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Birthstones Page 2

     A fine Ruby, which can be more expensive than a comparable Diamond, is one of the most precious and beautiful gemstones of the world.  Ruby is the sister of Sapphire, both of whom are composed of Corundum, which exists in all colors of the rainbow.  Only the red to purple red hues of Corundum are called Ruby while all other colors including the light shades of red and pink are classified as Sapphires.  In early times many red gemstones, including garnet and red spinel were mistaken for Ruby.  The famous "Black Prince's Ruby" of the English State Crown, always believed to be a Ruby, has since been identified as a red spinel due to our greatly improved ability to identify gemstones and to separate synthetics from genuine gems in the last century.

     Today, lab created gems are one of the pitfalls a consumer faces in the marketplace.  Many large retailers and mall stores have resorted to stocking lab created and synthetics because they can be offered in very attractive price ranges.  When mixed with other fine jewelry, as is often the case, the consumer can be confused.  Lab grown gems have the same chemical and physical properties as their NATURAL counterparts.  Genuine natural gems are mined, not grown in a laboratory.  If you are looking at a very clean and brilliant one carat Ruby or Emerald for two hundred dollars in a gold mounting you can bet it is lab created.  The abundance of lab grown and synthetic Rubies, as well as other gemstones, requires you to ask if what you are buying is genuine and natural or man made.  While there is nothing wrong with buying synthetics and lab grown stones, you must realize they can be worth ten percent or less than the real thing and may retain no real value.

     In addition to having the distinction of the birthstone for July, Ruby is the gemstone for summer and the zodiac sign of Capricorn.  Ruby is also given for fifteenth and fortieth wedding anniversaries.  Second only to Diamond in hardness, Ruby is an excellent gemstone for rings and bracelets which are subjected to greater wear than other types of jewelry.

     The primary sources for Ruby are Burma, Thailand, Sri Lanka, Tanzania and Kenya.  The term "Burmese Rubies" which originally described the most highly prized gems from Burma, is now a misleading term because it is used to describe fine Rubies, similar in color to Burmese Rubies, from around the world, even though Burma still produces many top quality gems.  A top quality Ruby has a "pigeon blood" color of vivid red to slightly purplish red. Inclusions and color zones are common in Ruby and may not impact price when color is overriding factor. Star Rubies, like the more commonly known Star Sapphires exhibit a well defined six ray star formed by needle like inclusions which align themselves in the same direction, known as an asterism.  An asterism is highlighted when a Ruby with the right type of inclusions is cut as a cabochon (flat on the bottom and domed on the top).

     Check out our Gemstone Jewelry page or  visit one of our stores to see the Ruby jewelry we have to offer.

     Peridot, pronounced with a silent "t", is typically found in a variety of green colors ranging from a lively light yellow-green through a deep olive shade.  Peridot is found right here in the United States in Arizona, New Mexico and Hawaii.  Brazil, Burma, Australia, Norway and Sri Lanka are other well known sources for Peridot.

     Peridot is readily available in small to medium sizes in the marketplace.  Prices for this warm gemstone will range from under fifty dollars for one to two carat nice quality specimens and will start to climb considerably in larger sizes.  A five carat Peridot can range in price from under one hundred dollars to a few hundred dollars and gems over ten carats can cost thousands of dollars.  Sizes over five carats are not common in jewelry and much larger sizes are very rare.  A Peridot specimen of 310 carats is on display at the Smithsonian Institution in Washington D.C.

     In addition to being the birthstone for August, Peridot is also the 16th Wedding Anniversary gemstone.  While Peridot is not soft, it is not as hard as many other popular gems.  Proper care is required for this gemstone which can be scratched by other gems and jewelry.  It is a good idea to store your Peridot jewelry in a separate compartment in your jewelry box or to wrap items individually to protect from scratching.  Cleaning regularly with warm soapy water is recommended, however, exercise care with ultrasonic cleaning or steaming as extreme heat is not good for Peridot.

     Peridot is a very hot fall fashion color.  Many major apparel stores offer intense Peridot colors and display the lime and olive colors of Peridot  in their windows.  While this fall will bring Peridot into the "limelight", it is truly a gemstone for all seasons.

     Check out our Gemstone Jewelry pages or  visit one of our stores to see the Peridot jewelry we have to offer.  We stock a large variety of Peridot jewelry and unset gemstones in many colors.

     Sapphire, which is traditionally thought of as a royal blue gemstone actually occurs in all colors of the rainbow except red (See Ruby above).  Pretty pinks, gorgeous greens, yummy yellows and an outrageous orange color known as "Padparadschah" are typical Sapphire colors found in the marketplace.  Blue Sapphire is the birthstone for the month of September and it is also given for the fifth and forty-fifth Wedding Anniversaries.

     Sapphire is composed of Corundum, a material which is second only to Diamond in hardness.  The red variety of Corundum is known as Ruby.  Blue Sapphire is more plentiful than Ruby because Iron, a common element gives |Corundum it's blue color while Chrome, a rarer element gives Ruby it's red color.  The most important sources for Sapphire are Sri Lanka, Australia, Burma and Thailand.  Sapphire is also mined in the United States, primarily in Montana.

     Pale transparent and dark opaque nearly black Sapphires are common in the marketplace at prices ranging from ten to two hundred dollars.  Fine translucent medium to dark blue gemstones may be found in jewelry stores at prices ranging from two hundred dollars to well over two thousand dollars.  Large fine quality Sapphires have sold at auctions for prices of fifty thousand dollars and more.

     Some Sapphires posses a phenomena known as an "asterism" and display a six ray star effect, these unique gemstones are appropriately called "Star Sapphires".  Star Sapphires are most common as an oval "cabochon" which is cut flat on the bottom and domed on the top to enhance the star effect.  Other Sapphires may change colors when exposed to different types of light, and in rare instances Sapphires may display a "chatoyancy" effect described as a "cat's eye". 

     The intense blues, vivid colors and rare phenomena associated with this gemstone have kept Sapphire among the most sought after gems in the world for centuries.  In fact, Princess Diana and many others have selected a Sapphire for an engagement ring instead of the traditional Diamond.  Sapphire is an excellent gemstone for rings which tend to be subjected to much more abuse than other types of jewelry.  Generally it is safe to steam clean Sapphire or to use an ultrasonic machine for cleaning.  The rich blue color of Sapphire makes it an elegant statement with evening wear and looks great with everyday blue jeans too.  Visit one of our stores to see the Sapphire jewelry we have to offer.  Sapphire should be a part of your jewelry collection!

     Opal, a spectacular creation of nature, displays the colors of the rainbow with a fiery iridescence unrivaled by other gems.  White Opal, Octobers birthstone, is abundant in a wide variety of qualities ranging from almost solid white to gems that display intense blues, greens and reds.  White Opal is also the gemstone for fourteenth Wedding Anniversaries.

     Black Opal, another member of the Opal family, is much rarer and far more expensive than White Opal.  The darker background color of Black Opal is responsible for much richer blues with accents of red and or green.  Boulder Opal is a combination of matrix or "mother" rock with Opal attached to it.  Boulder Opals are often carved, using the dark brown rock and colorful Opal for contrast.  A design such as a carved brown stone Indians face with a rainbow colored headdress carved in Opal is a one of a kind creation not possible with other gemstones.  Fire Opal, a muted to brilliant orange or light to dark amber color, is the unusual member of the Opal family.  Unlike White Opals which are usually polished as domed "cabochons", Fire Opal, which may be  translucent or transparent, may be fashioned as a cabochon or facetted to display it's intense color.  Opals are found primarily in Australia, Brazil and Mexico.

     In jewelry, such as mothers rings, where several different birthstones are incorporated into one design, Pink Ice is often substituted for Opal.  This is done when all of the other birthstones are clear facetted stones and a domed, translucent to opaque Opal, would not enhance the jewelry design.  Pink Ice, a term created by television shopping networks, is actually pink cubic zirconium, a synthetic gemstone.  Pink Ice has become very widely accepted as Octobers birthstone and can be found in many jewelry stores today.  Genuine pink colored gemstones, such as Pink Tourmaline or Rose Zircon (a natural gem, not to be confused with zirconium) may be used when Opal is not suitable and a synthetic is not desired in a jewelry design.

     Your Opal jewelry requires special care because it is fragile and relatively soft compared to other gemstones.  Avoid exposure to extreme or sudden temperature changes.  Always store your Opal jewelry separate from other jewelry which may scratch or chip Opals.  Sometimes you will hear that Opals bring bad luck, in the orient however, Opals are highly prized and sought after.  Next time you are out shopping, please visit one of our stores and make it a point to checkout the unusual colors and jewelry designs created in Opal.

     Check out our Gemstone Jewelry pages or  visit one of our stores to see the Opal jewelry we have to offer.

     The traditional birthstone for November is Yellow Topaz, which is commonly called Precious Topaz or Imperial Topaz.  Precious Topaz is found in a variety of colors, including pink, blue, clear and green.  Topaz is found here in the United States in the state of Utah.  The primary source of Topaz is the Soviet Union, where crystals exceeding one hundred pounds have been discovered.

     Today the most popular choice for a November Birthstone is Citrine, which is similar in color to Yellow Topaz, but only ten percent of the price of Precious Topaz.  Citrine and Topaz are two different minerals, a fact that even escapes many salespeople in the jewelry business.  Citrine is readily available in sizes of one carat up to twenty carats and facetted specimens of over one thousand carats are known.  The major source of Citrine is Brazil, however Spain and Bolivia are also well known sources.  The United States even has some deposits of Citrine, primarily found in Colorado.

     Citrine, a natural variety of the quartz family, is actually found in mines very rarely.  Most Citrine in the marketplace today is Amethyst, the purple member of the quartz family, which when heated changes color to yellow.  The amount of heat applied and the length of heating time will yield many different tones of yellow. Because of the extremely abundant supply of Amethyst, the practice of heating is common, resulting in a plentiful supply of Citrine.  The change in color is permanent and undetectable, making a separation of natural and heated Citrine almost impossible.

     Citrine, a vibrant sunny yellow gemstone is also given for thirteenth Wedding Anniversaries.  The colors of Citrine ranges from bright yellow to orange and even a brownish orange color that resembles Amber.  The soft, subdued hues of Citrine compliment most complexions, making Citrine a gem worthy of your jewelry collection.

     Check out our Gemstone Jewelry pages or  visit one of our stores to see the Citrine jewelry we have to offer.  We have a great selection of Citrine jewelry and unset gemstones at very affordable prices.

     Blue Topaz, a brilliant and electric blue gemstone, shares the spotlight for Decembers birthstone with the traditional Turquoise and Blue Zircon.  The royal blue colors of Blue Topaz are so intense that many people wear this gem just because they love the color.  Blue Topaz is relatively inexpensive and readily available in sizes up to twenty carats and more.

     Blue Topaz, a member of the quartz family, is found in three distinct colors at the jewelry counter.  The lightest shades, known as Sky Blue Topaz, resemble Aquamarine and are substituted for the March birthstone.  Swiss Blue Topaz is the intense electric blue December birthstone and London Blue Topaz is the rich darker blue which some people also select as Decembers birthstone because they prefer the color.  Blue Topaz is also the gemstone given for fourth Wedding Anniversaries.

     Blue Zircon, a natural gem, not to be confused with zirconium (a synthetic), is not readily available in the marketplace today.  Its color is muted and when facetted it does not have the fire or brilliance of its current substitute Blue Topaz.  Blue Zircon is however still available at fine jewelry stores, usually by request, for those who prefer the mellower tones of this natural gemstone.

Turquoise

     Natural Turquoise is an opaque blue gem, typically exhibiting light or dark matrix veining, that has been used as jewelry for over five thousand years.  The color of Turquoise ranges from baby blue to a deeper ocean blue, and sometimes greenish blues like those found in the waters of the Caribbean.  Turquoise, which is typically found only in very small nugget like sizes is usually cut in cabochon shapes (flat bottomed with a polished domed top), carved, made into beads or used for inlay work.  Turquoise is given for thirteenth Wedding Anniversaries.  Iran, Turkey and the American Southwest are the primary sources for Turquoise used in jewelry.

     Check out our Gemstone Jewelry pages or  visit one of our stores to see the Blue Topaz and Turquoise jewelry we have to offer.

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