The opal comes in a variety of colors which are white, black, fire, and boulder. Classic opals are popular due to the play of color that they possess. The opal gemstone has a hardness of 5 to 6 ½ on the Mohs scale of hardness. Most opals are not faceted they are usually cut in cabochons.
Sapphires come in a variety of colors which are pink, white, yellow, green, blue and black star, and the most popular color is blue and is used for September Birthdays as well as the 45th wedding anniversary. The Sapphire is ideal for everyday wear since it is the 2nd hardest material on the MOHs scale of hardness.
Peridots are lime green color and have a crisp clean look like a green apple. Known as the evening emerald, peridot is the gem variety of olivine which is found in lava rock. True gem quality peridot is rare and found only in select lava deposits and some meteorites. Peridots are mined in Australia, Brazil, Myanmar, Kenya, Mexico, Sri Lanka and yes, the United States, specifically Arizona from the San Carlos reservation.
Lucky are those who are born in July, as ruby is the July gemstone! The word ruby is derived from the later word “ruber” meaning red. So what are rubies? Rubies are aluminum oxide, a variety of corundum. It occurs in medium to dark tones of red to violet red to brownish red. Rubies have a hardness of 9 and only diamond is harder at a 10.
A pearl strand is the most popular piece of jewelry for a bride to wear on her wedding day with her wedding dress. She may also complement the strand by wearing pearl earrings and a bracelet to match. A strand of pearls is a must have for a woman. This organic gift from nature is most precious and it complements any outfit in your closet!
Emeralds are a variety of beryl exhibiting a particular shade of green. The top color is an intense medium-dark tone of slightly yellowish or bluish-green (sometimes referred to as grass green). Most of the emeralds are now mined in Brazil, but also come from Columbia and South Africa along with a few other countries.
Diamonds are not only a girl’s best friend it is the April Birthstone. You can see all sizes and cuts of diamonds at John Wallick Jewelers in Sun City Arizona near Glendale and Phoenix, AZ. A good cut enables a diamond to make the best use of light. A fully cut diamond has 58 facets, which are small, flat, polished surfaces cut into a diamond.
Aquamarine comes from the Beryl family of gem species. Its cousins are the Emerald and the Morganite. Aquamarine is a relatively hard stone that has a Mohr’s Hardness of 7.5-8 and it is a gem that is able to be worn every day and can be easily worn in rings, pendants and earrings. Aquamarine major mine sources are located in Afghanistan, Africa, China, India, Pakistan, Russia, and South America.
The amethyst is a violet variety of quartz, commonly ranging from a pink hue to a deep purple but there are red and blue varieties as well. It gets its color from both irradiation and iron impurities. The amethyst is known as the “sobriety stone”. The name amethyst is derived from the ancient Greek word “a methustos” which translates in English to “not intoxicated” or “not drunken”. It was believed that the amethyst stone could protect its bearer from drunkenness and intoxication.
The garnet is found in every color except for blue. It’s most commonly a deep red gemstone, its color strongly favored as a popular gemstone in Victorian jewelry. Garnets can be found in Sri Lanka, Malaya, India, Africa, Uruguay, U.S. and Brazil.
The zircon comes in a variety of colors, blue being its most commonly known color, as well as yellow, orange, brown, green, colorless, and red, the most prized color. The colorless zircon is one of the most brilliant non-diamond gems.
Citrines are a transparent variety of quartz, silicon dioxide, occurring in yellow to red-orange to orange-brown. When cut and faceted, the citrine gemstone is beautiful and very affordable. It’s a great color to wear with your yellows, beige’s, browns and many other colors in your wardrobe.
