AGATE
have formed resemble that of tree rings. Varieties of agate are formed by the differences in shape and color of these bands. The varieties in color can be anywhere in the color spectrum, with blue and green specimens showing up from time to time, albeit rare. Agate, while physically identical to quartz, is also chemically identical to jasper, petrified wood and tiger’s eye. Petrified (agatized) wood is actually agate that has replaced the organic matter of the tree slowly over a long span of time. The structure of the tree remains, but the tree itself is a fossil. Agate is also commonly found in geodes and there are many diverse types of agate found all over the world. AMBER
40-55 million years old. It is superior in quality to any other fossil resin or resins. AMETHYST
times, the Greeks used to think that amethyst would protect those who wore it from becoming drunk. Amethyst is Macrocrystalline quartz and is one of the best selling gemstones in the world. Like Agate, Amethyst is found in geodes. Amethyst can vary in color from shades of red-violet to purple to pink, from a milky color to green. Amethysts are found in Brazil, Argentina, Namibia, Canada and the U.S. AMETRINE
purple and yellow or orange. The color of the zones visible within Ametrine are due to differing oxidation states of iron within the crystal. The different oxidation states occur due to there being a temperature gradient across the crystal during its formation. Ametrine has only been readily available to the consumer since 1980 when material from the Anahi mine in Bolivia began to appear on the market. At this location, both amethyst and citrine are thought to have been crystallizing simultaneously during formation. Legend has it that ametrine was first introduced to Europe by a conquistador’s gifts to the Spanish Queen, after he received the Anahi mine in Bolivia as a dowry. Almost all commercially available Ametrine is mined in Bolivia, although there are deposits being exploited in Brazil and India. ANDALUSITE
is named. Typical colors for Andalusite are green, brown, red, greenish-brown, brownish-green. A clear variety first found in Andalusia, Spain can be cut into an interesting gemstone. Faceted Andalusite stones give a play of red, green, and yellow colors that resembles a muted form of iridescence, although the colors are actually the result of unusually strong pleochroism. It has some similarities with the very rare and valuable alexandrite. The fact that it is seldom seen in jewelry is probably because it is quite rare, and most people, even in the jewelry industry, have never heard of it, let alone seen it. Although as we have already noted, Andalusite was originally discovered in Andalucía, it is also found in Brazil, Sri Lanka (Ceylon), Siberia, Brittany, Australia and the USA. APATITE
so many minerals. Apatite is the most common phosphate mineral and is the main source of the phosphorus required by plants. Apatite colors range from colorless to white, yellow, brown, red, pink, purple, blue and green. Some specimens are multicolored. Enormous deposits of Apatite are in the Kola Peninsula, Russia, containing both crystals and botryoidal material. Some of the finest crystals came from Ehrenfriedersdorf, Saxony Germany, where they are blue to purple in color. Deep blue crystals are found in Campo Formosa, Bahia, Brazil, and in Sri Lanka. Perhaps the most famous specimens are the gemmy yellow crystals from Cerro del Mercado (near Ciudad Durango), Durango, Mexico. In Ontario, Canada, large greenish-brown crystals come from Wilberforce, Haliburton Co., and the Bancroft area. Also in Canada is Otter Lake, Quebec, where large crystals occur on a matrix of orange Calcite. In the U.S., famous violet crystals come from the Mount Apatite area (Hebron), Androscoggin Co., Maine. Prismatic green crystals closely resembling Tourmaline is found in Mesa Grande, San Diego Co., California. AQUAMARINE
Beryl family of gemstones, which also includes emeralds and morganite. It is a transparent light blue to sea green in color, with the more intense colored specimens being more valued. They are usually faceted and can be cut into cabochon, but this can result in a cat’s eye effect being created within the stone. Legend has it that aquamarine came from the treasure chests of mermaids, and because of this, became the lucky stone of sailors. Aquamarine is found in Brazil, India, Madagascar, Afghanistan and Pakistan. AVENTURINE (Commonly misspelled Adventurine)
While green is the most desirable color of Aventurine, most Aventurine is reddish brown to yellow with shimmering metallic particles called mica throughout the stone. If there are any red or brown particles in Aventurine, it is caused by hematite platelets. Aventurine is found in Brazil, India, China and Japan.
traces of different impurities are responsible for the great color range in this gemstone. Each color variety has a distinct name: VARIETIES— Emerald: the green variety is the most popular green gemstone and is one of the most valuable of gems. (see below for more information). Aquamarine: a light blue to blue-green variety, (see above). Morganite: the pink to purple variety, is usually only lightly tinted. Morganite is sometimes also called “pink beryl”. Heliodor: is the variety including all yellow, yellow-green, orange, and brown beryls. Golden beryl: is a variety of Heliodor with a golden yellow color. Goshenite: the colorless variety of beryl, is often used as a replacement for more valuable colorless gems. Peach beryl: also known as “champagne beryl”, is a variety of Morganite with an orange-pink color. Green beryl: the light green variety of beryl. Bixbite: a strawberry-red variety of Morganite, with a brownish hue. Red beryl: a rare, deep red variety found in only one place in the world. BLACK ONYX
white. Onyx differs from other agate in the fact that the bands of which it is formed are parallel and regularly spaced. If the specimen of onyx is brown and white, it is called Sardonyx. If it is red and white, then this onyx is called Carnelian Onyx. When the specimen is black throughout the bands, then it is called Black Onyx. Onyx can be found in Uruguay, Germany, Canada and the U.S. CARNELIAN
color. Years ago, Carnelian was used for seals. Carnelian has been used for thousands of years. The ancient Egyptians filled tombs with this chalcedony quartz because they thought it was a great power and could help on the soul’s journey to the afterlife. It is found in Brazil, Australia, Russia, South America and the United States.
dealers call each variety by its particular name. There are hundreds of different Chalcedony varieties, and many have gem uses. In the gem trade, the name Chalcedony describes only white or lightly colored, nodular or massive Chalcedony. It is extremely abundant and creates unusual and stunning examples. Most Agate is ugly in a natural state. Specimens must be trimmed and polished to bring out their full beauty. Chalcedony frequently pseudomorphs after organic materials. A well-known example is petrified wood, wood that has been completely transformed into Chalcedony (or one of several other minerals). Another Chalcedony pseudomorph is the famous “Tiger’s Eye”. This almost legendary mineral has a most interesting and confusing appearance. It is caused by a finely fibrous structure of Crocidolite that was once present, but has been transformed into Chalcedony through pseudomorphism. Impurities are frequently present in Chalcedony. They may form a moss like growth in the mineral, forming what is known as Moss Agate. CITRINE
anywhere from yellow to gold, to an orange-brown. Most Citrine is from Brazil. CORAL
gemstones are from organic sources, that is from living things, either plants or animals. Coral is the “skeleton” formed by the individual polyps, plant-like animals, which make up a colony. Each coral polyp, a tiny marine animal that lives in enormous colonies, extracts calcium carbonate from the sea and exudes it to build a protective home around and above itself. Each generation of polyps dies in its protective home and each succeeding generation builds on top of its predecessor. Gem coral ranges from semi-translucent to opaque and occurs in white, pink, orange, red, blue, violet, golden, and black. DIAMOND
form of carbon that is second to none in its hardness. Diamonds come in all the colors of the rainbow, although we consider the most valuable to be colorless. The ancient Greeks believed that diamonds were the tears of gods and the Romans afterward thought that diamonds were the splinters of stars. Diamonds are found on all continents, except Antarctica. EMERALD
‘green gemstone’. Emerald is the name given the green variety of beryl. Top quality emeralds are a deep grass green with a slightly bluish cast, but many lesser quality stones are lighter shades of green and can have a more yellowish tone. Legend has it that Cleopatra prized emeralds above all other gems. Emeralds are found in many countries, but Columbia and Brazil are the major producers and Columbia is recognized as the source for the finest stones. They are also found in Pakistan, Russia, Australia, South Africa, India, Norway, and the United States. FLUORITE (FLUORSPAR)
fluorescence, which is where the name “fluorescent” comes from. Fluorite can come in many colors From rose to pink, yellow, green, purple, white, blue to nearly colorless. Many times, Fluorite is found banded with any of the above listed colors. It is found in Illinois (the state mineral), England and Colorado. VARIETIES— Labradorite: colorful, iridescent, also transparent stones in yellow, orange, red, and green. Sunstone: gold spangles from inclusions of hematite. Peristerite: blue white iridescence. Orthoclase: Pale yellow, flesh red. Amazonite: yellow green to greenish blue. Moonstone: colorless; also white to yellowish, and reddish to bluish gray. GARNET
Although known for being a deep red, it can also be found in shades of yellow, green, pink, white and gray. Ancient Greeks and Romans called Garnet the “warrior’s stone” and it was also set in the shields and buckles of the crusaders. It is found in Kenya, Sri Lanka, Thailand, Brazil, Canada, Spain and the U.S. VARIETIES— Almandine: orangy-red to purplish red. Andradite: yellowish green to orangy-yellow to black. Chrome pyrope: orange red. Color-change garnet: blue green in daylight to purple red in incandescent light. Demantoid: green to yellow green andradite. Grossular: colorless; also orange, pink, yellow, and brown. Hessonite: yellow orange to red. Malaia: yellowish to reddish orange to brown. Mandarin: a newly discovered garnet from Namibia is a very bright orange. Rhodolite: purplish red to red purple. Spessartine: encompasses the oranges from tangerine to rootbeer. The one called Topazolite: yellow
Uvarovite: emerald green. HEMATITE
occurs when Hematite is ground up. Hematite was used for making seals in Babylonia and a frequent mineral used in mourning jewelry in the early 20th century. It is found in England. Norway, Sweden, Morocco, New Zealand, Pima County – Arizona, Wisconsin and Michigan. IOLITE
sapphire” because it was commonly found in water deposits and can be mistaken for sapphires. Iolite is known for its pleochroism properties, meaning that if viewed from different angles, it changes color. For this reason, the Vikings used Iolite to determine the direction of the sun on cloudy days. They would cut the Iolite into thin plates and would use the lens to help navigate the seas. While Iolite is usually blue, inclusions of Hematite can cause a reddish sheen. It is found in Sri Lanka, India, Madagascar, Brazil, and the U.S. JADE
precious type. There are many shades of green, off-white, pink, reddish, orange, blue, lavender, tan, gray and black. Jadeite is vari-colored, whereas much of the nephrite is a bold green, white and black. Since Ancient times in China, Jade “yu” has been regarded as the royal gemstone. VARIETIES— resembles jade. Canadian Jade: a type of nephrite jade that is mined in Canada. New Jade: a very pale colored stone that is actually serpentine. Olive Jade: another type of serpentine, it is a gemstone that has the same yellow-green color that an olive has. Yellow Jade: not real jade but a golden-yellow form of serpentine. LAPIS
pyrite and mica throughout it which makes Lapis Lazuli look like a night sky. Lapis Lazuli used to be ground up to make ultramarine pigments for paint as early as the 11th century A.D. Lapis Lazulit can be found from a true blue to deep blue with occurrences of purplish blue to blue-green. It was one of the first stones to be used for jewelry. It is found in Afghanistan, Egypt, Canada and Chile. MALACHITE
two or more shades of green throughout. The characteristic green in malachite is actually made up of copper, with the amount of water in the specimen affecting the intensity of the color. More water will make the green lighter; less water makes the green more intense. Total absence of water will make Malachite black. It is found in Zaire, Chile, Australia, France, England and Arizona.
reflecting internally in the Moonstone from layer inclusions of different Feldspars. Polished Moonstone specimens commonly exhibit chatoyancy, and sometimes displays a strong cat’s eye. Different Feldspar varieties produce Moonstone. Moonstone is a popular gem and comes in an assortment of colors. OPAL
the small spheres of silica gel causing refraction manifestations dissecting the light throughout the stone. All opals contain water (upwards of 30%) so they cannot be stored in too dry a place or the color will begin to dim and crack. It should be worn often to let the stone breath in the humidity and absorb oils from the skin. 95% of all fine opals come from the outback of Australia. Categories are varied by place, occurrence, and color. VARIETIES— Black opal: flashes and speckles appear against black background. Water opal: a transparent, colorless opal is the background for brilliant flashes of color. Fire opal: reddish or orange opal. PEARL
gemstones are from organic sources, that is from living things, either plants or animals. Pearls are formed naturally by the oyster when a foreign object enters the shell and causes irritation to its soft tissue. The oyster forms a secretion around the object as a form of protection. The foreign object can be a number of different things including a grain of sand or a parasite. In time the coating builds up in iridescent layers. Pearls can be almost any shape, but round ones are generally more desirable. Pearl-bearing mollusks are found in both salt and fresh water. Natural pearls come in various shapes: round, pear, drop, egg, and others. They also come in various colors, such as white, cream, light rose, cream rose, black, gray, bronze, blue, dark blue, blue green, red, purple, yellow, and violet. Each coloration will depend on the type of mollusk and the water where the mollusk lived. “Cultured” pearls can be from saltwater or freshwater mollusks. Pearl farmers introduce a shell bead into the oyster or mussel and the mollusk deposits layers of nacre around the bead. Many people use the term cultured pearls to refer only to pearls produced from saltwater oysters. However, the process to make freshwater pearls is the same. The correct usage is freshwater cultured pearls or saltwater cultured pearls. PEARL (FRESHWATER)
and the United States. Freshwater pearl is different from saltwater pearl in:
freshwater mussels are nucleated in the actual mantle tissue. Each side of this bivalve can handle up to\ 25 nucleations at one time. inside the mussel thus a fairly long culturing period. For saltwater pearls, a shell bead nucleus as well as
rice, etc. Freshwater pearls are noted for their wide range of colors such as white, silvery white, pink, salmon, red, copper, bronze, brown, lavender, purple, green, blue, cream, black, and yellow. Freshwater pearl’s colors are the result of body color and overtone colors.
metallic particles.
aragonite layers. VARIETIES— Cultured Saltwater Pearls: Japanese saltwater cultured pearls come from the Akoya oyster. Akoya oysters Japan, the pearls are called Akoya pearls. Mikimoto pearls come from the Akoya oyster and are the best known Japanese saltwater cultured pearls. Japanese Akoya pearls are the most difficult to grow due to the low survival rates of the host oysters. Cultured Freshwater Pearls: Freshwater cultured pearls come from freshwater mussels and are produced by pearl mussels are commercially harvested. The tones of the freshwater pearls are dictated by the mother shell. White is the most common, followed by pink. Other colors depend on the type of mussels. Big washboard mussels usually have pink pearls, as do the wartyback mussel. Threeridge mussels have pearls in shades of blue-green and lavender. Muckets produce fine pink pearls, and sand mussel have salmon-pink pearls. Other mussels used to produce freshwater pearls include the ebony, heelsplitter, pimple back, elephant ear, mapleleaf, three-ridge pigtoe, pistol grip, and butterfly. cultivated using the Pinctada maxima oyster, also known as the Silver or Gold-Lipped oyster. Found in the South Seas (an area centered around Northern Australia and Southeast Asia including Myanmar and Indonesia), they produce 10-20mm pearls of silver or gold color. For centuries, pearl divers harvested these exotic shells for their valuable Mother of Pearl shell to make buttons. Occasionally pearls were found inside and these pearls were regarded as a rare and valuable bonus. of French Polynesia. They are saltwater pearls from the Pinctada margaritifera or black-lipped oyster and can range from gray to black with red, green or blue overtones. This oyster also is found in the Cook Islands, Fiji, Tonga, Samoa, New Caledonia, the Philippines, Panama, and the Gulf of Mexico. An adult Pinctada oyster can reach a diameter of 30 centimeters with weight exceeding 10 pounds. Rare specimens as large as 19 pounds, in fact, have been harvested. It takes about 2 years before the oyster is ready for harvesting. Only about 30% of the oysters cultured produce a pearl. pearl that is produced is cut from the shell and the hollow inside is filled with wax or glue. A mother of-pearl backing is often added. Mabé pearls are assembled from a cultured blister pearl produced by the same oysters that make South Sea pearls. Most come from Japan, Indonesia, or Australia. mother-of-pearl rejects a nucleus or a pearl, the fragments of epithelium may yield keshi, baroque shaped pearls of small diameter which have no nucleus. Keshis come in different size, shapes and coloration. PERIDOT
gemstone during the Baroque period. A yellow-green gemstone that is colored due to the amount of ferrous iron within and can be easily confused with Emerald. Peridot is susceptible to acids and quick temperature changes. Hawaiian legend states that Peridot gemstones are the tears of the goddess Pele. Peridot is found in China, Pakistan, Australia, Egypt, Norway and the U.S. QUARTZ
crust is composed of this “rock crystal”. Because quartz is harder than glass, it was commonly used to make crystal balls in the middle Ages. There are two forms of quartz; Macrocrystalline quartz (quartz that is recognizable with the naked eye) and Microcrystalline or Cryptocrystalline quartz (too small a crystal to be seen without high magnification, such as chalcedony). Both kinds are found in Brazil, Madagascar, Namibia, both the French and Swiss Alps and the U.S. VARIETIES— Crystal Quartz: is the most common of all quartzes. Golden Rutilated Quartz: looks like shiny gold needles (“the Hairs of Venus”) inside a transparent gemstone. Green Quartz: is also known as Prasiolite or Vermarine and is produced by heating amethyst and yellow quartz until the green color is achieved. Rose Quartz: one of the most desirable of all quartzes. It was a popular gemstone for making seals in Rome and is commonly called the “love stone”. It is found in Brazil, India, Germany and the U.S. light gray which makes it rare in the mineral world. There are only a few other stones that display brown or black coloring. RUBY
that also includes sapphires. It is considered to be the second hardest material known to man (the first being diamond). Colors considered appropriate for a ruby are those that are red, red-violet or red-orange. All natural rubies have imperfections, and unlike a diamond, this does not take away from a ruby’s value or quality. Those rubies that do not have imperfections can be assumed to be lab created. Rubies are found mainly in Thailand, Sri Lanka and Myanmar, but have also been found recently in Africa and Australia. RUTILATED QUARTZ
which is a metal used for high tech alloys. It often forms needle-like crystal inclusions inside quartz. This form of quartz is known as Rutilated Quartz and it looks like small bars of imbedded gold. Because of the difference in hardness between the two materials and because of the way rutile forms inside, this can be a difficult stone to attain a smooth surface without pits. Every pattern is different and some are breathtakingly beautiful. Rutilated Quartz has been referred to as Cupid’s darts, Hairs of Venus and Fleches d’amour. Rutilated Quartz is found in Australia, Brazil, Kazakhstan, Madagascar, Norway, Pakistan and the United States. TOURMALINATED QUARTZ
with silver filaments and threads of black or dark green tourmaline crystals running through it. Tourmalinated Quartz is valued because of its inclusions. It is a more rare member of the Included Quartz group. Tourmaline is a common accessory mineral in igneous and metamorphic rocks and can form nice crystals. Quartz is usually included with two types of tourmaline. Iron rich schorl, which is the most abundant tourmaline. It is black and opaque, too opaque to be used as a gemstone. But it is very desirable, as an ornamental stone, when found as inclusions in quartz. The other is elbaite which usually produces dark green tourmaline crystals. Much of this stone is found in Brazil. SAPPHIRE
colors, except red (or then they would be called a Ruby). Its trademark blue color is due to the presence of small amounts of iron and titanium. Sapphires are found in Sri Lanka, Myanmar, India, Australia and the U.S. (Montana in particular). SPINEL
attractive colors. Red, rose, orange, brown, pink, yellow, blue, violet, purple, mauve, green, and black are all possible colors for Spinel. Completely colorless (white) Spinel is a rarity, but would only be appreciated by collectors. Almost all colors are used in jewelry, but the most valuable and popular color is the deep red. These red gems closely resemble rubies and the two may be difficult to distinguish. In fact, until the late 19th century, there was no distinction between Ruby and red Spinel, as they look identical and are found in the same localities. Nowadays, distinctions can be made through hardness and x-ray tests. There are two very famous Spinels in the British Crown Jewels. The Black Prince’s Ruby, the enormous “ruby” that forms the centerpiece in the front of the Imperial State Crown, is in fact an unpolished Spinel. The Timur Ruby is another Spinel which is owned by the British Crown and is inscribed with the name and dates of six owners, Akbar Shah, Shah Jahangir, Sahib Qiran Sani (Timur or Tamarlane), Alamgir Shah, Bagshah Ghazi Muhamad Farukh Siyar, and Ahmad Shah Dur-i-Duran. Other names have been engraved on the stone and removed by subsequent owners. VARIETIES— Ruby Spinel: ruby-red. Rubicelle: yellow to orange. Balas Ruby: pink to pale red. Almandine Spinel: violet. Blue Spinel: light to dark blue. Pleonast: black. Picotite: brown. Gahnite or Gahnospinel: greenish or bluish, zinc-rich. Sapphire Spinel: false name describing blue spinel. SODALITE
be confused with Lapis Lazuli and was used by the Ancient Egyptians. Use warm soapy water to clean Sodalite, not ultrasonic cleaners. It is found in Namibia, Brazil, Canada, Russia and the U.S. SUNSTONE
colored light, caused by inclusions or its crystal structure creating interference effects of light. Sunstone is a rich golden or reddish brown color, with plays of red yellow and orange light, sometimes also with green, caused by the inclusion of microscopically thin plates of goethite or hematite. Sunstone is not common, the best-known locality being Tvedestrand, near Arendal, in south Norway, where masses of the sunstone occur embedded in a vein of quartz running through gneiss. It is found also near Lake Baikal, in Siberia, and at several localities in the United States, notably at Middletown Township, Delaware County, Pennsylvania, and at Statesville in North Carolina. TANZANITE
turned to the light. It is actually a blue zoisite that was renamed Tanzanite by Tiffany and Co. because of where it was discovered. It can sometimes fool one into thinking it is a sapphire. TIGER EYE
in the light. It is so named because it resembles the eye of a tiger. It is found in South Africa, India, Sri Lanka, Western Australia and California.
valuable color is a golden orange-yellow, called “imperial topaz”. Topaz is commonly thought of as a sky-blue gem, but it was not until this century that blue topaz became widespread on the gem market. Topaz of all different colors are used in jewelry. The orange, pink, and blue colors are most often cut for gems, and colorless topaz is sometimes cut with the brilliant cut, resembling diamond. Topaz is sometimes found as enormous flawless crystals, and some gigantic gems and faceted spheres have been formed from them, making unique and exquisite gem pieces. Topaz is rarely cut into cabochons. Red and pink topaz gems were used in the jewelry of the 18th and 19th Century Russian Czarinas and is why topaz is sometimes called “Imperial Topaz”. The most famous topaz is actually a colorless topaz that was originally thought to be a diamond. It is a 1,680 carat stone known as the “Braganza Diamond” set in the Portuguese Crown Jewels. Another beautiful topaz is in the Green Vault in Dresden which has one of the world’s most important gem collections. VARIETIES— On the gem market, topaz is usually classified by color. The following is a list of the color names designated for gem topaz: Pink Topaz, Blue Topaz, Brown Topaz and Green Topaz. Brazilian Ruby: false name given to pink topaz. Brazilian Sapphire: false name given to blue topaz (as well as blue tourmaline). Hyacinth: an orange-yellow to yellow-brown variety of topaz. Although the name hyacinth usually is used to describe a gem variety of zircon of that color, it is also occasionally used for topaz (in old manuscripts). Imperial Topaz: lustrous orange-yellow to orange-brown variety of topaz. London Blue Topaz: deep blue topaz (the deepest blue form of topaz). Nerchinsk Aquamarine: false name given to aquamarine. Paraiba Topaz: sea-green topaz. Precious Topaz: used to distinguish topaz from cheaper fakes, such as citrine. Pyncite: occasionally used to describe a pale yellow topaz. Sherry Topaz: orange-brown topaz. Silver Topaz: colorless topaz. Swiss Blue Topaz: deep blue topaz (not as deep blue as London blue topaz).
more varied colors than any other gemstone, with more than 100 hues available. Tourmaline’s almost limitless colors, can resemble almost any other gemstone although red, green, and multicolored are its most famous colors. The stones can be red and green, blue to yellow, often with two or more colors. No two pieces of tourmaline are the same. According to the Ancient Egyptians, tourmaline traveled along a rainbow on its way down to earth, which is why it is sometimes called the “rainbow stone”. Tourmaline from Sri Lanka (formerly Ceylon) was first introduced to the Europeans in the late 1600’s or early 1700’s by Dutch traders. Many stones in the Russian Crown jewels from the 17th Century once thought to be rubies are actually tourmalines. Tourmaline is mined all over the world, from Brazil to Sri Lanka, South and Southwest Africa, Madagascar, Utah and Maine. VARIETIES— Chrome: a rare type of tourmaline from Kenya, Zambia, Namibia and Tanzania. It comes in very rich green colors caused by Chromium or Vanadium oxides (Chromium is same element which causes the green in emerald.) Chrome Tourmaline was first mined in Tanzania in the 1960’s. This Tourmaline can have the color of top grade Emerald and is much more durable. Dravite: brown variety. Elbaite: green variety (may also refer to multicolored tourmaline). Indicolite or Indigolite: light to dark blue variety. Paraiba tourmaline: neon-blue variety. Rubellite: pink to red variety. Called Rubellite because the deepest shades appear Ruby Red. The darker reddish colors tend to have more natural inclusions than the other Tourmaline colors because they are formed near the enter of the crystal pocket and receive more stress and pressure during formation. Eye clean Rubellite is one of the most expensive of the Tourmalines. Schorl: black variety. Siberite: purple variety. Verdelite: name rarely used to describe green tourmaline, the most popular form of tourmaline. Watermelon tourmaline: tourmaline with a red center, surrounded by a green layer (or vice versa). TURQUOISE
and in ancient Arabic countries. It was used to ward off the “evil eye”. Turquoise (pierre turquoise) is the French name for “Turkish stone” as it was through the Persian Empire that Turquoise was brought to Europe. It is found in China, Peru, Mexico, Iran, Tibet, Australia and the U.S. VARIETIES— webbing that appears throughout this stone is hematite. Chinese Turquoise: mined and processed in the Hubei province in China, most of this turquoise is enhanced with wax treatment, restabilization or dyed. African Turquoise: actually natural Jasper that resembles turquoise. Black turquoise: actually naturally occurring Onyx whose markings can resemble that seen on natural turquoise. |
Gemstones
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