Only three semi precious gemstones are considered durable enough for use in jewellery – diamonds, rubies, and sapphires – however there are other beautiful gems with the potential to become ornamental yet they do not fall into this category due to durability reasons.
Purple amethyst has long been associated with royalty due to its durable properties and vibrant hue. As February’s birthstone, amethyst offers an alternative option to expensive gemstones like emerald.
Amethyst
Amethyst is the most widespread variety of quartz crystal and an increasingly popular gem used for both its aesthetics and metaphysical benefits. Since ancient times, its deep purple hue has captured human interest – connecting various cultures and religions through time.
Amethyst can have a soothing effect on both mind and body, helping people make choices that serve their own best interests and overcome addictions. Furthermore, this stone can increase spiritual awareness for clearer connections to higher powers.
Amethyst can help keep life on the straight and narrow by helping you maintain an open mindset, make decisions in line with your highest good, let go of self-blame or guilt and move forward healthyly. Amethyst is often utilized by individuals recovering from relationship difficulties as its energies help strengthen an intimate and more fulfilling connection between two parties.
Amethyst has long been associated with Bacchus, the Greek god of wine. According to ancient beliefs, wearing amethyst would protect one from drinking too much; particularly among priests who wore rings containing amethyst gems to keep themselves sober during church functions and ceremonies.
Amethyst is an extremely versatile gemstone that is often seen in jewelry and fashion items like purses, scarves, rings and earrings. With its beautiful rich hues that range from lavender and orchid to grape and indigo hues, amethyst’s rich hues are found everywhere from purses, scarves to rings and earrings. Additionally, amethyst can be used to produce other quartz stones like citrine, prasiolite and amethyst-topaz while heated amethyst material is known as citrine.
Aquamarine
Aquamarine is one of the most frequently used gemstones in jewelry design and wear. Jewelry designers appreciate its lively yet serene qualities which makes it perfect for various events and styles; casual wear with earrings for night out with friends can easily transition into formal wear for wedding or prom events, and Aquamarine makes an excellent everyday piece that requires little maintenance or upkeep.
Aquamarine has long been revered for its healing powers, believed to ease emotional stress while creating balance and serenity for its wearers. Sailors for centuries wore it as protection from danger on the high seas while sailing safely; in medieval ages large aquamarines would often be formed into crystal balls for sale to soothsayers who could read futures through these stones.
Aquamarine belongs to the beryl family and shares characteristics with emeralds, rubies and sapphires. It features light to medium colors based on how much iron exists within each gem’s crystals – with deep teal hues all the way through to crystal blue shades. Aquamarine comes in oval, marquise, emerald, pear cushion or Asscher cuts for your selection. Aquamarine may also be heat treated to achieve more vivid blue tones – and should be clearly marked when doing so.
Aquamarine, like other gemstones, is a very hard and resilient mineral. To maintain its beauty, clean it regularly using warm water with mild liquid soap. However, sudden temperature changes, steaming or direct contact with cosmetics such as hairspray or perfume should be avoided for best results.
Bloodstone
Bloodstone may be best-known as a March birthstone, but its ancient history and modern connotations make it a treasured gemstone beyond zodiac sign boundaries. Bloodstone has long been recognized for its protection, healing, and talismanic abilities; some spiritual practitioners even attribute its powers with helping with mental clarity, clearing chakras, or providing even aphrodisiac benefits.
Bloodstone crystals, like other crystals, have the power to absorb negativity and toxic energies, making it an invaluable gemstone when your energy feels stagnant or polluted. Cleaning Bloodstone stones regularly is easy; simply run them under warm water to take advantage of nature’s cleansing powers.
Bloodstone is a beloved choice in jewelry and fashion due to its wide selection of shapes, sizes, and styles. Lapidaries use the technique of cutting to showcase this gemstone’s color and form; often creating trinkets called cabochon beads which can then be added into rings, necklaces, bracelets or other jewelry items.
Europeans in the Middle Ages admired bloodstone for its healing, prophetic and divinatory properties. They believed it could aid them in finding riches and success in business; protect them from deceit; provide legal help when needed; as well as bring about justice in legal disputes or help secure fair trials for them. It was even said to help avoid lightning storms and bring rain; thus becoming a popular tool of weather magic.
Presently, it can be found most commonly in India but can also be mined in Central Europe, Australia, Scotland’s Isle of Rum on Scotland’s West Coast, Madagascar and elsewhere. When combined with amethyst it forms an exceptional combination for clearing energetic blockages across life’s domains.
Citrine
Citrine is a type of quartz stone with its characteristic yellow hue and has long been associated with wealth and abundance, so many people use citrine to bring success and prosperity into their lives. One individual who used citrine this way shared with MBG that when she carried citrine around with her it helped increase generosity while giving away more wealth that she accumulated.
Citrine comes in various shades, such as golden orange. Heat treatment often improves its clarity and color while eliminating any trace of radioactivity that might exist within its natural stone source.
Citrine is an economical gemstone choice, making it an attractive addition to jewelry and fashion alike. Citrine has seen an unprecedented renaissance over recent decades due to earth-tone jewelry’s increasing popularity; and because its low cost makes citrine an ideal gem for home shopping networks that aggressively market various shades with descriptive words such as “butterscotch” or “whiskey.”
Citrine can help bring positive energy and abundance into your life through various techniques. One is wearing or carrying citrine jewelry directly against your skin; another way is placing a crystal at the entranceway to your home or office so everyone who enters will benefit from its healing properties; finally you could also use citrine in meditation or visualization exercises to focus on manifesting your desires and intentions.
Emerald
Cleopatra was said to be particularly fond of this grassy green gem, known for centuries as an emblem of fertility and immortality. People also thought emeralds could bestow riches, power and eloquence upon those who wore them as talismans – further strengthening memory and sharpening wit – making them prized healing stones.
Emeralds are known for being fragile gemstones with natural cracks which renders them susceptible to chipping and shattering, making them particularly susceptible to being chipped and shattering than most other gemstones. Therefore, their mining operations tend to be in South America where mines can more easily withstand external threats; Colombia being the primary producer today although Brazil and Zambia also contribute significantly.
Importantly, unlike with diamonds where clarity plays an integral part in determining their value, inclusions are considered part of emerald’s unique beauty and character, making them expected. Emeralds frequently contain gas bubbles, crystals and minerals as well as fluids which create unique patterns within each stone – this feature known as jardin adds significantly to its appeal.
Emeralds have become one of the most beloved gems in jewellery and fashion for this very reason; they make for stunning statement pieces worn with glamour and extravagant elegance. Emeralds look especially striking when set against silver toned metals that allow their vibrant color to really pop, as well as when combined with white diamonds in rings, earrings or necklaces.