Fascinating, fragile Emerald

Nero watched the chariot races through a large Emerald to eliminate the sun’s glare.

The name Emerald comes from the Greek ’smaragdos’ via the Old French ‘esmeralde’, and really just means ‘green gemstone’. Written many centuries ago, the Vedas, the holy scriptures of the Indians, say of the precious green gems and their healing properties: ‘Emeralds promise good luck …’ and ‘The emerald enhances the well-being …’. So it was no wonder that the treasure chests of Indian maharajas and maharanis contained wonderful emeralds.  The Emerald is a garden of delights.  Indeed, it usually has a garden of included crystals trapped within it!  Because of this, Emeralds can fracture easily and must be worn with care.  Emeralds are a variety of the mineral Beryl.  The finest specimens are found in Columbia and Brazil.  They are rare and highly valued and are often reserved for regal pieces of jewelry encrusted with diamonds.  The vivid green color of Emerald is irresistible!  Let us entice you with our selection of beautiful Emerald jewelry.

April’s birthstone is the famous Diamond, perhaps the most treasured of all gemstones!  A fine diamond is like a smoldering fire trapped in ice.  The enigma of its beauty has been a source of fascination for thousands of years.  Its hardness and polish are unsurpassed.  Its unique combination of icy brilliance and fiery sparkle is without peer.  No wonder it symbolizes the supreme expression of love!  Interestingly, Diamonds were exclusively a man’s stone until the mid-19th century.  Agnes Sorel, mistress to King Charles VII of France, turned the tide for women by wearing diamonds.  Allow us to help you select a most beautiful diamond jewel from our lovely collection.

The name of the birthstone for March, Aquamarine, is Latin for “sea water.” This aptly-named, cool blue stone captures the refreshing color of the fairest seas. Greek goldsmiths used Asian Aquamarines in their jewelry. Today, most are found in Brazil, Madagascar and Russia. The Aquamarine is a variety of Beryl, belonging to the same family of gems as the Emerald. Large stones are often cut in rectangular or oval shapes to make dramatic rings and pendants. With the added dazzle of a few accent diamonds, the effect is truly breathtaking. Aquamarine takes on an icy beauty when set into platinum or white gold. Yellow gold casts a sunny glow upon a sea of blue. Come see our special collection of Aquamarines, selected individually for their fine color and clarity.

According to legend, the beautiful Amethyst, February’s birthstone, was created when the godess Diana turned a maiden named Amethystos to stone to protect her from an attack by tigers. Bacchus, the god of wine, poured his richly-colored drink over her out of repentance for unleashing the beasts. Quite a legend!  Amethyst is a violet variety of quartz.  It is found in large geodes within volcanic rocks in Brazil, Russia, India and Austria.  Because it is among the hardest of gems, it wears well and is quite suitable for jewelry.  Let us help you accessorize your spring wardrobe with rich, regal Amethyst jewelry.

Powdered Topaz was once considered a cure for burns, asthma, insomnia and insanity.

As November’s birthstone, Topaz has more sweeping powers attributed to it than any other gem.   According to the ancients, Topaz cooled not only boiling water but angry tempers, too!  The name derives from the Greek, meaning “to seek.”  Originally, Topazus was an island so fog-bound that sailors had difficulty finding it and, thus, the meaning of the word.  Topaz is the symbol of uprightness, loyalty and healing powers.  It is found in Brazil, Siberia and southern Asia.  Chemically, Topaz is an aluminum fluosilicate.  It occurs in openings or cavities of fire-formed rocks.  Sherry Topaz is so called because it catches light like sherry wine in fine crystal.  This golden color is what most people are familiar with but Topaz is also found in blue, pale green and violet.

Let us show you what an exciting gift Topaz jewelry can be!

December’s birthstone, Blue Zircon, was known in medieval times as a cure for plague and other ills.  Thankfully, we don’t have to worry about that these days!  The striking characteristics of the Zircon are its brilliance and fire.  Among the popular gems outshone only by Diamond, it is a vibrant and beautiful stone.  Zircons come in many colors, the most popular and exciting being a rich blue.  The chief sources of Zircons are the gravel-beds of Cambodia and Ceylon.  They are usually found in exalted company with rubies, sapphires, and garnets.  Let us show you some very pretty Blue Zircon jewelry!

Lucky for us, January’s birthstone is in abundant supply for it is an exceptional jewel!  Garnet  is not one gemstone but a rainbow of stones found in almost every part of the world.  As a birthstone, Garnet stands for constancy, true friendship and fidelity.  Best known among the members of the Garnet family are deep red varieties.  They are silicates of calcium, magnesium, iron and manganese.   Most are very affordable and wonderfully fashionable and versatile.  Let us introduce you to the colorful world of garnets through our exciting collection!

Ancient peoples believed that opals fell from heaven in flashes of lightning.

All the glorious colors of autumn are captured as a “bonfire of color” in October’s birthstone, the Opal. Most Opals are found in Australia. As a birthstone, Opal is considered the symbol of hope. For “Who can look into an Opal without seeing a rainbow?” The Opal is called a phenomenal gemstone because of the interesting visual effect its structure creates. A pattern of silica platelets causes diffraction resulting in a variety of color combinations, mainly reds, blues, greens and oranges.

We carry fascinating Opal jewelry to suit every style and budget!