Gem of the Week: Sapphire

Sapphires are one of the most popular gemstones worn today. They are primarily used in jewelry and have been since the ancient Greeks. The term Sapphire also includes the stone known as Ruby as they both have the same mineral composite, the only difference being the color. Sapphires have a range of colors depending on the other elements present during formation. The most common are blue, yellow, purple, orange, green, clear, gray, and black. 

  

The value of a sapphire is connected directly to its coloring. Blue Sapphires are ranked according to their hue quality and their secondary hues. Blue Sapphires with a green secondary hue lose their value; where as blue Sapphires with violet or purple secondary hues increase in value. 

Pink Sapphires are Sapphires who's pink-red coloring is too light to be called a Ruby. Pink Sapphires are more valuable the deeper their pink color is. Sapphires with no color are often used to substitute for diamonds in jewelry. Some Sapphires even change color under different light. 

One of the most interesting variations of Sapphire is Star Sapphire. Star Sapphire forms differently than the classic stone. Star Sapphires form with inclusions that follow the crystal structure, these inclusions form a refraction of light that looks like a six-pointed star. The effect is much like a Cat's Eye stone. 

The largest gem quality Star Sapphire is the Black Star of Queensland. 

Gem of the Week: Amber

Amber is a unique gemstone in that it's not a stone at all! Amber is fossilized tree resin from trees that lived millions of years ago. Because of the natural formation, often small insects, plants, or other inclusions are found in Amber perfectly preserved.

   

Amber has many uses besides just jewelry. Amber has been used in ancient medicines and has been a key ingredient in perfumes. Amber has also been used in carvings and as decoration on musical instruments and weaponry.

The ancient Greeks believed that Amber was the tears of the sisters of Phaeton, a son of Helios who was killed. They transformed into Poplar trees out of mourning and there tears formed through their branches as Amber.

Amber exists in many different colors ranging from light yellow to dark orange to almost black. Amber can even come in red, green, and blue, although these colors are very rare and valuable.

Amber has a unique scent, described to be a warm musky earthy scent with a bit of honey. Amber incense was traditionally burnt during Chinese festivals. Today's amber perfumes are made synthetically or enhanced with other scents.

Gem of the Week: Malachite

Malachite is a stone deeply connected to the natural world. It's known to heal emotionally and physically and is often seen as a stone of change. It usually helps the wearer cope with changes in physical, emotional, social, or fiscal status. The stone colored with bands and swirls of light to dark green.

    

The name Malachite is derived from the Greek for mallow stone, as it's color matched the leaves of the mallow plant. Malachite was used as a pigment of green paint into the 1800s. Malachite has a long history of being a decorative piece and used in jewelry and architecture. One of the largest pieces of Malachite in North America was carved into a vase and given by Tsar Nicholas II of Russia to the Linda Hall Library.

Gem of the Week: Pyrite

Pyrite has been connected to protection and peaceful resistance. It helps the wearer balance the power between themselves and the people around them. Pyrite is a metallic stone usually with a silver or light gold sheen. 

    

Pyrite is most well known by its nickname, fool's gold. Pyrite has been used in many unique ways compared to most other gemstones. It was used as a fire starter in Ancient Roman times, and later became a source of ignition in firearms in the 16th and 17th centuries. Pyrite has been used in the creation of Iron Sulfate and Sulfur Dioxide. It's used in batteries, and in the 20th century was used in radios. Pyrite has a whole genre of jewelry to itself called Marcasite jewelry. This style of jewelry features Pyrite set into silver and was popular during the Victorian era. 

Gem of the Week: Lapis Lazuli

Lapis Lazuli is often connected with higher thinking and activating mental ability. It's also said that Lapis Lazuli helps induce good judgment and wisdom. This makes the stone especially good for business professionals and lawyers. Lapis Lazuli also helps with the healing of the throat and vocal chords. Color: Brilliant Blue sometimes with flecks or stripes of gold.

     

Lapis Lazuli has been prized throughout history for it's brilliant, bluer-than-blue color. Lapis Lazuli's name comes from a mix of Latin, Arabic, and Persian. The name has inspired words to form in eight languages that relate to the color of the stone. Besides being used for jewelry, decorative weaponry, carving and architecture, Lapis Lazuli has made its name for the intense dye Ultramarine that can only be made by using the pigments of the stone. This dye has been used in paints that the great Renaissance and Baroque painters Masaccio, Perugino, Titian, and Vermeer. The paint would be used in frescoes decorating the walls of basilicas, chapels, and churches. Often, because of the value of the paint, Ultramarine would be used exclusively for the Virgin Mary's clothing as blue was seen as her patron color.