I am basing this blog on knowledge that I have acquired from the jewellery industry and the book, GEM STONES, by Cally Hall. If you are a jewellery collector, it is a must to have this book because of the information it holds regarding stones that you might not have ever heard of but would like to have.
I have chosen only a few of my favorite stones to write about but I believe that this post will have a part 2 so please watch out for that. If there is a stone/rock that you would like to know more about, please feel free to ask me and I would be more than willing to research for you.
They are mostly known as semi-precious stones. Now, if you really analyze this term, there is nothing semi about these stones because they are all real. Created by Mother Earth through time, it is mined, cut and polished just like diamonds are. I prefer to call them simply as precious stones. Now, to differentiate these from the expensive rocks like diamonds, rubies, emeralds and blue sapphires, these stones you call gems. Semi-precious just doesn't work too well with me because I love my babies and they should be treated with utmost respect.
AMETHYST is a crystalline quartz in shades of purple, lilac, or mauve. The largest source of amethyst is in Brazil although you may also find in Canada, Sri Lanka, India, Uruguay, Madagascar, USA, Germany, Australia, Namibia and Zambia. It is not an expensive stone because of its abundance. But purple is fun to work with especially when mixed with other vibrant colors. Amethyst has been imitated by glass so beware.
TOURMALINE comes in many different colors such as fuschia, blue, yellow, pink, watermelon (mix of pink and green), brown, green and even black. Its origin is mostly from Brazil, South Africa, USA, Canada, Mexico, Australia, Madagascar and Myanmar. A lot of the tourmalines today are heat treated to make the color even more intense or even to lighten. JBDJS uses a lot of this gem because of the many available hues and cuts suppliers offer.
AQUAMARINE is a favorite of my clients. The color is cool to the eyes and it sparkles much like a diamond. Today, the most valued colors are sky blue and dark blue. It is often cut with the table facet parallel to the length of the crystal in order to emphasize the deepest coloration. The best gem quality aquamarine is found in, once again, Brazil. But you may also find these stones in Russia, Afghanistan, Pakistan, India and more recently exploited, Nigeria. Almost all aquamarine on the market has been heat treated to enhance the color, but it does not mean the value goes down because of this. Care must be taken not to overheat the stones, as they become colorless. If you want a darker blue variety, this usually occurs in Madagascar.
CITRINE is the yellow and golden yelow variety of quartz. The yellow coloration, due to the presence of iron, is also responsible for the name, derived from the word citrus. Natural citrine is usually a pale yellow, but rare, most citrine on the market is heat-treated amethyst. Gem quality of this stone is rare but the best material comes from where else, Brazil, Spain, Madagascar and Russia. Is it a birthstone? No. But I love working with this stone because it is cheap, brilliant and good for our asian skin tone.
KUNZITE is a relatively new stone. It is a variety of what is called Spodumene which has a hue of lilac-pink. Very popular nowadays because of its very attractive color and brilliance. This stone should always be cut to show the best color through table facet. The pink color may fade in time, especially when it is under direct heat or light, but some stones are already irradiated to intensify the heat. Once again, Brazil is the origin this stone but it can also be found in Madagascar, Myanmar, USA, Canada, Mexico and Sweden.
TOPAZ occurs in a range of different colors. There's deep golden yellow, pink, blue and green. PInk topaz is are the most valuable but very rare. Topaz occurs in rocks such as pegmatites, granites and volcanic lavas. It may also be found in alluvial deposits as waterworn pebbles. Brazil, USA, Tasmania, Pakistan, Japan and Mexico are some of the sources of topaz. It is a relatively inexpensive stone and comes in many cuts and sizes.
Now for the fun part, designing. Sometimes, it is better to NOT think too hard on details that you want to put around the stone. Putting them together as is might already look great as long as the stones are of good quality as it will totally make a difference when it is designed, executed and worn. Buy from reputable stores or dealers. There are a lot of imitation stones and if you do not know much about it, you may waste your money. Make sure that when it is designed for you, that it is something that you see yourself wearing. Better yet, come to JBDJS and I will make sure you get exactly what you want.
Jul B. Dizon Jewellery Salon
The Peninsula Manila
(632)8864638
www.juldizon.com
info@juldizon.com
