Aquamarine comes from the Latin aqua marinus, which translates to “water of the sea,” and refers to its sparkling ocean-like color. We can thank the iron oxides within the chemical makeup of this stone for its beautiful bluish green color.
In ancient lore, Aquamarine was believed to be the treasure of mermaids, and was used by sailors as a talisman of good luck, fearlessness and protection.
Oooh, mermaid jewelry alert!!
Look at these gorgeous beauties!! Of course, these were made with an aqua aura crystal, but I for one count them as mermaid jewelry.
Moving on from modern to traditional let me introduce you to Bloodstone. I know, the name sounds odd, but this is a gorgeous stone!
In the ancient world, Bloodstone (Heliotrope) was considered to be the most beautiful of the Jaspers, a deep, earthy green gem emboldened with spots of bright red. Bloodstone was treasured not only as a talisman of good health and long life but was reputed to bring its owner respect, good fortune, riches, and fame.
Now let’s take a look at an alternative birthstone derived from your birth sign.
March is the month of Pisces and Aries. We learned last month the stone for Pisces is Amethyst and the stone for Aries is….wait for it…
Diamond AND Sapphire!!
I know, you’re probably thinking I have lost my mind, but I kid you not…that makes a total of four choices for March… but I say why choose just one? Did you know that both Diamonds and Sapphires come in a variety of colors? Check out these beautiful Sapphire gems
Now when it comes to colored diamonds, it is estimated that a diamond has only a 1 in 10,000 chance of possessing any natural color, regardless of the spectral hue, which makes any fancy colored diamond a true natural wonder.
Happy Birthday to all of you March babies! Tell me, which of these amazing gems would you choose?
Time to take a look at February’s Birthstone, Amethyst ~
Oh you lucky ones born this month! Amethyst is one of my very favorite stones. And what’s not to love about this beautiful gemstone? From pale lavender to luscious deep royal purple, this stone offers it all.
Much like January’s Garnet, Amethyst is the traditional, modern, and ancient birthstone for February.
The word amethyst comes from the Greek “amethystos” which can be translated “not drunken”.
Legend goes that one day a beautiful maiden named Amethyst was on her way to the Temple of Diana for worship, when she had the misfortune of crossing the path of the wine god Bacchus. Bacchus was in a bad temper, having just been insulted by a mere mortal and he vowed to take revenge on the next mortal he saw by releasing his tigers upon the poor soul. Diana intervened and turned Amethyst into a quartz statue.
Bacchus was remorseful, and poured his wine upon that statue as atonement. The wine stained the quartz a deep violet hue. The beautiful purple stone was for evermore called Amethyst. The ancients believed that a person wearing this stone would be protected against drunkenness and has been used as a symbol of sincerity, security and peace of mind.
Amethyst is well known as the stone of protection, but it is also considered the a wonderful talisman for use in the creative arts, especially in darker shades. It assists endeavors where new, original results need to be created using tools and methods of the past. It is often used as the Artist’s Stone, the Composer’s Stone, the Inventor’s, Poet’s and Painter’s Stones. Keep an Amethyst crystal or cluster in the area to focus and amplify the creative elements of the Universal Life Force.
Amethyst facilitates the transition between life and death. It helps in all things spiritual, mystical and psychic.
Now let’s take a look at an alternative birthstone derived from your birth sign.
February is the month of Aquarius and Pisces.
We learned last month the stone for Aquarius is Garnet and the stone for Pisces is Amethyst.
I know, I told you last month that we would be taking a look at the alternative birthstones, it just so happens that January & February have stayed constant down through the ages. But March, look out!!!
Amethyst is one of those rare gems that looks great mounted in gold, silver, and copper. Personally I love the warmth of copper paired with the rich purple hues of amethyst.
As we embark on a new year and look forward to new beginnings, I thought it would be the perfect time to start a monthly blog post focused around birthstones. The tradition of giving or wearing your birthstone has been part of history since ancient times, but the modern list of birthstones has only been around since 1912 when the Jewelers of America published what has become the Standard or Modern list of birthstones.
Most people know what their birthstone is, but a betting person will wager they don’t know the other eleven and won’t know that there are alternative birthstones! When you are shopping for the perfect gift, like a beautiful necklace or ring with a birthstone, you need to know what your options are!
Birthstones are part of modern society, but each gem has had special significance since ancient times. There are many interpretations spanning across different cultures, even different civilizations, but each month we will focus on the most popular interpretations from traditional and modern as well as non-traditional, including what stone corresponds to each month’s astrological signs.
So, without further ado, let us start with January!! Garnet is both the traditional, modern, and ancient birthstone for January. More specifically, the dark red variety (garnet comes in an array of colors from deep red to pale yellow as seen here).
The word garnet comes from the Latin “granatus” which means having many seeds. Picture the inside of a pomegranate and you will see how this gemstone got its name.
This beautiful stone is thought to symbolize peace, prosperity and good health. Some say it even has the power to give the wearer eternal happiness, health and wealth. Now that sounds fantastic to me!
Let’s look at an alternative birthstone derived from your birth sign.
January is the month of Capricorn and Aquarius. The stone for Capricorns is Ruby (do you notice a color theme here?) The stone for Aquarius is you guessed it, Garnet! It seems that Garnet spans many interpretations of the birthstone for January!
✨ Because I use both treated and untreated crystals in my jewelry offerings I thought I would take a few minutes to talk about the different treatments used on quartz crystals. ✨
It’s my pleasure to create beautiful pieces of jewelry made with the highest quality stones I can find and also pleasing to look at. After all, adornment is all about finding something that is both aesthetically pleasing and fun to wear! That is why I offer natural untreated stones and crystals as well as the treated varieties of crystals. And if these treated stones appeal to you, by all means buy them – I will be the first to admit that while I LOVE natural stones, there is a very appealing aesthetic to the beautiful colors available of Aura Quartz. I have quite a few in my personal collection! The thing is, I want you to be able to recognize the differences in quality.
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We can all agree that no Aura Quartz is actually ‘natural’ – they’ve all been altered by humans one way or another, but they all start with a natural quartz crystal.
What I’m going to talk about today is the different treatments and how you can tell the difference.
High Quality Aura Assortment
Coatings or treatments of crystals are a common way to create new colors not found in nature.
Years ago it was discovered that you could take a somewhat tough mineral (quartz) and place it in a vacuum chamber, heat it to a very high temperature (about 1600 F) and fuse it with an element (precious metal) in gas form. The result is a durable, permanent bond that gives a beautiful sparkle and color to the crystal.
The most common of these elements are gold, titanium, indium and iron oxide.
Gold creates blue, or Aqua Aura. Titanium produces an opalescent white coating, or Angel Aura. Indium produces a violet hue and gives us those beautiful Tanzanite Auras, and Iron Oxide colors the quartz a gorgeous orange, with a vibrant sparkle we call Sunset Aura or Tangerine Aura.
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Of course technology is always moving forward, and the demand for more colors and more affordable options introduced a ‘new’ treatment of dying and Teflon coating. This is often referred to as “Jelly Quartz” or “Jelly Aura”. The Teflon coating gives the quartz a nice rainbow effect, but… one of the reasons for the cost savings is that the coating is sprayed on to the stone. By spraying the coating on the stone, you create a surface that can be easily scratched. Also, if you have ever sprayed paint on a multi edged surface, I’m sure you have noticed that the paint is much thinner on the edges. This can lead to a very unappealing look when that coating starts to wear off, especially if the stone is a hybrid, which is a crystal that exhibits multiple colors. The alternative I have seen is the application of several coats which actually gives the crystal more rounded edges.
Notice the scratched appearance
Notice the lack of color on the edges and the scratched appearance
The color is beautiful on this Jelly Aura, but notice how the edges are rounded and the detailing of the crystal growth is muted by the coating?
In my experience, the easiest way to visibly identify the differences in the ‘Jelly Aura’ as opposed to the higher quality vacuum Aura is to look for a diamond or square patterning on one side the stone. See the photo on the left as opposed to the same crystals on the right?
Teflon Coated “Jelly Aura” Crystals
“Good” Side of the same crystals
The second way to identify is by how the crystal feels. The texture on the jelly crystal is very different from its counterpart, as it has a super smooth texture and in some cases will almost feel like a thick varnish. You won’t get that with the vacuum bonding, because it is a micro fine fused layer, so the crystal will feel almost like its natural counterpart.
Note the fine etchings on the crystal are still visible and the edges are sharp on this high quality Angel Aura.
The color is beautiful on this Jelly Aura, but notice how the edges are rounded and the detailing of the crystal growth is muted by the coating?
Finding a crystal that speaks to you is a very personal journey and you should always choose the one that speaks to you. This article is simply meant to furnish you with information. I hope you found this article both helpful and informative.
Artist Note:
You may find that from time to time I offer a piece with the Teflon coating – but you can be assured that when I include this type of treated crystal in a jewelry piece or home decor item, it will be noted in the description. Sometimes as stated above, it is about the aesthetic and what is pleasing to the eye. 98% of my Aura crystals are high quality, true vacuum fused Aura’s.
For additional info regarding other treatments being used on a variety of stones and crystals, you can check out the following website: TheVug.com
This is a collection of treasures from sea and earth.
Full of the magic of the sea nymphs, goddesses, and witches of legend.
The very essence of ancient sea magic and powerful earth magic combining.
Each component has been chosen with intention for both its esthetic allure and energy. All unique and one of a kind treasures to adorn the body.
Inspired by my love of forest and sea, this collection is very dear to my heart. For where my soul finds its peace is where the forest meets the sea in the great Pacific Northwest.
It is the place my entire being feels at home and where my creativity is revitalized. I have tried to capture that magical place in this collection of one of a kind jewelry pieces. And so I share with you my happy place…
