AMAZONITE is a form of microcline, a variety of feldspar. Generally not treated or enhanced in any way, it is found in a lovely array of tones from forest to pale green, often with white streaks. Name after the Amazon River perhaps because of its colors, however not found in the river basin area. Large deposits do exist in Russia, Myanmar (Burma), India, Ethiopia, Madagascar, Brazil, and the United States (Colorado and Virginia). |
AQUAMARINE : Did you know that Aquamarine and Emerald are sisters? They are members of the beryl family, distinguished only by their color. Found in a lovely range of blues and blue-green hues, its name comes from the Latin words for ‘water’ and ‘from the sea,' which seems fitting. March's birthstone is also often associated with clarity, confidence and happy marriages. Aquamarine is quite durable. And outside of the bluest stones, typically untreated. |
CHALCEDONY as a term is used to describe a wide range of quartz, agates and jasper. But in jewelry, Chalcedony refers only to the translucent, single-color types. It's beautiful sea blue hues are almost always color enhanced - which is an ancient and common practice - doesn't seem to lessen its appeal. Quite durable because of its tiny crystal structure, Chalcedony is a perennial favorite. |
LABRADORITE is a member of the feldspar family with the distinctive quality of showing a dramatic, multi-colored Schiller known as, “Labradorescence.” This display of colors is reflected, not from the surface, but from within. Minerals often form inside the stone as threads that twine around each other. As light enters the stone and strikes these twinning surfaces we see this dramatic iridescence. Of reasonable hardness and durability, it is particularly susceptible of breaking if dropped because of how its crystal layers cleave. Did you know...Rainbow Moonstone, the white stone that boasts what is commonly referred to as, ‘blue flash’ is actually a colorless Labradorite? Labradorite is named for the Nain mine in Labrador but can be found around the world. |
MOONSTONE is a variety of feldspar called orthoclase, whose crystals form into alternating, stacked layers. When light falls between these thin layers it is scattered, producing the phenomenon called adularescence, which is the shimmer that appears to billow across the gem. The name originated with a city in Switzerland, Mt. Adular (now St. Gotthard), that was one of the first sources of fine-quality moonstone. According to Hindu mythology, moonstone is made of solidified moonbeams, and it’s easy to see why. |