Learn About Gemstones 

     Gemstones have a wide variety of properties. This page teaches you both the physical properties of various popular stones, and also significance of the stones in cultures around the world. Gemstones are graded along the Mohs Scale of Hardness, 1 being the softest and 10 being the hardest. Softer stones may require special care. Below, you can also find information about the difference between natural gemstones, created gemstones, and simulated gemstones.

 


Amethyst
 

      This stone is a variety of quartz. The highest quality is a deeply saturated medium purple color. However, it ranges from light lilac to dark purple. Throughout history amethyst has been used to guard against drunkenness and is thought to be helpful in overcoming addiction. It has been used for hearing disorders, insomnia, headaches and other pain. Some sources suggest it is used to stabilize mental disorders. Worn to make the wearer gentle and amiable. Amethyst powers include: dreams, healing, peace, love, spiritual upliftment, courage,  psychic development, protection against thieves, and happiness. Mohs scale - 7


Aquamarine
 

      This stone is a member of the beryl family. Aquamarine can range from a nearly pale colorless blue to a blue-green. The most prized shade is a deep blue-aqua color. Since early times, aquamarine has been believed to endow the wearer with foresight, courage, and happiness. It is said to increase intelligence and make one youthful. As a healing stone, it is said to be effective as a treatment for anxiety. A legend says that sailors wore aquamarine gemstones to keep them safe and prevent seasickness. Mohs scale - 7.5 to 8


Citrine
 

      Citrine is a variety of quartz that is yellow to dark orange-brown in color and is often mistaken for the more valuable yellow topaz. It can often be found formed together with amethyst, resulting in a stone called ametrine. Citrine is believed to help the heart, kidney, digestive tract, liver and muscles. It promotes creativity, helps personal clarity and eliminates self-destructive tendencies. Mohs scale - 7


Diamond
 

      Diamonds are among the most precious gems. They are formed by extreme pressure exerted on carbon. Although clear diamonds are the most popular, diamonds also come in blue, yellow, green, brown, red, and black. Because diamonds are the hardest gems, they often are used to symbolize eternal love. Mohs scale - 10


Emerald
 

      This stone is another member of the beryl family. Top quality emeralds are a vibrant grass green color. Less valuable stones are pale green. Emerald are typically very flawed stones with cracks, fissures and inclusions. They are brittle and should never be steam or ultrasonically cleaned. Emeralds were used as amulets to ward off epilepsy in children and thought to cure diseases of the eye. Folklore suggests that these stones will improve memory, intelligence, and enhance clairvoyance thus helping to predict future events. They are also worn to enhance love and contentment. Cleopatra prized emeralds above all other gems. Mohs scale - 7.5 to 8


Garnet
 

      Garnets come in every shade except blue. Dark red is the most common variety. Each color is known by its own name, such as Tsavorite (green), and Rhodolite (purple-red). Garnet's powers include healing, strength, and protection and it is often worn to relieve inflammations of the skin. It is also believed to regulate the heart and blood flow and aid in curing depression. In earlier times, garnets were exchanged as gifts between friends to demonstrate their affection for each other and to insure that they meet again. Mohs scale - 7 to 7.5


Hematite
 

      Hematite is a common iron oxide mineral. It is a shiny steel grey. In ancient times it was believed that large deposits of hematite formed on battlegrounds where soldiers were injured and lost blood from their battles. The ancient Egyptians placed hematite objects inside their tombs. Hematite is believed to be a healing and grounding stone, strengthening the body and lessening life's stresses. It is thought to reduce stress and enhance one's personal magnetism. It is also thought to increase optimism and courage and helpful in transforming negativity. Mohs scale - 6 to 6.5


Iolite
 

      Iolite is a deep blue with purple overtones. This gem was actually used as a navigation tool by Viking explorers. Thin pieces of iolite were cut and used as polarizing filter lenses. Looking through the lens, they could determine the exact position of the sun and use it to guide them to the New World and back. Mohs scale 7 to 7.5


Jade
 

      The most highly prized color of jade it the light green jadeite. Jade also comes in the darker nephrite green, and rarer white, pink, purple, and black. Thought to protect the kidneys, liver, spleen, heart, larynx, thymus, and thyroid. Ancient people thought that wearing jade would increase body strength and add longevity. Jade is an ancient symbol of love and virtue. Mohs scale - 6 to 6.5


Lapis Lazuli
 

      Lapis is usually a deep blue with streaks of gold. The gold color comes from pyrite. Light blue lapis lazuli is often called denim lapis. The stone is said to strengthen total awareness, creativity, ESP, skeleton, thyroid, helps to expand viewpoint. Mohs scale - 5 to 6


Malachite
 

      This popular stone has bands or speckles of varying shades of green. Its powers include:  protection, power, peace, love, and success in business.   It is worn to detect impending danger, and is assumed to break into pieces when danger is near. It is the guardian stone of travelers. Promotes inner peace and hope, provides protection and security. Mohs scale - 3.5 to 4


Moonstone

 

      Moonstone is the most valuable form of feldspar. It's a luminescent stone that contains a variety of colors including pink, green, red, blue, and yellow. It is believed to bring good fortune, to enhance passion, and balance the yin and yang and is said to protect women and children. In early times, it was believed that one could see the future if the stone was held in the mouth during a full moon. According to legend, moonstone will ensure abundant crops Moonstone's healing properties are said to promote digestion, to protect against epilepsy, to calm emotions, cure headaches and nose bleeds, and protect against sun stroke. Mohs scale - 6 to 6.5


Onyx
 

      Onyx is a chalcedony stone. True onyx is black, however variations exist with white band on a black, brown or red background. These stones are sardonyx. Onyx is thought to increase regeneration, happiness, intuition, instincts.  Also thought to decrease sexual desire and helps to change bad habits. Mohs scale - 6.5 to 7


Opal
 

      Opal is a mixture of minerals and water. They come in a wide variety of colors and are generally multi-hued. Australia is the largest supplier of opals in the world. Aborigines believe that the creator sent opals to earth on a rainbow as a message of love and peace to humans. Opal aids inner beauty, faithfulness, and eyesight and helps recall past lives. Mohs scale - 5 to 6.5


Pearl
 

      Pearls are formed inside of mollusks such as mussels and oysters when a irritant gets inside the shell. A lustrous substance called nacre is secreted to protect the delicate inside of the mollusk, forming a pearl. Most pearls are white, pink, or black and the color depends upon the type of mollusk and where it lives. Cultured or freshwater pearls are considered to offer the power of love, money, protection, and luck. Pearls are thought to give wisdom through experience, to quicken the laws of karma and to cement engagements and love relationships. They are thought to keep children safe. Early Chinese myths told of pearls falling from the sky when dragons fought. Ancient legend says that pearls were thought to be the tears of the gods and the Greeks believed that wearing pearls would promote marital bliss and prevent newlywed women from crying. Mohs scale - 2.5 to 4
 


Peridot
 

       This gem is a variety of olivine. Peridot is generally a translucent lime green stone. Lesser quality peridot can be light greenish yellow. It is thought to bring the wearer good luck, peace, and success,. Its powers include health, protection, and sleep. The advantages of peridot are to attract love and calm anger while also soothing nerves and dispelling negative emotions. Mohs scale - 6.5 to 7


Rose Quartz
 

      This form of quartz derives its pink color from titanium deposits. Rose quartz can range from translucent to transparent, which is very rare. Rose quartz has long been a symbol of love in many cultures. It is common to see rose quartz stones carved into the shape of a heart. Mohs scale - 7


Ruby
 

      Ruby is a form of corundum. The most sought after color of ruby is the rich and vivid red with bluish overtones, known as Burmese Ruby. Rubies can exhibit colors that range from pinkish red to dark brownish red. These variances depend upon the location the rubies originate from. With their bright red coloring, rubies symbolize power and passion. Mohs scale - 9


Sapphire
 

      Sapphires encompass all colors of corundum other than red, which are rubies. Blue is the most popular color, but sapphires also come in white, yellow and pink. However, the most valuable form of sapphire is the orange padparadscha. Its powers include spiritual enlightenment and inner peace. Sapphire is believed to offer healing properties for rheumatism, colic, and mental illness. It is also considered an antidepressant and an aid to psychokinesis, telepathy, clairvoyance and astral projection. Mohs scale - 9


Tanzanite
 

      This stone is part of the zoiscite mineral family and is only found in East Africa. It is named after Tanzania, where it was first discovered. Tanzanite is a purple-blue stone. Legend says that it was Masai cattle herders that first noticed this stone some 30 years ago after a fire caused by lightening burned areas in Tanzania. The herders noticed that brown zoiscite crystals had turned a deep blue-purple due to the heat from the fire. Because this is such a new gemstone, there is little folklore or healing properties surrounding this stone. Mohs scale - 6 to 7


Tiger's Eye
 

      This member of the chalcedony family is known for the lighter reflective band in the middle of the stone. Most commonly brown, tiger's eye also comes in red. Many legends about quartz say that wearing tiger's eye (which is a form of quartz) is beneficial for health and spiritual well being. Legend also says it is a psychic protector, great for business, and an aid to achieving clarity. Mohs scale - 7


Topaz
 

      Topaz comes in a wide array of colors. Blue and yellow are the most common, but topaz can also be pink, red, gold, brown, orange, or clear. During the Middle Ages topaz was thought to heal both physical and mental disorders and prevent death. The Greeks believed it had power to increase strength and to make its wearer invisible while the Romans believed it had power to improve eyesight. The Egyptians wore it as an amulet to protect them from injury. Mohs scale 8


Tourmaline
 

      The most valuable varieties of tourmaline are pink, green, and blue. There are also shades of brown, red, yellow, and clear as well as multi-hued varieties such as the pink and green "watermelon tourmaline". Ancient legend says that tourmaline is found in all colors because it traveled along a rainbow and gathered all the the rainbow's colors. Tourmaline is believed to strengthen the body and spirit, especially the nervous system, blood, and lymph. It is also thought to inspire creativity and was used extensively as a talisman by artists and writers. Mohs scale 7 to 7.5


Turquoise
 

      This stone is usually a shade of blue-green and has veins of black, brown, or gold. Turquoise attracts money, success and love. Its powers include protection, healing, courage,  friendship, and luck. Relaxes the mind, and eases mental tension. Turquoise is sacred to many Native Americans and was carved in the shape of animals and birds. These carvings were placed in the Indians tombs to attract beneficial spirits and to guard the dead. Turquoise was also used by medicine men for healing and by warriors who fixed turquoise to the end of their bows to insure accurate shots. Mohs scale - 5 to 6

 

Traditional Birthstones

  January - Garnet July - Ruby  
  February - Amethyst August - Peridot  
  March - Aquamarine September - Sapphire  
  April - Diamond October - Opal  
  May - Emerald November - Citrine  
  June - Pearl December - Blue Topaz  

 

What is the difference between natural, created, and simulated gemstones?

     Many people get confused by these terms used to classify stones. Particularly confusing is the distinction between created (also called lab) gemstones and simulated gemstones. Once you know the difference, it can make your jewelry buying experience much easier. If you're going to invest in jewelry, you should always make sure you're getting what you pay for and find out what class of gemstone you are purchasing.

     Natural gemstones are just what the name implies. They are minerals that are mined directly from the earth. The stones are dug from the ground, cut into different shapes, and polished. Often times, natural gemstones must be treated to preserve or enhance their color. Sometimes these treatments can also mask flaws within the stone. The jewelry industry considers most of these treatments to be standard and they do not decrease the value of the gems. Natural gems are also often referred to as "real" gemstones.

     Created gemstones, however, are also "real". That is, they exhibit the same mineral composition and are identical to natural stones in terms of color, hardness, luster, etc. This is why referring only to natural gems as "real" is a bit misleading. The difference between the two is that created gems are not mined from the earth. Instead, they are made in a laboratory, which is why they are often called lab or lab-grown gemstones. Equipment in the laboratory mimics the conditions under which gems are formed in nature. Since the process is controlled, created gems do not have as many flaws as natural gems. They have better, more even color and fewer inclusions than their natural counterparts. Therefore, they have a superior appearance. Yet, our culture and the jewelry industry as a whole value natural gems more. Although created gemstones are, technically speaking, better than natural stones, they are less expensive. However, due to the high cost of natural stones, many gemstones sold today are lab created. Because the chemical properties of created gems are identical to natural gems, the highest quality created gems are usually indistinguishable from natural gems without extensive and complicated scientific testing.

     Simulated gemstones are not really gemstones at all. They can be made in laboratories or made of natural materials, but do not have the same properties as the natural gemstones they mimic. They are simply other materials made to look like gemstones. Most fashion jewelry is made with simulated gems because they are inexpensive. In many cases, various forms of crystals or colored glass are also used to imitate gemstones in jewelry.

 

All of the gemstones in the jewelry Suzanne makes are natural, unless otherwise noted.