content, Gemstones Information
CARNELIAN (Quartz) Looks like Redeye FOUND IN Brazil, India, Scotland, USA COLOUR Blood-red, Reddish-orange HARDNESS 7 ANNIVERSARY 10th The rich, deep red/orange colours that this variety of chalcedony exudes have made it prized in history. It’s written in the...
content, Gemstones Information
DIAMOND Splinter of Stars FOUND IN Africa, Australia, Brazil, Canada, Russia COLOUR Colourless, White, Black, Yellow, Pink, Red, Blue, Brown HARDNESS 10 BIRTHSTONE April ANNIVERSARY 60th Diamonds are graded by colour, cut, clarity and carat (weight) – known as the...
content, Gemstones Information
SAPPHIRE (Corundum) Royal Blue FOUND IN Brazil, Burma, Columbia, India, Sri Lanka COLOUR All colours except Red HARDNESS 9 BIRTHSTONE September ANNIVERSARY 45th Sapphire is the name for all corundum and found in a great variety of colours, except ruby red, but usually...
content, Gemstones Information
Tanzanite (Zoisite) Blue elegance FOUND IN Tanzania COLOUR Indigo – purple/violet HARDNESS 6.5 BIRTHSTONE December Tanzanite is a variety of sapphire-blue or purplish-blue coloured Zoisite. The stone was first discovered in Tanzania and was given the name...
content, Gemstones Information
Topaz Mythic blue FOUND IN Russia, Afghanistan, Sri Lanka, Czech Republic, Germany, Norway, Pakistan, Italy, Sweden, Japan, Brazil, Mexico; Flinders Island, Australia; Nigeria and the United States. COLOUR Colourless (if no impurities), white, blue, brown, orange,...
content, Gemstones Information
TOURMALINE Rainbow pebbles FOUND IN Africa, Afghanistan, Brazil, Russia, USA COLOUR Black, Blue, Brown, Green, Red, Pink, Yellow HARDNESS 7.5 BIRTHSTONE October ANNIVERSARY 8th Tourmaline is a gemstone with a range of colours that surpasses all other gems and also...
content, Gemstones Information
Turquoise The sacred stone FOUND IN Iran (Persia), Egypt, Northwest China, Mexico & U.S. COLOUR Opaque blue-to-green HARDNESS 5-6 Turquoise was one of the first gemstones to be mined and has long been prized for its intense opaque colour, which varies from...
content, Gemstones Information
Zircon The oldest mineral in earth FOUND IN Australia, India, Brazil & Florida COLOUR Yellow, violet, blue, colour less, red, green, orange. HARDNESS 6.5 -7.5 Zircon has been known since antiquity and the faceted stones display great brilliance and an...
content, Gemstones Information
LABRADORITE Rainbow Moonstone FOUND IN Finland, Canada, Australia, Costa Rica, Germany, Madagascar, Mexico, Norway, Russia and U.S COLOUR Clear, white or grey in colour HARDNESS 6 – 6.5 Labradorite is a member of the feldspar group of minerals, which includes...
content, Gemstones Information
Lapis Lazuli Wisdom stone and night sky symbol FOUND IN Afghanistan, Russia, Pakistan, Mongolia, Italy, North America & Chile COLOUR Intense – deep blue HARDNESS 5 – 5.5 Lapis lazuli is an opaque blue rock made up of several different...
content, Gemstones Information
MALACHITE The stone of transformation FOUND IN Russia, Democratic Republic of the Congo; Gabon; Zambia; Tsumeb, Namibia; Mexico; Broken Hill, New South Wales; Burra, South Australia; Lyon, France; Timna Valley, Israel; and the Southwestern United States. COLOUR Green ...
content, Gemstones Information
MOONSTONE (Feldspar) Bathed in moon-glow FOUND IN Brazil, India, Sri Lanka, Tanzania, USA COLOUR Colourless, White, Cream, Peach, Yellow HARDNESS 6 – 6.5 BIRTHSTONE June ANNIVERSARY 2nd Obtaining its name due to its moon-like appearance this gem has long been...
content, Gemstones Information
ONYX (Chalcedony) Strong character & mystical aura FOUND IN India and South America COLOUR BLACK HARDNESS 7 Onyx is an opaque black stone which is a member of the chalcedony quartz group. The name onyx is properly applied only to the agate variety. Other varieties...
content, Gemstones Information
OPAL Precious bringer of change FOUND IN Australia, Brazil, Mexico, Slovakia, South Africa, USA COLOUR Colourless, White, Yellow, Orange, Rose-Red, Black, Blue HARDNESS 6 BIRTHSTONE October ANNIVERSARY 14th Opal is a hardened silica gel, containing up to 10 per cent...
content, Gemstones Information
PERIDOT (Forsterite) The gem of the sun FOUND IN Egypt, Kenya, Mexico, Myanmar (Burma), Norway, Pakistan, Saudi Arabia, South Africa, Sri Lanka, Tanzania, US, Australia & China, COLOUR Olive-green HARDNESS 6.5 – 7 Birthstone for August, Peridot has an...
content, Gemstones Information
Ruby (Corundum) A talisman of passion FOUND IN Thailand, Cambodia, Afghanistan, Australia, India, Namibia, Japan, and Scotland; after the Second World War ruby deposits were found in Madagascar, Mozambique, Nepal, Pakistan, Tajikistan, Tanzania, and Vietnam...
content, Gemstones Information
COLOUR Purple HARDNESS 7 Amethyst is the most highly prized stone in the quartz group and is available in shades of purple, lilac or mauve. Amethyst is said to have many supernatural powers and was traditionally worn to guard against drunkenness. Amethyst is...
content, Gemstones Information
FOUND IN Brazil, Afghanistan, Kenya, Madagascar, Malawi, Mozambique, Nigeria, Pakistan, Russia, Tanzania, and Zambia COLOUR Aqua HARDNESS 7.5 to 8 Birthstone for March, aquamarine is part of the Beryl family which includes emeralds. The name aquamarine means ‘Water of...
content, Gemstones Information
Mohs Hardness: 7 Color: Yellow The name citrine is derived from the lemon-yellow-golden-brown colour of the stone. Natural citrine is rare and is a pale yellow colour. Most citrine on the market is amethyst, from the same quartz family as citrine, which has been...
content, Gemstones Information
EMERALD (Beryl) Emerald, along with aquamarine and beryl, belongs to the beryl group of minerals and is the most precious. Emerald is always green in colour. Most emeralds have a ‘jardin’ which is the technical term for the inclusions which cloud an emerald....
content, Gemstones Information
Mohs Hardness: 6.5 to 7.5 Colour: Dark red The name “garnet” comes from the Latin word “Garanatus,” meaning “seedlike,” in reference to a pomegranate, because of this association the stone has come to stand for the safe return of a friend or loved one. Garnets were...
content, Gemstones Information
Haematite is an opaque, black grey stone with a shiny, metallic lustre. Haematite was popular for mourning jewellery, but today is mainly used as a stone in rings, as beads for necklaces, and engraved and set into signet rings. Haematite is not expensive.
content, Gemstones Information
Violet blue Iolite is sometimes called water sapphire because of its similarity to blue sapphire when it is cut. Iolite can be blue when the stone is viewed from one angle and almost colourless when viewed from another. Gem quality iolite is found as small,...
content, Gemstones Information
For centuries jade was thought to be a single gemstone, but in 1863 two different types were recognised: jadeite and nephrite, although differentiation between the two can be very difficult to the naked eye. Both stones are hard and tough and are suitable for use as...
