Category Archives: Stone Jewelry

Zircon

Zircon Gemstone

Zircon

Zircon is an important jewelry stone, but is not well known by the general public. In fact many people who are aware of zircon confuse it with the diamond simulant cubic zironia. They are of course completely different. Cubic zirconia is a lab-created material while zircon is a natural mineral with a very different chemical composition. Zircon can be found in a number of locations in Asia, especially Cambodia, Vietnam, Thailand, Burma and Sri Lanka. African sources are becoming more important, with zircon found in Tanzania, Madagascar, Mozambique and Nigeria.

Zircon is a mineral belonging to the group of nesosilicates. Its chemical name is zirconium silicate. The group includes the various garnets, peridot, topaz, andalusite, kyanite, tanzanite, the various beryls, tourmaline and quartz. Zircon is a zirconium silicate, and is the main source of the element zirconium, a lustrous white-gray metal resembling titanium.

Zircon is known as a colorless stone used to imitate diamonds, but also comes in: blue, yellow, orange, red, brown and green. The orange variety of zircon is called jacinth. Zircon has been around in jewelry for hundreds of years. It is known for its high dispersion and for many years was used to imitate diamonds.

Brown Zicon is usually heat treated to change them to colorless or blue Zircon. Blue stones that revert to brown will regain the blue if reheated. Blue Zircon reheated in the presence of oxygen will change to a golden yellow.

Zircon supposedly helps one be more at peace with oneself. Zircon is believed to provide the wearer with wisdom, honor and riches. The lost of luster on a Zircon stone is said to warn of danger. Jacinth helps rising one’s self-esteem. Moreover, Zircon relieves pain. It is said to whet one’s appetite. Zircon also prevents nightmares and ensures a deep tranquil sleep.

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Kona Dolomite

Kono Dolomite

Kona Dolomite

The state where this Kono Dolomite Jade is found is in Marquette County, Michigan and this is where the Jasper inherited it’s name from, the Kono Hills, is known as being south of Marquette County, Michigan

Kona Dolomite specimen come in many shades of red, orange, brown, yellow, pink, cream, and often has shades of turquoise, brown, cream, gray and black banding, lacing and mottling. Often they will have inclusions of a dark Red Crystal Dolomite (Mooseblood Dolomite) and this is the only place in the world where that particular color of Red is found.

There are types of Kona Dolomite:

Pansy Kona Dolomite.
Moose Blood Crystal Kona Dolomite.
Breciated Kona Dolomite
Kaleidoscope Kona Dolomite
Moons Kona Dolomite
Hematite Included Kona Dolomite
Leopard Skin Kona Dolomite
Lacy Kona Dolomite
Krazy Lace Kona Dolomite

Kona, makes beautiful slabs for clocks & wind chimes. Fantastic Spheres, Eggs, and Bookends as well as Carvings, as it carves fairly easily. It will often cut some excellent larger Jewelry cabs for Bolos, Belt Buckles and Pendants and sometimes some smaller cabs for Rings, Earrings and other jewelry projects.

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The Apple Green Of Gaspeite

Gaspeite Gemstone

Gaspeite

Gaspeite is an extremely rare nickel carbonate mineral named for the place it was first described, in the Gaspé Peninsula, Canada. Gaspeite is almost apple green and can have brown patches. Also sometimes comes in a neon green. Relatively rare, and only found in very few places.

The mineral was first described by D.W. Kohls and J.L. Rodda in 1966. Specimens have also been found in New Mexico in the United States and in Western Australia.

Gaspeite belongs to the calcite group, a group of related carbonates that are isomorphous with one another. They are similar in many properties, and may partially or fully replace one another, forming a partial solid solution series.

Since gaspeite is a slightly soft gemstone, it is not recommended for rings unless well-protected by a bezel setting. You will most often see gaspeite set in pendants or pins, or beaded.

The Aborigine’s used gaspeite to bring about good fortune. As a healing stone, it is thought to reduce stress and help with heart, gallbladder and lung problems. Metaphysically, it is thought to bring spirituality into everyday life.

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Tanzanite Gemstone

Tanzanite Gemstone

Tanzanite

Was discovered in the Meralani (Merelani) Hills of Northern Tanzania in 1967, near the city of Arusha, Tanzanite is the blue or purple stone, the variety of the mineral zoisite. It is used as a gemstone. Tanzanite is noted for its remarkably strong trichroism, appearing alternately sapphire blue, violet, and burgundy depending on crystal orientation.

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.

In October 2002, Tanzanite was added to the official birthstone list by the American Gem Trade Association as an additional birthstone for December. Tanzanite is a brittle stone and although it can be worn daily, care should be taken to protect it from knocks, pressure and extreme temperature changes. Do not use a home ultrasonic to clean jewelry with tanzanite.

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Tiffany Gemstone

Tiffany Gemstone

Tiffany Stone

Tiffany stone is such a rare opaque gemstone which found only in a small region of southwestern Utah. For years, it was available only as a minor by-product of the Brush-Wellman’s beryllium mining operation. When the mine was closed to collectors, the tiny supply of tiffany stone was cut off, and it seemingly forever.

Tiffany Stone is composed of varying combinations of minerals such as bertrandite (beryllium silicate), beryl, calcite, chalcedony, cobalt, dolomite, fluorite, manganese oxide, rhodonite, quartz and zinc. The purple color that characterizes Tiffany Stone was created by fluorine gases, while the distinct black-colored veins were caused by manganese oxide; all of which were sealed within the sedimentary layers, becoming opalized over time. Unlike precious opal, Tiffany Stone does not display any opalescence or “play of color” that is common in its namesake.

Tiffany is a purple, lavender, white stone sometimes with patches of mauve, yellowish-brown and black is found in beryllium ore (Bertrandite) . This stone is known as opalite, ice cream opal, opalized fluorite and opal fluorite. The name Tiffany Stone presumably comes from the jewelry company of the same name that used it in some of their designs.

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The Yellow Positive Citrine

Citrine Stone

Citrine

Citrine is a variety of quartz whose color ranges from a pale yellow to brown. Citrine is actually naturally heated amethyst and smokey quartz. It is nearly impossible to tell cut citrine from yellow topaz visibly, but they differ in hardness. Citrine has ferric impurities, and is rarely found naturally. Most commercial citrine is artificially heated amethyst or smoky quartz.

Brazil is the leading producer of citrine, with much of its production coming from the state of Rio Grande do Sul. The name is derived from Latin citrina which means “yellow” and is also the origin of the word “citron.” Sometimes citrine and amethyst can be found together in the same crystal and is referred to as ametrine.

Citrine brings happiness, joy and optimism into your life. One of only two minerals on the planet which do not hold or accumulate negative energy, but dispels and transforms it. You don’t ever have to cleanse Citrine, because it doesn’t hold any negativity! Citrine energizes, and invigorates, promotes warmth, comfort, and energy.

This is a “stone of success” in all walks of life, and should be a part of anyone’s gemstone collection. If you don’t have any citrine, and you have not been very successful in your endeavors, perhaps balancing the “Yellow” energy will turn things around for you.

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Chrysocolla Isn’t Turquoise

Chrysocolla Stone

Chrysocolla

Chrysocolla is a very beautiful green-blue color gemstone belonging to the Quartz family which resembles Turquoise. The meaning of this name is ‘golden lime’ in Greek. This stone is also known as Gem Silica.

The name comes from the Greek chrysos, “gold”, and kolla, “glue”, in allusion to the name of the material used to solder gold, and was first used by Theophrastus in 315 BCE.

The gemstone Chrysocolla is often confused with turquoise. It is a copper bearing mineral found wherever copper deposits occur especially in areas of the southwestern USA, Chili, Zaire, Australia, France and England.

Pure chrysocolla is too soft for jewelry purposes but it is often found in quartz deposits which makes it hard enough to polish for cabochons. It is often found mixed with malachite, turquoise and azurite.

This stone promotes clarity of thought, emotional balance, wisdom, intuition and patience. It also decreases stress, overcome negativity, nervousness and irritability. This stone is best worn as pendant made in copper and around the throat.

Chrysocolla is a very beautiful stone with many beneficial energies. It is known as a healing stone among Native American Indian cultures where it was used for strengthening the body’s resistance and bringing about calm feelings where there is ups

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Gibeon Meteorite, The Real Outter Space Stone

Gibeon Meteroite

Gibeon Meteorite

The Gibeon Meteorite was first reported by Capt. J.E. Alexander in 1838. He heard of masses of native iron up to two feet square on the east side of the Great Fish River. While he did not see the masses himself, he was able to obtain samples for analysis. Undoubtedly, the natives in the area were previously aware of these occurrences, since they were found on the surface.

Gibeon Meteorite is fascinating, it comes from broken asteroid fragments or an exploded star, and maybe even from the planet Mars. Gibeon Meteorite is composed mainly of iron (90%) and nickel (8%). A great many gemstones can be faked, but not the Gibeon Meteorite. The formation of Gibeon Meteorite requires a cooling rate of only one degree Celsius (33F) per million years.

Kalahari Desert tribesmen picked up meteorites that lay on the ground’s surface and made arrowheads and assagai-heads, a javelin type weapon made of long, thin pointed iron rods with sharp edges.

Meteoric iron is used for alignment and balancing; it symbolizes the aptitude and strength required for endurance. Nickel is thought to purify the blood and increase the body’s iron content.

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Charoite Purple Stone

Charoit Stone

Charoite

Charoite, discovered in Russia in 1978 in the Murun mountains in Yakutia. This the only known location for this rare mineral. The name Charoite is derived from the Charo River which is near where it was found.

This part of Russia is known for its forbidding climate and terrain and as a traditional place of exile for political prisoners. Why charoite has not been found in other locations is not fully understood. But it is probably due to a combination of a chemically unique limestone reacting with a chemically unique intrusion and subjected to unique physical conditions.

The colors range from bright lavender, violet and lilac to dark purple with swirling patterns of black Augite, transparent crystals of microcline feldspar, and/or orange Tinaksite. Charoite is used as an ornamental stone and as a gemstone.

Charoite is said to enhance self-esteem, accelerate spiritual growth, and improve the ability to love. Since this is a recent discovery (1978), there are no known legends surrounding this stone.

Moreover, it can boosts productions of hormones, calms nervous system, insomnia, hearing, digestive tract, heart. Insomnia, headaches, hearing disorders, posture and skeletal system, stomach, skin, and teeth. As an elixir in the treatment of arthritis.

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The Greener Variscite

Variscite Stone

Variscite

Variscite is a hydrated aluminium phosphate mineral, it is sometimes get mistaken with turquoise, but its colors are light bluish green, medium and dark greens. It has a waxy luster and takes a fine polish.

Variscite is found in the United States (Utah, Nevada), Australia (Queensland), Germany and Brazil. It is also known as Utahlite, Barrandite, Bolivarite and Lucinite.

The mineral stone of Variscite is not very hard and should not be manhandled. Exposure to high temperatures and harsh chemicals like acids is strictly discouraged. Variscite articles should be cleaned only with a mild soap and warm water.

Mining and marketing of the variscite as “chlor-utahlite” on a small scale for the jewelry trade continued up to about the time of the World War 1.

Variscite is believed by some to be soothing, calming, and balancing for both the body and mind. It is said to aid the blood and heart, give emotional stability, self confidence and bring abundance.

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