 | The Gemstones we use in our Jewellery This page contains images and descriptions of some of the gemstones which we regularly use in our jewellery. Many of these are available as options when ordering from this site, while others are only available on request. Please contact us for prices or if there is a particular stone you would like. |
| Garnet: January's Birthstone Garnets are a common gemstone of variable colour, but are predominantly deep red and translucent.
Garnets are one of the most popular gemstones and have been in use since Roman times. Even Noah, it is reported, used a lantern made from Garnet to safely steer his Ark through the darkness of the night. They are very common in antique jewellery, and have never gone out of fashion, probably because of their brillance and their deep red colour.
Garnet is the birthstone for those born in the month of January and the anniversary gemstone for the second year of marriage. |  |
| Amethyst: February's Birthstone Amethyst is a translucent, purple version of quartz which occurs in many parts of the world, but is a particularly popular gemstone in Scotland.
Its color is unparalleled, and even other, more expensive purple gemstones are often compared to its color and beauty. Although it must always be purple to be amethyst, it can and does have a wide range of purple shades.
Amethyst is the birthstone for those born in the month of February and the anniversary gemstone for the sixth year of marriage. |  |
| Aquamarine: March's Birthstone Aquamarine is a transparent sea-blue gemstone which belongs to the beryl family which also includes emerald. In fact, its name is derived from the latin for "sea water"
Aquamarine is a fascinatingly beautiful gemstone. Women the world over love it for its fine blue shades which can complement almost any skin or eye colour. It are thought to give the wearers knowledge, foresight and assist in an individual's inspiration. It is a universal symbol of youth, fidelity, hope and health.
Aquamarine is the birthstone for those born in the month of March and the anniversary gemstone for the nineteenth year of marriage. |  |
| Diamond: April's Birthstone Diamond is the ultimate gemstone, having few weaknesses and many strengths, in fact diamond is the strongest substance we know of.
In ancient times only kings wore diamonds as a symbol of strength, courage and invincibility. Over the centuries, the diamond acquired its unique status as the ultimate gift of love. But it wasn’t until 1477, when Archduke Maximillian of Austria gave a diamond ring to Mary of Burgundy, that the tradition of diamond engagement rings began.
Diamond is the birthstone for the month of April, and besides being the most popular gemstone for engagement rings, is the anniversary gem for the 10th and 60th years of marriage. |  |
| Emerald: May's Birthstone Emerald is the green variety of the mineral beryl. Their wonderful green color is unparalleled in the gem kingdom.
Emeralds are fascinating gemstones. They have the most beautiful, most intense and most radiant green that can possibly be imagined: emerald green. Inclusions are tolerated. In top quality, fine emeralds are even more valuable than diamonds.The name emerald comes from the Greek smaragdos via the Old French esmeralde, and really just means 'green gemstone'.
Emerald is the birthstone for the month of May and is also the anniversary gemstone for the 20th and 35th years of marriage. |  |
| Pearl: June's Birthstone Pearls are an organic gem, created when an oyster covers a foreign object with beautiful layers of nacre.
Long ago, pearls were important financial assets, comparable in price to real estate, as thousands of oysters had to be searched for only one pearl. They were rare because they were created only by chance. Today pearls are cultured by man: shell beads are placed inside an oyster and the oyster is returned to the water. When the pearls are later harvested, the oyster has covered the bead with layers of nacre.
Pearl is the official birthstone of the month of June. It is also the accepted anniversary gemstone for the third and thirtyth years of marriage. |  |
| Ruby: July's Birthstone Red like Ruby. Ruby-red. The most important characteristic of this valuable stone is its colour. The name "Ruby" was derived from the Latin word "rubens" meaning "red". The red of Rubies is in a class all by itself: warm and fiery.
For thousands of years Ruby has been considered one of the most valuable gemstones on Earth. It has it all: a wonderful colour, excellent hardness and an overwhelming brilliance. In fact, rubies were thought to contain a glowing spark struck from the planet Mars.
Pearl is the official birthstone of the month of July. It is also the anniversary gemstone for the fifteenth and fortyth years of marriage. |  |
| Peridot: August's Birthstone The vivid, slightly golden shimmering green of Peridot is the ideal gemstone colour to complement a light summertime outfit. This is no surprise; Peridot, after all, is assigned to the summer month of August.
Peridot is an ancient and yet currently very popular gemstone. It is so old that it can be found even in Egyptian jewellery from the early second millennium BC. The peridot symbolizes eloquence and persuasiveness; it was dedicated to St. Bartholomew. Treasured peridots even found their way into cathedrals during the Crusades.
Peridot is the birthstone for those born in the month of August and the anniversary gemstone for the sixteenth year of marriage. |  |
| Sapphire: September's Birthstone Sapphire, a variety of corundum, comes in all colors except red, with the most popular being deep blue.
Blue is also the favourite colour of about 50 per cent of the population, men and women alike. This colour, which is strongly associated with sapphire, is also linked to emotions such as sympathy and harmony, friendship and loyalty. Sapphire symbolises loyalty and faithfulness, while at the same time expressing love and yearning.
Sapphire is the birthstone for September and the gemstone for fifth and forty-fifth anniversaries. |  |
| Opal: October's Birthstone All of Nature’s splendour seems to be reflected in the manifold opulence of fine Opals: fire and lightnings, all the colours of the rainbow and the soft shine of far seas.
Opal has symbolized hope, innocence and purity through the ages.The name opal probably is derived from the Sanskrit name for precious stone; upala. It has been mined for centuries, at least since Roman times when they extracted the opal from areas now within the Czech Republic.
Opal is the gemstone for October birthdays and is the gemstone for fourteenth anniversaries. |  |
| Citrine: November's Birthstone Citrine is a popular, transparent variety of quartz which ranges in colour from pale yellow to deep red, with the yellow and orange colours being the most common in jewellery. In fact, its name derives from the French "citron" meaning lemon.
Citrine blends particularly well with yellow gold jewellery. Citrine is readily available, very affordable in large sizes and stands up well to daily wear. Its earthy tones complement many wardrobes. In ancient times, citrine was carried as a protection against snake venom and evil thoughts.
Citrine is the birthstone for those born in the month of November, as well as the anniversary gemstone for the 13th year of marriage.. |  |
| Topaz: December's Birthstone Most people think of topaz as a transparent golden yellow gemstone. However, this gemstone also occurs colorless as well as orange-yellow, red, honey-brown (dark sherry), light green, blue and pink.
Today we also have blue topaz, which has a pale to medium blue color created by irradiation. Pale topaz which is enhanced to become blue is found in Brazil, Sri Lanka, Nigeria, and China.
Blue topaz is one of the accepted birthstones for December and the anniversary gemstone for the 4th year of marriage. |  |
| Amber: The Jurassic Gem Amber, or fossil tree sap, was made famous in the movie "Jurassic Park". Amber is a beautiful stone that is cut and polished and used as a valuable gemstone.
Although amber's use in adornment is probably as old as mankind, in recent history it has had a limited market. Of course, that was before millions of people saw dinosaur DNA extracted from a mosquito trapped in amber in the movie.
The Greeks called amber elektron, or sun-made, perhaps because it becomes electrically charged when rubbed with a cloth and can attract small particles. Homer mentions amber jewelry - earrings and a necklace of amber beads - as a princely gift in the Odyssey.
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| Aventurine: The Gambler's Stone Aventurine is a form of quartz, characterised by its translucency and the presence of platy mineral occlusions that give a shimmering or glistening effect termed aventurescence. The most common colour of aventurine is green, but it may also be orange, brown, yellow, blue or gray..
The name aventurine derives from the Italian "a ventura," meaning "by chance." This is an allusion to the chance discovery of aventurine glass or goldstone at some point in the 18th century.
Green Aventurine is often referred to as the Gambler's Stone as it is thought to help those who enjoy games of chance and attract money and luck to the wearer. | |
| Iolite: The Viking's Gemstone Iolite is a beautiful violet blue gemstone whose name is derived from the Greek word 'ios' which means violet. Because of its soft, almost liquid color it is often mistaken for sapphire.
Iolite is pleochroic, which means that it transmits light differently in different directions in the crystal, similar to a polarizing filter in a camera. Ancient Viking navigators looked through thin slices of Iolite to filter out haze, mist and clouds to locate the exact position of the sun
Iolite has become the accepted anniversary gemstone for the twenty-first year of marriage. |  |
| Labradorite: The Secret Gemstone Labradorite is a fascinatingly beautiful mineral, one mineral whose charm is not fully appreciated and may be overlooked if not viewed from the proper position.
Generally a dull, dark-looking mineral with no special virtue until the colorful shiller is observed glowing on the surface, labradorite can produce a colorful play of light called labradorescence. The usually intense colors range from the typical blues and violets through greens, yellows and oranges.
This labradorescence is truly a one of a kind mineralogical experience and must be observed in person in order to truely appreciate its beauty. |  |
| Lapis Lazuli: The Friendship Stone Lapis is a gemstone straight out of fairy tales of the Arabian Nights: deepest blue with golden shining Pyrite inclusions which twinkle like little stars.
The evocative name is a compound of 'lapis', the Latin word for stone, and the Arabian word 'azul', denoting the colour blue. So it is basically just a blue stone - but what a special blue! It was one of the first stones ever to be used and worn for jewellery. Especially in the oriental countries it was considered as a gemstone with magical powers.
For many people all over the world Lapis lazuli is considered a stone of truth and friendship. The blue stone is reputed to bring about harmony in relationships |  |
| Moonstone: The Seductive Gemstone Moonstone shows an almost magical play of light as its characteristic feature.
It owes its name to this mysterious gleaming which appears different whenever the stone changes its position in movement. Experts call this the 'adularescence', and in earlier times the phases of waxing and waning moon were though to be discerned in this phenomenon.
Moonstones are Nature’s treasures with a sensuous and seductive charm. They do not only ask to be looked at and admired, they require to be worn and moved a lot. Because only then the soft veil of light which makes this gemstone so attractive will be able to display its beauty to the best effect. |  |
| Tourmaline: The Rainbow Gemstone Tourmaline occurs in the widest array of colors of any gemstone species. According to an ancient Egyptian legend this is the result of the fact that on the long way from the Earth’s heart up towards the sun, Tourmaline travelled along a rainbow. And on its way it collected all the colours of the rainbow.
The name "Tourmaline" has been derived from the Singhalese expression "tura mali", which translates as "stone of mixed colours." The very name already refers to the unique spectrum of colours displayed by this gemstone, which is second to none in the realm of precious stones.
Tourmaline is sometimes known as an alternate birthstone for October, and the accepted anniversary gemstone for the eighth year of marriage. |  |
| Turqoise : The Lucky Stone Turqoise is a brilliant sky-blue, opaque stone and is one of the all time favourite stones for use in jewellery.
In many cultures of the Old and New World this gemstone has for thousands of years been appreciated as a holy stone, a good-luck-charm or a talisman. In earlier times Turquoises were sometimes thought responsible for the material wealth of their bearers. For example, Persian philosopher Al Kazwini wrote: "The hand wearing a Turquoise and using it as a sealing stone, will never be poor.
They are nowadays considered the ideal good-luck stones for aviators, flight staff and other professions which need special assistance to ward off accidents. |  |
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