Precious & Semi-precious Gemstones
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RUBY
Ruby has been the world's most valued gemstone for thousands of years. Ruby was said to be the most precious of the twelve stones God created when he created all things and this "lord of gems" was placed on Aaron's neck by God's command. The bible says that wisdom is "more precious than rubies," that is to say very valuable indeed. In the ancient language of Sanskrit, ruby is called ratnaraj, or "king of precious stones" and ratnanayaka, "leader of precious stones."
In fact, rubies are today still more valuable and rare than even the top quality colorless diamonds. The record price for a ruby sold at auction is a 16 carat ruby which sold for $227,301 per carat at Sotheby's in 1988. A 27.37 carat Burmese ruby ring sold for $4 million at Sotheby's in Geneva in May 1995, or $146,145 per carat. A 32 carat ruby sold for $144,000 per carat at Sotheby's in 1989. In contrast, eight D-color internally flawless diamonds over 50 carats have been sold in the past six years and the largest, a pear-shape of 102 carats, fetched a mere $125,000 per carat. Top rubies are so rare even the world's top gem dealers must incessantly comb estate sales and auctions to find them. Sizes above five carats are particularly rare.
Ruby is the gem quality of the mineral corundum, one of the most durable minerals which exists, a crystalline form of aluminum oxide. Corundum has a hardness of 9 on the Mohs scale and is also extremely tough. In its common form, it is even used as an abrasive.
SAPPHIRE
Sapphires and Rubies are essentially the same gem, known as the mineral Corundum. The only real difference is the appearance of Chromium in Rubies, which gives it a brilliant red color.
Sapphires come in a wide variety of colors. Known mostly for being blue, Sapphires can also be pink, clear, orange, brown, yellow, and a range of other brilliant colors. One of the most rare Sapphires is pink. And don’t forget, the Sapphire is designated as the birthstone for the month of September.
Corundum is the second hardest mineral next to Diamond. Sapphires, in fact, were once used as an abrasive for industrial applications.
Sapphires are found mainly in clay or gravel deposits, which are the result of the weathering of metamorphic rocks (ex., marble and gneiss), or igneous rocks that are found in volcanic terrain. High grade commercial Sapphires come from countries like Madagascar, India and Burma.
EMERALD
Because the rich green color of emerald is the color of spring, the ancients prized it as the gemstone symbolizing love and rebirth. Treasured for at least 4,000 years by different cultures all around the world, emerald is said to quicken the intelligence as well as the heart. Legend gives its owner the gift of eloquence.
Cleopatra prized her emeralds more than any other gem. She may have dropped her pearls in her wine for Mark Anthony but she kept her emeralds for herself! The ancient emerald mines of Cleopatra, long a mystery, were discovered again a hundred years ago near the Red Sea. Some tools found in the mine were dated at 1650 B.C. but no quality emeralds were found: the mines were exhausted thousands of years ago. Mummies in ancient Egypt were often buried with an emerald on their necks carved with the symbol for verdure, flourishing greenness, to symbolize eternal youth.
The Romans also loved emeralds because, as ancient scholar Pliny said, "nothing greens greener." Pliny said that emerald was the only gem which delighted the eye without fatiguing it. He said his eyes were restored when gazing at emerald. Emperor Nero wore emerald sunglasses to watch the gladiators.
One legend says that Satan lost the emerald from his crown when he fell. The emerald was shaped into a bowl which the Queen of Sheba sent to Nicodemus. Christ used the bowl at the last supper and Joseph of Arimathea used the bowl to catch blood from the cross, founding the order of the Holy Grail.
The Moguls of India, including Shah Jahan, the builder of the Taj Mahal, loved emeralds so much they inscribed them with sacred text and wore them as talismans. Some of these sacred stones, called Mogul emeralds, can still be seen in museums and collections today.
Emerald is the birthstone for May, the month of springtime romance, and the anniversary gemstone for the twentieth year of marriage, the perfect emblem of an enduring love.
TANZANITE
Tanzanite is an alluring blue gemstone with a hint of purple hue. It was discovered in 1967 within the mineral rich soil at the base of Mount Kilamanjaro in Tanzania, East Africa. To date, Tanzania is the only location on Earth where Tanzanite may be found. Tanzanite gets its name from the country where it is mined.
As one of the most popular blue gemstones in jewelry fashion today, Tanzanite is available is a variety of shapes and sizes as well as a beautiful assortment of tonal qualities. The stone almost always displays its striking overtones of purple and is rarely pure blue. Smaller size stones tend towards lighter tones where lavender is more common. While in larger sizes, Tanzanite usually displays a deeper, richer color.
Extrapolated from The American Gem Trade Association
OPAL
Symbolizing hope, innocence and purity, Opal has fueled the imaginations of men and women for over 2000 years with magical flashes of fire. This multicolored gemstone is unique amidst all others providing a vast array of color and versatility of wear. Today's supplies of Opal come primarily from Australia, Mexico and the United States.
Most Opals are cut into rounded or free-form cabochon that enhance their display of color. Opal is found in several different colors including black Opal, whose blue, gray or black body color enhances the play of fire; white Opal with a lightish or white body color flashes. Boulder Opal has color flashes intertwined with rock matrix. Different in appearance is Fire Opal, a transparent gemstone of brilliant yellow, orange or red, often cut with facets.
Opal, along with Tourmaline, is the birthstone for October and the suggested gift for the fourteenth anniversary.