Category: Birthstones

Tourmaline the Birthstone of October

Post author By John
Post date October 20, 2015
No Comments on Tourmaline the Birthstone of October

Tourmaline are most known for displaying several colors within the same gemstone. Those of them with very clear color distinctions are highly prized stones. One more popular version of this is the watermelon tourmaline with bands of color resembling its name sake. As with other gemstones it is the impurities that give Tourmaline their color. Iron and Titanium cause green and blue coloring, manganese produces reds, pinks, and yellows.

Most Tourmaline are found in the Americas though there are deposits around the globe. The most notable mines are in Brazil, California, and Maine. Tourmaline were discovered in the 1500’s by Spanish conquistadors in the Americas but they were originally mistaken for emeralds. It was not until the 1800’s that Tourmaline were recognized as a distinct mineral species. Although tourmaline are touted as an America gemstone they were most popular in China until their economic collapse in 1912 which nearly whipped out the tourmaline market.

Tourmaline has some very interesting characteristics as a mineral, it is both Pyroelectric and Piezoelectric, meaning that it generates an electric current under heat and under pressure. Piezoelectric materials have been and are being experimented with as alternative energy sources to harness the energy of crowds of people moving about. One foot step can produce enough energy to power a pair of light bulbs for a couple seconds.

Here are a few beautiful Tourmaline for your enjoyment.

California Tourmaline. San Diego County's famed tourmaline mines - including the Tourmaline Queen, Tourmaline King, Stewart, Pala Chief and Himalaya - produced the 12 crystals and four cut gems on display. One of the earliest reports of tourmaline in California was in 1892 in association with lepidolite mining. Much of the pink and red tourmaline from California was shipped to China because the Chinese Dowager Empress Tz'u Hsi was especially fond of the color. There, craftsmen carved the tourmaline into snuff bottles and other pieces to be set in jewelry. One of the crystal specimens on display was a gift from tycoon, collector and morganite namesake J.P. Morgan to Andrew Carnegie. — California Tourmaline. San Diego County’s famed tourmaline mines – including the Tourmaline Queen, Tourmaline King, Stewart, Pala Chief and Himalaya – produced the 12 crystals and four cut gems on display. One of the earliest reports of tourmaline in California was in 1892 in association with lepidolite mining. Much of the pink and red tourmaline from California was shipped to China because the Chinese Dowager Empress Tz’u Hsi was especially fond of the color. There, craftsmen carved the tourmaline into snuff bottles and other pieces to be set in jewelry. One of the crystal specimens on display was a gift from tycoon, collector and morganite namesake J.P. Morgan to Andrew Carnegie.

Tourmaline, Maine (top left-7.01 cts, top right-7.57 cts, center-3.96 cts, bottom left-5.61 cts, bottom right-5.95 cts)

GIA collection# 23771. Tourmaline group from Himalaya mine, Mesa Grande, CA, USA. Gift of William F. Larson.

This 376.85-carat tourmaline in the collection of the Smithsonian National Museum of Natural History is carved by O. Hansen, using the colors of the tourmaline as part of the design.

Birthstones Education Gemstones

Sapphire the birthstone of September

Post author By John
Post date October 1, 2015
No Comments on Sapphire the birthstone of September

Sapphires the birthstone of September. In ancient times sapphires represented the promise of honesty, loyalty, and trust, today they continue to do so as one of the most popular stones for engagement rings. In medieval times the clergy of the Holy Roman Empire would wear sapphires to symbolize a glimpse of heaven as well folklore spoke of it protecting your loved ones from envy and harm.

Sapphire is a part of the corundum gem species and it forms in every color of the rainbow. Red is the only variety of sapphire that has its own name the Ruby. They are found all over the world but a few countries stand out among the rest as places known for their extraordinary stones. They most prized sapphires typically come from Myanmar and Sri Lanka.

The most sought after color of sapphire and one of the rarest of stones is the beautiful “Padparadscha”, a pink orange colored stone with a distinctive salmon color. All sapphires are formed by the Earth’s tectonic plates colliding and within these movements crystals and minerals are superheated and merged under extreme pressure. Most sapphires obtain their color due to miniscule impurities of iron or chromium in the case of rubies. Padparadschas however are colored with the presence of both.

Here are some Sapphires of note from around the world and across history:

Rockefeller Sapphire 62.02 carat

The sapphire belonged to John D. Rockefeller Jr., the only heir of the Rockefeller family. He acquired the 62.02 carat internally flawless stone in 1934 from the Indian Maharaja Mir Osaman.

One of the most significant sapphires in history, the 104 carat cabochon cut stone was originally acquired by Robert the second of the House of Stuarts in the 14^th century and now rest on the crown band of Queen Elizabeth II.

Queen Marie of Romania Sapphire 478.68 carat

In 1919 this 478 carat blue sapphire was the prize jewel of Cartier’s exhibition in San Sebabstian. It was coveted by royalty everywhere and Price Ferdinand was the one to acquire it set in a pendant for his mother Queen Marie of Romania.

Birthstones Education Gemstones

Ruby the birthstone of July

Post author By John
Post date August 4, 2015
No Comments on Ruby the birthstone of July

Ruby, the Birthstone of July and the boldest of colored stones. Historically minded in Thailand and Burma, with the latter yielding the more desirable stones, the ruby is the most precious gemstone behind the illustrious Diamond. The deep reds of a Burmese ruby represent all of man’s most fiery emotions; love, anger, desire and power. But man’s desire for these beautiful stones goes much deeper than just their rarity and looks, Indian Folklore tells us the owner of a Ruby will live in peace and concord with all those around them and will live a life free from evil thoughts.

Rubies are composed of mineral corundum and are one of a few verities of gem quality corundum based stones. The differences in these stones comes from trace amounts of other minerals resulting a color change. In the case of rubies that mineral is chromium, the main factor in the color of the precious and beautiful gemstone. None red colored corundum gemstones are sapphires, which can come in many colors, though most often people think of blue.

The Smithsonian’s National Museum of Natural History is lucky enough to have one of the world’s largest and finest rubies, the 23.1 carat Carmen Lucia Ruby. It is a Burmese ruby set in a platinum ring with trillion cut diamond side stones. The ruby was donated by Peter Buck a businessman and philanthropist in memory of his wife who is also the name sake of the stone. It is on permanent display in the museum’s Gem Collection. As if Burmese rubies over 20 carats where not rare enough this ruby can also boast its exceptional quality. The Carmen Lucia Ruby has a very rich saturated homogeneous color and is exceptionally clean of internal imperfections. The stone was minded from the fabled Mogo region of Burma in the 1930s.

The Natural History Museum of Los Angeles County is among a select few who has a large high quality ruby crystal mineral specimen. As desired and valuable as cut ruby gemstones are there is little chance for mineral specimens to make it to the market let alone make it to a museum. The Hixon Ruby is one of the collections most well-known pieces. At a 196.10 carats the Hixon ruby is a remarkable find. It was donated in 1978 by Colonel Frederick Hixon.