I have done a LOT of research and studying of gemstones, mineral and other
"pretty rocks" along with glass beads and crystals throughout the years and
while doing inventory of all my beads. I have come across all kinds of
interesting tidbits regarding gemstones and their healing properties. Please
keep in mind this is just gathered information to share.
There are some who believe that gemstones have healing or holistic
properties and although I can't say that they all work for me, the information I
have come across has been fascinating and some have helped me in my
struggle with chronic pain. I have saved some of this to share with you and
hope you find it as enjoyable and informative as I have!
"pretty rocks" along with glass beads and crystals throughout the years and
while doing inventory of all my beads. I have come across all kinds of
interesting tidbits regarding gemstones and their healing properties. Please
keep in mind this is just gathered information to share.
There are some who believe that gemstones have healing or holistic
properties and although I can't say that they all work for me, the information I
have come across has been fascinating and some have helped me in my
struggle with chronic pain. I have saved some of this to share with you and
hope you find it as enjoyable and informative as I have!
This site does not guarantee or endorse the success of wearing healing
stones to cure or treat any medical condition. Please consult a physician
for proper treatment of any ailments.
Agates: Balancing physical, emotional, intellectual and spiritual energies; perceptiveness,
strength, inspiration, awakening talents. Used as a talisman against fear said to be good for
dreams.
This stone comes in many colors and is said to increase strength, courage, and energy, as well as the
ability to protect and heal. It is also said to have a “grounding” effect. Some swear that wearing agate
can heighten the spiritual consciousness, and balance the body s physical and mental mechanism.
Because the universe is constructed by Earth, Water, Wind, Space and principles of Yin and Yang.
No gemstone is more creatively striped by nature than agate – technically, chalcedony quartz that forms
in concentric layers in a wide variety of colors and textures. Each individual agate forms by filling a cavity
in its host rock, resulting in round nodules, with bands like the rings of a tree trunk, looking like eyes.
Agate was highly valued as a talisman in ancient times and has been used as a traveler’s amulet for
centuries. It is believed to bring good fortune, health, wealth and long life. As well as quenching thirst
and preventing fevers, Persian magicians used agate to divert storms and athletes to increase vitality.
It's also said to bring self-confidence by banishing fear. Some call its strange patterns 'cosmic caterpillar
tracks'. Others' swear that wearing these beads can heighten the spiritual consciousness and balance
the body's physical and mental states
Dzi is one of the most mysterious of all the beads known today. These shiny Tibetan agate beads,
patterned with mystical eyes are among the most treasured beads in the world. “Dzi” in Tibetan means:
"shine, brightness, clearness, and splendor.
Amazonite: Success, joy, self-expression, awakening heart, soothing, harmony, balancing.
A pale blue-green stone whose name is derived from the Amazon River. It is believed to enhance clarity
of thinking, psychic awareness, and creativity. It may also have a calming effect.
Amber: Soothing, calming, cleansing.
This golden fossilized resin is thought to heal and soothe and to increase mental clarity and strength. It
may enhance motivation and energize body and mind.
Amethyst: Contentment, spirituality, dreams, healing, peace, happiness, love, intuition.
Considered to have a calming and stabilizing effect, this purple/lavender stone may also increase
psychic awareness and enhance spirituality and intuition.
Ametrine: Intellectual stimulation, releasing, dispelling tension, connecting.
Apatite: Intellect, achieving results, healing, insight, humanitarianism, meditation, balance,
creativity.
Aquamarine: Courage, purification, peace, intuition, self-expression, balance, preparedness.
An aqua colored stone that is believed to balance emotions, stimulate and sharpen the mind, and calm
the nerves.
Aventurine: Healing, money, mental agility, visual acuity, peace, opening heart, motivation,
leadership.
This stone comes in many colors, with green being perhaps the most popular. It is thought to promote a
positive attitude and emotional tranquility. Red aventurine is a form of quartz with a glistening effect
known as aventurescence. This glistening effect comes from small inclusions of shiny fuchsite, a mica
material. Lovely citrus colors vary from peach to red. Deposits found in India, Brazil and Russia.
Azurite: Intuitive energy, dreams, healing, insight, stilling the mind, concentration, self
transformation.
Dark blue and green, this stone is thought to enhance creativity and intuition as well as enabling
meditation and psychic abilities.
Bloodstone: Courage, intense healing, renewal, strength, victory, intuitive decision making.
Calcite: Purification, peace, calming, memory, awareness, appreciation of nature.
Carnelian: Precision, analytical capabilities, physical energy, verbal skill, peace, spirituality.
Another stone from the quartz family, usually bright orange to reddish orange, and is translucent to
clear. This stone is considered to be a healing stone, promoting a feeling of self-worth and confidence
while increasing energy output. Carnelian is for confidence. Said to help blood disorders and eliminate
toxins from the body. Carnelian is in tune with the energies of the Earth, making you feel anchored and
comfortable with your environment. Allowing you to pause and reflect, while feeling settled and more
secure. Carnelian also stimulates energy that influences the reproductive organs; hence its long use as
a fertility symbol. It is said to stimulate creativity and have a clearing effect, replacing negative energy
with positive. Making it easier to find direction and feel in control of your life. A good stone for people
starting new projects or who feel they are going nowhere. It motivates, allowing you to find the energy to
make the most out of life. Carnelian is best for people with the zodiac sign of Leo.
Celestite: Verbal skill, healing, compassion, calming, growth, intuition, hope.
Chalcedony:
Chalcedony is a general term that applies to many different types of Agate and Jasper. This includes
Carnelian, Bloodstone, Sard, Onyx, Sardonyx, Chrysoprase, Moss Agate, Plume Agate, Dendritic agate,
Lace Agate, Fire Agate, Flint, and Jasper
Chrysocolla: Easing heartache, stamina, wisdom, peace, love, communication, vitality, inner
strength.
Chrysoprase: Balancing male-female energy, love, grace, compassion, clemency, personal
growth.
This pale green quartz is said to calm, balance, and increase wisdom and generosity. It is also thought
to ease depression.
Citrine: Intuition, comfort, protection, creativity, physical energy, wealth, mental awakening.
|Citrine is said to act as purifier and hold electricity.
Coral: Diplomacy, quieting emotions, visualization.
Coral is generally red or pink and this stone is thought to promote general well-being and help to
maintain energy levels while having an uplifting effect on mental attitude. Coral became a symbol of
immortality to the ancient Greeks, presumably because of its branching shape and vibrant color. The
Greeks believed it to be a panacea and protector against gout, poisons, and enchantments. Red and
pink corals are still said to bring good luck to their owners. They are also bleached to produce a gold
shimmer, come in blue, black and beige.
Crystal Quartz: Intensifying energy, spiritual development, healing, raising consciousness.
Quartz is the most common mineral on the Earth’s crust and is a component of almost every rock type.
Yet, quartz has more colors and forms than any other stone because of this very abundance. The
powerful atomic structure of this pyramid-shaped crystal gives it magical powers that are as apparent in
today’s computers as they are in new age belief and folklore. The Mayans, Druid priests, and Tibetan
monks all knew the spiritual power of crystal. The ancients used it to strengthen the sun’s rays to bring
heat, and the Chinese science of Feng-shui teaches that arranging crystals around the home retains
positive energy. Crystals became important to these people because of the belief in their capacity to
store and amplify any power source fed into them - physical, mental, emotional, or spiritual. Today’s
crystal therapists say that the stones' ability to work as a conductor allows energy to be focused via a
person's thoughts to stimulate healing. And many people use crystal to focus attention on what they
want. With a little imagination, you too can use crystal's energy to access a higher level of
consciousness and turn a desire into reality.
All types of crystal are said to have this magical power, but individual color crystal is believed to have
other uses too. Rose quartz, the stone of unconditional love, is great for emotional healing. Red, yellow,
and orange stones are said to produce energy; clear and aquamarine stones are healers; and lavender
and blue-violet are calming stones.
Pure rock crystal is clear, but usually quart comes in a variety of opacity. Milky quartz is cloudy because
of microscopic inclusions of fluid embodied in the crystal at the start of its life. Creating an attractive
effect of a crystal within a crystal, giving the interior a ghostly appearance. Smoky Quartz is caused by
natural radiation from nearby granite rocks which have a small amount of radioactivity.
Diamond: Courage, strength, healing, protection, spirituality, mental abilities.
This popular clear stone of many colors is considered to be the premier healing stone and encourages
abundance, purity and faithfulness.
Dumortierite: Self-reliance, stamina, patience, recognition of potential, understanding,
communication of ideas.
Emerald: Love, domestic bliss, sensitivity, loyalty, memory, mental capacity, harmony, focus,
eliminating negativity.
This beautiful green stone is believed to balance emotions and enhance patience and tranquility.
Fluorite: Stability, impartial reasoning, responsibility, concentration, health.
While this stone has more than one variety, the most popular is Rainbow Fluorite which is a blend of
lavender and pale green. Considered a healer that increases the ability to concentrate and allow a
clearer view of events. It is also associated with psychic energy.
Fossil Stone: Accomplishments, improvement of one’s environment, communication,
innovation.
Garnet: Health, removing negativity, awareness, commitment, regeneration, order, insight.
Often described as the stone of health, this red, brown or green stone is said to protect the wearer and
enhance imagination, energy and willpower while empowering the wearer in love, popularity and
success. The most popular color is burgundy.
Gaspeite:
Gaspeite is light green to apple green and is relatively rare. The color comes from the fact that it is
found around nickel sulfides. Named after the Gaspe' Peninsula in Quebec where it was originally found,
although today, most is mined in Australia. Although a similar color to turquoise, gaspeite is a nickel
carbonate. Gaspeite is a little softer than turquoise, and should be treated with at least as much care.
Hematite: Mental attunement, memory, calming, balance, focusing energy and emotions,
peace, inner happiness, transforming negativity.
Hematite is one of the most common minerals, being the principle ore of iron. The color of most red rock,
like sandstone, is caused by small amounts of hematite. Although usually black in jewelry, it may also be
responsible for the red color of garnet and ruby. All non-crystalline forms of hematite are
transformations of the mineral Limonite that lost water, possibly due to heat. Hence the recent
excitement of the discovery of grey hematite on the planet Mars suggesting there was once water
present. Only well formed hematite crystals are cut and polished into cabochons for jewelry, beads, and
ornaments.
Hematite is a protective stone and it's energies help you connect with the Earth and its benefits. Use this
stone during meditation to escape the illusionary chains of physical reality and become more connected
to your true, spirit self - its been used as an aid to astral projection. It also bolsters low self-esteem,
making you feel more comfortable and better about yourself. Its grounding and soothing energies can
help you relax and unwind both physically and mentally. Hematite is said to be closely tied to the blood
due to its iron content. Believed to aid the kidneys, speed tissue regeneration, and contribute to
improving the blood, and so the overall health of your entire body.
Hematite is a good choice for those born under the zodiac sign of Virgo.
Howlite: Awareness, calm, emotional expression, observation, patience, eliminating
negativity.
Howlite, named after its discoverer Henry How (a Nova Scotia geologist), is one of those minerals that is
more famous for imitating another stone, turquoise. Howlite is always white or gray, but is commonly
dyed blue. However, dyed howlite is an affordable substitute for turquoise carvings and beads. It
accepts a nice polish and its luster is attractive, enhancing even un dyed beads. Howlite is formed in
nodules that appear like the heads of cauliflower. Veins of black web-like streaks often are interlaced,
adding to the character.
Howlite has similar benefits to turquoise and is used for creativity, calming, and reducing anxiety and
tension. It also encourages emotional expression, subtlety and tact, lessoning rudeness. As well as
helping to eliminate pain, stress and rage. A simple and gentle stone that aids sleep and helps to bring
back wisdom from the dream state. Assists in loosening and dispersing muscular tension.
Iolite: Intuition, spiritual growth, healing, balance, releasing discord, awakening to inner
knowledge.
Jade: Fidelity, dreams, realization of potential, peace, accord, resourcefulness,
accomplishment.
For 5,000 years Imperial China used the word "jade" as something precious. Because jade is said to
have all the attributes most valued in society. A symbol of purity and serenity, it is delicate, but will not
break - is beautiful, but not impermanent, it can be flawed with lines, but still pleasing. It is believed to
radiate divine unconditional love and balance the emotions. Held in the hand it can improve judgment -
ancient silk traders often held jade while bartering. A small piece of jade worn around the neck was said
to dispel illness.
Chinese jade first arrived in the West during the sixteenth century, brought from Canton by the
Portuguese. Today jade continues to be a symbol of love, virtue, and status. With Chinese carvings
reaching the highest value. The best jade has a waxy, pearly appearance. Feeling cool and so smooth,
it seems soft to the touch. Yet hard enough that pressure from a sharp knife will not leave a mark.
Jaspers: Protection, nurturing, joy, awareness; balancing of physical, emotional, intellectual
and spiritual energies.
A stone of many colors that is considered to stabilize the body while it stimulates energy, circulation, and
vitality. It may also have a calming and grounding effect. Picture jasper is an earth tone stone said to
heal, stabilize the body/mind and have grounding and balancing effect. Red jasper is a brick red stone
and is considered to be another healing and nurturing stone that enhances the wearer’s ability to
reason and think outside the box to solve problems.
Labradorite: Alignment, spiritual connection, transformation, clarity, peace, progression,
discernment.
Lapis Lazuli: Wisdom, intuition, awareness, objectivity, clarity, creativity, expanded
consciousness, dreams, purity, courage, serenity.
A beautiful deep blue stone that is said to enhance mental clarity and psychic ability, spark creativity,
and promote awareness of the inner self.
Lepidolite: Hope, stress reduction, birth, peace, spirituality, physical strength, luck,
protection, emotional balance.
Malachite: Transformation, insight, clarifying emotions, fidelity, loyalty, practicality.
Medium and dark green, this stone is believed to reduce stress and tension, attract love and enables
the wearer to love more completely.
Marble: Charitable actions, original thinking, alleviation of sorrow.
Moonstone: Introspection, reflection, beginnings, insight, tenderness, harmony, peace,
travel.
Another stone of many colors and thought to bring success and good fortune, enhance femininity, help
relationships, and clarify mental vision. Moonstones are so named because they have a soft, luminous
glow much like moonlight. The Greeks believed that the stones became brighter or dimmer with the
phases of the moon. A moonstone was also believed to be a powerful good luck charm, and wearing
one was considered a guarantee of success in a precarious endeavor.
Moonstone is translucent, and softens the light shining through it to give a pearly moon-like glow. This
distinctive shimmering affect called adularescence, is caused by the way the stone reflects light.
Moonstone comes in colorless, white, grey, and subtle yellow or peach, but always has a white or blue
sheen. Rainbow moonstone is colorless with a blue sheen and a rainbow-like array of colors – a very
attractive semi-precious stone. During full-moon it’s a very powerful stone for the reconciling of love,
and as the moon decreases, is said to allow person to foretell the future. In India it’s sacred for lovers. A
feminine stone for the inner-child, female issues and nurturing but also used by men who want to reach
their female side and to understand dreams. Moonstone brings confidence and calms the emotions,
easing an understanding of spirituality, intuition, and clairvoyance. Also known to protect against fever,
dropsy, fluid-retention and urinary problems. Especially protective to seafarers who have been using it
since ancient times
Mookaite:
Mookaite is the name given to a silicified porcelanite which forms over much of the Carnarvon Basin in
Western Australia. An Australian aboriginal healing stone that bestows strength. It helps heal wounds
and regeneration. Useful in stabilising health and in fortifying the immune system, Mookaite also purifies
the blood in the liver and the spleen and can help with the glands in general, the stomach, water
retention and with hernias.
Mookaite encourages within us, the desire for variety and new experiences. It can make our thoughts
more flexible and enhances our decision making. It also helps us to recognise that there could be
several possibilities for the outcome of any issue. It also helps us to choose the best solution to that
issue. It helps embrace and celebrate new circumstances and helps us when dealing with negative
situations. Mookaite helps us to be kind to others, and also, quite importantly, helps us to be kind to
ourselves too. It is a very protective stone, and is particularly good as an emotional protector.
Microscopic examination of Mookaite has revealed that it is a somewhat unique rock. Consisting largely
of microscopic organisms known as Radiolarians, with an unusual skeletal structure made up of opaline
silica. Billions of these were deposited as sediment near shores of ancient seas, together with remains
of other sea creatures. When the seas retreated, these sediments were cemented into solid rock by
silica, carried in groundwater, either from the radiolaria themselves or from weathered rocks nearby.
Mother of Pearl: Mental clarity, intuition, sensitivity, imagination, adaptability, cooperation.
The shining, playful, and reflected light of mother of pearl has attracted the attention of human beings
since the beginning of the world. Societies, tribes, and nations have all added the technology of their
day to their experience, knowledge, and understanding, and they have turned mother of pearl from one
form into another. Though mother of pearl is quite widespread around the world, its assumption of the
aspect of a magnificent branch of the arts after a past of many centuries began when it came into the
hands of the Ottoman Turks. (nâ´ker) or nacre, the iridescent substance that forms the lining of the
shells of fresh-water and some salt-water mollusks. Like the pearl it is a secretion of the mantle,
composed of alternate layers of calcium carbonate and conchiolin. Among the chief sources are the
pearl oyster, found in warm and tropical seas. Mother of pearl is not always white. It can be pink, blue,
purple, gray, or even green. Nor is it produced only by the pearl oyster. The abalone and the pearl
mussel both have shells that are lined with fine-quality mother of pearl.
.
Obsidians: Clarity, deflecting negativity, protection, healing.
Onyx: Self-control, decision making, intuition, recognition of personal strengths.
Onyx is a term used for several stones. This stone comes in many colors and is reputed to guard
against negativity, improve self-control and increase the feeling of security and stability. It has been
dyed since ancient time, with the popular pure black variety, being dyed micro crystalline quartz. Its
natural color is usually brown, white or grey. And onyx used in architecture isn't a form of quartz at all,
but a type of limestone marble. Onyx is very similar to agate. With straight bands of brown, white or
black, where agate has curved bands of many colors.
Although regarded as protective, onyx has a reputation as a stone of discord. Onyx was worn to cool the
ardors of love, probably because it helps to balance the mind and emotions. Not only avoided by lovers,
but also at night, as it provoked nightmares. However, it does improve concentration and devotion,
hence many onyx rosaries. Onyx is a strength-giving stone, aiding confidence and useful for athletes or
people.
Opal: Creativity, spontaneity, relationships, memory, happy dreams and changes.
The name Opal could have came from many places. In Greek opallios, translates as color change, and
to the ancient Romans opalus, was a stone from several elements. Pliny, a Roman author, wrote that
opal combines the sparkle of Almandine, the shining purple of Amethyst, the golden yellow of Topaz,
and the deep blue of Sapphire.
Fine opals shine and sparkle in a continually changing play of colors called opalizing. Most opal has this
play of colors except Common Opal, a name give to all others, like Pink Opal. Because demand outstrips
supply, fine opalizing opal is very very expensive, so is sold in individual beads for hundreds of US
dollars each. Therefore, the type of opal common in necklaces, and for sale on this auction, is non-
opalizing opal usually pink opal from Peru.
Due to 2 to 6% water, opals easily become brittle and if stored too dry or exposed to heat over a longer
period of time, they will show fissures and the play of color will fade. Therefore, Opal jewelry should be
worn as often as possible, for then the gemstone will receive the needed humidity from the air and from
the skin of its wearer. In earlier days opals sensitive surface was oiled, but today they are sealed with
clear resin.
Mexican Opal was used by the Aztecs and Mayas people for the elaboration of ornamental and
ceremonial pieces. They called it quetzalitzlipyollitli, the 'stone of the bird of paradise.
Mexican opal is a great advantage in quality and beauty to the Australian opal. The Mexican opal is
much rich in its colors since it is found in a great variety: blue, yellow, orange, green and speciality in
black an extraordinary rarity. Within the qualities that an opal has, you can be sure there will never be
two of a kind.
The Mexican opal mines are in between the mountains of igneous rocks, where you can find obsidian,
volcanic glass, the ground in those places is very dry and the vegetation is mostly captus. The color of
the rocks varies from one region to another, it goes from deep red to gray sometimes almost white. The
best opals of Mexico come from regions of mountains of volcanic lava. The principal regions of opal
mines in the state of Queretaro.
Pearl: Purity, faith, charity, innocence, integrity, focus, wisdom, spirituality, sincerity, fertility.
The least expensive cultured pearls today rival the most expensive natural pearls ever found. Natural
freshwater pearls occur in mussels for the same reason saltwater pearls occur in oysters. Foreign
material inside a mussel can't be expelled. To reduce irritation, the mollusk coats the intruder with the
same secretion it uses for shell-building, nacre. To cultivate a pearl, farmers slit the mussel and insert
small pieces of live tissue from another mussel.
The ancient Chinese practiced this technique, but the first real cultured freshwater pearls originated in
Japan. In the 1930's, Japanese farmers by Lake Biwa achieved natural colors unseen in saltwater
pearls. However, water pollution today has virtually destroyed pearl production there. China now has the
resources that Japan lacks: many large lakes, rivers, and a low-cost work force. The first Chinese
cultured pearls were basic, until the 1990's when China revolutionized pearling. Shapes, luster, and
colors of the new Chinese pearls now surpass Biwa quality. Copying the Japanese to improve off-white
and mottling, China uses a mild bleach, bright lights, and heat. Natural freshwater pearls are usually odd
shapes. So for more roundness, the Chinese now reshape rejected pearls into spheres, and then
nucleate mussels with them.
The best pearls have thick overlapping layers of nacre. This can be tested by viewing its "luster". Roll
the pearl with a pen in good light - the best pearls will reflect the pen the most. A large pearl is only more
valuable if it's the same quality as a smaller one - and the rounder the better. Being an organic gem,
grooves, pits, or dents are expected. However, matching color for a complete necklace is important.
Freshwater pearls are popular for their colors: white, silvery-white, pink, red, copper, brown, lavender,
purple, green, blue, and yellow. The most desirable are the pastel pinks, roses, lavenders, and purples.
Color comes from the mussel species and water quality. Generally pearls assume the color of the shell
in which they form, but permanent dyes are used today for most saturated colors.
Peridot: Warmth, friendliness, understanding, openness in love and relationships, regulation
of cycles.
A clear, green stone that is believed to stimulate the mind, balance the body/mind framework and aid in
problem solving by enhancing intuition.
Pyrite: Defense, prevention, protection from negativity, physical wholeness, memory.
Often called fools gold.
Rhodocrosite: Love, emotional balance, cleansing, renewal, relaxation, expansion of
consciousness.
Rhodonite: Peace, generosity, attention to details.
Rhyolite: Change, variety, progress, creativity, transcending barriers.
Rose Quartz: Love, peace, happiness, gentleness, healing emotional wounds.
Said to be a love stone that promotes peace and forgiveness, nurtures and calms emotions, and
enhances balance.
Ruby: Nurturing, spiritual wisdom, attainment of values, economic stability, protection from
distress.
A clear red stone is said to reduce self-limitations, enhance courage, integrity and feelings of joy, and
allow far reaching changes in outlook.
Sapphire: Joy, peace, beauty, intuition, prosperity, fulfillment of dreams.
A blue or violet blue stone reported to aid creative ability, clarify thought, and encourage new avenues
of adventure.
Serpentine: (see Jade)
Smoky Quartz: Dissolving emotional blockage, clearing the mind, cooperation, personal
pride, joy in living, attentiveness to the moment, protection.
Sodalite: Wisdom, logic, calmness, healing, stress reduction, companionship, self-esteem.
This deep blue stone with white streaks is thought to have a grounding effect, reduce fears, calm the
mind, and heighten the ability to communicate new ideas to others.
Sunstone: Alleviating fears, energizing, cleansing.
Tanzanite: Communication, intuition, protection, symmetry, decision-making, spirituality.
Tiger Eye: Practicality, peacefulness, clarity, intelligence, intuition, new experiences, financial
stability, calmness, releasing inhibitions.
A brown stone with golden stripes that is supposed to enhance clear thinking, increase confidence, raise
levels of courage, and strengthen will.
Tiger Iron: Artistic endeavors, beauty, vitality.
Topaz: True love, success in endeavors, understanding of interrelationships, expression of
ideas, trust, health, personal expansion and growth.
Topaz is a many colored stone held to reduce physical pain, calm emotions, allow a more peaceful
demeanor, and balance the body/mind. It is a common gemstone that has been used for centuries in
jewelry. Usually golden brown to yellow color. The Egyptians said that topaz was colored with the golden
glow of the mighty sun god Ra. This made topaz a very powerful amulet that protected the faithful
against harm. The Romans associated topaz with Jupiter, who also is the god of the sun. And Greek
legend has it that topaz could make the wearer invisible and would change color in the presence of
poisoned food or drink. It is the birthstone of November.
Tourmaline: Energizing, soul-searching, releasing.
Another stone of many colors. Considered a powerful healing stone that can provide focus, balance,
and promote self-assurance.
Turquoise: Spiritual, cleansing, healing, protection, valor, soothing, peace of mind, guidance
through the unknown, romantic spontaneity.
Chinese Turquoise is a soft, opaque gemstone. Ranging from blue-green, to yellow-green with grey,
black or brown veining. Much Chinese turquoise was used for artistic carving and jewelry, which has
always been popular in the Orient. In China, Turquoise dates to the thirteenth century A.D. Although
most brought from trade with the Persians, Turks, Tibetans, and the Mongols. Tibet had it's own source
of turquoise usually a green cast, very hard stone with significant amount of spider webbing. The
Tibetans highly revered turquoise and was used in many areas as currency.
Ancient doctors thought turquoise prevented injury through accident, and would place perfect stones
over the eyes to prevent blindness. They also ground it into a powder to cure stomach disorders,
internal bleeding, ailments of the hip and bites and stings. Turquoise is believed to protect the wearer
from danger. In various countries, it is believed to fade when illness or danger is near. Another belief is
that a fading stone indicates a lover's faithlessness or a friend's disaffection.
Turquoise is porous, so contact with liquids, oils or even perspiration should be avoided. Jewelry should
be removed before washing. Turquoise is commonly impregnated with plastic, colorless oil or wax to
improve color and increase durability. Untreated turquoise will eventually turn green. As genuine
Chinese turquoise is expensive, reconstituted turquoise is made today. Crafted from real turquoise chips
fused with other stones to cut the cost. Turquoise is the birthstone for the month of December. The
Aztec Indians of Mexico believed turquoise would protect them from physical harm, and so warriors used
these green and blue stones to decorate their battle shields.
Unakite: Balance, re-birth, foresight, emotional balance.
Zoisite: Dispelling laziness, facilitating advancement.
Ruby Zoisite is a creative stone, its energy coming from the red and green colors. In the chakra system
red relates to creativity and sexuality, and green is associated with healing, balancing, and abundance.
By itself, ruby is associated with passion. It can bring anger to the surface, and will amplify any emotion.
Zoisite provides a natural medium for softening ruby's qualities. Its green cools and stabilizes. This is
very valuable when passion seems overwhelming, and ruby in zoisite is excellent for healing a broken
heart and reducing obsessive feelings about another person.
It can also be very helpful for creative energies. Often our ideas swirl around in our heads, never quite
reaching realization. What is needed in such cases is some stabilizing energy, which zoisite provides.
Ruby zoisite has become more popular. This may indication that more people are ready to have
relationships which heal, not hurt, and to be more expressive of their innate
creativity
Metal and miscellaneous beads:
Slave or Trade beads:
Slave beads (often called Trade beads) were otherwise decorative glass beads used between the 16th
and 20th century as a currency to exchange for goods, services and slaves (hence the name). Made to
ease the passage of European explorers and then traders mainly across the African continents, the
beads were made throughout Europe although the Venetians dominated production. Trade beads are
also found in the United States and Canada, and throughout Latin America. The production of slave
(trade) beads became so popular that literally tons of these beads were used for this purpose. Beads
were used as ballast in slave/trade ships for the outbound trip. The beads and other trade items were
exchanged for human cargo as well as ivory, gold and other goods desired in Europe and around the
world. The beads traded were not of a set design, but were produced according to demand. Millifiore
(thousand flower) beads from Venice, Italy were one of the most commonly traded beads, and are
commonly known as "African trade beads." They were produced by creating flowers or stripes from glass
canes, that were then cut and moulded onto a core of solid color. Beads such as the kiffa beads of
Mauritania are thought to have resulted from women creating powdered glass beads to mimic the
appearance of millifiore beads.
The success of this form of currency can largely be attributed to the high intrinsic value African people
put upon decorative items. Africans often used beads for currency, (often referred to as African money)
and wealth storage, and social status could be easily determined by the quality, quantity and style of
jewellery worn. This created a high demand for trade beads in Africa.
The Karen, also known in Thailand as the Kariang and the Yang, are the largest ethnic minority group
living in the mountainous terrain of eastern Burma and northwest Thailand. There are as many as
400,000 Karen living in Thailand. They are known for their colorful traditional clothes, which are
predominantly red with white trim, as well as for their jubilant festive dances.
Karen Silver is handmade by Karen artisans in northern Thailand using primitive tools and traditional
methods. The purity of Karen silver work, which is comprised of at least 97% silver, makes it soft and
easy to work with.
Copper:
Believed to energize the body/mind and increase self-esteem, releasing negative emotions and enabling
quick recovery from exhaustion.
Gold:
A luxurious metal reported to energize the body, promote openness, honesty and absorb anger.
Silver:
A lustrous metal that is held to raise the minds ability to function on a different plane, relieve stress, and
enhance emotional stability.
Modern Birthstones
January - Garnet
February - Amethyst
March - Bloodstone
April - Diamond
May - Emerald
June - Alexandrite
July - Ruby
August - Sardonyx
September - Sapphire
October - Tourmaline
November - Citrine
December - Turquoise
Traditional Birthstones
January - Garnet
February - Amethyst
March - Aquamarine
April - Diamond
May - Emerald
June - Pearl
July - Ruby
August - Peridot
September - Sapphire
October - Opal
November - Topaz
December - Turquoise / Blue Zircon / Blue Topaz
January - Garnet
February - Amethyst
March - Bloodstone
April - Diamond
May - Emerald
June - Alexandrite
July - Ruby
August - Sardonyx
September - Sapphire
October - Tourmaline
November - Citrine
December - Turquoise
Traditional Birthstones
January - Garnet
February - Amethyst
March - Aquamarine
April - Diamond
May - Emerald
June - Pearl
July - Ruby
August - Peridot
September - Sapphire
October - Opal
November - Topaz
December - Turquoise / Blue Zircon / Blue Topaz
Wedding Anniversary Stones
Alternate stones are listed in parentheses.
1 Gold (Peridot)
2 Garnet
3 Pearl (Jade)
4 Blue Topaz (Blue Zircon)
5 Sapphire (Pink Tourmaline)
6 Amethyst (Turquoise)
7 Onyx (Yellow Sapphire, Golden Beryl)
8 Tourmaline (Tanzanite)
9 Lapis Lazuli (Amethyst, Green Spinel)
10 Diamond (Blue Sapphire)
11 Turquoise (Citrine, Yellow Zircon)
12 Jade (Opal)
13 Citrine (Moonstone, Hawk's Eye)
14 Opal (Agate, Bloodstone)
15 Ruby (Rhodolite Garnet, Alexandrite)
16 Peridot (Red Spinel)
17 Wristwatch (Carnelian)
18 Cat's Eye / Chrysoberyl (Aquamarine)
19 Aquamarine (Almandine Garnet)
20 Emerald (Yellow or Golden Diamond)
21 Iolite
22 Spinel
23 Imperial Topaz
24 Tanzanite
25 Silver (Tsavorite, Green Garnet)
30 Pearl
35 Emerald
40 Ruby
45 Sapphire (Cat's Eye)
50 Golden (Imperial / Golden Topaz)
55 Alexandrite
60 Diamond (Star Ruby)
65 Blue Spinel
70 Sapphire (Smoky Quartz)
75 Diamond
80 Ruby
Alternate stones are listed in parentheses.
1 Gold (Peridot)
2 Garnet
3 Pearl (Jade)
4 Blue Topaz (Blue Zircon)
5 Sapphire (Pink Tourmaline)
6 Amethyst (Turquoise)
7 Onyx (Yellow Sapphire, Golden Beryl)
8 Tourmaline (Tanzanite)
9 Lapis Lazuli (Amethyst, Green Spinel)
10 Diamond (Blue Sapphire)
11 Turquoise (Citrine, Yellow Zircon)
12 Jade (Opal)
13 Citrine (Moonstone, Hawk's Eye)
14 Opal (Agate, Bloodstone)
15 Ruby (Rhodolite Garnet, Alexandrite)
16 Peridot (Red Spinel)
17 Wristwatch (Carnelian)
18 Cat's Eye / Chrysoberyl (Aquamarine)
19 Aquamarine (Almandine Garnet)
20 Emerald (Yellow or Golden Diamond)
21 Iolite
22 Spinel
23 Imperial Topaz
24 Tanzanite
25 Silver (Tsavorite, Green Garnet)
30 Pearl
35 Emerald
40 Ruby
45 Sapphire (Cat's Eye)
50 Golden (Imperial / Golden Topaz)
55 Alexandrite
60 Diamond (Star Ruby)
65 Blue Spinel
70 Sapphire (Smoky Quartz)
75 Diamond
80 Ruby
Gemstone Clarity and Gem Grading
Gems are usually graded by a type (1, 2,or 3) and by clarity (VVS, VS, SI, etc.). Below are the grading criteria used by
the Gemological Institute of America for colored gems:
• Type 1 gemstones are are stones that are usually free of inclusions. This group includes gems in the quartz
family like amethyst and citrine, topaz, zircon, and beryls, like aquamarine.Clarity in the type 1 group is classified as VVS
(minute to detectable), VS (minor), SI1 (noticeable), SI2 (obvious) or I (included).
• Type 2 gemstones include garnet, iolite, alexandrite, ruby, sapphire, or peridot.
Clarity in the type 2 group is classified as VVS (minor), VS (noticeable), SI1 (obvious), SI2 (prominent), or I (prominent,
affecting appearance).
• Type 3 gemstones are stones that almost always have inclusions. This group includes emerald and red tourmaline.
Clarity in the type 3 group is classified as VVS (noticeable), VS (Obvious), SI1 (prominent), SI2 (more prominent), or I1
(affecting appearance or durability).
For example, if you are looking at a stone that is VVS type 2, that means that it is a type 2 stone with minute inclusions
that may be visible only under 10x magnification. On the other hand, A VS type 3 has inclusions that are easily visible to
the naked eye.
Some sellers may use simpler terms to describe the clarity of their gemstones. For example:
• Clean - no inclusions visible under 10x magnification.
• Eye-clean - inclusions not visible to the naked eye.
• VVS, VS, or SI - Inclusions visible to the naked eye, but still a beautiful gem.
• Included - numerous inclusions that affect the beauty of the gem.
Gems are usually graded by a type (1, 2,or 3) and by clarity (VVS, VS, SI, etc.). Below are the grading criteria used by
the Gemological Institute of America for colored gems:
• Type 1 gemstones are are stones that are usually free of inclusions. This group includes gems in the quartz
family like amethyst and citrine, topaz, zircon, and beryls, like aquamarine.Clarity in the type 1 group is classified as VVS
(minute to detectable), VS (minor), SI1 (noticeable), SI2 (obvious) or I (included).
• Type 2 gemstones include garnet, iolite, alexandrite, ruby, sapphire, or peridot.
Clarity in the type 2 group is classified as VVS (minor), VS (noticeable), SI1 (obvious), SI2 (prominent), or I (prominent,
affecting appearance).
• Type 3 gemstones are stones that almost always have inclusions. This group includes emerald and red tourmaline.
Clarity in the type 3 group is classified as VVS (noticeable), VS (Obvious), SI1 (prominent), SI2 (more prominent), or I1
(affecting appearance or durability).
For example, if you are looking at a stone that is VVS type 2, that means that it is a type 2 stone with minute inclusions
that may be visible only under 10x magnification. On the other hand, A VS type 3 has inclusions that are easily visible to
the naked eye.
Some sellers may use simpler terms to describe the clarity of their gemstones. For example:
• Clean - no inclusions visible under 10x magnification.
• Eye-clean - inclusions not visible to the naked eye.
• VVS, VS, or SI - Inclusions visible to the naked eye, but still a beautiful gem.
• Included - numerous inclusions that affect the beauty of the gem.