Morganite is the featured gemstone

The lovely pink gemstone, Morganite, is in the beryl family, which makes it a cousin to emeralds and aquamarines. Discovered in 1910, on an island off the coast of Madagascar, Morganite was named for legendary financier and gem collector, J.P. Morgan, after being called simply pink beryl for the first year or so it was around. Morganite is the official name of this beryl, but there has been some attempt in the jewelry trade to change the name to pink emerald, to make it sound more valuable. Morganite can also be found in colors from peachy pink, violet pink or a light lilac, and a light salmon color.

On the Moh scale, Morganite has a good hardness of 7.5 to 8. Unlike emeralds, which often have inclusions, Morganite is usually quite clean and clear. Heat treating is the most common way to bring out the pink in this gemstone. It also removes any yellow shading that might be in the stone.

Most Morganite today, comes from Pala, California, but is also found in Afghanistan, Brazil, Madagascar, Mozambique, Namibia, and Zimbabwe. It is also found in Maine, in the U.S.. In October of 1989, the Rose of Maine, was found at the Buckfield Quarry in Buckfield, Maine. This stone was somewhat orange in hue, and measured 9 inches (23 cm.) long, and about 12 inches (30 cm.) across.
Along with the matrix, it weighed just over 50 lbs. (23 kg.).

Morganite is valued first and foremost for the intensity and saturation of color, followed by size and clarity. The beautiful rosy hues are most often found in larger stones. Pink is the most popular color for jewelry, but the unheated peach and salmon stones have found popularity among collectors. Rare, magenta colored Morganite from the original deposit in Madagascar is still considered to be the finest and the rarest variety of this gemstone.

It is believed that Morganite can foster love, tolerance and empathy, acceptance, and a live and let live attitude.

The Rose of Maine.

 If you want to see more of this beautiful gemstone, just go to google images and put morganite in. You will find some gorgeous rough and polished samples.

Tanzanite is the featured gemstone

This beautiful blue lavender gemstone is relatively new on the gemstone market. It was discovered in 1967 by a tailor who was looking for rubies and was led to a deposit of blue stones, in the foothills of Mt. Kilimanjaro, by a group of Masai tribesman. It was first called Blue Zoisite, because it is a type of zoisite, but was later renamed Tanzanite by Tiffany a&Co. who wanted to capitalize on the rarity of the stone which is only found in Tanzania. Several claims were filed, which led to many mines being opened. In 1971, the Tanzanian government took control of the mines, and in 1976 turned the running of the mines over to the State Mining Corporation. Their methods caused production to drop. Tiffany stopped promoting and buying the stone in the late 70's due to the unreliability of the supply. By the late 80's, the government had lost control of the area and it was flooded with thousands of illegal miners. By 1991, the government had regained control of the area and began issuing licenses to private domestic parties, which has helped increase and stabilize the supply. However, when these mines are played out, the only Tanzanite available will be what is already on the market. Expert geologists maintain that the odds of Tanzanite being found anywhere else are one in a million.
 
The most prized color for Tanzanite is either the sapphire blue or the very intense violet blue. Most Tanzanite mined today is a brownish color, which is heat treated to bring out the deep blues and purples in the stones. Since heat treatment has no effect on the price, it is assumed that finished gems (cut and polished) are heat treated. Any treatment should be disclosed by the seller. On the Moh scale, it has a hardness of 6.5.
 
There are several gemstones that are confused with tanzanite, among those are iolite, blue spinel, and lower quality blue sapphire. There is a lab created tanzanite called Tanzanique. It does not display the same light defraction as natural tanzanite.
 
In October, 2002, the American Gem Trade Association, added Tanzanite as a birthstone for the month of December, along with Turquoise and Blue Zircon.
 
It is believed that Tanzanite can be used to enhance psychic abilities, composure, harmony and poise. It is also said to be beneficial for lowering stress levels and blood pressure and in getting people to slow down and take it easy. It is sometimes called the workaholics stone.
These are a couple of the tanzanite stones I have. 

 

Herkimer Diamonds are the Featured Stone

Herkimer diamonds are rare double-terminated quartz crystals found in Herkimer, New York. They were discovered in the late 18th century by workman cutting into dolostone outcroppings in the Mohawk River Valley. More were discovered in Herkimer County and because of the clarity and beauty of the stones, they were named Herkimer Diamonds. They have 18 natural facets (6 sides) and two terminations (points).

The bedrock the crystals are formed in began forming billions of years ago in a shallow part of the Cambrian Sea that lapped against the southern part of what is now the Adirondack Mountains. The clarity of this quartz variety from other clear quartzes is a different ratio of carbon to silicon. Geologists think that Herkimer Diamonds formed very slowly in small cavities called vugs. They can also be found in larger cavities called pockets. They can be found clear, smokey or cloudy and can contain a variety of impurities. These impurities can include clusters, scepters, fluid inclusions, phantom and bridge crystals. A fluid inclusion contains a water pocket, plus methane or oil and sometimes even a rare crystal within the crystal. A phantom crystal contains an image of itself within.

Other places produce double-terminated clear crystals and sometimes they are sold as Herkimer Diamonds, but the only stones that can be truly called Herkimer Diamonds are the ones from Herkimer, New York. As with any other gemstone purchase, ask the seller any questions you may have about your purchase. They should be able to knowledgeably answer or be able to quickly find the answer.

It is believed that Herkimer Diamonds are very powerful stones. They are said to promote smooth energy flow, enhance creativity, dream recall, imagination and psychic abilities. They are considered to be energizing and enlivening. It is also believed that they help connect the astral plane with the Earth plane.

Agatized Fossil Coral

Agatized fossil coral is a very ancient coral that has gradually turned into agate. This occurred when the silica in the salty ocean water hardened and replaced the limy coral. The coral skeletons appear as tiny flowers on the stone. their appearance may vary greatly in a single stone depending on weathering, oxidation and the original mineral content. The oldest fossil corals are from the Ordovican period, over 450 million years ago. Corals are marine animals with a sac like body, mouth tentacles and skeleton. It is the skeleton that is seen in the fossil. Some people theroize that agatized fossil coral was the inspiration for millefiori (thousand flowers) glasswork.


Fossil coral typically comes in gray, black, brown, yellow, white, and on rare occasions, red colors. the most detailed specimans of fossil coral come from Indonesia. Entire coral heads are often preserved and appear just as they did 20 million years ago. In 2008, Indonesian fossil coral, processed in China to a red color, began appearing in the market place. The process is similar to the one used to make agate a red carnelian color. Fossil coral can also be dyed red, but the color fades over time. Florida and Georgia, in the United States are also a good source of fossil coral. In fact, in 1979, Florida designated it as the state stone. Since it has become agatized, on the Moh scale, fossil coral has a hardness of 7 which makes it suitable for all kinds of jewelry.
 

Agatized fossil coral has been worn by people for centuries. It is believed that is can bring luck into a home when used as an ornament, to help with trauma and emotional issues, and is used in ancient healing traditions for women's health problems. Fossil coral was used by sailors as a talisman to ward off bad weather and it was also believed that it could ward off the evil eye.

Hemimorphite is the Featured Gemstone

Hemimorphite is a lovely blue gem named for the half formed way (hemi) its crystals form. The "faces" that grow on one end differ in the angle and position of the "faces" on the other end. It can grow in two forms. One form is a glassy bladed crystal, while the other form resembles a bunch of grapes, known as botryoidal. It is a zinc silicate stone.


Hemimorphite is a fairly soft stone. On the Moh scale it is a 4.5 to 5. Colors can range from white to a bluish green, with blue being the most common. Temperature change can cause this stone to become pyroelectric and it will give you a small shock when picking it up.


Hemimorphite is found in many locations. Areas along the Belgian-German border, Poland, Pennsylvania, Missouri, Elkhorn, Montana, Leadville, Colorado, and the Organ Mountains in New Mexico. It is also found in several areas of Mexico,England and Zambia. It is mined from the upper parts of zinc and lead ores.

It is believed that hemimorphite can boost self esteem, bring luck and help to increase a perceptive mind. It is associated with the heart chakra and with healing ulcers, blood diseases and cellular disorders. It is also thought that hemimorphite fosters enthusiasm, optimism and high energy.

Some hemimorphite I have.

Onyx is the Gemstone of the Week

Onyx is a form of chalcedony quartz mined in Brazil, India, California and Uruguay. Black onyx is the most common form of the stone on the market today. Onyx is most often a solid color, although there is white banded onyx called sardonyx. Onyx comes in many colors, but the most popular is black onyx. The use of onyx as carvings and jewelry goes back to the second dynasty of Egypt and it is mentioned in the Bible, and was known and used in ancient Rome and Greece. It has been commonly used in cameos. It is also used to create marble tile used in houses today. The quartz in the onyx gives the marble tiles a bit of extra durability.

The large majority of black onyx on the market today has been heat treated or dyed to enhance the color. On the Moh scale, Onyx is a 7. The name comes from the Greek work "onyx" which means claw or fingernail.

According to legend, onyx came into being one day when Venus was asleep, Cupid cut her fingernails and left the clippings laying on the ground. Since no part of a heavenly body can die, the gods turned the clippings into stone which became known as onyx.

It is believed that onyx can help change habits, aid with insomnia, and eliminate negative thinking. It is also believed to eliminate stress and apathy. It is also said that onyx increases happiness and intuition. It is said that onyx can help with objective thinking and spiritual inspiration.

Green Onyx

Sardonyx

Amber is the Gemstone of the Week

Even though Amber is considered to be a gemstone, it is really fossilized tree resin that has been appreciated for it's natural beauty and color for thousands of years. Amber deposits have been found that range in age from 360 and one million years old. As resin oozed from now extinct conifer trees and pine trees, bits of plant life, insects and other small objects became trapped in it. As time passed, the resin became encased in dirt and debris and eventually fossilized. In order to be called Amber, the resin must be several millions years old. Recently hardened resins are called copals. Amber is perhaps one of the oldest gemstones used for human adornment. It has been found in European grave sites dating back to 8000 B.C..

Heating Amber will cause it to soften and eventually burn. if heated over 200 C, it decomposes, leaving behind a black residue known as "amber colophony" or "amber pitch", which, when dissolved in turpentine or linseed oil forms "amber varnish" or "amber lac".

Amber is found in many different colors. Besides the usual yellow-orange-brown that is commonly associated with the name Amber, it is also found in red, also called cherry amber, green amber and even blue amber, which is rare and highly sought after. The most highly prized Amber is transparent. Opaque Amber contains many tiny bubbles and is referred to as honey amber. Although all Dominican Amber is florescent, the rarest Dominican Amber is blue amber. It turns blue in natural sunlight or any other whole or partial ultraviolet light source. Only about 100kg a year are found which is the main reason it is so valued. Amber is a soft gemstone, on the Moh scale it is a 2 1/2-3 and care must be taken when wearing it to avoid scratching or chipping it. Quite a bit of the Amber found in jewelry today is reconstituted which makes a stronger stone. It is made by combining small bits of Amber with linseed oil, and compressing it. One way to tell if a stone is reconstituted is to look at the bubbles in it. Reconstituted stones have elongated bubbles, while natural stones have spherical bubbles. Sometimes the reconstituted Amber is called ambroid.

Gem quality Amber is most often from the Baltic Sea area. About 90% of the world's Amber supply comes from here. Baltic Sea Amber has a high market value. Amber is also found in the Dominican Republic, Russia, Myanmar (Burma), Germany, Romania, Sicily, and Malaysia.

Amber is said to bring wisdom, purification, energy and balance. It is believed to enhance calmness, patience, strength and healing. It is also believed that Amber draws negative energy out of the body and purifies the heart and spirit.

Blue Amber