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Aquamarine |
Color: Light blue,
blue, blue-green
Chemical composition: Al2Be3(Si8O18) aluminium beryllium sliciate
Mohs’ hardness: 7 ½-8
Transparency: Transparent to opaque
Luster: Vitreous
Fracture: Conchoidal, uneven, brittle
Crystal system: Hexagonal (trigonal); long prisms
Cleavage: Imperfect
Specific gravity: 2.67-2.71
Refractive index: 1.577-1.583
Dispersion: 0.014
Pleochroism: Definite, nearly colorless-light blue
Fluorescence: None
Occurrence: Afghanistan, Australia, Brazil, India, Kenya Malagasy
Republic, Myanmar, Nigeria, Pakistan, Russia, Sri Lanka, and the
United States (Colorado).
Astrology: March birthstone, connected to Pisces; prior to the 15th
century, it was the October birthstone
Chakra: 5th (throat), and helps align the chakras
Aquamarine, like emerald, heliodor, and morganite, is part of
the beryl group. Its name, which means “water of the sea” comes from
the Latin words aqua (water) and mare (sea). Most aquamarines are
found in granite pegmatites, which form as liquid molten rocks that
rise through fissures and cracks in the Earth’s crust. The stone’s
distinctive blue comes from traces of iron interacting with light.
Brazil is currently the prime source for aquamarines. Extraordinary
crystals have been found there, including a 550,000-carat aquamarine
crystal that was found in 1910. Though, sky-blue and dark blue
stones are now the most highly prized, in the 19th century,
sea-green stones were preferred. Most aquamarines today are
heat-treated, which removes the green hues, resulting in a purer
blue.
It wasn’t until the 1600s that the stone was actually called
aquamarine. Before that it was known as “sea-green beryl.” The
Roman naturalist Pliny, who lived from 23-79 A.D., referred to it as
a remedy for eye disease. More poetically, an ancient legend claimed
that aquamarines were taken from the treasures chests of sea nymphs
and carried to the shore by seahorses. Sailors wore aquamarines as
amulets, believing that the stone would ensure that they would cross
the sea and return home safely. Known as a “stone of courage,”
aquamarine was also believed to give ocean travelers courage for the
journey; it was believed that the stone’s powers strengthened when
it was immersed in water. Aquamarine was also said to carry the
energy of young love, and bring good things to those in love.
Husbands gave it as love token to their wives, after the marriage
was consummated. Dreaming of the stone was said to bring new friends
in one’s life.
From the Middle Ages through the Renaissance, aquamarine’s pale blue
color was connected with the moon and said to be subject to lunar
influences. Considered most powerful during full moon, aquamarine
was used for crystal gazing and finding lost objects.
Aquamarine amulets were worn to grant invulnerability in battle
and in legal disputes, and the stone was used to revive fading love
in a marriage. Medicinally, it was used to treat toothache,
digestive troubles, swollen glands, and liver and eye disease.
Aquamarines were also loved by those drawn to the occult. It was
considered sacred to the goddesses of the sea, and sea witches were
said to cleanse the stone in the sea beneath a full moon and use
them as a protection for flying over water. Nowadays in magical
practice, aquamarines are used for purification before rituals, and
are sometimes exchanged between lovers for a good relationship. The
crystals are also said to strengthen psychic abilities, protect
against storms (particularly if placed in a suitcase before a
journey), and bring good health. Metaphysical beliefs draw on some
of the older ones. Aquamarine is still considered a stone of
courage, and a stone that will enhance psychic powers. It’s said to
be particularly helpful in meditation, opening you to intuition and
clairvoyance. It’s also a stone of clarity, and when placed on the
throat chakra, it may help with communication. In healing work,
aquamarine is said to boost the immune system. The gentle blue of
aquamarine combines beautifully with pearls, rose quartz, peridot,
pink or white coral, pink or green tourmaline, golden topaz, green
jade, or a lavender amethyst. For contrast, try black onyx or
labradorite. And for a lovely summery piece, combine aquamarine with
pearls, smoky quartz, and blue-green chalcedony or chrysoprase.
While aquamarine is not as brittle as emerald, it can be damaged by
ammonia, acids or heat, or ultrasonic cleaners. To clean
aquamarines, use gentle soap and lukewarm tap water. |
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Amethyst Gemstone Bead |
Color: Pale lavender to deep purple
Chemical composition: SiO2 silicon dioxide
Moh’s Hardness: 7
Transparency: Transparent
Luster: Vitreous
Fracture: Conchoidal, very brittle
Crystal system: Hexagonal (trigonal) with hexagonal prisms
Specific gravity: 2.63-2.65
Streak: White
Refractive index: 1.544-1.553
Dispersion: 0.013
Pleochroism: Very weak; violet, gray-violet
Fluorescence: Weak; greenish
Occurrence: Africa, Brazil, Britain, Canada, India, Malagasy Republic, Siberia, Sri Lanka, United States, Uruguay
Astrology: February birth stone, connected with Aquarius; in India, connected with Saturn
Chakra: 6th and 7th, the brow and crown
Amethyst, the most precious variety of gem-quartz, is a fairly common crystal. In general, the darker amethysts are more highly valued than the pale stones. Quartz can form in nearly any type of rock, but amethyst often forms in the cavities of volcanic rock. Nearly 130 million years ago, in Uruguay and Southern Brazil (the main sources of the gem), gas bubbles became trapped in cooling silica-rich lava and formed cavities. At a later point, water percolating through the rock dissolved some of the silica and deposited it as amethyst crystals inside these hollows. Amethyst’s distinctive color is caused when a few iron atoms replace the silicon atoms in the quartz solution. Amethyst is often found inside geodes (those cavities in volcanic rock), though it’s also found in alluvial deposits. Amethyst is sometimes heat-treated to intensify its color. Amethyst takes its name from the Greek, amethustos, “not drunken.” A well-known Roman myth tells of the wine god Bacchus who, feeling slighted by humankind, set his tigers on a young nymph named Amethyst who was on her way to worship at the shrine of the goddess Diana. Diana intervened, turning the young woman into a beautiful crystal. Bacchus, filled with remorse, poured his wine over the crystal, giving it its purple color. Another theory states that the Greeks carved drinking vessels from large amethyst crystals, so that they could appear to be drinking wine and yet could actually be drinking water and so remain sober. The Roman women had an altogether different use for the stone. They wore amethysts to keep their husbands’ affection. In 11th-century Germany, this belief was somewhat reversed: Amethyst was said to help a man attract noble women. The Egyptians, though, considered amethyst symbolic of the intellect. Cleopatra was said to wear an amethyst signet ring engraved with the image of the Persian god of “The Divine Idea,” a source of love and enlightenment. And in Peru, amethyst was used in charms against witchcraft. Other beliefs held that amethyst symbolized peace of mind, and if engraved with either a sun or full moon, it protected against death by poison. During the Renaissance, it was believed that an amethyst engraved with a bear was a charm against demons. Biblically, amethyst was said to be one of the gemstones in the breast plate of the High Priest. The Roman Catholic Church connected it with Christ’s blood transforming into wine. As a symbol of Christ, it was worn by the bishops in their ceremonial rings. The Church also dedicated the stone to St. Valentine.
Metaphysically, amethyst is known as a protective crystal with a highly spiritual vibration that encourages love of the divine energy. It’s also a stone whose calm energy aids in meditation is considered helpful when trying to break an addiction. According to Ayurvedic healers, amethyst gives off a minute electrical charge that helps bring the body back into electrochemical balance. It also transmits short ultraviolet light waves that help alleviate anxiety and anger by absorbing the any excess heat in the body. With a hardness of 7, amethyst is a fairly tough stone, but it’s brittle and can crack, so be gentle if you’re wearing a bracelet of amethyst beads. And be careful not to leave amethyst in the sun, as sunlight can fade its color. In Victorian jewelry, amethyst was often paired with pearls. It’s also been strung with turquoise and jade, and works beautifully with peridot and citrine. The darker amethysts will provide a rich contrast in multicolor pieces when combined with stones like amber, chrysoprase, lapis lazuli, and carnelian. |
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Tourmaline Gemstone Beads |
Color: Colorless, pink, red, yellow, brown, green, blue, violet, black, multi-colored
Chemical composition: (NaLiCa) (Fe11Mg Mn Al)3 Al8 (OH)4 (BO3)Si6O18) aluminum borate silicate, complicated and changeable composition
Mohs’ hardness: 7-7 ½
Transparency: Transparent, opaque
Luster: Vitreous
Fracture: Uneven, small conchoidal, brittle
Crystal system: Hexagonal (trigonal)
Cleavage: None
Specific gravity: 3.02-3.26 (varies with the color)
Streak: White
Refractive index: 1.616-1.652
Pleochroism: Red: Dark red--light red
Green: Strong; dark green—light green
Blue: Strong; dark blue –light blue
Fluorescence: Red: Weak, red-violet
Pink: Brown, green, blue: none
Occurrence: Africa, Brazil, Burma, Madagascar, Russia, Sri Lanka, United States
Astrology: Connected with the planet Mercury
Chakras: Stimulates, clears, and balances all chakras
The word tourmaline describes a family of complex silicate minerals. All of these minerals share the same basic atomic structure and have similar chemical and optical properties, and they all contain boron, oxygen, and silicon. Different trace elements in the crystals result in different colors. Most tourmaline crystals show striation—parallel lines on the surface—and are often multicolored. The most well-known of these multi-colored stones may be watermelon tourmaline with its distinctive pink and green.
Rubellite, which is the ruby-pink variety, is considered the most valuable tourmaline. Indicolite, the dark blue tourmaline, is often heat-treated to produce lighter shade of blue. Tourmalines are found in pegmatites and alluvial deposits. The primary sources for the gem are Sri Lanka, Brazil, and the Malagasy Republic. Tourmaline’s name comes from the Sinhalese word, turmali, which means “a stone of mixed color.” It wasn’t identified as a gem in its own right until 1703. Before that, tourmaline was mistaken for many other gems. An emerald-hunting expedition went into the forests of Minas Gerais in Brazil in the early 1700s, and returned “successfully.” The only problem was that the stones they thought were emeralds were actually green tourmaline.
In Europe, rubellite was mistaken for ruby. It was the Dutch who first recognized tourmalines as a distinct gem. What caught their attention was the fact that tourmaline can store a static electrical charge. According to the story, a packet of the stones were sent to Holland from Sri Lanka. The packet was labeled turmali, colored stones. Somehow a group of children got hold of the gems and began playing with them. The children noticed that when the colored stones became heated in the sunlight, they attracted particles of dust. The Dutch then began to investigate this mineral, realizing that it was not a known gem. It was soon discovered that tourmaline crystals could also acquire an electrical charge if struck by another object or exposed to a shock wave. Tourmaline became known as the “electric stone,” and has since been used in short wave radios. It was even classified as a strategic material during World War II because of its use in pressure gauges that measured the force of explosions during weapons tests.
Tourmaline also polarizes light and so has been used to make polarizing filters. In India’s Ayurvedic tradition, tourmaline is one of the few stones that is always considered auspicious. Connected with the planet Mercury, tourmaline is said to protect the wearer from evil by absorbing evil vibrations. It’s also believed to calm the nerves, balance the electrochemical system, and help one center and focus. Metaphysically, tourmaline not only stimulates and clears the chakras but strengthens self-confidence and inspiration. It’s said to cleanse and purify energy. It’s also known as a stone used as a protection during shamanic rituals and for scrying. In magical traditions, tourmaline was connected with growth, and a tourmaline crystal buried in the garden was said to encourage healthy and abundant crops.
House of Gem’s tourmaline beads have been selected for their lovely pinks and greens and blues. The varying colors of tourmaline are, of course, beautiful when strung together—the pinks and greens, especially, offset each other perfectly—but pink tourmaline beads also work well in combination with the deeper ruby, or with citrine and blue topaz, or amethyst and blue topaz. For a dramatic contrast, try pink tourmaline and tanzanite. Green tourmaline beads are wonderful when combined with citrine, or golden topaz, or blue topaz and peridot. For dramatic contrast, try green tourmaline with turquoise and lapis lazuli. |
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