Category Archives: Birthstones

ORIGINS Although considered a gem, coral is a conglomeration of the skeletons of tiny marine invertebrates which grow together in colonies in the depths of warm seas. The skeletons consist of calcium carbonate in the form of calcite which attaches … Continue reading →

If cold December gave you birth, The month of snow and ice and mirth Place on your hand a turquoise blue; Success will bless whatever you do. Turquoise is the modern birthstone for December and the traditional gift to commemorate … Continue reading →

Amongst noteworthy pearls in the world are the incredible ‘Miracle of the Sea’, a teardrop shaped gem of 1,191 grains, formerly amongst the crown jewels of the Emperor of China and currently owned by the Imperial Pearl syndicate. The Zozima … Continue reading →

Tahitian Goddess Oro Not So Black as Rainbow As an ancient Tahitian legend would have us believe, once upon a time the Goddess Oro used her rainbow to visit planet Earth, giving mother-of-pearl its iridescence and Tahitian pearls their entrancing … Continue reading →

In Renaissance Europe, contrary to ancient Greece, natural pearls symbolized tears from pain due to the literal interpretation that the oysters’ job was to correct an irritation. Due to this belief, the pearl was rarely used in engagement rings of … Continue reading →

Exposed to the whims and unpredictability of the Mother Nature, saltwater cultured pearls cannot be a mass-produced product. On average, only 50 percent of nucleated oysters survive to produce pearls, of which only 20 percent bear marketable pearls, i.e. pearls … Continue reading →

Along with the alternate birthstone tourmaline, opal is the modern birthstone for October and the traditional birthstone for the Zodiac sign of Libra. Opal is considered the birthstone for people born in October or under the sign of Scorpio and … Continue reading →

The peridot was also believed to be a stone of springtime and considered as a gift from Mother Nature. Napoleon once made a gift of peridot to Josephine as a symbol of undying love and admiration. According to astrologers, the … Continue reading →

“Who first beholds the light of day In spring’s sweet, flower month of May And wears an Emerald all her life Shall be a loved and a loving wife” A beryllium aluminum silicate with traces of chromium or vanadium oxide, … Continue reading →

Long before written history, human beings discovered the first pearl while searching seashores for food, and for thousands of years, the pearl with its warm inner glow and shimmering iridescence has been amongst the most highly prized gems known to … Continue reading →