JustATish Designs: birthstones

Showing posts with label birthstones. Show all posts

Hello September!

Celebrate September with sapphire!!!!

September is the month to celebrate sapphires. Did you know sapphire is a stone of creative expression? Sapphires come in all colors, and if you have a red sapphire, it is a ruby :) What I love about sapphires is they are the stone of hope - they bring hope where there is hopelessness. Isn't that awesome!

You can find this sapphire pendant and other sapphire designs at Just A Tish Designs on Etsy!!!!

It's October! Opal!

October brings in fall and hayrides and bond fires and home coming and chilly nites and ....and...

Can you tell I really like October :)

Opal is the birthstone for the month of October. In ancient times opal was recognized as a symbol of faithfulness and confidence. The brilliantly colored opal was said to have magic powers because of its play of many colors. It was known to strengthen eyesight, protect against contagious diseases, ease sadness, and turn pale in the presence of poison. Opal symbolizes magic, love, hope, happiness, and truth.

This is what I traditionally think of as opal

“Natures Fireworks" and “The Queen of Gems" are some of the superlatives that have been used to describe opal.

My favorite: The Australian Aboriginals believe that they have lived in Australia since the Dreamtime, the beginning of all creation. Over time, their culture has produced a rich variety of mythologies in hundreds of different languages. To the Aborigines, opals, like other minerals, have a spiritual value because they represent something a Dreaming ancestor left behind as a sign of their presence. The aboriginal Wangkumara tribe recount a legend of how their people gained fire from opal stones, with the assistance of a Muda – a creator who switches from human form to pelican:

Long, long ago the Wangkumara people decided to send a pelican (Muda) to explore the Northern Territory, so he could return and tell them what was there. After a time, while still in Queensland, the pelican felt ill and landed on top of a hill. While resting, the pelican observed the ground beneath him, amazed by its magnificent array of colours. Being curious he began to peck at the coloured stones with his beak. Suddenly, a spark flew out and lit dry grass nearby. The flames rose and spread across long distances, approaching a group of Wangkumara who were camped near by. The people were able to cook their meat and fish for the first time, grateful for this new gift brought by these precious stones.

Have you seen boulder opal?? Be still my heart!!!

In the 19^th century, opal was considered unlucky in Europe, due to the plot of a popular novel of the time written by Sir Walter Scott, while in Asia it has always been considered to bring loyalty and hope to the wearer.

Prized for its unique ability to refract and reflect specific wavelengths of light, the Opal was called "Cupid Paederos" by the Romans, meaning a child beautiful as love. One legendary explanation for this gemstone's origin is that it fell from heaven in a flash of fiery lightning.

How about Fire opal...SQUEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEE!!!!! (my mom's favorite)

The Opal dates back to prehistoric times. It is a non-crystallized silica, which is a mineral found near the earth's surface in areas where ancient geothermal hot springs once existed. As the hot springs dried up, layers of the silica, combined with water, were deposited into the cracks and cavities of the bedrock, forming Opal. This gemstone actually contains up to 30% water, so it must be protected from heat or harsh chemicals, both of which will cause drying and may lead to cracking and loss of iridescence. Opal must also be guarded from blows, since it is relatively soft and breaks easily.

Most of the world's Opal deposits are found in Southern Australia. Other sources of this gemstone are Brazil, Mexico, Czechoslovakia and Nevada. Quality Opal is very expensive, made more so by the caution that must be exercised in cutting, polishing and setting it into jewelry.

This is the opal my mom gave me. It is cut on the bias so you can see all the layers in the stone and then inlayed in the pendant. I wear it everyday!

Now lets not forget pink tourmaline :) Pink tourmaline has the seemingly magical property of pyroelectricity. Scientifically speaking, this means that when heated, the gem takes on a static electric charge, making it capable of attracting lightweight objects. No wonder this gemstone was revered for its mystical properties centuries ago! Considered the "stone of the muse," it was believed to stimulate the creative process of its wearer. Pink varieties of Tourmaline range in color from pastel pink to ruby red and are mined in Brazil, Afghanistan, Burma, and India. A gift of this stone is symbolic of hope.

Up until my 30's I didn't know that October had two birthstones, pink tourmaline and opal. Growing up it had always been that little piece of pink glass to represent the pink tourmaline!

What is your favorite thing about October??

January's Birthstone - Garnet

No wonder the saying 'slower than molasses in January' is so true. You ever try and pour cold molasses? When I think January, I think cold, then I think garnets!

Garnet is January's birthstone as we all know, but did you know that garnets come in a range of colors? Here are examples of some. I found examples of all of these different garnets online. Click on the picture and it will take you to the site for more gemstone information.

Almandine - Deep, dark, rich red to purplish red to orange red (probably the most common)

Demantoid - Medium green to slightly yellowish green

Hessonite - Brilliant yellow to yellowish brown (one of my favorites)

Pyrope - Deep, dark, rich red to slightly purple red

Rhodolite - Shades of pink through reddish lavender (absolutely stunning)

Spessartite - Medium orange to reddish orange (sometimes called mandarin garnet and makes me stupid happy)

Tsavorite - Medium, intense green to slightly yellowish green (now ya know why emeralds are the alternate birthstone for January)

Uvarovite - Bright green (most of the examples I found for this garnet were all druzy's)

Now I know you are all wondering "Where can I get garnets?"

Rings & Things
Faceted Fan, Tip Drilled (Rhodolite Garnet)

ArtBeads
Green Grossular Garnet Roundelles

Beadin Path
Garnet Graduated Faceted Marquis Briolettes

I know you have ideas running thru your head right now. Not only is garnet the birthstone for January, but garnets also represent romantic love and passion, making them perfect for your valentine!!

Earrings and Novembers Birthstone - Citrine

I love citrine - as much as I say I love a stone, citrine is my favorite. I gravitate toward it everytime. I have citrine points on my mantel, a citrine tea light holder, citrine pocket stones, citrine hanging from my rear view mirror, a citrine stud in my ear (that I never take out) citrine, citrINE, CITRINE!!!!!

I should have been born in November instead of October the way I celebrate this birthstone.

A little bit about citrine -

"The name Citrine comes from an old French word, "citrin", meaning lemon. One of the more rare forms of quartz, this gemstone ranges in color from the palest yellow to a dark amber named Madeira because of its resemblance to the red wine.

Citrine crystals are found in igneous metamorphic and sedimentary rocks. It is believed that some Citrine may have actually begun as Amethyst, but heat from nearby molten rock changed it to the yellow form of quartz. Citrine is known to change color when subjected to heat and is routinely heated in the jewelry-making process to intensify its color. For this same reason, though, this gemstone should not be left in direct sunlight for a long time because it will permanently alter the color.

A gift of Citrine is symbolic for hope and strength. With its sunny brightness, this gemstone is ideal for helping anyone to get through the tough times in life!"
*from http://www.about-birthstones.com/novemberbirthstone.html*

Citrine is so versatile, from earthy and simple:

To a warm representation of falls harvest colors in citrine colored crystals:

To evenings elegance:

Do you have a favorite piece of citrine jewelry?

September birthstone - Sapphire and alternates.

Traditionally sapphire is the September birthstone but did you know jasper and moonstone are alternate birthstones for this month?

With this selection there is sure to be a style or design to please even the pickiest of persons. I did a wander around a few sites and found not so traditional settings for sapphire. Beautiful and unique, just like the person who deserves to wear it. Why buy a mass produced setting, that looks just like everyone else, when you can buy a hand crafted original work of art? Don't forget jasper and moonstone. They are just as beautiful and should not be discounted because the are not in precious category.

When I saw jasper was in the list I did a little squeal. I love jasper. I love the variety jasper has. This stone runs the gambit of all colors. From your classic red jasper to the beautiful warm multi-colors of mookite, and into the mottled greens and browns of ocean jasper. How you can pick one variety of jasper as a favorite, is beyond me. I love them all!

I have included a smattering of great designs, including a couple of my own, being that jasper was on the list. I hope you enjoy them, and that this is an introduction to a new artist you will decide to follow to find out what else they are doing.

Happy birthday September babies!

Sapphire ring - masaoms at etsy.com