Category Archives: Uncategorized

The ancient Greeks and Romans believed amethyst would prevent its wearer from becoming intoxicated. They also made drinking vessels out of this purple gemstone to help keep them “sober” when using it. Advertisements

Garnet is a remarkable gem in that it comes in all colors except blue. Its reds range from raspberry to blood-red to orangey or brownish red. Garnets are found in the US, Africa, Sri Lanka, Madagascar, Brazil, Australia and India.

Garnet’s name could be from the Latin word “granatus” meaning grain. This is possibly referring to the “punica granatum” (pomegranate) with red seeds similar to garnet crystals. Another thought is that the name came from the middle English word “gernet” … Continue reading →

Blue zircon is the birthstone for December. Zircon is a brilliant yet affordable gemstone and its fire can rival that of a diamond. Zircon is commonly seen in a rich light to medium blue color but is also available in … Continue reading →

Turquoise is one of the oldest known gems – old as time and timeless! It is the original birthstone for those born in the month of December. The Egyptians were mining turquoise in 3200 BC in the Sinai. The stone … Continue reading →

With the help of a hefty marketing push from Tiffany’s (which came up with the name), this blue variety of Zoisite has done well as a precious stone since its discovery in the foothills of Mount Kilimanjaro in 1967. Connections … Continue reading →

This gemstone rates 8 to 8.5 on the Moh’s Hardness Chart making it an excellent choice for every day wear. Alexandrite is sometimes called “Emerald by day, Ruby by night” due to its color change. Alexandrite is the gemstone gift … Continue reading →