Designer Rings, Engagement Rings, Wedding Rings Blog » blue topaz

Gemstones – Background and Lore – Citrine

Liz Ratcliff — Fri, 10 Oct 2008 15:08:00 +0000

Citrine is one of the November birthstones. Topaz is the other. Citrine is a quartz variety. It gets it’s name from the Latin word citrus, meaning “citron” (a fruit closely related to the lemon). Citrine comes in a wide range of sizes. Most citrine is found in traditional rounds and fancy shapes, but it is also available in more contemporary cuts and carvings. Before the development of modern gemology, citrine was often confused for topaz. Citrine is found in Bolivia, Brazil, and Spain. It is a 7 on the Mohs Scale of Hardness and has good toughness. High heat can cause color loss. Sudden or extreme temperature change can cause fracturing. Citrine is soluble in hydrofluoric acid and ammonium fluoride. It is slightly soluble in alkalis. Citrine is routinely heated to produce the desired color. Often it is produced by heating amethyst. This treatment is undetectable and assumed. Ultrasonic cleaning is usually safe. Steam cleaning is not recommended. The safest cleaning method is warm soapy water and a toothbrush. Alternatives include amber, carnelian, chrysoberyl, Malaya garnet, sapphire, smoky quartz, spessartite garnet, topaz, and tourmaline. Citrine is believed to help the heart, kidney, digestive tract, liver and muscles. It promotes creativity, helps personal clarity and eliminates self-destructive tendencies.

Gemstones – Background and Lore – Aquamarine

Liz Ratcliff — Fri, 19 Sep 2008 14:27:00 +0000

Aquamarine’s clear sea blue is reflected in its name, which is Latin for “sea water”. Sages from times ago thought water touched by aquamarine would heal afflictions of the eyes and lungs. It was also believed that the wearer of aquamarine was given foresight and heightened insight.

Aquamarine crystals can grow to be quite large. They tend to have very good clarity too. The color ranges from greenish blue to blue green in light tones. The color tends to be more intense in larger stones.

Brazil supplies most of the aquamarine these days, but it also originates in Australia, China, Kenya, Madagascar, Mozambique, Nigeria, Pakistan, US, and Zambia.

Aquamarine is the March birthstone. It is also known as the stone of courage. It accelerated the intellectual reasoning process and makes one unstoppable through learning – not only of the teachings of the past and present, but of oneself. According to legend, it has origin in the treasure chests of mermaids, and is considered good luck for sailors.

Aquamarine has a hardness of 7.5-8 on the Moh’s Scale of Hardness, and it has good toughness. It is not recommended to expose the aquamarine to heat, but it is stable when exposed to light. Aquamarine does not tolerate exposure to hydrofluoric acid.

Aquamarines are routinely heat treated to remove yellow, resulting in a purer blue color.

To clean your aquamarine, ultrasonic cleaning and steam cleaning are usually safe as long as there are no feathers or liquid inclusions in the stone. The safest way to clean the stone is with warm, soapy water.

Some alternatives to aquamarine are blue topaz, sapphire, spinel, tanzanite, and tourmaline.

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What’s going on in May at Elizabeta Jewelry

Liz Ratcliff — Tue, 06 May 2008 13:30:00 +0000

Elizabeta Jewelry is gearing up for some major changes to our website. We hope that by the time summer is in full swing, we will be finished. In the meantime, everything will continue to function normally.

Ok, now that I have gotten that out of the way, here are some ideas we wanted to share for May… Blue is the color we are featuring this month. Blue represents trust, loyalty, and balance. Some blue gemstones include sapphire, blue zircon, blue topaz, aquamaring, iolite, and some tanzanite. If you mention our blog, we will give you 10% off of our already low prices on any blue gemstone – contact us for a price. Deep blue sapphires are a great alternative to diamonds for a center stone in an engagement ring as they are durable as well as stunning. Here is a little bit more information on the symbology of the sapphire:

Sapphire means blue in Greek. The blue goes from dark blue almost black to pale blue. The finest blue sapphires are a strong blue. The star sapphire is very valued. Sapphires of colors other than blue are always referred to with the color. There are pink sapphires, yellow sapphires, violet sapphires, green sapphires and clear sapphires. Today most sapphires are mined in Australia.
It is said a necklace of sapphires will cure a sore throat.
The sapphire was called the “Stone of Destiny”. Sapphires contribute to mental clarity and perception. They can promote financial rewards.
The sapphire is the symbol of heaven and joyful devotion to God.
Sapphire is associated with Aquarius, Virgo, Libra and Capricorn. It is the birthstone of September and has been the birthstone of April. Sapphire is the symbol of Saturn (dark blue) and Venus (light blue).