Alexandrite Jewelry
According to a popular but controversial story, alexandrite was discovered by the Finnish mineralogist Nils Gustaf Nordenskiöld, (1792–1866) and named alexandrite in honor of the future Tsar Alexander II of Russia. Nordenskiöld's initial discovery occurred as a result of an examination of a newly found mineral sample he had received from Perovskii, which he identified as emerald at first. The first emerald mine had been opened in 1831.
June Birthstone, Alexandrite - "What color is it?"
Understand and learn about one of nature's rarest natural birthstone, alexandrite. Narrated by Stephan Gallagher, certified gemologist from Schulz & Sons Jewelers.
Sources and Citations :
wikipedia
June Birthstone Necklace
June Birthstone Necklace
Heart shaped crystal framed in sterling silver pendant on figaro chain. Personalize your jewelry with colors from your birth-month!
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Baby Birthstone Charms
Birthstones are generally the stone believed to be the luckiest and favors good fortune for each individual, they are designated according to the month in which the baby is born, and there are many baby birthstone charms available in the market, from charm bracelets to necklaces.
The months in which the baby birthstone charms are rendered is January for Garnet, February is Amethyst, March is for Aquamarine , April is for the Diamond, May is for the Emerald, June is Pearl, July is Ruby, August is peridot, September is for the sapphire , October is Opal, November is Topaz, and December is for turquoise.
Baby birthstone charms can be a wonderful present for a new born baby of a loved one, or for your own new addition to the family. The baby birthstone charms can be made for both mother and baby and it is a much cherished form of jewelry that can is exchanged from one generation to another, thus becoming a family heirloom with the passage of time.
Most baby birthstone charms such as bracelets may not be so practical as when a baby is an infant, but once he /she starts to grow the charm can be a wonderful present for him /her to cherish for all times.
When you have decided to get a baby birthstone charm make sure you get the right birthstone in a 14 K gold setting , this is recommended because a baby birthstone charm needs to lasts a for a life time if not longer, so better the quantity the less will it turn or fade away . If you cannot afford pure gold you can always look for a white gold or silver which is equally attractive and may perhaps suit some stones better.
There are many great ideas and ways to present baby birthstone charms to a mother. If your gift is to give to the new mother you can insert the new baby’s birthstone in to the charm, or there are great many creative ideas available in the internet as well and many jeweler shops specially cater to birth charms.
There are even baby birthstone charms that look like pacifiers, baby bottles and rattles, booties etc and there are great many companies that deal with this industry such as, Pasha, Carlo Biagi and Troll beads. You can select a good company and make your own custom made baby birthstone charms, all you need is a good dose of creativity to set the designs in to motion, for example you can spell out the name of the baby or the initials of the baby or the initials of both the mom and baby and create a very special gift.
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SEE ALL THE JUNE BABY BIRTHSTONES CHARMS HERE
Baby birthstone charms can be a wonderful present for a new born baby of a loved one, or for your own new addition to the family. The baby birthstone charms can be made for both mother and baby and it is a much cherished form of jewelry that can is exchanged from one generation to another, thus becoming a family heirloom with the passage of time.
Most baby birthstone charms such as bracelets may not be so practical as when a baby is an infant, but once he /she starts to grow the charm can be a wonderful present for him /her to cherish for all times.
When you have decided to get a baby birthstone charm make sure you get the right birthstone in a 14 K gold setting , this is recommended because a baby birthstone charm needs to lasts a for a life time if not longer, so better the quantity the less will it turn or fade away . If you cannot afford pure gold you can always look for a white gold or silver which is equally attractive and may perhaps suit some stones better.
There are many great ideas and ways to present baby birthstone charms to a mother. If your gift is to give to the new mother you can insert the new baby’s birthstone in to the charm, or there are great many creative ideas available in the internet as well and many jeweler shops specially cater to birth charms.
There are even baby birthstone charms that look like pacifiers, baby bottles and rattles, booties etc and there are great many companies that deal with this industry such as, Pasha, Carlo Biagi and Troll beads. You can select a good company and make your own custom made baby birthstone charms, all you need is a good dose of creativity to set the designs in to motion, for example you can spell out the name of the baby or the initials of the baby or the initials of both the mom and baby and create a very special gift.
I'm Looking Over a Four Leaf Clover...
Personalized Valentine's Day Gifts ... and Otherwise
It's about a month away from Valentine's Day and here are some great gift ideas from my shop. Some are personalized and some aren't. Find what you need for him or her!
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(a best seller)
(customize the button with your own info!)
(also available in brown leather)
(great for him & her or her & her)
(Ready to ship as is or customize it with your own quote/symbols)
(also available in copper and antique brass)
(completely customizable, even on the back!)
Please visit my shop to see hundreds of other ideas! This is just a small sampling. The only limits are your imagination combined with mine, and, quite frankly, that can be dangerous. LOL.
~Lori
Agate Facts, Information and Description
Agate is a term applied not to a distinct mineral species, but to an aggregate of various forms of silica. It usually forms in concentric layers in a wide variety of colors and textures. The most common colors are white to grey, light blue, orange to red and black. Agate is often found as a round nodule, with concentric bands like the rings of a tree trunk. The first archeological findings of different implements made of agate date back to 8000 years ago.
There exist various types of agate.
A Mexican agate, showing only a single eye, has received the name of "Cyclops agate." Dendrite agates have beautiful fern like patterns on them formed due to the presence of manganese and iron ions. Other types of included matter deposited during agate-building include sagenitic growths (radial mineral crystals) and chunks of entrapped detritus (such as sand, ash, or mud). Occasionally agate fills a void left by decomposed vegetative material such as a tree limb or root and is called limb cast agate due to its appearance. Turritella agate is formed from fossil Turritella shells silicified in a chalcedony base. Similarly, coral, petrified wood and other organic remains or porous rocks can also become agatized. Agatized coral is often referred to as Petoskey agate or stone.
Certain stones, when examined in thin sections by transmitted light, show a diffraction spectrum due, hence they are termed rainbow agates. Often agate coexists with layers or masses of opal, jasper or crystalline quartz due to ambient variations during the formation process.
Other forms of agate include carnelian agate (usually exhibiting reddish hues), Botswana agate, blue lace agate, plume agate (such as Carey, Graveyard Point, Sage, St. Johns, Teeter Ranch and others), tube agate (with visible flow channels), fortification agate (which exhibit little or no layered structure), fire agate (which seems glow internally like an opal) and Mexican crazy-lace agate (which exhibits an often brightly colored, complex banded pattern).
Agate was highly valued as a talisman or amulet in
ancient times. It was said to quench thirst and protect from fevers. Persian magicians used agate to divert storms. Agate bowls were popular in the Byzantine Empire. Collecting agate bowls became common among European royalty during the Renaissance and many museums in Europe, including the Louvre, have spectacular examples.
History: The mining of agate in the Nahe River valley in Germany which was already documented in 1497 gave rise to the cutting center of Idar-Oberstein, Germany. Originally, the river was used to power the grinding wheels. When the Nahe agate deposit was exhausted in the nineteenth century, Idar cutters started to develop the agate deposits of Brazil, which also sparked exploration and discovery of Brazil's rich deposits of other gemstones.
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There exist various types of agate.
A Mexican agate, showing only a single eye, has received the name of "Cyclops agate." Dendrite agates have beautiful fern like patterns on them formed due to the presence of manganese and iron ions. Other types of included matter deposited during agate-building include sagenitic growths (radial mineral crystals) and chunks of entrapped detritus (such as sand, ash, or mud). Occasionally agate fills a void left by decomposed vegetative material such as a tree limb or root and is called limb cast agate due to its appearance. Turritella agate is formed from fossil Turritella shells silicified in a chalcedony base. Similarly, coral, petrified wood and other organic remains or porous rocks can also become agatized. Agatized coral is often referred to as Petoskey agate or stone.Certain stones, when examined in thin sections by transmitted light, show a diffraction spectrum due, hence they are termed rainbow agates. Often agate coexists with layers or masses of opal, jasper or crystalline quartz due to ambient variations during the formation process.
Other forms of agate include carnelian agate (usually exhibiting reddish hues), Botswana agate, blue lace agate, plume agate (such as Carey, Graveyard Point, Sage, St. Johns, Teeter Ranch and others), tube agate (with visible flow channels), fortification agate (which exhibit little or no layered structure), fire agate (which seems glow internally like an opal) and Mexican crazy-lace agate (which exhibits an often brightly colored, complex banded pattern).
Agate was highly valued as a talisman or amulet in
ancient times. It was said to quench thirst and protect from fevers. Persian magicians used agate to divert storms. Agate bowls were popular in the Byzantine Empire. Collecting agate bowls became common among European royalty during the Renaissance and many museums in Europe, including the Louvre, have spectacular examples.History: The mining of agate in the Nahe River valley in Germany which was already documented in 1497 gave rise to the cutting center of Idar-Oberstein, Germany. Originally, the river was used to power the grinding wheels. When the Nahe agate deposit was exhausted in the nineteenth century, Idar cutters started to develop the agate deposits of Brazil, which also sparked exploration and discovery of Brazil's rich deposits of other gemstones.