The rarity and natural beauty of colored gemstones have
intrigued and inspired us for thousands of years. Artists
and poets have used the images of colored stones to express
love, passion and power. Virtually every culture throughout
history has valued colored gemstones as objects of personal
adornment and as symbols of wealth and status. Cleopatra,
Catherine the Great and Queen Victoria were all well known
for their love of jewelry. Luckily, you do not have to be a
queen or empress to afford many of the beautiful colored
gemstones available in today's market. Colored gemstones are
found in all of the colors that the human eye is capable of
seeing, which makes them an essential part of every stylish
wardrobe. The range of sizes and shapes is also practically
limitless. And the best part is that with a minimal
investment, you can create an elegant colored gemstone
wardrobe that reflects your own personality. Regardless of
your budget, you can afford colored gemstone jewelry that
will enhance your wardrobe. It will also be an investment
that will last a lifetime.
Build your colored gemstone wardrobe the same way that
you build your clothes wardrobe. Think about the basic items
that you wear and build from there. Focus on the clothing
items that you wear most of the time and figure out which
colored gemstones will best complement your clothing. For
example, if you wear a lot of black, navy or gray, think
about complementing those colors with a red gemstone such as
ruby or garnet. If you are more prone to wearing earth
tones, you can enhance them with the colors of citrine,
peridot or topaz. Pearl, aquamarine and tourmaline are
perfect with pastel clothing. Of course, you can always pick
colored gemstones that match your outfit. But, don't be
afraid to be daring. Mix contrasting colors the same way an
artist does to make your own statement and create your own
style.
You can also use colored gemstones to complement your
own colors including your skin tone, your hair color and the
color of your eyes. Draw attention to your blue eyes with
aquamarine or blue topaz. Make your green eyes look even
better with emeralds. Accent the golden or red highlights in
your hair with yellow sapphire, golden beryl or citrine.
Once you have the colored gemstone wardrobe basics, it
is fun to branch out and add additional pieces that match or
contrast with what you already own. Each different
combination of pieces creates a different look. You will
find that building a colored gemstone wardrobe is easy, fun
and affordable. Your colored gemstone wardrobe is also your
best fashion investment. With the proper care, it will give
you a lifetime of wearing pleasure.
Of course, your colored gemstone wardrobe should also
include your birthstone. Most of us know our birthstone and
that of our loved ones. It is also fun to wear family
jewelry made from the birthstones of loved ones. Do you know
your birthstone?
January - Garnet
Garnet received its name from the ancient Greeks because
it reminded them of the "granatum" or pomegranate seed.
Garnet's roots as can be traced as far back as 3100 B.C. The
Egyptians in the Nile Delta were able to make jewelry out of
garnet beads. Most people are familiar with red garnets, but
many people do not realize that garnets come in a rainbow of
colors other than red. There are also green tsavorite and
demantoid garnets, orange spessartite garnets, brown
hessonite garnets and purplish pink rhodolite garnets.
February - Amethyst
Amethyst is a purple variety of quartz that gets its
name from the Greek word amethystos, which means, "not
intoxicated". The ancient Greeks believed that you could
drink as much wine as you liked out of an amethyst cup and
you would not become intoxicated. Purple is also the chosen
color of royalty, which explains why it has been popular for
thousands of years. Its versatile color complements almost
any wardrobe or complexion.
March - Aquamarine or
Bloodstone
Aquamarine is a blue variety of the mineral beryl that
symbolizes youth, hope, health and fidelity. It has been
compared to the color of seawater for centuries and was
given by Neptune, the King of the Sea, as a gift to the
mermaids. The color of aquamarine ranges from pale pastel
greenish-blue to deep blue. The deepest colors are the
rarest.
Bloodstone is a variety of chalcedony that is
semitranslucent dark green with red to brownish spots. It is
better known as heliotrope in England. Today, most
bloodstone comes from India.
April - Diamond
Everyone knows that diamonds are a girl's best friend,
but for those lucky enough to be born in April, it is also
their birthstone. The name diamond comes from the Greek word
"adamas" or "unconquerable". Its name is meant to suggest
the unconquerable or eternal nature of love. Diamonds have
been the traditional symbol of love since ancient Greece.
While diamonds are most often thought of as colorless,
diamonds are also found in nature in other colors such as
green, red, pink, blue, yellow and amber. These "fancy"
colored diamonds are generally more rare than colorless
diamonds. Most people have heard of the Hope Diamond, which
is a large and extremely beautiful blue diamond on display
at the Smithsonian.
May - Emerald
Emerald is a distinctive green variety of the mineral
beryl and is the most admired of all green gemstones. Its
rich green color is associated with the colors of nature and
is considered to be a symbol of fertility, rebirth,
springtime and enduring love. The first known emeralds came
from the Cleopatra Mine in Egypt nearly 4,000 years ago.
Cleopatra was known for her love of emeralds. The ancients
believed that emeralds empowered their owners to see the
future. Legend has it that Emperor Nero wore emerald
sunglasses because its green color is most soothing to the
eyes. It was also believed that emeralds would bring good
fortune. Emeralds were discovered in South America in the
16th century when Spanish explorers found the Incas and
Aztecs in possession of large emeralds. Today, most emerald
still comes from Colombia and Brazil while some are mined in
Zambia.
June - Pearl, Moonstone or
Alexandrite
Pearl is unique in that it is the only gemstone formed
within a living organism. According to Arabian legend,
pearls were formed when dewdrops full of moonlight fell into
the ocean and were swallowed by oysters. Pearls are actually
formed when an irritant enters an oyster and the oyster
secretes chemicals around the irritant that form the pearl.
When the supply of natural pearls grew scarce, we learned
how to help the natural process by implanting the irritant
into the oyster. The rest of the process is still done
entirely by nature. Pearls come in many colors ranging from
pale cream or white to rose, lilac, green, gold, gray and
Tahitian black. Because they are made by nature, they also
come in many sizes and shapes.
Moonstone and alexandrite are both phenomenal gems that
are alternate birthstones for June. Moonstone is the most
well known gemstone in the feldspar group, which exhibits
the phenomena known as adularescence. The adularescence is
the billowy or moon-like effect that is seen as the
moonstone moves. Alexandrite is the phenomenal variety of
the mineral chrysoberyl. It gets its name from the Russian
czar Alexander because it was allegedly discovered in the
Ural region of Russia on the day in 1831 when Alexander II,
the Russian heir apparent came of age. Alexandrite is known
for its ability to change color from "emerald by day" to
"ruby by night".
July - Ruby
Ruby gets its name from the Latin word "ruber" or red
because it is the red variety of the mineral corundum. Its
rich red color has been adored by emperors and kings and it
was prized in biblical times as the most precious of all
gems. Ruby is also known as the "King of Gems". Many legends
and myths have been inspired by its rich history. Rubies
were thought to protect their owners from misfortune and to
ensure harmony with their neighbors. Ruby's protective
powers were believed to be the strongest when worn in
jewelry on the left side.
August - Peridot or
Sardonyx
Peridot's history can be traced back to over 3,500 years
ago when the ancient Egyptians called it the "Gem of the
Sun" and believed that it was blessed by the gods. According
to Hawaiian legend, peridot was created by the tears of Pele
the goddess of the volcano. Today, the largest commercial
source of peridot is the San Carlos Apache Indian
Reservation in Arizona. The Apache name for peridot is
"Job's tears".
Sardonyx is a variety of chalcedony that is banded with
sard, which is semitransparent to translucent dark brownish
red to brown, alternating with either white or black
parallel bands.
September -
Sapphire
Sapphire is the blue variety of corundum that gets its
name from the Latin word "sapphiru" or blue. It has long
been thought of as the ultimate blue gemstone. Ancient
Persians associated the blue of sapphire with the sky and
the heaven. They believed that the blue color of the sky
came from the reflection of sapphires on earth. Sapphire is
associated with truth, honesty and faithfulness. The finest
and most rare sapphires are the cornflower blue sapphires
from Kashmir. Sapphire has always been an excellent choice
of stone for an engagement ring, but it has been even more
popular in engagement rings since Lady Diana Spencer chose a
sapphire ring for engagement to Prince Charles. Lady Diana
had a royal blue Burmese sapphire. Sapphires also come in
many other colors such as pink, purple, orange, yellow, gold
and green. These colors are known as fancy sapphires.
October - Opal or Pink
Tourmaline
Opal is famous for its flashes of fire or "play of
color" and is the most popular of all phenomenal gemstones.
To the Greeks and Romans, opal symbolized hope, innocence
and purity. Opal comes in a few different varieties. The
finest black opal, which is found mainly in Australia, has a
blue, gray or black body color with vibrant flashes of
color. White opal is light in body color with play of color.
Boulder opal is mixed with rock matrix. Fire opal is
translucent orange, yellow or red. Today, most opal comes
from Australia, Mexico and the United States.
Pink tourmaline has been treasured for centuries, It was
the favorite gemstone of The Empress Dowager Tz'u Hsi, the
last empress of China. If pink is not your color, you can
substitute your favorite color because tourmaline comes in
the widest range of color of any gemstone-literally every
color of the rainbow. In fact, tourmaline gets its name from
the Sinhalese word "turmali" or "more colors".
November - Topaz or
Citrine
Topaz is associated with the colors of the sunset and
the sea and is considered a symbol of love and affection. It
is believed that wearing topaz will bring friendship and
will guarantee the faithfulness of your loved one. Topaz is
found in colors from blue to red, yellow, orange, pink,
peach and gold. Imperial topaz is a fine reddish orange
variety that is named for the Portuguese royal family and is
only found in Ouro Preto, Brazil.
Citrine is a golden variety of quartz that can range in
color from yellow to orange to reddish orange. It gets its
name from the French word for lemon. The ancients believed
that citrine was sent as a gift from the sun and that it was
an antidote for snakebites.
December - Tanzanite,
Zircon or Turquoise
Tanzanite has recently been designated as an additional
birthstone for December. Tanzanite is a blue variety of the
mineral zoisite. Its color ranges from pale lilac to intense
violet blue. Tanzanite gets its name from Tanzania in
Eastern Africa where it was discovered in 1967, which makes
it a relatively new gemstone as compared to the other
birthstones. Because of its young age, tanzanite is not
associated with ancient myths and legends like many of the
other birthstones. It is also a fairly rare gemstone in that
to date, it has not been found outside of Tanzania.
Tanzanite exhibits pleochrism, which means that it shows
different color when viewed from different directions. From
one angle it appears to be blue and from another it appears
to be purple.
Zircon is usually found in shades of blue and green or
earth tones. In medieval times, zircon was believed to bring
wisdom, honor and wealth to its owner. It is also supposed
to keep travelers safe. The Hindus believe it stimulates
spiritual growth.
Turquoise is one of the oldest known gemstones dating
back to 5000 B.C. when it was treasured by the Egyptian
Pharaohs. It was also part of the ceremonial dress of early
native Americans. Its name is the French word for "Turkish".
Turquoise is believed to have healing powers and symbolizes
the wearer's status and wealth.
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