Morganite is the pink to purplish-pink variety of Beryl. Beryl is best known for its gem varieties Emerald and Aquamarine, but other gem forms such as Morganite are also used. Morganite was first identified in 1910, and was named the following year by George F. Kunz in honor of financier and banker J.P. (John Pierpont) Morgan. Morgan was an avid collector of gemstones.
Besides for the extremely rare Red Beryl, Morganite is the least common gem form of Beryl. Its color tone is usually light pink, deeper pink stones and those with an orange tinge are more valuable. Large clear crystals of Morganite have been found, which have enabled fairly large flawless crystals to be cut from them.
Morganite is a minor pink gemstone, being faceted into gemstone cuts as well as polished into cabochons.
The Gemstone Tourmaline
Tourmaline is the most colorful of all gemstones. It occurs in all colors, but pink, red, green, blue and multicolored are its most well-known gem colors. Scientifically, tourmaline is not a single mineral, but a group of minerals related in their physical and chemical properties. The mineral Elbaite is the member of the Tourmaline group that is responsible for almost all the gem varieties. Three other members of the group – Schorl, Dravite and Liddicoatite, are seldom used as gemstones.
Though Elbaite occurs in all color forms, the term Elbaite in the gemstone trade is sometimes used to describe the green form of Tourmaline. The other color forms of Elbaite have their own variety names on the gem market. Traditional Tourmaline gemstone variety names include Rubellite, the red or pink variety, Indicolite, the blue variety, and Watermelon Tourmaline, a multicolored Tourmaline of green and red. More recently coined Tourmaline variety names include Chrome Tourmaline and Paraiba Tourmaline. A recent trend in the gem market is to prefix Tourmaline gemstones by the color designation as opposed to variety name, such that “Rubellite” is now more often called “Red Tourmaline”.
The value of Tourmaline has a very large range. The more common forms can be fairly inexpensive, but the rarer and more exotic colors can command very high prices.
The most expensive and valuable form of Tourmaline is the rare neon-blue form known by the trade name Paraiba Tourmaline. Paraiba Tourmaline was first discovered in a gem pegmatite in the Brazilian state of Paraiba in 1989. This new Tourmaline became extremely popular in a very short time, and the cost for this rare Tourmaline became astronomically high due to short supply. Small deposits of Tourmaline of similar color to Paraiba Tourmaline were also recently found in Nigeria and Mozambique, and these are often also called “Paraiba Tourmaline” in the gem trade. Other valuable forms of Tourmaline are Chrome Tourmaline, an intense-green Tourmaline found in Tanzania, Rubellite, the pink to red variety, and Indicolite, the rare blue variety.
Multicolored stones are truly a gemological wonder, as their beauty and uniqueness are unparalleled. An interesting form of multicolored tourmaline, adequately called Watermelon Tourmaline, has a red center surrounded by a green outer layer (or vice versa). When used as a gem, Watermelon Tourmaline is green on one side and red on the other. Schorl, a common black Tourmaline, is fairly inexpensive.
All colored Tourmaline gems display pleochroism, meaning their color changes when viewed at different angles. In some Tourmaline gems, this effect is hardly noticeable, while in others it is strongly apparent. Gemstone cutters must take this into account when cutting a Tourmaline, so that the finished gem brings out its best color.
As mentioned above, virtually all Tourmaline gemstones are of the Elbaite type. Schorl, Dravite, and Liddicoatite are occasionally used as gemstones. Schorl, known as “Black Tourmaline” makes a dark, opaque, yet shiny black gemstone. Dravite is almost always brownish in color, and usually opaque. However, transparent forms do occasionally occur, and these can be used as rare brown gemstones. Dark brown Dravite may be heat-treated to lighten its dark color. Liddicoatite occurs in a great variety of colors and in excellent multicolored forms, but is too rare to be used extensively as a gemstone.
Tourmaline of all colors are faceted into gems for jewelry, but the red, green, blue, and multicolored stones, especially watermelon, are the most popular. Tourmaline can be found in fairly large transparent crystals, and these can produce very large exquisite and flawless gemstones. Tourmaline is used as a large pendant stone, in bracelets, rings, and earrings. Lesser quality stones are cut into cabochons, and are also polished into beads and used in bracelets and necklaces. Pink and green Tourmalines from certain localities contain tiny, parallel inclusions, causing them to display a strong cat’s eye effect when polished. Such stones are often cut as cabochons and called “Cats’ Eye Tourmaline” . Some pink, green, and multicolored Tourmalines are also carved into ornamental figures and carvings.
Courtesy of minerals.net
Fine Jewelry: Accessories for every day
Men and women today use jewelry to adorn themselves. They choose jewelry that matches their personalities or occasions. Wearing jewelry has become a part of our everyday life.
A Necklace is the most beautiful way to accessorize your neck. Necklaces have a long tradition as an amulet for protection. Today they can be found in a variety of metals, and beads. Some necklaces contain precious and semi-precious stones, religious symbols, and lockets. A Pendant often hangs from a necklace. A pendant can be a gem stone, religious symbol, or any meaningful symbol. Heart pendants are particularly popular.
A Bracelet is worn around the wrist and can be manufactured from leather, cloth, and metals. Besides being a thing of beauty, bracelets are also worn for medical and identification purposes. Bracelets can be inset with stones. They can be made of chain or they can be solid bangles which come in a variety of widths.
Every woman loves Earrings. And, today, we find more men making fashion statements by wearing earrings. Earrings can be studs which hug the ear lobe, hoops, and dangles. Earrings are manufactured in a variety of medals and can contain precious and semi-precious stones.
Rings have a long history. Aside from Promise, Engagement, and Wedding Rings, rings are an important accessory. The wearing of rings is considered to be the origin of today’s jewelry. It is not unusual to see rings being worn on several fingers.
Today we enjoy a wide variety of styles to choose from when we decide to purchase a necklace, bracelet, earrings, and rings. Whether ornate and set with precious stones or of a simpler design, jewelry is an important fashion accessory that tells something about who we are.
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Diamond Earrings go with everything
A Diamond is forever, not because of what we have heard from advertising, but because it is the hardest transparent substance that exists. Diamonds are among the most valuable and expensive precious stones in existence.
Diamond Jewelry enhances a person’s beauty. Earrings are an important piece of jewelry. They reveal thoughts of style and elegance. The wearing of earrings has a long history. Traditionally, a ring of gold, silver or other durable metal was worn through the earlobe by piercing a hole in the center of the earlobe. The popularity of earrings in modern society, especially diamond earrings, has increased and they are now favored by both women and men. Women use earrings as fashion accessories and fashion statements. They can be matched to a variety of outfits from formal evening attire and business attire to the more casual jean look. Diamond earrings represent a classic style and elegance, and also make the perfect gift for anyone near to your heart.
Diamond Earrings are made in a variety of shapes and sizes. Typically they are studs which hug the earlobe or hoops and drops. When shopping for diamond jewelry consider the 4 C’s, cut, color, clarity and carat weight. These factors affect the cost you will be paying for the jewelry.
Diamond earrings are a symbol of classic style and taste. They are among the most desired jewels in the world. They beautify the lobes of women all over the world.
Browse sendmyjewelry.com to see a collection of diamond earrings in a variety of styles and prices.
The Gemstone Opal
Opal is the most colorful of gems. Its splendid play of color is unsurpassed, and fine examples can even be more valuable than Diamond. The play of color consists of iridescent color flashes that change with the angle at which the stone is viewed. This phenomenon is often called opalescence. The play of color may consist of large, individual flashes of color (known as schillers), or may be of tiny, dense flashes. The intensity and distribution of the color flashes is a determining factor in the value of an Opal.
Opals displaying play of color are known as Precious Opals, and opals lacking play of color are known as Common Opals. Gems can be cut from both the precious and common forms, but Precious Opal is the primary gem form of this stone. There are many varieties of both precious and common Opals. The most desired and beautiful form of opal is Black Opal, which is opal with a dark blue, dark green, or black background with a strong play of color. Next in importance is White Opal, which is Opal with a light colored body color (white, yellow, cream, etc.) with strong play of color. Also important is Fire Opal, or Mexican Fire Opal, which is a transparent to translucent deep-orange red form of Common Opal. Fire Opal can also display play of color, and this is a rarity called Precious Fire Opal.
Many precious Opals, besides being classified as either black or white Opals, are further classified based on the distribution and habit of their play of color. Some of these names have older sources, while some are recently coined trade names.
Opal doublets, often used in jewelry, are thin slices of precious opal glued onto a base material. Such gems are considerably cheaper than solid opals, yet provide the same play of color. Opal doublets are sometimes coated with a thin layer or dome of clear Quartz to make them more resistant to scratches (since Opal is a relatively soft gem). These are sometimes called Opal triplets.
A condition called crazing affects certain Opals, causing them to form internal cracks. Crazing is an interesting phenomenon, as it lacks consistency and is sometimes unpredictable. Although it can occur at random, its often takes place when an Opal removed from damp conditions is allowed to dry too quickly, or when an Opal is exposed to sudden intense light. Crazing may also take place when an Opal is subject to vibration, as during the cutting and polishing of a gemstone. The severity of the crazing and the time it takes to “craze” varies among gemstone. The origin is often a determining factor to its resistance to crazing, as some localities are less prone to crazing than others. A gradual drying process over months or even years can in some cases effectively stabilize the stone and allow it to be cut and polished with a substantially reduced risk of crazing.
Precious Opals are cut and polished into cabochons and used in all forms of jewelry, especially as pendants and ring centerpieces. Fire Opals are faceted into several gemstone cuts for jewelry. Boulder Opal is also a popular form which is used as jewelery, especially as cabochons. Opal, especially Common Opal, can also be carved into small ornamental figures.
Article courtesy of minerals.net.
The Gemstone Peridot
Peridot is a well-known and ancient gemstone, with jewelry pieces dating all the way back to the Pharaohs in Egypt. The gem variety of the mineral Olivine, it makes a lovely light green to olive-green gemstone. The intensity of color depends on the amount of iron present in a Peridot’s chemical structure; the more iron it contains the deeper green it will be. The most desirable color of Peridot is deep olive-green with a slight yellowish tint. Deeper olive-green tones tend to be more valuable than lighter colored greens and yellowish-greens.
The history of Peridot is intrinsically tied to the tiny Egyptian island of St. John (Zabargad) in the Red Sea, which was the one of the only ancient sources of gem Peridot. This deposit has been totally exhausted, though fairly significant deposits have since been discovered, especially since the 1990’s.
Findings of large transparent Peridot from Burma (Myanmar), China, Afghanistan, and especially Pakistan have provided a new quality of Peridot unlike anything else previously discovered, with large, nearly flawless crystals that are well-suited for gemstones. The new discoveries are responsible for a reawakened interest in this gemstone. However, the most significant producer of gem Peridot remains the San Carlos Reservation of Arizona.
Although many Peridot gemstones, especially older ones, have cloudy or milky inclusions, the more recent gemstones on the market have few flaws and can be of exceptional quality. Though pretty and popular, Peridot is not a very durable gemstone. It has a lower hardness than many gemstones and is more prone to scratches, and has a tendency to occasionally burst under great stress. Peridot also cannot stand intense heat or rapid temperature changes. Peridot can also chip if banged hard, and should never be steam cleaned or cleaned with ultrasonics.
Much gem Peridot comes from igneous environments. These gems are formed deep within the mantle of the earth, and are brought the the surface by volcanic activity. Peridot is also found in certain types of meteorites, though these forms of Peridot are too rare and usually too small to be used as gemstones.
Peridot is both a day stone and a night stone, keeping its shining color even under artificial lighting. For this reason, it is sometimes called “Evening Emerald”. Although Peridot can be pronounced both with and without the “t” at the end, most professionals in the gem trade pronounce the “t”.
Peridot gems are usually small, though large flawless stones are occasionally cut. Peridot is a popular and affordable gemstone and is faceted into many cuts, and used in all forms of jewelry, especially rings, earrings, necklaces, and bracelets. Tumbled Peridot beads and cabochons are also fashioned in bracelets and necklaces.
Peridot is the birthstone of August.
Courtesy of minerals.net
The Gemstone Tsavorite (Garnet)
Tsavorite is a trade name for the emerald-green variety of Grossular Garnet that originates in Africa. Tsavorite has become one of the most popular and expensive Garnets, due to its rarity combined with effective marketing tactics. This gemstone was first discovered in Tanzania in 1967. It was subsequently found in the same geological formation across the border in Kenya in 1970 near Tsavo National Park, a wildlife preserve in the African Serengeti, and given its name after the national park. Tsavorite was named by both Campbell Bridges, the discoverer of Tsavorite, and by Henry Platt, the president of Tiffany & Co. (one of the world’s largest jewelry companies).
Tsavorite was discovered by Scottish geologist Campbell R. Bridges, a consultant for Tiffany & Co. Both deposits in Kenya and in Tanzania were discovered by Bridges, and this new gemstone was first named and marketed to the jewelry industry in 1974. (Bridges was tragically murdered by thugs in 2009 on his property near the African gem deposits.)
The color of Tsavorite can rival Emerald. Unlike Emerald, it often exhibits far fewer inclusions, and on occasion can be flawless. It is much rarer in nature then Emerald, and large Tsavorite gemstones command a high premium. The best Tsavorite color is a deep emerald green; lighter tones and yellowish hues are less desirable. The green coloring is caused by trace amounts of the elements chromium or vanadium in its chemical structure. Tsavorite is usually fluorescent a light cream-yellow color in ultraviolet light.
Tsavorite makes a fine rare green gemstone, and is used in various forms of jewelry, especially in rings, earrings, and pendants
Tsavorite gemstones are not enhanced, and their colors are always natural.
Courtesy of minerals.net
The Gemstone Smoky Quartz
Smoky Quartz is the brown “smoky” variety of Quartz. It ranges in color from light grayish-brown to
deep black. Smoky Quartz can be opaque, but is almost always transparent to translucent, even
when in its darkest color shade. Smoky Quartz is very common and was never an historically
important gemstone. Only in very recent times has it become a popular gemstone.
Smoky Quartz is an affordable gemstone, and it has become popular in jewelry. Since it is very common and often lacking flaws, small Smoky Quartz gemstones are rarely encountered. In fact, gemstones can reach several hundred carats with minimal flaws. The color of Smoky Quartz is thought to be caused by natural irradiation of Quartz. Citrine, the yellow to orange variety of Quartz, sometimes has a brownish tinge, and a stone can thus be borderlined between Citrine and Smoky Quartz.
Smoky Quartz is an important brown gemstone, and is used in various form of jewelry. It is especially used as ring and pendant centerpieces. Lesser quality stones, often with lighter color, are cut as cabochons or tumbled into beads. Large spheres and carvings are also cut from Smoky Quartz.
Courtesy of minerals.net
The Gemstone Topaz
Topaz makes an ideal gem. A good hardness and desirable colors, combined with a relative abundance
and availability makes it one the most popular gemstones. The most valuable colors of Topaz are the
golden orange-yellow type, called Imperial Topaz, and the dark pinkish-red and orange-red colors.
Value increases with a deepness of color in orange and reddish hues. The most commonly used colors
of Topaz in jewelry are the blue types. It was not until this past century that blue Topaz became
widespread on the gem market, since virtually all blue gem Topaz is irradiated and heat treated.
Topaz is a fairly common and inexpensive gemstone. It can be found in huge and flawless crystals, which can be faceted into giant gemstones which can weigh thousands of carats. Some of the largest gemstone pieces ever cut were of Topaz.
Topaz is a hard and durable gemstone, and will not dissolve in most chemical solvents. However, it does have perfect cleavage which can make it prone to chipping or forming flaws if banged hard. Topaz is also a pleochroic gemstone and can have varied color intensity when viewed at different angles. Due to its good cleavage and pleocroic nature, care must be exercised when faceting Topaz gemstones.
Blue Topaz does occur in nature, but is rare and almost always lightly color. Most if not all blue Topaz used in jewelry has been irradiated and heat treated to artificially create the blue color. The original stones are colorless or lightly colored, and the radiation process gives them their deep sky-blue colors. In a few rare circumstances, some forms of blue Topaz tend to slightly fade in exposure to sunlight after extended periods of time.
Topaz of all different colors are used in jewelry, in rings, earrings, necklaces, pendants, and bracelets. The blue, orange, and pink colors are most often cut as gemstones, and colorless Topaz is becoming increasingly popular as an inexpensive Diamond simulant. Gigantic gems and faceted spheres are cut from huge flawless crystals, and these make exquisite and exclusive collectors items. Topaz is rarely cut into cabochons.
Topaz is the traditional birthstone for December.
Courtesy of minerals.net
Ring Sizer
Method A – Measure Finger
1. Measure your finger at the end of the day when it is largest. 2. Do not measure cold fingers. 3. Cut out ring sizer and make small slit in end as shown. 4. Wrap around intended finger with numbers facing outward. 5. Pull tightly so it fits snugly for accurate measurement. 6. The number lining up at the slit is the ring size you need.
Click to download printable ring sizer (Method A)
Method B – Measure Current Ring
1. Select a ring that fits the intended ring. 2. Place the ring over the circles below, matching the inside edge of the ring to the circle nearest in size. 3. If the ring is between 2 sizes, order the larger size.
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