Hailing from the olivine group of minerals, the peridot is a mysterious and thought-provoking gem. Peridot was valued in many ancient and medieval cultures, first in the second century BC in priests’ jewelry and later in the chalices and churches of medieval Europe. Peridot has also been used for centuries as a protective talisman, shielding the owner from evil spirits and “terrors of the night.” (more…)
Few things catch the eye like the ruby birthstone. This July birthstone has a color which can be described as a deep, pure, vivid red. Ruby, a variety of the mineral corundum (which also includes sapphires), is as historically captivating as it is beautiful.
In the ancient language of Sanskrit, ruby is called ratnaraj or “king of precious stones” for its rarity, hardness (second only to diamond), beauty, and for its seemingly mystical powers. (more…)
May’s birthstone is the brilliant, green emerald. Legends gave the emerald the power to make its wearer more intelligent and quick-witted and its the gemstone for 20th and 35th wedding anniversaries. It was once believed to cure diseases like cholera and malaria, and its color reflects new spring growth, which makes it a perfect choice of a birthstone for the month of May. (more…)
Shimmering with an internal fire all its own, diamond is one of the world’s most sought-after and adored gemstones. (more…)
The garnet is actually a group of several minerals that have been used since the Bronze Age as gemstones and abrasives. There are six common garnet minerals – and several other rare species. The most common garnets are almandine, andradite, grossular, pyrope, spessartine and uvarovite The name “garnet” comes from 14th century Middle English word gernet meaning ‘dark red’, (more…)
October babies have the pleasure of enjoying two birthstones to commemorate their birthdays – tourmaline and opal. Last time we wrote about pink tourmaline, and now we’re going to share with you about opal. (more…)
September’s birthstone is one of our favorite gemstones at GIA –sapphire. Sapphires have been long associated with royalty and romance (hence the engagement ring of Prince Charles and Princess Diana, and The Royal Couple – William and Katherine!). (more…)