All About Gemstones Blog
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A Jeweller’s Guide to Amazonite
Amazonite has a colour that stops people in their tracks. That cool, blue-green hue, often with faint white streaking running through it, gives the stone a calm, almost oceanic quality that’s hard to look away from. It’s a favourite for anyone drawn to soft, soothing colour in their jewellery. Basic Identification Information Name and SynonymsAmazoniteSometimes misleadingly sold as Amazon Jade…
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The Psychology of Blue Gemstones: From Sky to Midnight
Blue is one of the most reached for colours in jewellery, and it’s easy to see why. It stretches from the palest, spring skies of aquamarine to the deep, commanding indigo of a fine sapphire, and every shade in between carries its own emotional weight. Whether you’re designing a piece, choosing a stone for yourself, or writing a description that…
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The Anatomy of a Gemstone: A Quick Guided Tour
Ever looked at a gemstone and wondered what all the different bits are actually called? You’re not alone. Most people can tell the top from the bottom, but that’s about it. But lapidarists (gem cutters), gemologists, and increasingly jewellery shoppers, use a proper set of terms for every part of a cut stone, and once you know them, you’ll never…
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November’s Birthstone: Topaz
November is one of the coziest months on the calendar, all crisp air, golden light, and the last warmth before winter properly settles in. And its birthstone suits it perfectly. Yellow topaz has held the spot as November’s birthstone for far longer than its companion gem citrine, and it earns its place many times over. With a colour range that…
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Turquoise Myths and Legends
Turquoise has a distinctive blue-green colour, ranging from the palest sky to a deep robin’s egg blue, that has captured the imagination of cultures across the world for thousands of years. From the tombs of pharaohs to the ceremonial objects of Native American peoples, turquoise has been treated not merely as a decorative stone but as something far more significant.…
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Colour Psychology and Gemstones
Have you ever been drawn to a gemstone and not quite known why? Maybe it was the sunny warmth of a golden citrine, or the quiet calm of an aquamarine. Chances are, colour psychology had something to do with it. This is the first post in a new series exploring how colour affects our emotions, and how that connects to…
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Navaratna: The Nine Celestial Gemstones
Gemstones have captivated humans for centuries, not just for their natural beauty, but for the mystical powers they are believed to hold. Among the most revered in Hindu, Buddhist, and Jain traditions is the Navaratna, or “Nine Gems.” This sacred collection is deeply rooted in Vedic astrology, with each stone linked to a celestial force thought to influence human destiny.…
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The Egyptian Bread of Osiris
Ancient Egypt was a land of myths, symbols, and rituals, and at the heart of it all was Osiris, the god of the afterlife, fertility, and resurrection. His story is one of betrayal, loss, and miraculous rebirth, and it inspired some of the most fascinating ceremonies of the ancient world. One of those rituals involved baking bread shaped like Osiris…
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Gem Clarity Types Explained
When you start learning about gemstones, you may come across guides that describe certain gem species as Type I, Type II, or Type III. This is not a quirk of the guide, it is a reflection of something called gem clarity types, a classification system developed by the Gemological Institute of America, or GIA. The system helps buyers and gem…
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November’s Birthstone: Citrine
November is one of the coziest months on the calendar, all crisp air, golden light, and the last warmth before winter properly settles in. Its birthstone suits it perfectly. Topaz may be November’s original stone, but citrine more than holds its own as a companion gem, a stone of warmth, optimism, and solar energy with a colour range that mirrors…