will usually be a bit misty in appearance.

Rutile Quartz (also known as Rutilite) is colorless, displaying golden needle like inclusions that appear as long threads forming intriguing natural patterns.

Smoky Quartz is brown transparent Quartz of all shades and generally has a slightly grayish cast. Also known as Champagne on Ice, Smoky Quartz is an earth toned transparent Quartz that gets it rich warm color from aluminum.

Sardonyx

Sardonyx, a variety of Agate, is a semi-precious gemstone formed by two layers, a red-brown layer of Sard, a Greek word that means Reddish Brown and a gray, white, black or brown layer of Onyx, another Greek word that means Finger Nail or Claw, thus the name Sardonyx. Today, crystal healers use Sardonyx as a stimulant for self-control and protection.

Sapphire

Sapphire is the birthstone of September. Sapphires derived their name from the Latin word Sapphirus, meaning Blue, and are often referred to as the Gem of the Heavens or the Celestial gem as their colors mirror the sky at different the times of day. Sapphire comes in all colors except red, but is especially popular in deep blue. Sapphires are one of the four most valued stones. The other highly valued stones are rubies, emeralds, and diamonds. Blue is the favorite color of both men and women. A color psychologically linked to the emotions of sympathy, calmness and loyalty.

Tiger Eye

Tiger Eye is a chatoyant gemstone that is usually yellow- to red-brown, with a silky luster. Today, crystal healers use Tiger’s Eye for focusing the mind.

Tiger Iron

Tiger iron is an altered rock composed chiefly of tiger's eye, red jasper and black hematite.

Topaz

Topaz is the birtstone of November.Topaz occurs colorless as well as orange-yellow, red, honey-brown (dark sherry), light green, blue and pink. Topaz is believed to strengthen confidence, to help in making correct decisions and to give courage in following through on choices, thereby changing dreams into reality.

Tourmaline

Tourmaline has a wide variety of colors. Usually, iron-rich tourmalines are black to bluish-black to deep brown, while magnesium-rich varieties are brown to yellow, and lithium-rich tourmalines are practically any color: blue, green, red, yellow, pink etc. Crystals may be green at one end and pink at the other, or green on the outside and pink inside: this type is called watermelon tourmaline.

Turquoise

Turquoise is the birtstone of December. Colors in turquoise range from sky blue to blue green and apple green. Turquoise is thought to bring happiness and good fortune to all.

Unakite

A blend of greens and reds reminiscent of autumn's pleasures. Unakite is an altered granite composed of pink orthoclase feldspar, green epidote, and generally clear quartz. It exists in various shades of green and pink and is usually mottled in appearance. Because it combines the pink (feminine) with the green (masculine), it is thought by some to bring emotional balance and alignment.