*About Alexandrite
*About Amethyst
*About Aquamarine
*About Citrine
*About Garnet
*About Onyx
*About Opal
*About Peridot
*About Tanzanite
*About Topaz
*About Turquoise
AlexandriteBack to Questions
Composition: Chrysoberyl ; a rare oxide mineral.
Color: emerald green in daylight to ruby red in artificial light
Mined: Alexandrite is found in Brazil, Madagascar, Myanmar, Russia, Sri Lanka and Zimbabwe
Mohs’ Hardness: 8.5
Meaning: Symbolically Alexandrite is said to help balance one's emotional state, to provide confidence, to increase self-esteem and to help bring about change. It is also said to bring happiness and success.
Birthstone: June
Detail: Alexandrite is an exquisite stone which changes color depending on light exposure. Alexandrites are rarer than diamonds and are one of the most expensive stones one can purchase. Alexandrite Pendants are very beautiful. If Alexandrite is set in a ring, the wearer can actually watch the color of the stone change.
AmethystBack to Questions
Composition: The most precious form of quartz.
Color: Pale lilac to deep purple from iron and manganese.
Mined: Primary exporter is Brazil, but it is common in many countries.
Mohs’ Hardness: 7.
Meaning: Symbolically, it represented piety and dignity. It is also supposed to bring peace of mind.
Birthstone: February
Detail: Amethyst was a valuable gem until the discovery, in the late nineteenth century, of large deposits in South America. Even so, its deep and attractive color makes it extremely popular. The banding of darker and lighter zones of color is common. A good amethyst will be very transparent, and the deeper the color, the better.
AquamarineBack to Questions
Composition: A transparent variety of beryl, like emerald.
Color: Pale blue and greenish to deep blue coming from iron.
Mined: Leading producer is Brazil, but also produced in Pakistan, U.S. and several countries in Africa.
Mohs’ Hardness: 7.5 to 8.
Meaning: Courage and strength.
Birthstone: March
Detail: The most sought after color for aquamarine is a rich, clear, watery blue. They are among the most valuable semi-precious gems if they are large and clear with good color. They are often given step, or "emerald," cuts like their mineral sister, emerald. In lighter stones, where flaws will be more visible, good clarity is important.
CitrineBack to Questions
Composition: Yellow quartz with iron, can resemble topaz, formed by heating black quartz to change its color.
Color: Pale yellow to golden amber.
Mined: Brazil and Madagascar.
Mohs’ Hardness: 7
Meaning: Cheerfulness, and clear thought. It was also thought to relax people.
Birthstone: November
Detail: A counterpart to amethyst, citrine is a clear yellow form of quartz often confused with yellow topaz, but citrine is more abundant. Therefore,
there are plenty of fairly large, clear stones available for jewelry. Look for clarity and a rich yellow color.
GarnetBack to Questions
Composition: Silicates of aluminum, iron and magnesium.
Color: Many shades of red, from very pale to brick to red-black, and most other colors except blue. The level of iron or magnesium determines the color.
Mined: Central Europe, Russia and South Africa.
Mohs’ Hardness: 7.
Meaning: A symbol of loyalty and energy, garnet promoted sincerity. People believed it had illuminative powers, both physically and spiritually. Garnet was also said to offer protection in health and travel, alleviate anger and promote tranquility.
Birthstone: January.
Detail: Often sold as a ruby substitute, one well-known garnet variety is the red pyrope. But garnet can be appreciated for its own unique qualities. It has good clarity, a respectable hardness and comes in larger sizes than rubies. Garnets that are not gem quality are used as abrasives for grinding and polishing.
OnyxBack to Questions
Composition: Opaque variety of quartz with alternating black areas interspersed with lighter-colored lines.
Color: Black and white or gray, or black and red to brownish-red, coming from silicon dioxide.
Mohs’ Hardness: 7.
Meaning: The mythology associated with onyx was varied. While it was supposed to drive away evil and high tempers, it was also said to cool the passions of love and promote independence between lovers.
Detail: Onyx is a member of the chalcedony family of colored quartz, including jasper, cornelian and agate. Each piece of onyx is unique because
the lines in it form in many different ways. Since onyx is opaque, it is usually cut into a smooth, rounded, polished dome called a cabochon.
OpalBack to Questions
Composition: Semi-translucent hydrated amorphous silicon dioxide.
Color: Iridescent white, gray, red or black with patches of many colors showing through.
Mined: Australia is the principal source.
Mohs’ Hardness: 5 to 6.
Meaning: Truth and hope. Opal is a symbol of fidelity.
Birthstone: October
Detail: Made of the mineral silica, opal has the same ingredients as quartz, but contains a little water and is not compressed into crystals. It is softer than quartz and needs more careful treatment to avoid damage. The colorful shimmering “fire” seen in opal is the result of microscopic spherical structures within the stone that diffract various wavelengths of light depending on their spacing. No other gemstone looks remotely like it. Of opal’s varieties, the black is the rarest. Since opal is opaque, it is usually cut into a smooth, rounded, polished dome called a cabochon.
PeridotBack to Questions
Composition: Olivine, a crystal form of magnesium, iron and silicon.
Color: Pale lime to olive green color varies with the proportion of the ingredients.
Mined: The earliest source was Jazirat Zabarjad (St. John's Island), in the Red Sea off the Coast of Khamit (Egypt). Arizona and New Mexico are important commercial sources in the U.S.
Mohs’ Hardness: 6.
Meaning: Peridot was believed to ensure the wearer of good thoughts.
Birthstone: August.
Detail: Peridot has been mined since early times, at least as long ago as the ancient Khamites (Egyptians). Peridot is also called chrysolite, which refers to gems more yellow than green. Color is its most important quality, but the gem has good clarity as well. It is relatively soft and should be protected from abuse.
TanzaniteBack to Questions
Composition: Crystal of zoisite, a mineral formed of silicon, calcium and aluminum.
Color: Pale to deep violet and blue.
Mined: Merelani hills of Tanzania, near Mt. Kilimanjaro in Africa.
Mohs’ Hardness: 6.5.
Meaning: Inspiration and marital bliss. Being a recently discovered stone, it has no ancient mythology associated with it.
Birthstone: December
Detail: While zoisite has been known for some time, gem-quality zoisite is a modern stone, not found until 1967 in only one place. The tanzanite supply will die out in the future unless another vein is found elsewhere. It is popular for its rarity and its rich, blue-violet color. Use caution when it is worn in a ring, since it can be scratched or chipped.
TopazBack to Questions
Composition: A mixture of silicon, aluminum, fluorine and hydroxyl.
Color: Pale blue to pink to yellow.
Mined: Australia, Brazil, Namibia, Nigeria, Pakistan and Russia.
Mohs’ Hardness: 8.
Meaning: A symbol of love and fidelity, it was believed to bring about patience and a pleasant disposition.
Birthstone: December.
Detail: Often confused with chrysolite, the yellow variety of peridot, the "pure" topaz color is yellow. However, blue topaz is especially popular in jewelry today. It is a similar watery blue color, but usually lacks the green overtones of aquamarine. The hardness and good clarity of topaz make it an excellent gem. Its blue color is often enhanced by irradiation and heat treatment.
TurquoiseBack to Questions
Composition: Hydrous copper aluminum phosphate.
Color: Of course, turquoise, but this color actually varies from very green blue to light sky blue shades
Mined: Iran, and also can be found in Arizona and New Mexico USA, Australia, Afghanistan and other localities in the Middle East.
Mohs’ Hardness: 5-6
Meaning: Prosperity, piety, courage and success.
Birthstone: December
Detail: Turquoise is one of the oldest known gem materials, mined in the Sinai Peninsula before the 4th millennium BC in one of the world's first hard-rock mining operations. It was also mined by Ancient Khamites (Egyptians), Mayans, and Aztecs.
