Actually there are two gems: the one is aquamarine, the other bloodstone. I am not a big fan of bloodstone (sorry!!), so I will focus on aquamarine in this post. It is also the accepted anniversary gem for the 19th year of marriage.

The name aquamarine was derived by the Romans, “aqua” meaning water and “mare” meaning sea, because it looked like sea water. They were considered sacred to Neptune, god of the sea. This association with and safe voyages as well as protection against perils and monsters of the sea.

The aquamarine was believed to possess medicinal and healing powers - the association with water led to the belief that the Aquamarine was particularly powerful when immersed. Water in which this gemstone had been submerged was used in ancient times to heal a variety of illnesses of the heart, liver, stomach, mouth and throat. Aquamarines were also used to reverse poisoning and to aid in fortune telling.
Aquamarines were thought to be the source of power for soothsayers, who called it the “magic mirror”, and used it for telling fortunes and answering questions about the future. It is said that Emperor Nero used it as an eyeglass 2,000 years ago, and much later, aquamarines were used as glasses in Germany to correct shortsightedness. In fact, the German name for eyeglasses today is “brille”, derived from the mineral beryl.

Aquamarines vary in color from deep blue to blue-green of different intensities, caused by traces of iron. Naturally occurring deep blue stones are the most prized because they are rare and expensive. However, yellow beryl stones can be heated to change them to blue aquamarines. Aquamarine is mined primarily in Brazil, Nigeria and Zambia.

Amethyst is the birthstone for February as well as the gem for the zodiac sign pisces. Amethyst is found in many locations, generally the lighter shades come from the “Americas” and the dark tones from African countries such as Zambia.

Amethyst is a balancing gem, it brings peace of mind and drives away enflamed passions and worries. Because of its calming mental effect, amethyst is a stone that can be used for over- worked, over -stressed, or overwhelmed mental states, and it gives protection to those who wear it. It is one of the best stones to use for tension or migraine headaches.

Wow! We have purchased some stunning drilled tourmalines. A lot of thick tubes in dark pinks, thin facetted tubes in olive or peppermint green, watermelon tourmaline cabochons…..

Truly beautiful stones that we are busy turning into unique beaded necklaces - some are already on display, some to be finished.

So if you are a tourmaline fan, give us a call if you wish to see photos or to find out which store holds what design!

we went on short trip to the northern cape and of course could not resist to search for unusual minerals. We brought back a fine selection. Part of the collection is already on display in the Gemstone Boutique in Kalk Bay.

It again and again amazes me what unique, unbelievable minerals and gems can be found in the Northern parts of South Africa… 

Garnet is the birthstone for January as well as the gem for the zodiac sign aquarius.

One glance at the deep red seeds nestled inside of a pomegranate fruit explains why the word “garnet” comes from the Latin word “granatus,” meaning “grain” or “seed.”  This name was given to the garnet because of its close resemblance to the succulent pomegranate seed. 

The good news is that garnets do not only come in the colour red as not everybody is a fan of that colour. The garnet comes in a variety of other hues, including muted yellows, vibrant oranges, rosy pinks, lime greens, and violets—a virtual bouquet of colors.  This diversity is due to unique combinations of elements within each particular gem, such as iron, calcium, and manganese.  

The garnet continues to be the protective gem of journeyers. A gift of garnet is thought to be symbolic of love and the desire for a loved one’s safe travel and speedy homecoming. 

I am really excited to announce that we have the most stunning seed pearls available (so hard to come by these days). All of them have great lustre, are close to perfect round and range in size from about 1.5 to 3mm. Soon there will also be some finished necklaces and bracelets.

 Stay tuned!

Yet again it seems daunting to identify the correct stone for December. There is quite a variety to choose from:

Tanzanite became an official December birthstone on October 30, 2002, in the first revision to the birthstone list since 1912.

More commonly accepted seems to be Turquoise as a December birthstone and also is the gem for the fifth and eleventh wedding anniversaries.  Representing happiness, usually seen as a holy stone associated with happiness and luck.

Historically there are Lapis Lazuli and Zircon (not to mix with the synthetic Zirconia – Zircon is a beautiful brown tone gem, mainly sourced in Sri Lanka)

Mystical Birthstone - Onyx (Black) - The Mystical Birthstone list was obtained from a Tibetan book said to be over a thousand years old. Legend has it that these birthstones really help one overcome the obstacles of their birth month.

Ayurvedic Birthstone - Ruby (Red) - The Ayurvedic Birthstone list is from Ayurvedic Indian Medicine - an ancient type of medicine used for thousands of years. If you want a healing gemstone, you may wish to consider  these.