Regarded in the east as an especially lucky gem, and in India as a sacred one, moonstone is so named because its translucent milky white color resembles the glow of the moon.  More »

Regarded in the east as an especially lucky gem, and in India as a sacred one, moonstone is so named because its translucent milky white color resembles the glow of the moon. A member of the feldspar family, it is most commonly found in India and Ceylon. It is said to arouse the tender passions of lovers and to give them the power to read the future. Moonstone soothes and balances the emotions, giving mastery over internal feelings and allowing for calm expression. It is said to protect against epilepsy and insanity, to aid women during their menstrual cycles, and to place men in touch with their gentler nature. In addition to its soft beauty, moonstone continues to be valued for its ability to bring good luck to those who wear it. The garnet was highly prized in the classical world. Its rich color, the reddish purple associated with royalty, made it especially sought after for jewelry. Therapeutically, garnet is believed to keep the wearer free from wounds, and to promote good health in general. It is especially useful for preventing skin disorders and for giving a glowing complexion. Medium: Garnet-Peridot   « Less

Regarded in the east as an especially lucky gem, and in India as a sacred one, moonstone is so named because its translucent milky white color resembles the glow of the moon.  More »

Regarded in the east as an especially lucky gem, and in India as a sacred one, moonstone is so named because its translucent milky white color resembles the glow of the moon. A member of the feldspar family, it is most commonly found in India and Ceylon. It is said to arouse the tender passions of lovers and to give them the power to read the future. Moonstone soothes and balances the emotions, giving mastery over internal feelings and allowing for calm expression. It is said to protect against epilepsy and insanity, to aid women during their menstrual cycles, and to place men in touch with their gentler nature. In addition to its soft beauty, moonstone continues to be valued for its ability to bring good luck to those who wear it. The garnet was highly prized in the classical world. Its rich color, the reddish purple associated with royalty, made it especially sought after for jewelry. Therapeutically, garnet is believed to keep the wearer free from wounds, and to promote good health in general. It is especially useful for preventing skin disorders and for giving a glowing complexion.Medium: Moonstone-Garnet   « Less

Regarded in the east as an especially lucky gem, and in India as a sacred one, moonstone is so named because its translucent milky white color resembles the glow of the moon.  More »

Regarded in the east as an especially lucky gem, and in India as a sacred one, moonstone is so named because its translucent milky white color resembles the glow of the moon. A member of the feldspar family, it is most commonly found in India and Ceylon. It is said to arouse the tender passions of lovers and to give them the power to read the future. Moonstone soothes and balances the emotions, giving mastery over internal feelings and allowing for calm expression. It is said to protect against epilepsy and insanity, to aid women during their menstrual cycles, and to place men in touch with their gentler nature. In addition to its soft beauty, moonstone continues to be valued for its ability to bring good luck to those who wear it. The garnet was highly prized in the classical world. Its rich color, the reddish purple associated with royalty, made it especially sought after for jewelry. Therapeutically, garnet is believed to keep the wearer free from wounds, and to promote good health in general. It is especially useful for preventing skin disorders and for giving a glowing complexion. Medium: Moonstone-Garnet   « Less

In Matthew, the kingdom of heaven is compared to a single rare and costly pearl for which a man would sell all he has. The delicate, lustrous beauty of the pearl has captured  More »

In Matthew, the kingdom of heaven is compared to a single rare and costly pearl for which a man would sell all he has. The delicate, lustrous beauty of the pearl has captured the imagination of men and women since the dawn of time. Early cultures worshiped it as a symbol of the moon goddess, a token of perfection. This exquisite gem is formed when an irritant becomes trapped inside the shell of a mollusk, most often an oyster. To protect itself, the animal forms a coating of nacre around the intrusive object, and this eventually may become a pearl. The gem ranges in color from pale white, to rosy pink, to gray or black. In the classical world, the finest pearls came from the Persian Gulf and the Indian Ocean, sometimes traveling for years to reach the palaces of Greece and Rome. Cleopatra, the queen of Egypt, is said to have dissolved an enormous pearl in wine, which she then drank to impress her lover Marc Antony with her extravagance. In the courts of Renaissance Europe, status was often measured through the size and beauty of one's pearls. Over thousands of years, pearls are one of the few jewelry items to remain continuously in fashion. It is easy to see why. They delight the eye and flatter the wearer, a true gift from nature. Medium: Pearl-Garnet   « Less

The garnet was highly prized in the Classical world. Its rich color, the reddish purple associated with royalty, made it especially sought after for jewelry. The garnet was  More »

The garnet was highly prized in the Classical world. Its rich color, the reddish purple associated with royalty, made it especially sought after for jewelry. The garnet was also favored in the jewelry of the European Dark Ages and Medieval period. The famous Sutton Hoo Treasure found in England contains over 4,000 cut and faceted garnets. As with many gems, the finest varieties come from India, which was true in Antiquity as well as today. According to Talmudic legend, the only source of light on Noah's Ark was a single large garnet. Therapeutically, garnet is believed to keep the wearer free from wounds and to promote good health in general. It is especially useful for preventing skin disorders and giving a glowing complexion. -Medium: Garnet   « Less

The garnet was highly prized in the Classical world. Its rich color, the reddish purple associated with royalty, made it especially sought after for jewelry. The garnet was  More »

The garnet was highly prized in the Classical world. Its rich color, the reddish purple associated with royalty, made it especially sought after for jewelry. The garnet was also favored in the jewelry of the European Dark Ages and Medieval period. The famous Sutton Hoo Treasure found in England contains over 4,000 cut and faceted garnets. As with many gems, the finest varieties come from India, which was true in Antiquity as well as today. According to Talmudic legend, the only source of light on Noah's Ark was a single large garnet. Therapeutically, garnet is believed to keep the wearer free from wounds and to promote good health in general. It is especially useful for preventing skin disorders and giving a glowing complexion.Medium: Garnet   « Less

In Matthew, the kingdom of heaven is compared to a single rare and costly pearl for which a man would sell all he has. The delicate, lustrous beauty of the pearl has captured  More »

In Matthew, the kingdom of heaven is compared to a single rare and costly pearl for which a man would sell all he has. The delicate, lustrous beauty of the pearl has captured the imagination of men and women since the dawn of time. Early cultures worshiped it as a symbol of the moon goddess, a token of perfection. This exquisite gem is formed when an irritant becomes trapped inside the shell of a mollusk, most often an oyster. To protect itself, the animal forms a coating of nacre around the intrusive object, and this eventually may become a pearl. The gem ranges in color from pale white, to rosy pink, to gray or black. In the classical world, the finest pearls came from the Persian Gulf and the Indian Ocean, sometimes traveling for years to reach the palaces of Greece and Rome. Cleopatra, the queen of Egypt, is said to have dissolved an enormous pearl in wine, which she then drank to impress her lover Marc Antony with her extravagance. In the courts of Renaissance Europe, status was often measured through the size and beauty of one's pearls. Over thousands of years, pearls are one of the few jewelry items to remain continuously in fashion. It is easy to see why. They delight the eye and flatter the wearer, a true gift from nature. Medium: Pearl-Garnet   « Less

In Matthew, the kingdom of heaven is compared to a single rare and costly pearl for which a man would sell all he has. The delicate, lustrous beauty of the pearl has captured  More »

In Matthew, the kingdom of heaven is compared to a single rare and costly pearl for which a man would sell all he has. The delicate, lustrous beauty of the pearl has captured the imagination of men and women since the dawn of time. Early cultures worshiped it as a symbol of the moon goddess, a token of perfection. This exquisite gem is formed when an irritant becomes trapped inside the shell of a mollusk, most often an oyster. To protect itself, the animal forms a coating of nacre around the intrusive object, and this eventually may become a pearl. The gem ranges in color from pale white, to rosy pink, to gray or black. In the classical world, the finest pearls came from the Persian Gulf and the Indian Ocean, sometimes traveling for years to reach the palaces of Greece and Rome. Cleopatra, the queen of Egypt, is said to have dissolved an enormous pearl in wine, which she then drank to impress her lover Marc Antony with her extravagance. In the courts of Renaissance Europe, status was often measured through the size and beauty of one's pearls. Over thousands of years, pearls are one of the few jewelry items to remain continuously in fashion. It is easy to see why. They delight the eye and flatter the wearer, a true gift from nature. -Medium: Pearl-Garnet   « Less

One of the most prized gems of antiquity, the dark reddish-purple garnet was often set into gold jewelry during the Hellenistic Age in Greece and throughout the Roman  More »

One of the most prized gems of antiquity, the dark reddish-purple garnet was often set into gold jewelry during the Hellenistic Age in Greece and throughout the Roman Imperial era. It was also favored in the jewelry of the European Medieval times: the famous Sutton Hoo treasure found in England contains over 4000 cut and faceted garnets. Garnet denotes an entire family of silicate minerals found in numerous varieties and colors ranging from pink, to red, purple, and brown to almost black. The most preferred hues are red (for which the garnet as often confused in Antiquity with the ruby) and purple. As with many gems, the finest varieties come from India booth in the Ancient world and the Modern. According to Talmudic legend, the only source of light in Noah’s Ark was a single garnet. The therapeutic value of the stone is that it keeps the wearer free from wounds and promotes good health in general. It is particularly useful for preventing skin diseases and giving a glowing complexion. Collection: Jewelry Style: Garnet Beaded Necklaces Medium: Garnet and Lapis   « Less

One of the important ores of iron, the red ferric oxide hematite takes its name from the Greek word for blood, because when the surface of the stone is scratched it appears  More »

One of the important ores of iron, the red ferric oxide hematite takes its name from the Greek word for blood, because when the surface of the stone is scratched it appears to be bleeding. The gem takes on several forms and colors, the most common of which are red and metalic-grey. Since earliest antiquity, hematite has been prized for its potent protective qualities. The Egyptians and the Persians in particular used the stone in a talismanic capacity. Because of its assoications with the blood, hematite is believed to alleviate hemorrhage, and to stimulate the iron in the human circulation system, thus relieving fatigue. In ancient Egypt, amulets made from hematite were used to protect the head from injury, and were frequently formed in the shape of a miniature headrest or pillow. It was also felt that hematite gave courage to the wearer, and warriors frequently rubbed the stone over their bodies before battle to make themselves invincible. According to a treatise on gems written in the first century BC by Azchalias of Babylon, hematite procures for the wearer a favorable issue of lawsuits and judgements. The gem's mysterious physical properties--it seems part stone, part metal--make it as appealing to the modern eye as it has always been throughout history. -Medium: Hematite   « Less