Watermelon Tourmaline Facts – Formation, Properties and Meanings

Watermelon Tourmaline Facts – Formation, Properties and Meanings

 

Watermelon tourmaline, with its unique mix of red and green, is indeed a remarkable stone which manages to grab the attention of anyone just at a glance. Here in this article, I am going to go through important watermelon tourmaline facts together with its benefits.

 

Watermelon Tourmaline Facts

As there are many interesting things to discuss, I am going to put down watermelon tourmaline facts under few sub categories.

A bit of Background and History

All stones in the tourmaline family are made up of the mineral boron silicate. Some of the trace elements are aluminum, iron, lithium, potassium, sodium and magnesium.  

The stone was first found by the Dutch from Sri Lanka (Used to be Ceylon) in the early 1700’s. Some argue that tourmaline was also found in Brazil and off the west coast of Italy during that same period.

However, the name tourmaline comes from the Sinhalese (the main language of Sri Lanka) word “Thuramali” which means “multi colored”.

The green tourmalines found in the early days were confused with emerald and it was only in the 19th century that tourmalines were a recognized as a different group of mineral.  With the advancement of technology, tourmalines are now divided into 14 different minerals based on composition and properties.

Most colorful tourmalines are categorized as Elbaite.  Pink to reddish pink or purplish pink which is known as rubellite, the blue variation – indicolite, neon blue Paraiba and watermelon tourmaline are all Elbaites.

Needless to say that the name “watermelon” is used because the stone resembles the colors of one of our favorite summer fruits.

How watermelon tourmaline is formed?

Let’s first understand how tourmalines are formed. 

This gemstone is formed during volcanic activities. Molten magma is formed during volcanic eruptions. In certain occasions, patches of water containing many elements such as silicon and iron are caught inside the molten magma.

These watery patches gradually cools down together with the molten magma and crystalizes.  These crystal formations are called pegmatite rocks.  These pegmatites contains different types of mineral crystals including tourmaline.

Pegmatite is characterized by containing large crystals and by being coarse-grained. (Coarse-grain refers to a rough or harsh granular structure).

In addition to tourmaline, many more gemstones such as emerald, zircon, garnet, aquamarine, beryl, chrysoberyl, topaz, kunzite, amaznonite, etc., can be found in pegmatites.

 

Colors of Watermelon Tourmaline

As trace elements get used up or becomes available during the formation of these crystals in a pegmatite, the tourmaline crystal will obtain different colors. Magnesium as a trace element can bring red, pink, yellow or brown while chromium can bring green.  Iron will bring blue which will produce indicolite crystals.

Here is a video by GIA which explains this briefly –

A tourmaline crystal can have up to 15 different colors

 

Where is it mined?

Watermelon tourmaline was first found in a mine in Newry, in the North American state of Maine back in 1902. The state is still well known for the beautiful watermelon tourmalines it still produce. Apart from here, watermelon tourmalines are also found in Brazil, Nigeria, Afghanistan and Madagascar. 

Brazil is a famous place for tourmalines in general and the fascinating paraiba tourmaline was also first found there.

 

Watermelon Tourmaline Colors and Shapes

As the name suggest, watermelon tourmaline consists of the colors of a watermelon. Green and reddish pink will mostly be distributed like in a watermelon cross section – a larger reddish pink core surrounded by a rim of green.  These two color bands are often separated by a thin white or light pink line. Sometimes a bit of blue can also be present in the crystal.

The complete cross section of a watermelon tourmaline crystal has a rounded triangular shape. (Please refer to the below image)

Watermelon tourmaline cross sections in the context of watermelon tourmaline facts
image 1 : Cross sections of different types of watermelon tourmaline

This video here shows a pendant made with a nice piece of watermelon tourmaline.

Watermelon Tourmaline Meaning

The meanings and powers are also an important part of watermelon tourmaline facts.  These meanings will also be discussed under several sub categories.

 

Metaphysical Benefits

The stone activates the heart chakra. It cleans and remove blockages in the heart.

The combination of red and green shade is perfect for the super activation of the heart chakra. 

We possess both female and male energies and this crystal brings the balance and harmonizes both energies.

Watermelon crystals helps to remove uncertainties caused by your weaknesses by improving your strengths.

It provides protection against negative energies. Watermelon tourmaline protects your life and relationships from negative thoughts.

If you feel as if you are unable to find the purpose or the meaning of life because of unnecessarily sensitive emotions, the stone will help you to overcome the situation.

It will pave the path to come up with creative and practical solutions overcome challenges faced in order to achieve your goals.

Watermelon tourmaline will enable you to see the positive meanings of seemingly negative things happened and take away depressive feelings. 

The stone helps you to get rid of bad and unhealthy habits. It brings positivity and opens room for improvement.

Both watermelon and green tourmaline are great for spiritual practices. Both the stones resonates with chakra energies.

 

Health Benefits

(Note – These benefits should not be considered as alternatives for advice from healthcare professionals)

Watermelon tourmaline can strengthen organs such as brain, heart, lungs and intestine.   It helps in the process of regeneration of the nerves and muscles.

Metabolism can be improved and relieve tensions and pains in the body.  Therefore, for quick relief and fast recoveries from injuries, place the stone on the injured.

The stone boosts the immune system. It will be good for treating heart problems as there is a strong connection between watermelon tourmaline and heart chakra.

 

Wealth Benefits

We often feel a lack of energy and inspiration to work towards our goals in life. Watermelon tourmaline will provide us with the needed inspiration and energy needed to strive for our dreams.

It will take away fears of uncertainties to try new business and money related matters.  It fuels you with motivation and provides confidence to act according to your plans.

Stone protects you from negativity of people around you and keeps the distractions away.

showing a cut and polished watermelon tourmaline
image 2 : A cut and polished watermelon tourmaline gemstone

Benefits in Love and Relationships

Watermelon tourmaline is known to help you find the ideal partner.

As the stone cleanses your aura from negativity, more positive love energy start flowing into the relationship.

Stone helps you to overcome problems in current relationships as well and bring peace and joy.

Watermelon tourmaline helps to bring more empathy and patience to the relationship. Each other will be more forgiving and hence bringing happiness and life to the relationship.

The crystal brings honesty to the relationship and enables each other to speak more openly, freely and truthfully.  This prevents misunderstandings and wrong conclusions.

 Wrap Up

We have come to the end of another article. The objective of this one was to introduce watermelon tourmaline facts. I discussed the formation process, certain physical properties and meanings. Meanings were discussed under several aspect such as health, wealth and relationships.

Hope you found this article useful and I would love to hear your comments. Also let me know if you have any questions.

 

 

Yellow Sapphire Meaning – Powers, Benefits and Believes

Yellow Sapphire Meaning – Powers, Benefits and Believes

 

Among all beautiful sapphires, Yellow sapphires hold a very special place. This is due to the yellow Sapphire meaning as well as for its remarkable beauty.  The bright yellow sparkles of a yellow sapphires can take your breath away.

It is also a perfect stone to take us into the summer mode as its color reminds us of the sun on a bright summer day.

The purpose of this article is to discuss the yellow sapphire meaning. Meaning will be discussed under several areas such as benefits in the business or professional life, health, spiritual and Chakra healing.

If you are curious on seeing how the stone actually looks like before going into the meaning of the stone, you can check out the following video from GIA.

Yellow Sapphire Meaning

Yellow sapphire is a stone which has immense value both physically and metaphysically in multiple aspects of life. Therefore, I am going to discuss yellow sapphire meaning under several key areas.

 

Business, Profession and Wealth

Yellow sapphire is very much connected with money and prosperity. It brings abundance to those who wear or carry it. 

Yellow sapphire is one of the most well know stones to improve your financial situation and bring success.

It is suitable for the stable operation of a business and also for all money related matters. It adds optimism to one’s character and gives patience, wisdom, empathy and enthusiasm. What comes from using this gemstone is happiness, wealth and prominence.

It provides general wellness and spiritual knowledge. Wearing a yellow sapphire without flaws and of at least 3 carats would be a promise of money and wealth.

Yellow sapphire is great for anyone in a profession which requires wisdom for career success. Professors, teachers, researches, philosophers and scientists are few examples.

People who desire to be managers or politicians should look for yellow sapphire as an ally. It should also serve as a talisman. You will be able to convey your ideas and feelings in a relaxed and confident manner. It also allows you to defeat your fears and empowers you to be able to accept challenges and do some incredible things in love.

By keeping you directed towards your ambition, it can defeat the doubts and fears that are holding you back from achieving your dreams. Yellow sapphire helps you maintain the vision and stimulate the confidence of ultimate success.

 

Yellow Sapphire Meaning in Astrology

According to the traditional Indian astrology, different gemstones are recommended based on how different planets are located in the horoscope.

The Pukhraj (another name for yellow sapphire) is among the most precious and promising stones that controls the mighty planet Jupiter. Yellow sapphire is recommended if the Jupiter is having negative effects as per the horoscope. 

Yellow sapphire improves the positive powers of Jupiter.  As a planet of happiness, prosperity, good luck, and religiosity, Jupiter is a measure of wealth, children, control and God’s grace.

The aura of a person can absorb the constantly vibrating energy of Jupitor when a yellow sapphire is worn as a ring or a pendent. This will empower the aura to protect that person from challenges created by external negative energy. 

Jupiter bring good luck to pregnant women as well. Jupiter looks after pregnant women by easing the delivery and protecting miscarriages.

 

Love and Relationships

Yellow sapphire improves the tense relationships between couples and increases love. The powerful yellow sapphire can bring you miraculous progress when used correctly.

Ancient books says that wearing a yellow sapphire by a girl will help her to find the dream man.

The stone brings happiness to married women as well by attracting joy and abundance to their lives.

 

Yellow Sapphire and Chakra Healing

Chakra healing is another aspect in yellow sapphire meaning. The stone activates the solar plexus chakra. It is located in the upper part of your belly, where the diaphragm rests.

This is also the chakra of relationships and the distribution center of energy.  Solar plexus chakra controls the digestive system and the immune system.

Balancing this chakra both physical and spiritually is important.  Our immune system as well as the digestive system will improve when the solar plexus chakra is balanced physically.

Improving the immune system means we are capable of fighting viruses, infections and allergies better.  When the digestive system works well, out body absorbs the nutrients of the food we consume much better.

Spiritual imbalance of the solar plexus chakra means that we are controlled by the fear of displeasing others. Pleasure of others will be the priority just because we are afraid to take decisions which might make them unhappy.

Spiritual balance of this chakra gives us the power to freely express ourselves so that we are not forced to live to please others.

 

Spiritual Benefits

There is always a discussion among us on what we are doing and what were born to do. What is the role we are supposed to play?

Well, yellow sapphires are believed to bridge that gap and align our work to what we are actually supposed to do in the world or as it is called, the divine will.

Yellow sapphire will make us understand that the challenges we face in life is essentially a blessing in disguise to make us do what we are supposed to do. The stone will give us energy to overcome the obstacles we face in a way that we will do what we are destined to do. 

Additionally, yellow sapphires helps people to focus and stay focused with what they are doing.

Meaning of Sapphires ( including special benefits of pink sapphires ) 

Physical properties

As yellow sapphires are part of the sapphire family, physical properties are the same for the sapphire group.

Mineral – Corundum

Chemical composition – Al2O3  ( In most cases, yellow color in yellow sapphire is from the presence of iron)

Refractive Index – 1.762-1.770

Pleochroism  – Weak ( This strongest for blue sapphires )

Specific Gravity – 4.00

 

Where is it found?

The most famous place for the finest gem quality yellow sapphires is Sri Lanka.

In addition, yellow sapphires are mined also in Thailand, Myanmar (Burma), Madagascar, India, Tanzania, Kenya, Pakistan, Afghanistan and also in Montana USA.

Here is a video of a raw (uncut) yellow sapphire gemstone found in Sri Lanka.

Wrap Up

Yellow sapphire meaning was discussed in detail in this article. I hope you will find value and some applications to your life as well. Please let me know your comments and also any question you might have.

 

 

 

 

 

 

Star Sapphire Gemstone Meaning –Along with More Interesting Facts

Star Sapphire Gemstone Meaning –Benefits, Believes and Other Interesting Facts

 

Star Sapphire Gemstone is a stunning Gemstone that makes different visible kinds of stars across the face of the stone. Star Sapphire gemstone meaning is particularly a subject of interest for the admirers of this wonderful creation of nature.

Star Sapphires are cut into various cabochon shapes and sizes with the help of a high dome because this appears to be the only way an individual will see the shining star from the stone.

Sapphire represents all the Gemstone that can be found in the mineral group of Corundum except Ruby, which is from the red variety. Sapphire is considered a strong gemstone as it made out of Corundum, which happens to be the third hardest Mineral on earth. Hardest is diamond and the second hardest is Moissanite.

 

The Star Effect

The appearance of the star in the Sapphire is caused by a phenomenon known as Asterism. Star sapphire gemstone, when viewed using a single head over source light, will show rays in a six-star pattern. This pattern is caused by microscopic inclusions that reflects light. For sapphires and rubies, these inclusions are titanium dioxide impurities.

Here is a nice video which introduces several nice star sapphires and discuss some important information with regard to star sapphire.

Star Sapphires Gemstone Meaning

Over many decades, the Star Sapphires has a record of preserving one’s chastity, protecting one from being poisoned by evil people, plague, healing fever, skin diseases, and also to discover fraudulent acts and treachery.

The Star Sapphire Gemstone does not fail to carry out its duty. As long as its holder keeps to their side of the bargain by doing what is expected of them. Of course, you should know that the Star Sapphires gemstone isn’t and doesn’t work like magic; it follows principles and guidelines from mother earth.

As Star Sapphire is also another type of sapphire, all the benefits associated with sapphires are applicable to star sapphire as well. I have discussed some benefits of sapphire in this article

Benefits of sapphires ( along with some specific benefits of Pink Sapphires) 

Now let’s go through Star Sapphire gemstone meaning

 

Emotional Benefits

Star sapphire enhances your intellectual capacity and concentration. You can analyze and organize a complicated set of thoughts.

Star sapphire helps to clarify information and situations which are seemingly complicated. This stone will help you when you want to predict the future or the results based on information available.

Star sapphire is great if you are involved in some work which requires a lot of brain power. A good example would be various type of researches.

The stone is highly useful in many situations in life as we are always faced with new problems. The stone will effectively help improve creativity as it pays the way to come up with fresh thinking and solutions.

Star sapphire will help you to get rid of negative thoughts. You can use it as a talisman against negativity. The stone helps you to achieve a more peaceful mind as it will remove the unnecessary tiring thoughts and enable you to see positive sides. 

Star Sapphire triggers Honesty, fidelity, and commitment to its wearer as it is referred to as the guardian of the innocence or Heavenly Gem

Often, it is worn as a Talisman, and it brings good fortune to travelers and seekers.

 

Love and Relationships

Effect on love and relationships is another important aspect of Star Sapphire gemstone meaning.

Star sapphire increases your luck for love and also in human relationships. It helps you to understand the feeling of each other better.

The stone is useful when you want to make a relationship better and faithful. In love relationships, the stone helps to make the love deeper and committed.

Star sapphire will help you to break free of the shell you are in and make the most out of every moment you have with your loved one.

 

Health Benefits

( Note – The benefits mentioned here should not be considered as an alternative for professional medical advice. )

Start Sapphire eradicates scorpion and snake venom from the human body entirely when the water-soaked with the Gemstone is drunk by the victim.

Star Sapphire symbolizes emotional well-being as it eradicates fear of the unknown, dementia, fever, headaches, and insomnia from its wearer.

 

Largest Star Sapphires Gemstone

Star Sapphires Gemstone comes in various shades of colors like blue, yellow, pink, purple, orange, or greenish color. These colors can be traced to natural earth elements like chromium, copper, titanium, iron, magnesium, and vanadium. It (Star Sapphires gemstone), is the birthstone for September.

Getting a large sapphire is such a difficult task since it is almost impossible to find one. No wonder, the 1404.49-carat blue star sapphire is well known and considered the largest blue sapphires ever mined. It is called “the Star of Adam.” The Gemstone was mined in the south of Sri Lanka.

The second-largest is the “largest star of India,” with 563.4-carat blue star sapphire, while the “star of Bombay” is also considered to be an excellent example of a large blue star sapphire (This is kept in the Smithsonian National Museum of Natural History).

blue star sapphire the star of bombay
image 2 : “Star of Bombay”

 Not forgetting the “Black Star of Queensland,” the most massive black star sapphire, having 733 carats, which is the largest gem-quality for Black Star sapphire.

There is a star sapphire is aslo kept in the Smithsonian National Museum of Natural History which weighs 287 carats. The sapphire is know as  the “Star of Artaban” and it is believed to be from Sri Lanka.

Showing an image of a blue star sapphire
image 2: “Star of Artaban”

Star Sapphires are categorized according to intensity, Visibility, and Colour of the Asterism, so if for any reason you need to get this stone for personal use, make sure these features mentioned are carefully assessed by a professional alongside other essential sapphire elements.

 

Specifications of Star Sapphires Gemstone

  • Toughness =Excellent
  • Luster =Vitreous
  • Specific Gravity = 3.58-3.61
  • Hardness on Mohs scale = 9
  • Refractive index = 1.712-1.740
  • Cleavage = None
  • General Chemical formula = Al2O3 ( Aluminum Oxide )

Value of Star Sapphire Gemstone

On pricing, the star sapphire gemstone, color, and clarity play a vital role in determining the prices. A gem with a very transparent body tends to be extremely rare and hence cost higher than that of which isn’t transparent and rampant. The purity and intensity of color in Star Sapphire is of utmost importance.

It is a known fact that the best star sapphires will have a translucent blue body color, mixed with a deep blue color with a very sharp, vibrant star that can be seen clearly.

Untreated Star Sapphires are more expensive than treated stones just like for all other precious stones.

 

Star Sapphire Gemstone Mining Locations

Here are the known Star Sapphire Gemstone mine locations; Australia, Kashmir, Thailand, Vietnam, India, Sri Lanka, Magok: Burma, the Umba Valley, Tanzania also Songea and Tundra. Please note that their might be other mining locations too.

 

Wrap Up

The main purpose of the post was to discuss Stat Sapphire gemstone meaning. In addition to the meaning, I also discussed some important information with regard to Star Sapphires.

Hope you liked the article and I will be delighted to hear your thoughts or to answer any questions you may have.

 

 

 

Peridot Gemstone Facts – The “Gem of the Sun”

Peridot Gemstone Facts – The “Gem of the Sun”

 

Peridot is another gemstone which has been known for centuries. To start with, let me tell you one amazing thing out of all other important Peridot gemstone facts. Peridot crystals are found in meteorites.  That’s right, you are about to learn about a stone which exists in other planets as well.

 

Some Interesting Peridot Gemstone Facts

The Name Peridot was coined out from a French word Peritot, which has its meaning to be “Gold” because of the mineral change in different colors. Just as sapphire is the birthstone of the month September, so does August have its child to be Peridot. Significantly, when celebrating a 16th wedding anniversary, Peridot is the Gemstone to be given. The history of the Peridot can be traced back as far as 1500BC. Since then, mining hasn’t been slowed down or at a halt by different valuers in different locations and region.

The shimmering yellow-green color of the Peridot is what makes it stand out amongst other Gemstones. Peridot hasn’t been much appreciated like other Gemstones for years. It has been seen as a lesser gem, small, easily obtained and relatively cheap. Its popularity, has fallen in and out of vogue for different centuries. However, there’s a sudden need for the Peridot, bringing it again to the limelight called “the extreme gem” as requested by the Gemological Institute of America.

Peridot is born of fire and then brought to light. It’s the other gemstone apart from diamond to be formed not in the Earth’s crust, but the molten rock of the upper mantle. It then reaches the surface by the tremendous forces of earthquakes and volcanoes.

As much as knowing peridot gemstone facts, it is important to identify cut and polished peridot gemstones correctly
image 1 : Some cut and polished Peridot gemstones

Physical Properties of Peridot

Let’s go through some technical Peridot gemstone facts.

Like many other precious Gemstones, Peridot can be seen mostly in pebble-sized specimens that have been weathered by thousands of years of erosion in gemstone vein. China, Australia, Brazil, Norway, South Africa and the Canary Island provide the finest gem quality of Peridot stones. There are many other sources of Peridot which include Arizona, Mexico, Oregon, Norway, Pakistan and Russia.

Below are some important Peridot gemstones facts with regard to its structure and composition.

 

  • Mineral Information = Nesocilicate
  • Chemical Composition= (Mg, Fe) 2SiO4
  • Color =Medium- pale lime green
  • Hardness=6-1/2 to 7 (Mohs)
  • Specific Gravity = 3.27 – 3.37
  • Refractive Index = 1.654 – 1.690

Here is a great video of a set of people mining Peridot gemstone.

History of Peridot

Peridot is known as the national Gemstone of Egypt. The ancient Egyptians called it “the gem of the sun.” For more than 3500 years now, St John’s Island ( also known as Zabaragad island) has been the mining site for Peridot. As far back 19th century, the Khedive of Egypt had a monopoly on the mines. At one point, the whereabouts of the Island became a mystery for many centuries until it was rediscovered back in 1905.

The Island is located exactly 35 miles of the Egyptian coastal port of Berenica. Record holds it that millions of dollars’ worth of Peridot were produced out of St John’s Island. After the year 1905, production of Peridot gemstone got to its peak but later fell tremendously in the late 1930s. By this time, nothing could be gotten out of it. It remained at a standstill till 1958 when the mines became nationalized. Although parcels of St. John’s Peridot are still seen in the market occasionally, it isn’t known yet if they are old or new ones. Most people believe they are old ones.

Peridot Gemstone Meaning

When discussing about Peridot gemstone facts, its meaning and benefits is extremely important.

Peridot is highly beneficial for tuning and regulating life of its wearer, such as emotional or mental phases, physical circles, as well as the intellectual progression. It also helps in driving away negative patterns and old vibrations that keeps re-occurring and keeping one from attaining success.

Peridot hastens one’s progress by removing the blockage that is responsible for failure. Opening the heart of its wearer to receive in abundance from the universe with grace and gratitude.

Peridot is indeed a stone of transformation. Addicts of tobacco and inhalant dependencies as well as other addictions who makes use of Peridot has a 95% chance of recovery. More importantly, it is a healer to the wounded, serving as an essential guide in speeding up the healing process that helps others going through what you have already overcome in the past. Its effectiveness in amplifying the Reiki energies are indeed on the high side.

The crystal structure is important when studying peridot gemstone facts
image 2 : A Peridot Crystal

 

Peridot gemstone is the ideal gemstone for discharging emotional issues that can affect the human body. Place it over the solar plexus, known as “butterflies,” to relax and release nervous stress as well as relieve apprehension and remorse, anxiety or impatience.

In order to help your good qualities such as forgiveness and get rid of jealousy and depressive feelings, place the Peridot over the heart chakra. It also helps you to overcome lack of self-belief or confidence which was a result of things happened in the family or in love relationships.

Peridot gemstone can be used in looking for things missing or mislaid in the real world, as well as in looking for an enlightened state, to achieve results. Wearing peridot set in Gold helps to bring in a peaceful sleep to its wearer, especially those who suffer from nightmares about evil spirits, murders, or sexual attack.

The Peridot can also be worn as a talisman of luck and as the stone of the sun, to prevent personal darkness. It adds charm and eloquence to one’s presentation, evokes an optimistic, helpful response from typically unhelpful people, and boosts one’s benefit in commerce. It protects the wearer from envy, gossips, and people who deceive you.

When comes to the benefits of the stone, it is also important to keep a positive attitude and an open mind when holding or wearing the Peridot Gemstone. Otherwise it will not work efficiently. Otherwise it will not work efficiently.

Wrap Up

I discussed quite a few important Peridot gemstone facts. I described some very interesting facts and bit of history of the stone as well. Benefits of the stone was discussed in detail. 

I hope you will find the article useful. Please let me know your thoughts or any question you have.

 

 

 

Facts about Rubies Gemstones – Fascinating World of Rubies

Facts about Rubies Gemstones – Fascinating World of Rubies

We all know what a ruby looks like. After all, with its distinct red hue, they catch the eye and fire the imagination. The most well-known ruby gemstones tend to resemble drops of blood with their dark red coloring. However, rubies inhabit a whole spectrum of shades of red from dark red to light pink. Let’s go through some important facts about rubies gemstones.

(Note – Check here for Ruby Gemstone Meaning)

How to properly use a ruby in a jewelry is also important as much as other important facts about ruby gemstones
image 1 : A beautiful pendent with a ruby gemstone

A bit of History

The word ruby is derived from ruber, the Latin word for red.

Historically, rubies have occupied an essential part of the human psyche. Since the earliest human memories, rubies have been believed to bring good fortune and provide protection. They were used by Chinese noblemen to adorn their armor, provide protection to Burmese warriors in battel, and decorated the royal regalia of European royalty.

One of the earliest written records mentioning rubies is in the Bible, where they are used to indicate the value of something priceless. In India, rubies are considered the “gemstone of the sun” and represent the leader of the nine planets. The Sanskrit Translation for ruby is “king of precious stones.” Today, as a widespread cultural phenomenon, rubies are the July birthstone.

Along with diamonds, amethysts, sapphires, and emeralds, rubies are traditionally classified as cardinal gems. This classification lies in the historical significance of these gems and their elevated value over all other gems. This value was determined by their religious and ceremonial use, as well as their historical rarity. I will go through valuing a ruby after discussing several other facts about rubies gemstones.

Some Technical Facts about Rubies Gemstones

Rubies are a variety of the mineral corundum, otherwise known as Aluminum Oxide (Al₂O₃). Other gemstones of this variety are sapphires. It is the inclusion of the element chromium (Cr) in the corundum mineral that gives rubies their distinct reddish hue.

Of the naturally occurring gemstones, only moissanite and diamonds are harder than corundum, which have a hardness of 9 in the Mohs scale of hardness. This hardness is due in large part to the chemical composition of the gem and its crystalline structure with a perfect structure resulting in the highest hardness of all.

Although the chemical composition of rubies (Al₂O₃:Cr) is pure in a chemical sense, this is only found in lab-grown gems. All naturally occurring ruby gemstones have imperfections, including impurities and inclusions of rutile needles (inclusions of the mineral rutile composed of titanium dioxide, TiO₂) called “silk” by gemologists. Hence these inclusions are used to differentiate between natural and synthetic rubies.  Also, their geographical origin can be determined by certain inclusions.

 

Treatments and Enhancements of Rubies

Today, it is common practice to treat gems before they are introduced to the market. Therefore it is essential to know about treatment methods when learning facts about rubies gemstones.

 

This treatment is performed to increase the clarity of the gemstone, remove imperfections, and other flaws that detract from their overall value. There are several treatments performed, although not all rubies are treated with every option.

 

Heat Treatment:

Today, most rubies are heat treated. This treatment involves heating the rubies to temperatures of around 1800C (3300F) to improve color, eliminate undesired purple tinge, discoloring blue patches, and silk.

 

Dying:

With this process, dyes are added to the gem to improve its color.

 

Fracture Filling:

This process fixes fractures in the gemstone that would otherwise significantly detract from its value. This treatment involves filling in fractures with lead glass, wax, oil, or other materials. The result is a dramatic improvement in the transparency of the stone, making it suitable to be used in jewelry.

 

Diffusion:

Similar in concept to dying, this treatment involves adding elements such as beryllium into the ruby during the heat treatment to improve the hue.

 

Synthetic and Imitation Rubies

Synthetic and imitation rubies have been around for centuries as far back as Roman times. While these were rudimentary processes that would not bear up under scrutiny, these days, synthetic rubies are commonplace. For the most part, they are lab-grown gems that are used for industrial purposes, such as in the use of ruby lasers and masers. However, there is a market for synthetic rubies used in jewelry. To determine whether a ruby is synthetic or natural, the gem frequently must be tested by a gemologist.

 

Where Rubies are Found?

Historically, the primary source of rubies has been the Mogok valley in Upper Myanmar (Burma). During the 1990s, the Mong Hsu area in central Myanmar became the world’s primary source of rubies.

For centuries, rubies have also be mined in Thailand, Cambodia, Afghanistan, Australia, Brazil, Colombia, India, Namibia, Japan, and Scotland, but nowhere as voluminous as in Myanmar. Today there are many other sources of rubies, including more countries in South East Asia, parts of Africa, Pakistan, and a few US states.

 

How to value a Ruby Gemstone?

Knowing how to value correctly is an important point among all other facts about rubies gemstones. Like other gemstones, a ruby’s value is primarily determined from four basic criteria (the four C’s): color, cut, clarity, and the carat weight. There are a few additional factors that increase the value of rubies, such as defects that highlight the beauty of the gem.

 

Color (Hues, Saturation, and Tone)

All rubies are red, although the shade of red varies depending on the precise chemical composition of each gem. For the most part, the most sought after and desirable shade of red is called blood-red or pigeon blood. As the name implies, this particular shade has a deep red hue and depth that runs through the gem.

While blood-red rubies are the most valuable, many other hues range from blood-red to bright pink, with each color affecting the value place on the gem. Additionally, a secondary hue, or a second color, may occur in the gemstone adding colors that cause the ruby to appear orange, purple, violet, or pink.

Here is a great video from the Discovery channel where a group of gem hunters travel through Cambodia to find Rubies of the best color.

Cut

The cut of the ruby largely determines the appearance of the gem and the way it interacts with light. Rubies with a high-quality cut are often cut to hide imperfections and maximize the visual appeal. In some instances, a ruby will be cut in such a way as to enhance a flaw or defect. On these occasions, the imperfection highlights or contributes to the ruby’s beauty and can dramatically increase its value. A prominent cut use to highlight a much-desired inclusion called an asterism is a cabochon.

Here is a video showing the process of cutting a Ruby gemstone.

Clarity

The clarity of the ruby (the number of inclusions) may have a dramatic effect on its value. Almost all naturally occurring rubies have internal imperfections or inclusions, but the amount, placement, visibility, and type of imperfection determine its overall clarity. For the most part, the more apparent and the higher the number of inclusions, the lower the value. However, some imperfections, such as when these inclusions intersect to form a star shape called an asterism, dramatically increases its value.

 

Carat Weight

The carat weight (1 carat equals 200 milligrams) for ruby is the same for any other gemstone. The higher the carat weight, the greater the value of the ruby. One thing to consider, as the carat weight increases, the price-per-carat increases exponentially. Therefore a larger ruby would fetch a higher price per carat than a smaller one. To date, the world’s largest ruby weighs in at an astonishing 18,696 carats (3739.2 grams).

Leaning how to properly cut a ruby is very important among all other facts about ruby gemstones
image 2 : A cut and polished ruby gemstone

Additional Factors Affecting Value

Although the value of a ruby gemstone is primarily determined by the 4 C’s, few contributing factors further determine value.

 

Origin:

The geographic origin of the gem is considered, with those originating from Myanmar (Burma), usually found to be the most valuable.

 

Treatment:

Rubies that are in their natural state, are by far the most valuable. Those that have been treated by heat, chemicals, or any other method to alter and improve their appearance are significantly less valuable. However, in today’s market, it is rare to find untreated ruby gemstones.

The Most Famous and Expensive Ruby in History

Ready to get to know an astonishing fact among all other facts about rubies gemstones ?

A ring with a Burmese ruby weighing 25.59 carats was sold for over $ 30 million at an auction in 2015.

This ring is not only the most expensive ruby but also the most costly colored gem ever sold. Due to its exquisite color and setting, it has been called the Sunrise Ruby.

Wrap Up

While many gemstones hold significance historically and culturally, there is something about the appearance of a ruby that strikes the imagination. Perhaps, it is the blood-red coloring that embodies the human fascination with our own life-blood, or maybe it is the exquisite beauty found in its depths.

Whatever the reason, rubies have held the attention of humans for millennia, adorning our most valuable possessions and will continue to be admired and coveted for millennia to come.

When going through ruby gemstone facts, we covered many areas such as a bit of history, physical and chemical properties, treatment types, valuations, etc.,

Hope this article was useful for you and please let me know if you have any questions or comments.

 

 

What is Indicolite Quartz – Varieties and Properties

What is Indicolite Quartz – Properties and Varieties

 

Indicolite is a variation of elbaite, with indigo or neon-blue color variations. Elbaite is one of the 14 different tourmaline mineral types.  When someone asks the question “What is indicolite quartz ? ” , one can get confused as quartz is another family of gems. 

Tourmaline often crystallizes with quartz and often penetrates it. These sometimes referred to as tourmalinated quartz.  Therefore, “indicolite quartz” essentially means specimens of indicolite mixed with clear quartz. 

The name indicolite comes from the Latin word for a blue color plant “indicum”.  The name tourmaline comes from the Sri Lankan word “turamali” which is thought to mean “stone with mixed colors”.  Tourmaline is also a birthstone for October.

It is indeed a wonderful gemstone as it comes in a number of beautiful blue tones. I will discuss some valuable information about indicolite in this post including its properties, uses, colors and meanings.

Introducing indicolite quartz
image 1 : An indicolite crystal specimen -believed to be from Pakistan

 

What is indicolite quartz ?  – Properties of indicolite

Chemical and physical properties

Tourmalines are a family of aluminum borosilicates.  Different metal elements such as Iron, Sodium, Magnesium, Chromium and several others combines with aluminum borosilicates to give different colors. Red, Pink, Blue, Green, Brown and Black are some of the colors in the tourmaline family.  Tourmaline has a tiragonal crystal system and therefore the crystals have triangular cross sections. Crystals are long with rounded sides and striated parallel to the main axis.

Tourmaline has a hardness of 7 – 7.5 in the Mohs scale and has a strong pleochroism. Because of this, when you look at the stone or the crystal from one direction, the color can look lighter and darker from another direction.  This property is used by the gem cutters to get the maximum color to a cut and polished stone.

Indicolite Colors

What is the color of indicolite quartz ? Indicolite crystals or indicolite quartz are blue and it is common to find different tones of blue in the same specimen. Color variation can occur parallel to the axis or in cross sections.   

The blue color comes from a small iron percentage in the primary aluminum borosilicate molecular structure.  Some indicolite has a mix of green color as well. In fact, pure blue indicolite is hard to find and expensive. There is also an argument in the gem industry on differentiating between indicolite and blue-green tourmaline as blue-green tourmaline are more common and relatively cheaper.

There is no hard and fast rule on how to differentiate between indicolite and blue-green tourmaline and it depends on the personal choice.

Treatments

Almost all indicolites in the market are heat treated to reduce darkness, increase transparency and to get that neon-blue color. Many sellers will not be disclosing this and it is always better to request for a valid certificate is someone is trying to sell you indicolite claiming it is to be an untreated stone.

Sometimes, cut and polished stones will be subjected to irradiation in order to improve the color.

Paraiba blue indicolite

The most expensive and also the benchmark of indicolite is referred to as “Paraiba Tourmaline” which was first found in the region called Pariba in Brazil.  Paraiba tourmaline was later found from Nigeria as well.

showing pariab tourmaline
image 2 : A paraiba blue tourmaline crystal specimen

In this video, a ring made with a massive Paraiba Tourmaline is shown and they claim that it is the biggest Paraiba Tourmaline ever found.  (I can not independently verify that claim, but it is indeed and awesome piece of Paraiba Tourmaline.)

A bit of history

Egyptians believed that tourmaline got its wide range of colors by traveling over the rainbow.

 

The Dutch imported the tourmaline in 1703 from Sri Lanka and they used it to pull ash from the pipes as tourmaline become electriacall charged by rubbing or heating. They also used it to wrap the stone in silk and keep it against the cheeks of feverish children in order to put them to sleep.

Tourmalines became popular as a gemstone only in the 1870’s and since then it has gained popularity. It was believed that tourmaline can protect the wearer from curses, evil eye and danger.

Sources of indicolite

Indicolite quartz is usually found in a number of countries around the world. However, the famous sources are Brazil, Namibia, Kenya, Afghanistan, Malawi, Pakistan, United States, Kenya, Nigeria, and Madagascar. Recently fine Indicolites are found in the Kunar province of Afghanistan. It is extremely hard to extract indicolite from mines in countries like Pakistan and Afghanistan due to climatic issues.

This tourmaline comes in variety of shades that includes both blue and green stones. Blue gemstones are very rare among all and usually green tourmaline is sold in combination with blue stones, because this is a famous mixture to be used in jewelry.

Uses of Indicolite

Indicolite will help those who are facing sleeping problems. Keeping it under the pillow or on a nightstand will help get a peaceful sleep. It will even help to get rid of bad dreams.

The stone is known to give you energy to do more and love your work. Using it will be a good idea if you are looking for a job that matches your passion. It is also a good amulet if you are into social service.

Indicolite may also help those who are suffering from speech impairments to overcome those.

Indicolite Physical Healing Energy

(Note – Please note that below information should not be used as professional healthcare advice. You should try these methods in addition to the normal medication)

Indicolite (Blue tourmaline) helps to keep the needed water levels in the body and also removing waste from the bladder and kidneys.

It will also help to relieve complications in the lungs (or breathing in general) and the immunity system.

Blue tourmaline elixir is used to treat burns and avoid scarring.

Migraines and headaches is a very common issue now a days and dark blue tourmaline is good for those.  Dark blue tourmaline is also used in treating for problems in the brain and eyes.

Industrially, Indicolite is used in television and radio frequency tuning circuits as it can withstand high frequencies.

Emotional Healing Energy

Indicolite can help you get rid of grief and sorrow. If someone is suffering from memories of childhood tragedies, indicolite can help them overcome those.

Spiritual Energy

Those who believe in universal power and spiritual healing use this stone to absorb and reorganize the energies from higher dimensions. Indicolite will help to connect these energies with the desired person.

By placing indicolite on the throat and third eye chakras, re-balance in communications between the physical body and the ethereal body can be achieved.

Here is a great video I found which shows cutting and polishing of an indicolite.

 

Wrap Up

The purpose of this post was to answer the question “ What is indicolite quartz ? ”.

I touched upon the properties, benefits and variations of the stone along with some additional interesting information.

Hope the post was useful for you and please let me know your thoughts in the comments section and ask any questions you have.

 

Tigers Eye Gemstone Meaning – Amazing Benefits and Powers

Tigers Eye Gemstone Meaning – Amazing Benefits and Powers

 

Tigers Eye Gemstone also is known as “Tiger Eye”. This gemstone has been popular for many centuries and therefore many are interested in getting to know the Tigers Eye gemstone meaning.

Tiger’s Eye us a variety of chalcedony (an 18th Anniversary gemstone) and is considered by the Egyptians to be the most ancient talisman.It’s mysterious, powerful, reverend and feared (an all-seeing, all-knowing eye,) that is believed to grant its wearer the ability to observe everything thoroughly even through closed doors. It has the ability to provide protection of the sun and earth combined together to its wearer.

The tiger’s eye gem as the name implies can be traced and linked to the magical tiger, (the king of beast in eastern mythology). Linguist feels the word “Tiger” comes from either Latin or Greek terms that means “to howl”. The “Eye” in the Tiger’s Eye simple describes the visual impact of the stone, which often has circles that look like an eye.

This is probably the main reason why ancients used the Tiger’s Eye gemstone in talismans to turn the “evil eye” and curses.

The tiger eyes portrayed the right use of power, integrity and courage. The Romans during their battles carried the Tigers eye gemstone to deflect weapons. Because it’s considered throughout history to bring prosperity and good fortune, it is an essential weapon.

The tiger’s eye gemstone is so essential that most people believes it supports necessary change in all aspects of one’s life, giving them the required energy to execute their will.

 

Tigers Eye Gemstone Meaning

 

The Tigers Eye Gemstone meaning has several aspects and represents differently for each individuals. Hence it is worn for several purpose.

Tracing back to ancient times, tigers eye when worn could mean that the wearer is wearing it for any of the following reasons; Protection, Clear thinking, Personal Empowerment, Honesty, Determination, Courage, Practicality, Power, and Goodwill.

The tiger’s eye gemstone stands for pragmatism. It promotes harmony between people with different point of views, religious beliefs, and approaches to life.

 

When to use the Tigers Eye Gemstone

 

As this stone is known to be of very high relevance, you can’t over emphasize the use. Categories of people like entrepreneurs, keep the tigers eye gemstone to attract luck, good fortune and steady flow of money even it difficult times. Those who are about to build up a skill for themselves and knowledge base for major career, aren’t left out.

The tiger’s eye may not make rich beyond all your dreams, but it will attract the best situation for turning you finances around.

Tigers eye gemstone meaning can be highlighted in few main aspects.

 

Tigers eye Increases Insight and Perception:

 

Wearing, or carrying tiger’s eye gemstone, increases and sharpens your insights especially, when you are in an environment you aren’t familiar with. They also provide protection from the negative intentions of other people who may not like you.

The tiger’s eye sharpens your senses, which helps you pay a very close attention to little details in turn, preparing for the best action.

It slows the action of life down for you, so you don’t get caught up unprepared. It is one of the best aids for resolving crisis, and it provides a perfect support when you are afraid of making a wrong decision.

It is helpful when you are in need of a quick and correct analysis of a person or the consequences of actions you took or about to take.

It warns against complacency and gives one the confidence to have a proper thinking “out of the box” encouraging greatly the growth and creative talents, physical abilities, and trying something new.

It is used as a support stone in very competitive or important occasions such exams, interviews, presentations, stage performances, selling in open markets, etc.

It is also perfect for lovers. If you want to be single because your partner is no longer making you happy, you will find the courage to break it off with the help of your tiger’s eye gemstone.

 

Tigers eye boost will power, emotional stability and energy level:

 

Drawing on tiger’s eye is a unique way to be benefited by this wonderful stone when you are going through a change in the way you lived. (Your lifestyle can change due to many factors such as moving to a new place, getting a new job, health conditions, marriage, etc.)

It will increase your determination and give the emotional energy and strength to manage the situation.

The dangerous desire for the wrong type of food is reduced greatly, and it helps decrease the need for excessive cigarettes, binges, prescription drugs or even alcohol.

Loneliness or inadequacy can result in anxiety and demotivation. Tiger’s eye will help you to overcome these and see through the difficult times.

 

Tigers eye as a healing gemstone:

 

Tigers eyes is believed to affect the 3 most important aspect of life, and for any reason they malfunction, it brings healing to them if used and channeled properly.

The Mind: Emotional Healing, decreasing anxiety, triggers happiness, courage, and focus.

The Body: the tigers eye decreases pain, supports strong bones, purging toxins, out of the body

The Spirit: tigers eye Attracts luck, protection, Harmony, Empowerment, grounding, Earth Element.

Practitioners of Feng Shui, recommends putting Tigers Eye facing the West, North and South Region or near your door. It’s assumed that putting Tigers eye in this locations, keeps your atmosphere filled with clarity.

Carrying a cabochon or a tumbled tiger’s eye stone will help you to increase creativity. As with other metaphysical crystals, one must use their intuition by looking at the various shape of the tiger’s stone and see which one of it calls you the most. Or you can also consider the sacred Geometry and use it as a guide.

Tigers Eye properties:

 

Tiger’s eye comes in at least five (5) different colours Yellow, Gold, Orange, and Blue. It can be mined in India, South Africa, USA, or even Burma. It can be said to be under the class of Silicon Dioxide and in the Family of QUARTZ. Its crystalline structure can be Hexagonal, and it has a Hardness level of seven (7).

 

Wrap Up

 

The purpose of this article was to give you a basic understanding to Tigers Eye gemstone meaning.  I discussed benefits and believes covering many areas.

Bear in mind that such results reflects a partnership. You will definitely have to do your fair share along with the Gem’s energies.

I hope this article managed to give you a comprehensive understanding about the meaning of Tiger’s Eye.

Please feel free to give your comments or ask any question you may have.

 

How to Buy Jewelry Online? – Do’s, Don’ts and Sellers

How to Buy Jewelry Online? – Do’s, Don’ts and Sellers

Looking to buy jewelry online is indeed a great choice as there are many advantages.  But “ how to buy jewelry online ? “ is a question that comes to everyone’s mind who decides to purchase their jewelry online.  This article will hopefully give a comprehensive answer along with some useful tips to get good deals.

I am hoping to cover many areas such as,

  • Advantages of buying jewelry online
  • Some sellers to look for
  • Things you should be careful of

etc., in this post. Hopefully you will feel much more comfortable when you are actually making the purchase after reading.

 

Advantages of buying jewelry online

According to market statistics, the percentage of people buying jewelry online is increasing much faster than the jewelry industry. This is because the advantages of buying online easily outweighs the disadvantages especially when you know how to avoid making a wrong purchase. (I will also cover certain things you should be careful of at a latter part of the post)

Let’s go through the list of advantages first.  (If you are already convinced that you should buy jewelry online, you can skip this part and jump to the next section which is “How to buy jewelry online ? ”

 

Wide range of choice

The choice you have when purchasing jewelry online is so much more than walking into a store and trying to find what you want.  You can easily browse through many options offered by many reputable sellers fairly quickly giving you a great chance to find you exactly what you need.

There are also many sellers who sell unique handmade jewelry which will be a great choice if you want to make sure that you don’t want to see you are wearing the same piece of jewelry as your colleague.

Another great aspect of choice is that you can easily access sellers from around the world who will be selling very different styles and designs.

 

Convenience

Probably the most common reason for online shopping to become so popular is the convenience.  This is no exception for jewelry as shopping for jewelry online is definitely more convenient than walking through many shops. 

In addition to saving time and energy, there are many other aspects to convenience in shopping jewelry online. For example, you will often want to get others inputs when making a decision.

When shopping online, you can easily send the link to quite a few people and get their thoughts before making the purchase. You cannot of course do this so easily when you are in a physical shop.

Online shops also offer online support and you can clarify all the questions you have and also request for more photos and videos if needed.

 

Lower Cost

Very often we tend to perceive low price items as low quality. But what we first need to understand is that how those online sellers are managing to offer lower prices compared to physical stores.

Physical stores have a lot of overheads such as building rent, staff salaries of shop assistants, utility bills and so on. But when it comes to online seller, most of these costs are either very low or don’t exist at all.

And another major cost component is the cost of maintaining a stock. Physical stores need to maintain a quite a big stock which means they have to invest in making those jewelry as well as pay for the space to keep the inventory.

On the other hand, most online sellers have only a very limited stock and they often do “build to order” model. So online sellers sometimes do not have all the items already made and they only have pictures of a previously done products and they will make the jewelry when they get an order. ( Some sellers do mention this with such products ).

Drop shipping model adopted by many sellers including some of the big ones is another reason for the low cost. They do not manufacture all the jewelry by themselves rather they buy from their trusted partners. They will put the picture in the website and buy from their supplier only when an order is placed and then it will be shipped to the buyer.

Therefore, in a nutshell, lower cost doesn’t mean low quality always. Having said that, there are certain things you need to be careful in order to make sure you are buying a quality jewelry. I will cover these in a following section.

 

Your Privacy

Going along with convenience, another important advantage when shopping online is the privacy you have. The jewelry store staff are well trained to sell and they can be so convincing and persuasive so much so that you can end up buying something totally out of your budget or something that you didn’t really want.

But when shopping online, there will be no one coming behind you all the time telling you those wonderful stories of how each and every jewelry you start looking at is the perfect fit for you.

 

Offers

Many online sellers often give you percentage off coupons or credit card easy payment schemes. Some sellers also offer coupons when you chat with them for more questions. So just contacting them to see whether there are any offers will not be a bad idea as some support staff will give you coupons anyway as they are going to get a commission for the sale.

 

How to buy jewelry online?

Now that you are confident about buying jewelry online, the most difficult question is still not answered.  How are you going to select a reliable seller?

There might be 100’s of reliable places to buy jewelry online and there is no way to review all of them. But in this post, I will introduce you three places to consider when buying jewelry online. Having said that, you should not exclude other options out there. Especially if a close friend of yours is recommending you a seller or you happen to know one already, you can include them in your shop options.

 

The options

I will recommend you three options here for you to consider in your shop options. 

 1. Etsy

Etsy is an awesome place to start with since there are literary unlimited options. It is an online store with so many sellers from around the world.  You can find a wide range of items from luxurious jewelry to simple silver jewelry and a whole heap of design options.

When you go to a listing, in the top right corner of the listing, the seller’s name along with the number of reviews for the store is listed. When you click the name, you will be able to enter the shop of the seller and there you will see all the other items of that particular seller. The total number of sales done by the seller so far is also listed in the store.

The overall rating of the store and also number of sales done is a good indication of whether you can trust the seller or not.  But there could be new sellers as well who are selling awesome products possible at a lower price as they are trying to get more sales initially. 

Regardless of whether the seller is new or old, you can still ask them for more photos or even a video of the jewelry you want. If the seller is very new and do not have any sales or reviews so far in the profile, it might be a good idea to start a conversation and get a feeling of the seller before making a purchase. If you are not confident enough, then it is better to go with a more reputable seller as there are unlimited options.

Most jewelry sellers on etsy are doing custom designs as well. If you want a totally new design or a modification to an existing design, communicate your requirement to your seller and I am pretty sure you will be able to find one who is ok with doing what you want.

There are also many gem sellers on Etsy. If you find a gemstone you like, you can check with the seller whether they can make you a jewelry from that gemstone. There are plenty of sellers who are doing that on Etsy.  

when you are concerned about how to buy jewelry online, getting to know trusted websites are very important. Etsy in one such great site.
Image 1 – A screenshot of a Jewelry for sale on Etsy. ( The red circle shows the seller name and review)

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

2. Amazon 

Well, I bet some of you might have laughed at this one. Who on earth is buying jewelry on amazon? Well, if you asked that question yourself, you are in for a surprise. Therefore so many options for great jewelry on amazon with a large number of reputed sellers.

If you are looking for a high price, unique or hand made jewelry, amazon is of course not the best place. But if you are looking to buy some jewelry for office, for a party or for your day to day use, do have a look on amazon and you will not regret.

There are options for silver, gold, white gold, rose gold  and more. If you are looking to buy jewelry with natural gemstones, make sure you ask the seller first if the stones are natural.

image 2 : Amazon

3. James Allen

James Allen is another place to buy high quality jewelry. They do offer a wide variety of jewelry. However, they do not offer any silver jewelry.

One major challenge in buying jewelry online is that you are not able to get that touch and feel. James Allen offer a 3600   photo to overcome this issue. You can rotate photos of all jewelry by 3600  and get a good feeling for the jewelry.

James Allen also offer worldwide free shipping to any destination.

Another cool feature in James Allen is their user interface. You can very easily select the design you want. Even if you are looking for gemstones, it is very convenient to narrow down the options to see only what you want.

when you are concerned about how to buy jewelry online, getting to know trusted websites are very important. James Allen is also one such great site.
Image 3 : James Allen Store

 

 

 

 

 

 

4. Blue Nile

Blue Nile is another great seller for you to consider. They do have an awesome collection of jewelry and they have also introduced the 3600 image option which is pretty awesome. They also offer a limited collection of silver jewelry.

Blue Nile also offers a great user interface to easily select the item you want and free shipping to any destination.

Both James Allen and Blue Nile offers free return during the specified time window. They will provide you with a free Fedex shipping label for returns.

when you are concerned about how to buy jewelry online, getting to know trusted websites are very important. Blue Nile is another one such great site in addition to Etsy and James Allen.
Image 4 : Blue Nile Store

 

 

Cost

When you are calculating the cost of an item, make sure you add in the shipping and tax components. Even though some Etsy sellers do not offer free shipping, the cost including shipping might still be a lot cheaper than other places.

The shipping is free with James Allen and Blue Nile. The other cost component you need to consider is the tax.  The tax depends on the country you reside and you will be able to find out the exact amount with a little bit of research.

If you are in the states, there are some states with no sales tax. You can ship the jewelry to a remote mailbox in one of these states and get it forward to you and avoid the sales tax.  Currently there are five states without sales tax and those are Alaska, Delaware Montana and New Hampshire. This might change in the future and therefore please double check at the time you read this article.

Ask for more from the seller

Regardless of how reputable the place you have chosen to purchase your jewelry, ask for everything you need to make sure that you are buying a quality product.  I can recommend a couple of things for you to ask from the seller to ensure a great purchase.

1. Ask for more pictures and even videos

This will be highly useful if you are buying from a marketplace like Etsy where there are many third party sellers with limited photos of their products.

Getting them to send you a video will make you even more comfortable as it helps you to get that touch and feel experience to a certain extent.

Having said that, certain products advertised on these websites are built to order. The sellers will not have the product in hand and they will not be able to send you more pictures or videos. You will have to rely on the reputation of the seller in such instances. (If this is an Etsy seller, the seller reviews will give you some confidence. In addition, they has 24×7 support to all their customers and they do provide all customers with a great service to ensure the purchases are protected)

2.Certificates

If you are buying a jewelry with a precious gemstone, you can always ask the seller to provide you with a valid certificate for the gemstone.  Some countries have branches of Gemological Institute of America (GIA) and a certificate by them is highly trusted.

But some countries like Sri Lanka where so many wonderful natural gemstones are found, there are no GIA branches. They have either GIA authorized partners or government bodies to issue certificates. When the seller provides you the certificate, certificate includes the name of the institute which provided that and you can do a little bit of research to see whether that institute is trustworthy.

3.Purchase protection

Before buying, check whether the seller accepts returns. Also read more or ask them about the guarantee conditions.

Avoid getting scammed

One major issue of purchasing online is the large number of scams that are out there. This is the main reason why you should be buying from reputable sellers. But even then, checking few more things of the product will help you to make safe purchases.

1. Price

After doing your research on the jewelry you want to buy, you will have a basic idea about the price range of similar products. If you happen to find a product with remarkably low prices, it is always better to be suspicious and do more digging or not consider that product at all.

2. Certificates

For a considerably valuable gemstone jewelry, if the seller is unable to provide you a certificate from a reputable institute when you are asking for one, this is for sure a bad sign.

3. Images and description

If you want to go another step forward in trying to verify the seller,  ( this step will be useful if you are considering a third party seller in a seller store like Etsy) save the product images and do a google image search to see whether the same image appears in stock image sites.

If it does, then it is always best to avoid this seller.

Wrap Up

Well, it was a bit of a long post as there were many things to cover. I believe I managed to give you a good answer to the question – How to buy jewelry online ? . We covered advantages of buying online, recommended sellers and things to avoid when making the purchase.

I really hope you will find this article valuable and please don’t forget to comment or ask any questions you have.

Blue Sapphire Gemstone Meaning – Powers of the Most Desired Sapphire

Blue Sapphire Gemstone Meaning – Discovering the powers of the most desired sapphire

As one of most highly sort after gems in world, blue sapphire gemstone meaning is important to many. This is the main objective of this post and we are hoping to cover several areas. We will touch a little bit of background as well as meanings and benefits of sapphires in general.

What is Blue Sapphire?

Blue sapphire has been one of the most sort after gemstones in the history of mankind. The stone has been used by the royals and wealthiest around the world to demonstrate their power, wealth and superiority. Believes about blue sapphire gemstone meaning contributed to importance given to the stone apart from its heavenly beauty.

Sapphires are gem varities of the mineral corundum which is predominantly Al2O3. It can be found in many colors such as blue, white, purple, pink, yellow, orange, green, colorless and black. The red variety of corundum is called Ruby and it is not included in the sapphire category.  Out of all sapphires, blue sapphire is the most valuable and sort after.

Out of all Blue Sapphires, Royal blue has the highest market value due its mesmerizing, remarkable and unparalleled deep blue hue. This is also a reason for it to be popular among extremely different groups such as emperors, lovers, fortune tellers and healers.

Ancient Persians and Catholic church considers blue sapphire as a holy stone. Ancient Persians actually believed that reflections from blue sapphire made the sky blue.

Another reason for importance and extremely high popularity of sapphire is it hardness. It has a hardness of 9 in the Moh’s scale which is second only to diamond.

There are many other tones of tones of blue sapphires where some of them are quiet expensive but not as much as royal blue sapphires. Different color tones and names of those tone will be introduced in the latter part of this post.

Sapphires were given that name from tte Greek word “sappheiros” meaning “blue color”.  It is one of the most precious gemstone varieties in the world along with diamond, ruby and emerald.

Sapphires are also the birthstone for the month of September. 

corundum crystal
image 1 : A Rough Blue Sapphire Specimen

Blue Sapphire Gemstone Meaning

As there are several main factors, blue sapphire gemstone meaning will be discussed under few main areas.

Emotional Benefits

Blue sapphire will help you to get over from depression inject you with joyful energy. It will free your mind from mental prisons and suffering and enable you to become emotionally open.

You will be able to better focus by calming our mind and also bring back the balance to your body.

The stone make your mind stronger so that it will not be easily influenced by the thoughts and ideas of others.

Blue sapphire will make you trust your own intellect and believes and help you to understand yourself better.

If you are a person who is facing difficulties of expressing yourself to others, this stone will help you to overcome that and hence improve your relationships to a much better position.

This will also help you to take part in social activities with confidence about your opinion and thoughts.

If you have a dream which you wanted to achieve from your childhood or a strong ambition but seems like you cannot find a way or too many obstacles, this stone will provide you the needed support.

When comes to chakras, quality sapphires with strong blue rays will help you unlock the third eye and throat chakra.

These two chakras works hand in hand to improve your imagination and makes your concentration and communication more efficient and effective.

The stone will get rid of any blockages and allow you to freely express yourself. You will be able to better convey your feelings, values, thinking and thoughts.

Sapphires are strongly associated with wisdom. Therefore blue sapphire strengthen your intellect and decision making.

For those who are not organized and do not have self-discipline, this is will be a great stone as it will help you overcome those issues. The type of daily work which requires a high level of focus will also be benefited.

Health Benefits

( Special note – These benefits should not be taken as professional medical advice and should be considered in addition to proper medical advice)

Blue sapphires will help the health of overall body as it can remove toxins by providing purifying energies to organs.

Treatments for degenerative disease and blood related illnesses can be benefited.

The stone will improve eye sight and also heal any eye infections. Headaches and fevers can also be eases by blue sapphires.

Sapphires can also help ear infections and imbalances.  Medication for thyroid and other swollen glands can also be benefited by blue sapphires.

Benefits for business or professional lives

Blue sapphires will help you to overcome financial issues quickly.

The stone represents integrity and deeper principles which will help you make the right decisions during important and difficult stages.

The stone will help build good leadership as it will increase your good judgement.

If you are planning to give life to a new idea, blue sapphire will be a great choice as it will help to make the idea a reality and support you all the way till it is completed.

Love and Relationships

Blue sapphire represents faithfulness, commitment and love.  If you are planning on moving your relationship to another stage such as living together, getting engaged, married or becoming parents, this stone will be very useful.

Blue sapphire will help each other to be more open by getting rid of shyness and insecurities. It will eliminate fears, doubts, worries and anxieties and deepen your love.

By helping to get rid of these problems, the stone will help you to bring new positive energy and joy to your relationship.

Different Blue Sapphire Tones

There are many different tones to blue sapphire. The most expensive and sort after is royal blue in general but depending on customer requirements, some other tones can also be very expensive.

Some other popular color tones are cornflower, peacock, twilight, indigo and pastel.

 Below is a good video I found which demonstrate blue sapphires of different color tones. 

Wrap up

The main objective of this article was to discuss the blue sapphire gemstone meaning. A little bit of background and beliefs of blue sapphire, some benefits of sapphire in general and also the meaning of blue sapphire was discussed in this post.

Blue sapphire gemstone meaning was discussed under several areas such as emotional, health, business or professional and love and relationships.

Different color tones of the blue sapphire were also introduce very briefly.

 

Hope you were able to get something out from the post and we would love to hear any thoughts or questions you have.

Pink Sapphire Meaning – Awesome powers and benefits of Pink Sapphire

Pink Sapphire Meaning – Awesome powers and benefits of Pink Sapphire

All sapphires are varieties of corundum and corundum is a crystalline form of aluminum oxide. Sapphires are one of the most desired and expensive gemstones in the world.

Although the blue sapphires are the most famous, sapphires form in many more colors such as pink, yellow, green, purple, white, green and black. The Red varieties of corundum are called Rubies. 

All colors of sapphires demonstrates their own metaphysical properties and also vibrational patterns. But in general, all sapphires are known to be stones of wisdom.

Sapphires are associated with intellect, higher mind, getting insights and self-control. Sapphires were worn for centuries (if not more) for bringing good luck, security and spiritual achievements.  Sapphires were often worn by the royals and the wealthy as it was a symbol of power and strength. But in addition, it was also a symbol of kindness, compassion and intelligent decisions.

Pink Sapphires are found in Sri Lanka, Eastern Australia, Thailand, Madagascar, China, East Africa and in North America.

 

Sapphire Meaning and Purposes

Before going into discussing pink sapphire meaning, lets first discuss of benefits of sapphire in general.

This stone is perfect for emotional and mental protection. If you are in a situation where things are out of control but you cannot leave due to various other reasons, this stone will especially be useful.

A quiet and peaceful mind can be achieved by sapphire. It helps to free yourself from stress and overwhelming thoughts and allow you to focus. When you are stuck with problems, the stone will help you to lighten you and bring joy. It stimulates the mind to be open to enjoy beauty.  Sapphires will help you to balance your physical, mental and spiritual bodies.

Sapphires are also known as the “wisdom stone” and each color is associated with its own type of wisdom.

Star sapphires – mainly pale shades- are associated with honesty and integrity. It represents wise and truthful leadership and especially a good gemstone for female entrepreneurs and businesswomen.

Sapphires, in hardness, is second only to diamond as it has a hardness of 9 in the Moh’s scale.  Therefore sapphires are widely used in many industrial applications including scientific instruments, medical equipment, air and gas analyzers, UV and IR windows and lenses, etc. Synthetic sapphires are used in these industrial applications due to their economic viability.

 

Pink Sapphire Meaning and Purposes

 

(Special note – All health benefits mentioned here should not stop you from taking doctors’ advice or stop you from taking any medication you already take.  )

Physical Healing

Pinks sapphires are known to be good for those who are facing blood sugar level issues, both high sugar levels and low sugar levels.

Sapphires balance body systems and supports proper regulation of glands. Sapphires are also known to improve the strength of veins and their elasticity.  It will help to resolve blood disorders including excessive bleeding.

This stone also helps to strengthen and balance the heart.

Emotional Healing Energy

Pink sapphires are useful when you need to move forward without getting stuck by worrying about the past and helps to overcome depression. It soothes heart and revitalize emotions. It can bring joyful spirit to all types of relationships open ones hear to love and to be loved.

Pink Sapphire and Heart Chakra

Pink Sapphire stimulates the heat chakra which is located in the middle of the chest. It controls what we accept and what we reject from the external world. It helps us to live a balanced life within our environment. Energy of pink crystals help us understand our requirements and thoughts clearly as it clears blockages and re-balance hear chakra. We will be able to get better insights and understand our emotional relationships.

Motivational Energy

A very important aspect of pink sapphire meaning is its motivational and inspirational energies and benefits.

Pink sapphires has this strong power to attract things required for one’s prosperity. Pink sapphires will manipulate positive energy to support what we want to achieve even without our conscious and deliberate actions.

It also helps us to understand the value of appreciating people and things.

The stone will help you to overcome difficult problems through wisdom. Stone is also believed to increase the love luck of a person.

Pink sapphire will cleanse your aura and help you to be a charismatic person. Pink sapphire is useful when you want to win the trust of other people. It will also help you to stand out and to build batter human relationships.  These benefits will make pink sapphires very useful when doing business.

Pink sapphire will also save you from making wrong decisions because of greediness. It will help you to get through some traps in the materialistic world.

Color Energy of Pink Sapphire

Pink is the color of compassion, love and nurture. Its calmness will help to control anger. Pink color helps in sensuality also helps to cure heartaches.

Some Pink sapphires are depicted in the following image.

Pink sapphire color tones
Image 1 : Pink Sapphire Color Tones

Cleaning Pink Sapphire

Pink sapphire does not absorb negative energies like many other crystals. Therefore cleaning does not have to do anything with removing negative charges.

But when you want to actually physically clean it, just use a damp cloth. If there is a lot of dirt, an ammonia solvent (mix ammonia in water with equal parts) will clean it well.

Some other properties of Sapphire

We thought some properties of sapphires will be useful to know.

As mentioned earlier, it has a hardness of 9 in the Moh’s scale.

Sapphires demonstrate double refraction and the two refractive indexes will be between 1.762 and 1.788.  Therefore sapphires have pleochroism and this is a very important factor in cutting a sapphire rough sapphire gemstone.

It has a triagonal doubly pointy crystal system. The main chemical in corundum is Al2O3 ( Aluminium Oxide)

Wrap Up

The purpose of this article was to discuss Pink Sapphire Meaning.  Many benefits of pink sapphire as well as sapphire in general were discussed throughout the article. Pink sapphire is indeed a wonderful gemstone and these benefits makes it even better.

Hope all of you like the article and managed to learn something new. We would love to hear any comments and questions you have.