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After the long coldness of winter and the rebirth of nature in spring, our thought turn to the long, and hopefully warm weeks of summer. At this time we want to wear jewellery which reflects the beauty of the kindest time of the year. You should always wear the jewellery which makes you feel good and which feels right, but if you are stuck for ideas take a look at some of the gemstones listed here.
What do you think of my picks? Are there any stones you would have added?
Citrine
Citirine is a variety of quartz which is a yellow colour due to it’s ferric iron content. Citrine can vary in shade from a pale to a golden yellow and got it’s name from the French word for lemon, “citrin”. There is evidence that it was valued by our ancestors in Ancient Greece by 300 BCE. Citrine occurs in many places around the World, but the biggest producer of this gemstone is Brazil. It’s hardness and durability make it ideal for making jewellery.
Citrine is known as “The Merchant’s Stone” as it is believed by many that it can promote financial prosperity. Citrine is the birthstone for the month of November.
Rose Quartz
Rose Quartz is part of the quartz family of stones getting it’s light pink colour from trace elements of titanium, iron or manganese. It is semi-transparent. Quartz has been favoured in Europe for thousand of years both for it’s suitability for carving figurines and it’s hardness and durability make it perfect for use in making jewellery. It was thought by the Roman historian, Pliny the Elder, that quartz is actually made of water which has become permanently frozen over time. Quartz is very common around the World, but today it mainly comes from either Brazil or Madegascar.
Rose Quartz is thought by some to promote unconditional love, bringing trust and harmony to relationships. Some say it can help to comfort in times of grief or mourning as well as being beneficial to expectant mothers during pregnancy.
See all my quartz earrings here.
Pearls
Pearls are an organic gem and the only one produced by a living creature. It is the birthstone for the month of June and is associated with the 30th wedding anniversary. Pearls are formed by molluscs as a way of protecting themselves when a foreign object gets trapped inside them. Traditionally pearls were gathered at great risk from the sea by divers, but were becoming scares by the end of the 19th century due to over harvesting and increasing levels of marine pollution. At this time, the secret of creating cultured pearls was discovered and now 99% of all pearls are farmed. Pearls can come in a wide range of colours and shapes which depend on the conditions in which it forms. Not all pearls are good enough to make jewellery out of,
and those that do not make the cut are ground up to be used in the making of cosmetics.
The earliest evidence that people prized pearls comes from gravesites on the Arabian Peninsula dating back 7500 years! The ancient Egyptians were using pearls 5000 years ago, and they are mentioned in Ancient Chinese texts dating from 2500 BCE.
Pearls have long been associated with loyalty, purity and clarity. They are also traditionally associated with wisdom hence the phrase “pearls of wisdom”.
See all my Pearl earrings here.
Hematite.
Hematite is a heavy gemstone which is rich in iron. It has been used by people for a very long time and ground hematite was used as an ingredient in the red ochre used by our cave dwelling ancestors to create their beautiful art. Hematite ranges from a grey colour to almost black and has traditionally been associated with blood which is where it gets it’s name from (Greek for blood is “haima”).
Hematite is a hard, but relatively brittle stone and most of the Hematite used to make jewellery today is actually reconstituted out of Hematite dust meaning it can come in a wide rang of shapes and sizes. Reconstituted Hematite is usually called Hematine.
Hematite is found around the World but is most commonly found in England, Italy, Brazil, Canada, Cuba, Mexico and the USA.
Hematite is believed by some to be a grounding stone, good for finding ones balance and centre. It is believed to promote calmness, helping to connect one to the Earth.
See all my hematite earrings here.
Green Aventurine
Green Aventurine is a member of the quartz family of gemstones which was first scientifically described in 1837. It is a hard and durable stone making it suitable for the carving of figurines and for use in making jewellery (it can be faceted for extra sparkle). It can come in a range of colours including blue and orange, but the green variety is the most common. The main source for this gemstone is India.
Green Aventurine is thought by some to promote happiness, confidence and strength. It is said that it can give you the courage to step outside your comfort zone and try new things.
See all of my Aventurine earrings here.
Turquoise.
Turquoise is the birthstone for the month of December and is the stone associated with 11th wedding anniversaries. It has been valued by people for thousands of years including the Ancient Egyptians, Persians, Chinese and, most famously, with some Native American peoples who continue to use is extensively in their jewellery to this day. By the 17th century it was being imported into Europe from Persia through Turkey which gave it it’s name.
It is not particularly hard or durable, but is still valued for making jewellery due to it’s beautiful and distinctive colour.
As Turquoise has become rarer it is becoming increasingly substituted by a more common gemstone, howlite, which is dyed and looks very much like Turquoise, but tends to lack the subtle colour of the real thing.
Some say that Turquoise is a good stone for stabilising mood and is useful in fighting depression. It is also claimed that Turquoise promotes self-realisation and increases a person’s ability to solve problems.
Fortunaearrings is a handmade jewellery store featuring a wide range of unique earrings made of gemstones and sterling silver. As well as gemstone earrings which will appeal to the gemstone collector, you will also find a range of earrings made of Venetian glass lampworked at my Devon workshop. See my full handmade jewellery portfolio by clicking the shop link at the top of this page.