Alexandrite

Ladies and gentlemen, I present to you the rarest gem of all: Alexandrite. Rarer than Sapphire, Ruby, Emerald, Diamond and Tanzanite, it is extremely difficult to come by. And even if you do manage to track one down, you will pay through your nose! What sets this beauty apart is its colour changing abilities, it…

The Hope Diamond

The Hope Diamond; a beautiful blue diamond weighing 45.52 carats, and perhaps the most notorious gem in history. It was said to have a curse on because a thief stole it from the eye of a statue of the Hindu goddess, Sita. Since then the trail of unlucky owners is enough to make you believe in…

Peridot – Cleopatra`s Favourite Stone

The Peridot Also known as Olivine, this gem`s colour ranges from yellow-green through to bottle green. Until the 19th century, the origin of the Peridot was the subject of much speculation. One such theory was that the gem was found only in meteorites, but early this century it was proven that they actually originated on the…

Bloodstone

Bloodstone is a dark green stone with red flecks. It is a form of silica quarts, also known as green Chalcedony. Chalcedony is actually a group of tiny quartz crystals that grow in masses/lumps. Plasma and Heliotrope are the two variations; Plasma is very deep opaque green with little or no red flecks and may…

Carnelian

A type of chalcedony that has been used thousands of years before the birth of Christ, this semi-precious gem has been cherished and loved through the ages, and been used extensively in the jewellery industry. Being the favourite stone of the Islamic profit Mohammed, it is not unusual to find these stones engraved with Arabic…

Zodiac Stones and Birthstones

We are often asked about zodiac stones and birthstones, so I thought it appropriate to list them for you. However, do keep in mind that there are variations on these; through the ages many different cultures developed their own associations with different gems. These are the most commonly accepted: Zodiac Stones Star Sign Date Gem…

Synthetic Gems and Enhancements

Ever looked at grandma’s ring with the large red or blue coloured gemstone mounted in the center, and wondered how much it is really worth? Chances are in terms of monetary value; it is probably not worth much. The majority of pieces produced during the 1930s contained synthetic stones. As we developed and progressed into…