| GARNET - Garnets are found in various shades | | | | or potch opal has a beautiful pink colour but |
| and colours from brown to purple shades. But its | | | | opaque. Hydrophane Opal is opaque but appears |
| dark red variety is valued as a precious stone | | | | colourless in water.PEARL - Along with Coral, this |
| although the mineral is quite common. Garnet | | | | extremely popular gemstone used in jewellery, is |
| crystals are 12 faced. The stones have been | | | | found in the seas not the land and is therefore |
| prized in jewellery for over 5000 years. When | | | | not of the same composition nor characteristics |
| many garnet crystals are gathered in a rock | | | | of the earth born gemstones. Care must be |
| cavity they are likened to a ripe pomegranate. | | | | taken to preserve the quality of pearls. Pearls are |
| Cut as brilliants, garnets are used as ring stones | | | | made of calcium carbonate formed within an |
| with large ones as pendants, often with cabochon | | | | oyster. The basic irritant is usually a grain of sand |
| cut and carved. Garnets and star garnets from | | | | which stimulates the oyster to cover it with its |
| are found in Australia.JADE - This is the name | | | | own body secretion - eventually forming the well |
| given to both nephrite and jadeite which are | | | | known round and perfect pearl. The lustre of the |
| tougher than steel although not particularly hard. | | | | pearl comes from minute crackles on its surface - |
| China, New Zealand and Alaska supply good Jade. | | | | finer than those on opals. Their lustre increases in |
| Burma also. Brazil it occurs naturally Used since | | | | the body warmth of human beings and therefore |
| Neolithic times for weapons and tools and later | | | | the practice of allowing the shop attendants to |
| for delicate carvings. Aztecs used jade. In ancient | | | | wear the strings of pearl has a practical basis. |
| Egypt the stone was called Nemehen. Pure Jade is | | | | Different pearl qualities depend upon colour and |
| white with impurities causing different colours and | | | | size and range from the tiniest "seed pearls" to |
| most pieces are mottled. It is generally translucent | | | | the rare gems of considerable size Harvesting |
| or opaque green in colour and is lustrous rather | | | | pearls from the wild is singularly unrewarding and |
| than brilliant. The most prised of all jades is | | | | cultured pearls have been able to meet the |
| "imperial jade" the transparent emerald green | | | | demand for these beautiful natural ornaments. |
| coloured by chromium. It has been always | | | | Cultured pearls have been produced in China for |
| revered in China as a sacred stone. Its quality as | | | | several centuries as now in Japan, Australia and |
| a gemstone is judged by the intensity of the | | | | the Pacific.RUBY - Next to diamond, rubies (and |
| green colour and its coolness to the touch. Jadeite | | | | sapphires) are the most valued of the gems. |
| is the rarer of the jades and Myanmar remains | | | | Ruby is a variety of corundum, When the |
| the only commercial source. Much of the Central | | | | corundum includes chromium, it becomes ruby, |
| American jadeite originates in Guatemala. Soapy | | | | when it contains titanium and iron instead and |
| jade is the term for the inferior grades used | | | | therefore is blue - the sapphire. The world's finest |
| commonly for carving decorations, lamp stands | | | | come from Myanmar, Pakistan and Afghanistan, |
| etc.LAPIS LAZULI - This stone consists of blue | | | | also Burma, Thailand, India and Ceylon .Burmese |
| silicate lazurite with variable amounts of calcite and | | | | ones are exceptionally beautiful - found near Mogo |
| the brassy gold flecks of pyrite which is more | | | | N.E. of Mandalay. "Pigeon Blood" rubies are the |
| abundant in the poorer quality material. | | | | highest in the scale of value. Thai Rubies are often |
| Afghanistan has the best quality that consists | | | | found with spinel and are darker red than the |
| mostly of lazurite and is deep blue. In ancient | | | | Burmese Rubies. A fine ruby is a magnificent |
| times it was also known as "sapphirus". The | | | | gemstone. Ruby has been synthetically produced |
| Egyptians used to ground it into pigment to use in | | | | successfully since 1904. But the genuine rubies are |
| paintings and murals and in eye shadow and used | | | | valued because of their rarity and therefore have |
| in manufacture of amulets and symbols, | | | | not dropped in commercial value, in fact have |
| particularly in the representations of the goddess | | | | risen. Rubies are also used in Space research in |
| Isis and in the Sacred Eye of Horus. Later it was | | | | connection with communication systems to cut |
| ground for use as pigment in religious paintings for | | | | out surface sounds of the earth and pick up |
| the glorious blue of the Madonna's robes. In China, | | | | beams from space.SAPPHIRE - Pink Sapphires, |
| royal seals and carvings were made of it. It is | | | | Blue sapphires and Yellow Sapphires are found in |
| considered as a sacred stone in Buddhism. Lapis | | | | Thailand and East Africa. They are next to |
| lazuli is one of the most ancient in items of | | | | diamond in hardness and therefore resistant to |
| jewellery - having been known and used for over | | | | wear. Australia is the largest producer of blue and |
| 6000 years. It was mined in Afghanistan and | | | | golden sapphires. Non-blue sapphires are White |
| Siberia near Lake Baikal, but nowadays produced | | | | Sapphires or Golden Sapphires. The largest |
| profusely in Chile.MOONSTONE - Moonstone is a | | | | sapphire known was 950 carats from Burma. The |
| Feldspar, comprised of calcium sodium or | | | | largest in Australia was 886 carats from |
| potassium aluminium silicates. Sri Lanka is the | | | | Queensland in 1934. There are star sapphires and |
| most important source of Moonstone. India | | | | star rubies found which contain fine fibre crystals |
| produces strongly coloured stones as beige, pink, | | | | giving star effect when cut in en |
| green, yellow, grey, white and brown. It is | | | | cabochon.TOPAZ - Topaz is an aluminium silicate |
| considered to be a sacred stone in India and by | | | | containing about 20% water and fluorine and |
| tradition, it is always cut en cabochon. It is an | | | | comes in several colours. Yellow quartz is sold |
| important stone in Ayurvedic medicine. Beautiful | | | | today under the name of topaz and it is one of |
| sheens come as with other stones, with | | | | the most popular colours, although there are |
| subjected light and its particular sheen is called | | | | others which are greenish and of reddish tint.. |
| "adularescence" and most prized when the sheen | | | | Golden Topaz from Brazil is a golden brown to |
| is bluish in colour. Throughout the world it is | | | | pink colour. The main suppliers are Brazil, Germany |
| associated with the Moon and very popular semi | | | | and Russia. Japan also produces topaz. Topaz is |
| precious stone is used in jewellery everywhere. | | | | harder than Rock crystal and is known for its |
| Their fascination lies in their gentle glowing and | | | | huge crystals - a colourless one from Brazil was |
| elusive sheen and above all the softness of their | | | | found weighing as much as 600 pounds, well |
| quality, compared with the strength and brilliance | | | | formed and clear throughout. The largest known |
| of faceted jewels.OPAL - Opal is one of the few | | | | topaz was cut in 1977 and weighed 21,327 carats. |
| gem minerals which is non crystalline. Opals are | | | | Another is known at 36,853 carats. Found in |
| referred to in history and in legend. Pliny is said to | | | | Australia topaz is usually light yellow, green and |
| have liked it and Orpheus is said to have declared | | | | blue also. Hardness 8 and Orthorhombic crystals |
| that the opal 'fills the heart of the gods with joy". | | | | brilliant and beautiful stone found in quartz rose |
| Shakespeare refers to ... "this miracle and Queen | | | | rocks. Associated with tin ores . Tinted by heating. |
| of gems". Opal consists of pure silica (silicon | | | | Sky blue topaz found in the Scottish Highlands, |
| combined with oxygen) with traces of numerous | | | | Brazil and Siberia.TURQUOISE - This stone is |
| compounds which explains the many differing | | | | composed of aluminium copper sulphate hydrated |
| types. Opals were rare in antiquity. It is thought to | | | | phosphate of aluminium and copper) and is only |
| have become commonly known only after the | | | | medium hard. Egyptians are the first people |
| time of Alexander the Great. The only known | | | | known to mine it in Sinai over 6000 years ago. |
| mines in the earliest times were the Carpathian | | | | The finest is said to be found in Naishapur, Iran, |
| Mountains. The stone is extremely porous with | | | | where it has been mined for about 3000 years. It |
| the weight varying in proportion to the amount of | | | | is found also in Sinar, Turkestan and Tibet. The |
| contained water. The colours are determined by | | | | colours range from pale blue to deep green/blue. |
| structure and the light which causes ever changing | | | | Water content affects the colour of the stone. It |
| effect. Finest opal and opalized wood and fossils | | | | responds to human touch and warmth and in the |
| are found also in Australia at Coober Pedy and | | | | Middle East is used as a reflector of babies' health |
| Andamooka. France also supplies some and also | | | | in the crib etc. It is relatively soft and has a waxy |
| Idaho... Opals are usually cut as en cabochon. Their | | | | lustre. It is porous and its colour may deteriorate |
| varieties include - Hungarian opals are very fine | | | | if skin oils and cosmetics are absorbed during |
| and were once popular in Europe.Mexican Opals | | | | wear. It's famous for its change of colour when |
| fine transparent variety of opal - Black opals are | | | | difficult influences are near and for this reason |
| extremely vivid flashes of colour including red, | | | | was attached to cradle of babies to reflect the |
| with dark background and of highest value Milky | | | | child's vitality and to alert them to any change in |
| opal or white opals are opaque with smaller and | | | | tone and colour. Some believe it becomes moist |
| less spectacular softer markings and colours. Fire | | | | and changes colour when warning against Poison. |
| opals or Harlequin Opal is the finest quality and | | | | The gem is regarded as a pledge of true |
| variety of gemstone Water Opal is clear and | | | | affection and drawing evil influences. The green |
| colourless with internal play of colour. Rose Opal | | | | variety is found in New Mexico and in Australia. |