Birthstones: April & May

April's Birthstone is Diamond.

The diamond is a widely known stone with outstanding physical properties, in particular the qualities which originate from the bonding of its atoms. The result is that the diamond is recognized for its hardness (10 on Moh's Scale) and it's thermal conductivity. 

Did you know a large and perfect (aka flawless and having no inclusions) diamond is called a paragon? A diamond with a weight of 12 carats held this title in the 16th century, but today, more than 99 carats are needed.



April's Alternate Birthstone is Quartz.

Quartz in it's purest form is called "Rock Crystal" or "Clear Quartz" because it is colorless and translucent.

Did you know the largest, recorded quartz crystal was 20 feet long and weighed more than 48 tons?

April's Birth Crystal is Cubic Zirconia.

Cubic Zirconium (CZ) is a lab-created gemstone that closely resembles a diamond, yet is heavier. Most people need a jeweler's eye to confirm if the stone is a diamond or a CZ.

Did you know that CZs are the biggest competitior against diamonds since production began in 1976?

May's Birthstone is Emerald.

Inclusions found in emeralds are considered part of their character, and used to assure the purchaser that the stone is natural. Such inclusions in most other gems are not acceptable.

Did you know that the emerald is one of the traditional four precious stones? The other three are ruby, diamond and sapphire.

May's Alternate Birthstone is Chalcedony.

Many precious gemstones are a form of chalcedony and include: Onyx, Avernturine, Agate, Mtorolite, Heliotrope, and Chrysoprase.

Did you know that hot wax will not stick to chalcedony? It was carved and used to make seal impressions.

May's Birth Crystal is Emerald.

Emeralds are considered brittle stones, and internal cracks may develop if the stone is banged against something or subjected to significant temperature changes.

Did you know the "Emerald Cut" was devloped for this particular gem in order to reduce the amount of pressure during the cutting process?

Sources:

www.gemselect.com/gem-info/emerald/emerald-info.php

en.wikipedia.org

Images:

www.dreamstime.com/royalty-free-images....

Gemstone Highlights: Agate

What is it?

Agate is a microcrystalline variety of silica, namely chalcedony. It is known by its fine grain and bright colors.  Usually associated with volcanic rocks, it can also be common in metamorphic rocks. It was given its name by a Greek philosopher, Theophrastus, who discovered it on the river Achates (now called the Dirillo in Sicily) about the 3rd century.

Image: www.dandennis.com

Many agates are hollow. The last deposit commonly consists of quartz, often amethyst, in which the apices of the crystals are directed toward the free space.  With this crystal-lined cavity, it is referred to as a 'geode'. In the blue or gray agates, clear quartz cystals, or "drusy" can be found, and is usually treated separately.

Image: www.worldwidestore.com

In the ancient Persian culture, items created with these gemstones were considered talismans, as the gem was associated with preventing storms and increasing crops. Agates were also popular with European royalty in the Renaissance as well as with the rulers of the Byzantine Empire. Agate has also been discovered in many ancient sites as one of the most commonly used materials in hard carved art and practical items including paper knives, inkstands and seals (picture on right). Due to its hardness (Mohs Scale 7) and acid resistance, it has been used for making mortars and pestles to crush and mix chemicals.



Image: vibrate.wordpress.com

Colors.

Common colors include yellow, black, purple, green, red, brown, orange, white, blue and red-brown, with green and blue agates being the rarest.  When it is cut transversely, it exhibits a succession of parallel lines, giving it a banded appearance, which is also known as riband agate or striped agate. Although sporting a waxy luster, agate polishes well.

Where is it found?

Agates can be found all over the earth. However, the more important mines are found in the United States, Europe, Canada, and Russia.

Types of Agate.

There are thousands of named agates based upon where found, who discovered them, composition, color and other characteristics. There is a classification of nine types of agates that are based upon how they form which I found interesting in helping to gain a basic understanding.

• Fortification Agates are the most common and are formed when bands crystallize into layers that follow the shape of the cavity. The banding is rigid-looking, and if viewing it from above, resembles a fort.
• Water-line Agates are formed by silica rich water entering the cavity slowly with the excess water draining away creating separate layers forming a stack of parallel bands.
• Shadow Agates are formed when the alternating translucent and opaque bands exhibit a shadow appearance when the agate is rocked back and forth (or by your orientation of view), and are considered an interesting optical effect.
• Tube Agates begin when tiny hair-thin mineral rods grow first within the silica gel along which micro-crystals form. Sometimes the inclusions remain and other times they are hollow tubes.
• Eye Agates have a mysterious appearance believed to be formed when the silica drains from the cavity leaving only a droplet to bead up on the cavity wall. The droplet then crystalizes into a solid chalcedony "eye."
• Plume Agates have outside layers that form prior to the chalcedony bands. They are a filament growth of mineral inclusions that look like ferns or feathers. They are sometimes referred to as dendritic agates.
• Geode Agates form when silica-rich water stops filling the cavity leaving a hollow center with a crystalline fill.
• Moss Agates have clusters of mineral inclusions that resemble plants, trees or landscapes. Most inclusions are comprised of iron or maganese oxide.
• Seam Agates form in the cracks of host rocks rather than rounder pockets. The deposits form parallel bands that fill the crack or seam.

orange & white agate clip earrings by KJK

Caring for your Agate Jewelry.

Tips for keeping your agates beautiful and scratch-free include putting it on after you've applied make-up, hairspray or perfume. The chemicals in these cosmetics can damage the shine and create a build-up. Agate jewelry should be cleaned after wearing with a soft brush and cotton cloth, and each piece stored separately in a cotton cloth to avoid scratching with other agates or gemstones.

blue agate, jade, and pearl clip earrings by Museum Reproductions

The Mystical and Forklore of Agates.

For thousands of years people have believed agates possess metaphysical properties.  In researching the previous gems I have highlighted on this blog, agates by far have the most mystical properties attributed to them.  Similar to other gems, the more common attributed properties of agates include protection, harmony, ability to calm, divert storms, stimulate fertility and personal creativeness.  Some of the odder attributes include relieving thirst, helping one be truthful, keeping blood & bone marrow healthy, making one less disagreeable and more persuasive, and relieving allergies.  Historically, agate was placed in water for cooking and drinking to dispel sickness.

Cliptomania.com offers hundreds of affordable pairs of non-pierced, clip-on earrings. To see gemstone earrings, including agates, click here. 

Sources

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Agate

http://www.agatelady.com/agate-basics.html

http://agates.org/

http://www.gemstone.org/index.php?option=com_content&view=article&id=137:sapphire&catid=1:gem-by-gem&Itemid=14

Gemstone Highlights: Jasper



Image: www.bernardine.com/gemstones/jasper.htm



Image: www.tademagallery.co.uk 

The word "Jasper" is a derivative from the Greek word for "speckled or spotted stone."  History traces jasper usage back to Assyrian, Latin, Greek, Egyptian and Hebrew eras.  There are biblical notations of the Hebrew priest's breastplate adorned with the stone (Exodus 28:15-21.)  Also, chapter 156 of the Book of the Dead required the amulet in the form of the Girdle Tie of Isis, placed at the throat of the mummy, to be made of red jasper, whose blood-like coloring would enhance the words of the spell: "You have your blood, Isis; you have your power."  Ancient Egyptians wore jasper scarabs as amulets. Black jasper was used for intaglio (hollowed out carvings) in Roman times. Jasper has also been used to adorn buildings, such as the Saint Wenceslas Chapel in Prague.

What is it?

Due to its grainy inclusions, it is grouped by itself, although it is considered a chalcedony (which is a rock texture made up of minute crystals.)  Jasper is a dense microcrystalline quartz, i.e. composed of very fine intergrowths of quartz and moganite.  On the Mohs Scale, denoting gemstone hardness where talc is a 1 and diamonds are a 10, jasper ranks at a 7.  It is typically opaque with a dull to pearly luster.  Because jasper polishes well, it is a frequent medium of cabochons, mosaics, and ornamental objects.  Color is attributed to finely disseminated organic, hematite or geothite particles.

The percentage of those foreign materials present in the stone determine its color, pattern, texture, and overall appearance.  Jasper is most commonly red and red-brown due to iron deposits, yet there is a variety of multi-colored, spotty and striped stones.  The dispersion of color and pattern labels its value.  Jasper has been given many names based on such things as its color, arrangement of colors, localities of occurrence, names of persons connected with the find, names that might appeal to potential purchasers or items made of jasper.  In researching this gemstone I found a minimum of 56 different names.

A black variety of jasper called "Lydian stone" was used as a touchstone, or a stone whose smooth surface when scratched with gold, silver or certain alloys, exhibits streaks that can be compared to streaks of known metals or alloys and thus provide a means of identification, including even measurements of such things as the material's gold content.

Where is it mined?

Jasper is found world-wide, though substantial mines can be found in Germany, Russia, France, India, Egypt and the United States.

Care and cleaning:

Jasper requires little care.  Simple cleaning of the stone with warm water and a soft cloth is appropriate to maintain its beauty.

Mystical Aspects:

Of course with 56+ names, I found that different stones have different meanings, mystical properties and healing powers attributed to them.  General mythology, especially with regard to the amulets, state that jasper is beneficial in the treatment of infertility.  It is also generally referenced as being protective in its ability to keep evil spirits away and protect against snake and spider bites.  As a balancing stone, it is said to be able to restore the body's energy, promote stabilization and healing, with the safest approach to wear the gemstone in skin contact to the troubled part of the body.  Noteworthy applications included the pancreas, sciatica and troubled toenails.  It is the mystical birthstone of October, and the "Bloodstone" jasper is the traditional birthstone of March.

https://www.cliptomania.com/ offers many non-pierced gemstone earrings including those made with Jasper.  To see them visit our gemstones & pearls page

Information Sources

en.wiki.org/wiki/Jasper

www.cst.cmich.edu/users/dietr1rv/Jasper.htm
www.gemselect.com/gem-info/Jasper/Jasper-info.php
worldwidestore.com
www.shopgemstone.com/jasper.html
"International Colored Gemstone Association" www.gemstone.org