Modern – Aquamarine Traditional – Bloodstone Mystical - Jade Aquamarine is a member of the Beryl family. The name Beryl may not be familiar to most but the more common names of the variety of its colors are well known. Beryl’s come in pink (Morganite), yellow (Heliodor), green (Emerald) and blue (Aquamarine). The name of March’s blue birthstone comes from the Latin for seawater. Aquamarine’s blue-green color is reminiscent of the sea; evoking the calming, soothing and cleansing nature of water. It was believed in ancient times to be the treasure of mermaids and used by sailors as a talisman to calm waves and keep sailors safe at sea. It was also believed to counteract the forces of darkness and find...
Modern - Amethyst Traditional - Amethyst Mystical - Bloodstone Amethyst is the most valuable variety of Quartz. It gets its violet color from irradiated iron impurities. You may have heard of other colors of Amethyst, but by definition, it can only be purple. When there is a higher iron content with hematite inclusions, it appears black. Pink Amethyst is simply a lighter lavender version. Green Amethyst is technically not an Amethyst but actually another type of quartz called Prasiolite. I can't honestly say how it ever became commonly known as Green Amethyst. Possibly, because its an easier name to remember than Prasiolite. Amethyst derived its name from the Greek word "amethystos". The Greeks believed amethyst gems could prevent intoxication...
Modern - Garnet Traditional - Garnet Mystical - Emerald When most people think of lush garnets, they think of the traditional transparent dark burgundy red that has long been associated with the January birthstone. In fact, the word garnet comes from the 14th‑century Middle English word gernet, meaning 'dark red'. Red garnet represents love. It can aid in revitalizing feelings and enhancing sexuality. It helps to control anger, especially towards oneself. Because of the differing minerals in garnets, there are actually a number of colors varieties. There is even a rare color changing garnet that appears brownish or orange in daylight but rose-pink in incandescent light. This picture from the GIA website shows a variety of the colors:...
Call me a magpie, but I really love fancy pieces of colorful, shiny glass. That is what attracted me to the art of making handcrafted glass beads, called lampwork. I also sometimes call the beads artisan glass. I was intrigued to the point of wanting to learn the process. I'm grateful to have had the opportunity to take classes in this art and then to have the time to explore it further. I no longer make my own beads as that can be a full time job in itself, but still occasionally incorporate them in my jewelry designs, such as the necklaces pictured above. The name lampwork comes from the centuries-old process when glass beads were made with the heat of the...
In a previous post "The Healing Energies, Metaphysical Properties and Lore of Gemstones - Introduction" I spoke about a class that I had taken which introduced me to the ways various stones can aid a body's healing. I tend to be a bit of a sceptic so I wanted to try an experiment on myself to see if it really works. I have a chronic problem with my left ankle from an accident in my 20s where I sprained the joint so badly that my foot and leg were put in a cast. Even though I thought it healed well at the time, as I get older the joint locks up on occasion and pulls on the muscles in my...
