Posts Tagged ‘Madagascar’
Amethyst
Posted on: September 26, 2011
Chemical Symbol :
SiO2
Chemical Make-up :
Amethyst is made up of the macrocrystalline variety of the crystal Quartz. This is a variety of quartz coloured by traces of manganese, titanium and iron. It is of a pale lilac, mauve or bluish violet colour.
History and Legend: Amethyst, is one of the most popular and mystical stones throughout history. Its use in jewellery, albeit very rudimentary, can be traced as far back as 4000BC, while gold rings set with amethyst stones have been uncovered in burial sites from around 2400 BC. Amethyst is the name given to Purple Quartz. It is believed the name “amethyst” comes from the Greek word “amethystos” which transaltes as “not intoxicated”.As with most stones whose names originate from a Greek word, there is a legend linked to it. The legend about amethyst in Greek Mythology is that Dionysus the god of intoxication, and of wine, was pursuing a maiden named Amethystos, who refused his affections. Amethystos prayed to the gods to remain chaste, a prayer which the goddess Artemis answered, transforming her into a white stone. Humbled by Amethystos’s desire to remain chaste, Dionysus poured wine over the stone as an offering, dyeing the crystals purple.
February’s purple birthstone has been found among the possessions of royalty throughout the ages. The intense violet hue of Amethyst appealed to early monarchs, perhaps because they often wore this color. Purple dye was scarce and expensive at one time, and so it was reserved for the garments of kings and queens. Amethyst has been found in ruins dating as far back as the ninth century, adorning crowns, scepters, jewelry, and breastplates worn into battle. A large Amethyst is among the closely guarded gemstones in the British Crown Jewels.
Amethyst is also symbolic of spirituality and piety. It has been used to ornament churches and crosses used in religious ceremony, and worn in rings and on rosaries by bishops and priests.
Medicine: Amethyst was considered to be a strong antidote against drunkenness, which is why in the olden days, wine goblets were often carved from it. It is also said that when worn close to the body, the stone helps instill a sober mind. Put an amethyst under your pillow to bring about pleasant dreams, or rub it across your forehead to offer relief from a headache. Amethyst opens and activates the crown chakra, the third eye chakra, and can also open the heart chakra. Amethyst can be used to fight a number of disorders including headaches, insomnia, hearing disorders, heart disorders, digestive system disorders, and has even been thought to help stabilize mental disorders. Amethyst also works emotionally and spiritually by providing patience, balance, calmness, and peace.
Evaluation :
Amethyst is rated at 7 on the Moh’s Scale of Hardness. Because of its relative hardness and having no particular warnings for care, Amethyst can be used for all jewelry purposes. Amethyst is found in a variety of hues of purple including deep purple, light lilac, lavender and mauve.
Cleaning :
As with all gemstones, the number one rule of thumb with Amethyst is to try to keep it clean. When cleaning is needed use warm soapy water, and a soft brush. Ultrasonic cleaners are also usually safe.
Common Cuts :
Large, fine quality Amethyst stones are often sold in free sizes, but smaller specimens are cut into all of the commonly recognized shapes / cuts. Lower quality Amethyst specimens are usually carved into ornamental objects or beads, or heat-treated to produce Citrine.
Sourses:
Deposits of this gemstone are found in Brazil, Canada, Australia, India, Madagascar, Namibia, Russia,Sri Lanka; and in the United States.
The best investment is an amethyst of average size weighing between 4 and 8 carats, as dark as possible, but not so much so that the light is prevented from reflecting, and with a deep lustre.
Achroite (Tourmaline)
Posted on: September 23, 2011
Chemical Symbol:
The general symbol for Tourmaline is (Na, Ca)(Li, Mg, Al)(Al, Fe, Mn)6(BO3)3(Si6O18)(OH)4
History:
This was certainly believed by the ancient Egyptians who believed that when Tourmaline traveled from its home in the earth’s core to the surface, it did so along a rainbow, which subsequently gifted the gemstone with all of the colors of the rainbow.
The name tourmaline comes from a Singhalese word, « touramalli », meaning “mixed colored stones” and was originally applied to an assortment of colored stones consisting mainly of zircons. Tourmaline occurs in every color of the rainbow and also in combinations of two or three colors.
Mineralogists gave tourmaline a variety of names, such as elbaite, tsilaisite, dravite, chromdravite, liddicoatite, uvite, schorl, achroite, buergerite, feruvite, foitite, povondraite and rubellite.
Sometimes the colors are at different ends of the crystal, while other times one color is in the heart of the crystal and another on the outside. When the later combination displays a pink center with a green rind it is called “watermelon tourmaline”. Achroite Tourmaline is a member of the Elbaite sub-group of Tourmalines.
This particularly rare, colourless stone is a variety of elbaite, an associate from the tourmaline group. It doesn’t show the strong dichroism characteristic on most tourmaline varieties and for that reason could be cut using the table facet either parallel or perpendicular to along the crystal. Colourless tourmaline can also be made by applying heat to light pink tourmalines.
Sources:
There are known Tourmaline deposits throughout the world including,Afghanistan,Africa,Brazil,Italy,Kenya,Madagascar,Mozambique,Myanmar (Burma),Nigeria,Pakistan,Siberia,Sri Lanka,Tanzania and theUnited States (California,Connecticut,Maine andUtah).
Achroite occurs with coloured tourmalines within the pegmatites of Madagascarand Pala (inCaliforniain theunited states).
Medicine and legend:
As with most gemstones, ancient civilizations credited Tourmaline gems with magical and mystical powers, including having the power to guard against danger and misfortune. Tourmalines are said to have an especially strong influence over friendship and love, lending permanance and stability to both. Tourmaline gems help to amplify psychic ability / energy and are an excellent aid to increasing self-confidence and understanding. Tourmaline is believed to help assist with tranquil sleep, calm nerves, improve concentration and creative processes and to be an aid to curing cancer.
Achroite Tourmaline is said to be especially effective at helping the wearer achieve a more harmonious relationship with higher beings / Gods.
Evaluation:
Tourmaline (regardless of variety) is rated at 7 – 7.5 on the Moh’s Scale of Hardness and as such is suitable for all jewelry uses and is considered durable enough to be worn everyday.
Found in an amazing variety, the sheer number of available Tourmaline colors is second to none and unmatched by any other gemstone. Tourmalines can be found in shades of blue, black, brown, colorless, green, orange, pink, red, yellow and other colors in varying shades and hues, varying from completely transparent to opaque. In addition to this there are also known occurances of bi-color, tri-color, multi-color and “Cat’s Eye” Tourmalines
Arguably the most desirable and valuable Tourmalines in today’s market are known as “Paraiba” Tourmaline. In 1989, Brazilian miners discovered tourmaline unlike any that had ever been seen before.This new type of tourmaline, which soon became known as Paraibatourmaline, came in incredibly vivid blues and greens, due to copper sulfate added to a tiny amount of gold as coloring agent.
This very rare stone demands extremely high prices on the market today.Expect to pay a premium for this variety. There is also currently strong demand for the “Verdelith” Green Tourmaline and Pink Tourmaline (Pink Rubellite). Demand is also increasing expotentioally for many of the varieties of Bi, Tri and Multi-colored Tourmalines, most notably “Watermelon” Tourmaline, which are bi-colored stones with a green border enveloping a red center.
Common Cuts: square or rectangular
Routine Enhancements:
Tourmalines are often heat-treated in order to lighten colors and to remove “silk” (a form of natural imperfection / inclusion).
Availability:
Tourmaline is a very widely available gemstone, with deposits occuring the world over. Whilst the occurance of very high quality, well-colored natural Tourmaline is rare, modern gemstone enhancements and treatments ensure that heat-treated natural Tourmalines are both available and priced at a level making them accessible to all.
Of the many Tourmaline varieties available, the occurrence of natural Achroite, or colorless Tourmaline, is somewhat rare when compared to the other Tourmaline varieties.
Care & Cleaning:
Use warm, soapy water and a soft brush to clean Tourmaline. Ultrasonic cleaners are generally safe. Never use chemicals such as hydrofluoric acid or ammonium fluoride to clean Tourmaline because it can erode the stone.
The ability of this stone to look like other gemstones led to some confusions.
Many gemstones in the Russian Crown jewels from the 17th Century once thought to be rubies are in fact tourmalines.
In South America, where the majority of such gem-quality material is found, green tourmaline is still referred to as the “Brazilian emerald”.
The quantity of such green stones which were mined in the early days of the Portuguese colonization and sent toPortugal as emerald will probably never be known.
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