Zircon has been treasured as a gemstone for nearly 2000 years. It occurs in all shades of the colour spectrum and is one of the densest gemstones. It will look smaller than other gems of the same weight. Being 50% denser than diamond a 1.50ct zircon will look similar in size to a 1.00ct diamond.
Onyx has been used in jewellery as far back as Mesopotamia, one of the cradles of civilization.
Golden or Yellow Beryl is the yellow variety of beryl. Other colours in the Beryl family are: blue (Aquamarine), green (Emerald & Green Beryl), pink (Morganite ), colourless (White Beryl/Goshenite), and red (Bixbite from Utah).
Moonstone is a birthstone for June, along with pearl and alexandrite and also one of the gems for the 13th anniversary.
Moonstone has been used in jewellery for millennia. Both Romans and Greeks associated moonstone with their lunar deities, believing moonstone was derived from solidified rays of the moon.
Moonstone’s otherworldly iridescence suited the aesthetics of the Art Nouveau period and it was a frequently used gem in jewellery created by artists such as the French goldsmith René Lalique.
Moonstone is also the official state gemstone for Florida.
Carnelian has been prized throughout history for its protective qualities and carved carnelian amulets and charms were popular with many ancient cultures. In the early Neolithic period, beads were made from carnelian. In Ancient Egypt, carnelian was closely associated with the sun god, Re, and often used in jewellery. It was especially popular during Roman times in making marriage and seal rings.
Today the finest gems are found in Brazil, Uruguay, India and Madagascar.
Pure quartz, traditionally called rock crystal is colourless and transparent or translucent. The coloured varieties of quartz occur due to built-in trace elements or inclusions of other minerals.
Coral is the gem for the 35th wedding anniversary.
Coral is believed to be one of the oldest forms of gemstone jewellery, having been found in ancient Egyptian and prehistoric European Burials. Some pieces have been dated as far back as 23,000BC. Red Coral has been highly regarded since early civilizations for its colour, lustre and texture. It was especially popular during the Victorian age.
Coral grows in the Red Sea, the Midway Islands, the Canary Islands, the Taiwan and Malaysian Coast, the coast of Australia (the Great Barrier Reef), Italy, (Sardinia), and Hawaii.
Topaz is the birthstone for September, the gem for the zodiac sign Scorpio and the gemstone for the 4th wedding anniversary.
Citrine’s is a variety of quartz. Its attractive colour, durability and affordability make it the most popular and frequently purchased yellow to orange gem. The term citrine was derived from the old French term “citrin” meaning “lemon-colored”.
It was popular in Ancient Greece and loved by Queen Victoria.
Peridot is the birthstone for August, gem for the zodiac sign Leo and the 16th wedding anniversary gemstone.
Peridot is the gem variety of the mineral olivine. It forms inside volcanic lava, deep in the earth’s crust. It has been found to be alien in origin! It has been recorded in meteors and comet dust.
Peridot is the national gem of Egypt and has long been prized by ancient cultures. Ancient Egyptians mined it on the island of Zabargad in the Red Sea and they collected peridot as part of the Pharaoh’s treasury. The ancient Romans referred to this stone as the “Evening Emerald” as the green colour remains constant regardless of lighting.
Peridot is now also sourced from many countries which include Australia, Brazil, Pakistan, Mexico, the USA , China, Myanmar , Vietnam, Finland and Zambia. One famous example is the pear-shaped 154ct gem known as the Green Goddess peridot.
Amethyst is the birthstone for February and the gem for zodiac sign Aquarius, the gemstone for the 6th and 9th wedding anniversaries.
