April - Diamond
The Insight
After years, the fury of nature in the form of winds, water, heat and
cold reworked landscapes while these gems stayed intact and hidden,
awaiting for their radiance to sparkle to the world unknown.
Just a few managed to survive, out of which a small amount with an
appropriate size and good quality were cut and polished to be renowned
as some of the finest pieces of jewelry. Diamonds are rare and are found
only in a few secluded sites, spread among the oldest parts of the
continents. For years, the only source known to man was one remote area
in India, where diamonds were first appreciated for their capacity to
disperse light.
New discoveries were made in Borneo in the 7th century and in Brazil in
the 18th century. Despite its insignificant size, the Brazilian finding
was so popular that the ruling Portuguese marked the occasion with great
joy. Festivals were staged in Lisbon, with special masses said and
messages of congratulations were sent by the Pope and European monarchs.
More celebrations came in 1866 when, at last, a truly significant
source of diamonds was discovered in South Africa. Strangely, it owed
nothing to the art or energy of the world's eager prospectors. A
farmers' child was playing with some brightly colored stones found
beside a river, one of which was recognized as a diamond.
The gem cut from it was appropriately named "Eureka" and it
marked the start of a remarkable new episode in the story of the
emergence of diamonds.
At present, in spite of modern technologies, diamonds are still
difficult to discover. Geologists search relentlessly for these precious
gems, usually in very remote places, like the frozen tundra of Siberia
and Canada to the parched deserts and ocean floors of Africa. There are
different shapes of diamonds and they are sought by many people who can
afford them. They are a sign of royalty and glamour .Some of the world
renowned diamonds are in the crown of kings and queens.
KOH-I-NOOR ("Mountain of Light") was first mentioned in 1304,
it weighed 186 carats and was an oval cut stone. It is believed to have
once been set in the famous peacock throne of Shah Jehan as one of the
peacock's eyes. Re-cut in the reign of Queen Victoria, it is among the
British Crown Jewels and now weighs 108.93 carats.
The Cullinan was the largest diamond ever found was 3,106 carats in
rough and originally weighed just less than one and a half pounds. It
was found in South Africa and was named after the owner of the mining
company. The Cullinan was cut into 9 major stones and 96 smaller stones.
The largest was named the "Star of Africa" and is 530 carats
by itself.
To know more about diamonds history, the care and lots more, click
'History
of Diamonds'
May- Emerald
The Insight
Because the rich green color of emerald is the color of spring, the
ancients prized it as the gemstone symbolizing love and rebirth.
Treasured for at least 4,000 years by different cultures all around the
world, emerald is said to quicken the intelligence as well as the heart.
Legend gives its owner the gift of eloquence.
Cleopatra prized her emeralds more than any other gem. She may have
dropped her pearls in her wine for Mark Anthony but she kept her
emeralds for herself! The ancient emerald mines of Cleopatra, long a
mystery, were discovered again a hundred years ago near the Red Sea.
Some tools found in the mine were dated at 1650 B.C. but no quality
emeralds were found: the mines were exhausted thousands of years ago.
Mummies in ancient Egypt were often buried with an emerald on their
necks carved with the symbol for verdure, flourishing greenness, to
symbolize eternal youth.
The Romans also loved emeralds because, as ancient scholar Pliny said, "Nothing
greens greener." Pliny said that emerald was the only gem which
delighted the eye without fatiguing it. He said his eyes were restored
when gazing at the emerald. Emperor Nero wore emerald sunglasses to
watch the gladiators.
One legend says that Satan lost the emerald from his crown when he
fell. The emerald was shaped into a bowl which the Queen of Sheba sent
to Nicodemus. Christ used the bowl at the last supper and Joseph of
Arimathea used the bowl to catch blood from the cross, founding the
order of the Holy Grail.
The Moguls of India, including Shah Jahan, the builder of the Taj
Mahal, loved emeralds so much they inscribed them with sacred text and
wore them as talismans. Some of these sacred stones, called Mogul
emeralds, can still be seen in museums and collections today. Emerald is
the birthstone for May, the month of springtime romance, and the
anniversary gemstone for the twentieth year of marriage, the perfect
emblem of an enduring love.
How Green is Your Garden?
What is the source of the timeless appeal of emerald? Today scientists
tell us that the human eye is more sensitive to the color green than to
any other. Perhaps that is why green is so soothing to the eye, and why
the color green seems to complement every other color: think of the
beauty of a garden.
Spring can also be seen in the network of inclusions in the depth of
the emerald that the French call the "jardin," or "garden,"
because it resembles foliage. The inclusions are like a fingerprint,
giving each emerald a distinct personality. The extreme rarity of
transparent emerald is why emeralds can be more valuable than diamonds.
Emerald is a beryl, a mineral that is normally colorless. Emerald's
rich green color is caused by minute traces of chromium. Chromium is the
rare Midas element of gemstones: its presence also gives rubies their
firey redness. Crystals of emerald grew long before human history in
metamorphic rocks, which usually restricts the size of emerald crystals,
making them even rarer in large sizes. Other beryls, emerald's cousins,
like pale blue aquamarine, pink morganite, golden heliodor, and pale
green beryl, grow in pegmatites which allow larger crystals to form.
There is even a bright red beryl found in Utah in the United States.
The Treasures of the Incas and Aztecs
Ancient emeralds were from mines in Egypt and perhaps what is now
Afghanistan. But Spaniards arriving on the continent of South America
were stunned to see emeralds finer and larger than any ever seen before.
The Spaniards spent years searching for the source of the fantastic
green stones favored by the Incas. They found it finally in what is
today Colombia: Chivor, also known as Somondoco or "God of the
green gems," then later Muzo and Cosquez, the richest emerald mines
in the planet and still the source of the finest stones today.
Hernando Cortes, the conquerer of Mexico, was carrying carved emeralds
taken from the Aztecs in the shapes of fish and flowers and a carved
emerald bell, and an emerald the size of a man's palm when he was
shipwrecked. Many of the finest stones were lost forever. The Incas had
an emerald goddess, a fabulous emerald the size of an ostrich egg. In
tribute they sacrificed her children: smaller emeralds which were
presented to the goddess. Treasure hunters seeking wrecks of Spanish
galleons are occasionally rewarded with the ultimate treasure: emeralds
lost by the conquistadores long ago.
Choosing an Emerald
Today, emeralds from Colombia are easier to obtain: they are as close
as the nearest jewelry store. They are prized for a vivid saturated
green like a lawn of new grass after a rain. This color is so prized
that visible inclusions are accepted in these emeralds in return for the
incomparable color.
Emerald connoisseurs today are lucky because a relatively new find in
Zambia has made emeralds much more available on the market today.
Zambian emeralds have captured a large portion of the market because
they have a rich deep color and sometimes have very few inclusions.
Zambian emeralds tend to be a slightly darker green than emeralds from
Colombia and some have a bluish tone. Fine specimens have a clear true
green which deserves its place near the top range of quality in the
market.
Long thought of as a producer of lower quality emerald, Brazil today
now produces fine emeralds that rival those of its famous neighbor. A
mine called Nova Era has produced some top gem quality emeralds that are
changing Brazil's reputation. Brazil now produces more emeralds than any
other country.
Zimbabwe's famous Sandawana mine is known for producing top quality
emeralds in small sizes. Other potentially important producers of
emerald are Pakistan, Afghanistan, Madagascar, Nigeria, and Russia.
Emeralds are cut in Jaipur, India and Tel-Aviv, Israel as well as in
the mining countries. Emerald is one of the most difficult gemstones to
cut because of the high value of the rough stone and the many inclusions
found in crystals. Small changes in orientation can make a large
difference in the final appearance of the gem. Skilled craftsman who
specialize in cutting emerald can be found in cities around the world
for jewelers who insist on having stones perfected for the optimum
brilliance and vibrancy.
When choosing an emerald, the most important value factor to consider
is color. The more vivid the green, the more valuable the Emerald. There
are also attractive bright stones with a lighter green color that often
make a spectacular piece of jewelry. Darker green emeralds may also make
up in rich color what they lose in brightness.
Because emeralds are so rare without inclusions, some inclusions are
expected and do not detract from the value of the stone as much as with
other gemstones. However, you should look to make sure that fissures and
inclusions do not go too deep into the stone so that it might be
weakened enough to break if it were hit accidentally. The fissures and
fractures that are characteristic of emerald are traditionally filled
with oil to minimize their impact. You should avoid cleaning emerald
with hot soapy water or steam and never clean an emerald in an
ultrasonic cleaner because this oil could be removed or damaged, making
the fissures more visible.
Although many people consider Colombia to be the source of the best
emeralds, country of origin is never a guarantee of quality. Even the
best mine produces mostly low quality gemstones because good qualities
are very rare! Fine emeralds also come from Zambia, Brazil, Zimbabwe,
Pakistan, Russia and other countries, so don't be afraid to choose the
emerald that looks better to you
Emerald is most often cut in a rectangular step-cut, which is now
popularly known as the emerald cut. Smaller sizes are also found in
rounds, ovals, pear shapes and marquise cuts. You may have to look a
while for an unusual shape in a larger size. Due to their rich color,
emeralds are also spectacular when cut in a smooth-domed cabochon cut.
As you might expect from gems that have been known to spend centuries
at the bottom of the ocean and then return to sell for hundreds of
thousands of dollars at auctions, emeralds are durable gemstones with a
hardness of 7.5 to 8. However, emeralds with many inclusions should be
treated with some care and be protected from blows. With a little care,
your emerald will no doubt be treasured by your descendants thousands of
years in the future!
June- Pearl/Alexandrite
The Insight
The pearl was the favored gem of the wealthy during the time of the
Roman Empire. This captivating gift from the sea had been brought back
from the Orient by the Crusaders. Roman women wore pearls to bed so they
could be reminded of their wealth immediately upon awakening.
Pearls were once considered an exclusive privilege for royalty. A law
of 1612 drawn up by the Duke of Saxony prohibited the wearing of pearls
by nobility, professors, doctors or their wives.
On the other side of the world, pearls were being worn for adornment by
the American Indians. The freshwater pearls of the Mississippi River
were strung into necklaces, sewn onto headdresses and set into copper
ornaments.
Famous Pearls
One of the largest saltwater pearls still in existence is the Hope
Pearl, first acquired by Henry Philip Hope in the 19th century. It is
two inches long, and varies between 31/4 and 41/2 inches in
circumference. It is on display at the British Museum of Natural
History.
Pearl Information
An old Arab legend tells us that pearls were formed when dew drops
filled with moonlight fell into the ocean and were swallowed by oysters.
The modern scientific explanation is not nearly as romantic but still
quite fascinating.
A natural pearl (often called an Oriental pearl) forms when an irritant
works its way into a particular species of oyster, mussel or clam. As a
defense mechanism, the mollusk secretes a fluid to coat the irritant.
Layer upon layer of this coating is deposited on the irritant until a
lustrous pearl is formed.
A cultured pearl undergoes the same process. The only difference is
that the irritant is a surgically-implanted mother-of-pearl bead or
piece of shell. The core is, therefore, much larger than in a natural
pearl. As long as there are enough layers of nacre to result in a
beautiful, gem-quality pearl, the size of the nucleus is of no
importance to beauty or durability.
Imitation pearls are a different story altogether. In most cases, a
glass bead is dipped into a solution made from fish scales. This coating
is thin and may eventually wear off. The island of Mallorca is known for
its imitation pearl industry.
Pearl Waters
Fine natural pearls are quite rare. The Persian Gulf has always been
the source of the finest natural saltwater pearls. Other sources are the
waters around Sri Lanka, Australia, Japan, Mexico, Panama, Venezuela and
the Micronesian Islands. Japan is the major source of cultured saltwater
pearls, with Burma and Australia contributing to world supply.
Freshwater pearls occur naturally, but in recent years a strong
cultured pearl industry has sprung up for this product. Freshwater
pearls are generally very irregular in shape, with a puffed rice
appearance being the most common.
Classic Yet Stylish
Pearls of all shapes and colors are a highly, versatile accessory for a
modern woman's wardrobe. The classic, round pearl necklace is perfect
for evening wear. Long strands may be doubled with the assistance of
jeweled or gold clasps. They may also be twisted alone or with beads of
other precious, gems for a striking accent.
The most popular colors for round pearls are whites, creams and pink.
Silver, black and gold are gaining new interest.
Freshwater pearls occur in many colors and are often treated to produce
more evenly-colored strands. These may be found in lovely peaches,
lavenders, pinks and blues as well as white.
Rings, pendants, brooches and earrings are created with a wide range of
pearl shapes-round, pear, egg, teardrop, half, three-quarter and
blister. Baroque pearls, irregularly shaped pearls which don't fall into
any, other category, often make beautiful subjects for rings and
pendants because of their unique, flowing form.
About Gems
