Give a woman only one dress to wear. Emily from ELLE took the plunge to raise money for HIV/AIDS projects.

ANPA tried to ease the pain by contributing some jewellery, have a look:

http://dressforamonth.blogspot.com/2009/09/day-seventeen_17.html

A stunning extension…
we are truly excited to announce that the new addition to our store in Kalk Bay is finally completed!
Breathtaking displays of gemstones and minerals have been unleashed.  A unique selection in an array of cuts and shapes await you to fall in love with.  Take away your “dream gem” or make use of our bespoke jewellery service to have it set.

On Saturday 12 Sept & Sunday 13 Sept
we will pop a couple of corks to celebrate and offer a
10% discount on all gemstone purchases.
Please come and join us any time
between 10h00 and 17h00.

I really envy people who are born in September – what a wonderful birthstone!
Generally books refer to the blue variety of sapphire when it comes to the September birthstone but I am sure one can safely include all other colours. Who would want to leave out the deep pink shades of Malawi or Tanzanian sapphires, or the striking deep yellow of Sri Lankan  specimens. Only the deep red colour of the corundum family was classified as ruby, otherwise the full colour range is named sapphire.

Sapphire has always been associated with divine energy, knowledge and clarity. In ancient times they used to ground sapphires to a powder, used for curing colic, rheumatism and mental illness, and to strengthen eyesight.

A rather expensive cure these days and I think it is a much better idea to use sapphires in jewellery.

And this is exactly what we do, please have a look @ our online shop for sapphire rings and loose sapphires.

Such  great feedback from a client, it had to be published:

The bangle is beyond my expectations and the ring is Fabulastique…..
I am a very lucky guy and appreciate all the work and effort that went into the design and making !!!!
Rgds, DXXXX

Drusy are these beautiful, glittering formations that are getting very popular in contemporary jewellery design right now, but what is it actually?

Many people think that ‘drusy’ is a specific gemstone, but it is rather the state of a gem than a specific stone. You will find amethyst drusy, uvarovite drusy, quartz drusy, pyrite drusy, onyx drusy etc. but also some man made drusy creations such as titanium drusy.

 Drusy  means “covered by a large number of  crystals”. The crystals can either appear on the surface of the mineral or are recessed into a crevice, both formations are called drusy.

The formation of drusy

When molten rock was being forced rapidly up to the surface, the heat and pressure changes caused gasses to expand and created cavities within solidifying rock. Later, water moved through the rock and deposited new minerals into these cavities. Cooling began to occur and the crystallization of these minerals formed on top of and inside the previously crystallized rock. This crystal formation is called Drusy.

If the above intrigues you and you have not seen any of these magic gems, then pop into our store in Kalk Bay and enjoy…

The word ruby does not only sound great for me,  it instantly evokes images of elaborate ball gowns, lavish parties, sumptuous red roses and seriously bling beautiful jewellery.

But not enough like a perfect red rose, the Ruby’s rich color speaks of love and passion and is among the most highly prized of gems throughout history.  It is thought to grow darker when peril is imminent, and to return to its original color once danger was past—provided it is in the hands of its rightful owner! 
Looking at the recently published crime stats for South Africa it seems that a ruby is a must have at this stage. The good news is that there are beautiful rubies available that won’t be a killer to your budget. These stones offer great colour but are not transparent which reduces the price tag dramatically. (Call ANPA to see what selection of rubies we have in stock).

Talking of symbolism, let’s come back to the bright side of the road! Ruby is also associated with eternal love and with its hardness and durability it is a perfect engagement gem. 
If worn on the left hand, ancient lore has it that the Ruby will bring good fortune to its wearer, too! 
I wonder how we can be actually without one…?!!?

Prasiolite is a fairly new gem appearing in the semi-precious arena, but has made quite a showy entry. Prasiolite is a translucent gem displaying hues ranging from greyish green to  dark moss green that just work with most skin tones, outfits and it gets even better, suits most budgets.
Of course, the discussion rages whether it is completely natural or whether it is a type of amethyst that was heat treated to change colour. Some insist that the Montezuma deposits in Brazil are exposed to heat of 932 degrees F which elicits the green colour, others believe that the only natural occurrence is that at Farm Rooisand in the Gamsberg region in Namibia.
I am astonished why everybody worries so much about the authenticity of these gems, but nobody ever really mentions that tanzanite blue is a heat generated colour and tanzanite fetches rather high prices.
So lets give Prasiolite a break, enjoy its beautiful shades of green, its reasonable pricing and the fact that it will attract prosperity when worn…