Metal
Silver
The silver jewelry and accessories available at Bali Designs are made of beautiful sterling silver. For our collection, we have chosen classic designs created by some of the finest silver craftsmen. This guide will help you learn to identify quality in silver jewelry and accessories.
Sterling Silver
Pure silver, also called fine silver, is relatively soft, very malleable, and easily damaged so it is commonly combined with other metals to produce a more durable product. The most popular of these alloys is sterling silver, which consists of 92.5 percent silver and 7.5 percent copper. Although any metal can make up the 7.5 percent non-silver portion of sterling, centuries of experimentation have shown copper to be its best companion, improving the metal's hardness and durability without affecting its beautiful color. The small amount of copper added to sterling has very little effect on the metal's value. Instead, the price of the silver item is affected by the labor involved in making the item, the skill of the craftsperson, and the intricacy of the design.
Stamps Of Quality
Most high quality silver items are stamped with a "fineness" or "quality" mark. This mark designates the precious metal content of the jewelry, and under federal law, must be accompanied by a maker's mark or registered trademark.
Silver Alloys
Because pure silver is so soft, it should only be used when malleability is required, such as in handcrafted jewelry featuring weaving and other intricate designs. Sterling silver is most often used for jewelry and household accessories because of its combination of beauty and durability. Acceptable quality marks for sterling silver include:
- sterling
- sterling silver
- ster
- .925
Care
With proper care, your fine quality silver will last a lifetime. To minimize scratches and other damage, store your silver jewelry either in a cloth pouch or in a separate compartment in your jewelry box. Avoid exposing your silver to household chemicals when cleaning with bleach or ammonia, or when swimming in chlorinated water, as these chemicals can damage silver.
Clean Your Silver Regularly
Care should also be taken to prevent silver tarnish build-up, a dulling that naturally occurs when silver reacts with sulfur or hydrogen sulfide in the ambient air. To clean your silver, use polishes formulated specifically to remove tarnish. You can find fine silver polishes, solutions, or cloths appropriate to remove tarnish at most hardware stores or specialty craft stores. Tarnish is most easily removed when it first becomes visible. Although wearing your silver jewelry often is the best way to prevent tarnish from building up, regular cleanings of all your silver items will prevent tarnish and keep your silver bright and sparkling. Look for the fineness mark and the maker's mark on the underside of the silver item you are considering to ensure the quality.
Gold
Gold has an extraordinary heritage with unique qualities. As an enduring element found naturally in a distinct yellow color, gold is resistant to rust, tarnish, and corrosion. Although gold is very strong, it's also the most malleable of all precious metals.
Purity
Pure gold is too soft for everyday wear, so it is alloyed with a mixture of metals like silver, copper, nickel, and zinc to give it strength and durability. Karatage, denoted by a number followed by "k" indicates purity, or how much of the metal in a piece of jewelry is gold. Karatage is expressed in 24ths, making 24k gold, 100% gold.
We craft our jewelry using both 18k and 14k gold. 18k gold is composed of 75% gold, which is alloyed with other metals to make it strong enough for everyday wear. 14k gold is composed of 58.3% gold and 41.7% of other metals.
Color
The color of gold is determined by two factors:
- The type of metal alloys included
- The percentage of each metal alloy
Yellow Gold
Natural gold and color-saturated alloys are what give yellow gold jewelry its rich shine. The alloys most commonly used, are copper with a red hue, and silver featuring a green hue. An expert mixture of copper, silver and pure gold gives this precious metal its signature warmth.
White Gold
A silvery white character is what makes white gold jewelry so appealing. In order to make the gold white, it is combined with metal alloys that are white in nature and plated with an extremely hard element called rhodium. Although strong, rhodium may wear away over time. Replating is a simple process that can be done to restore whiteness to your jewelry.
White Gold With Black Rhodium
Black rhodium is plated to white gold creating a rich black appearance that is extremely hard and strong. As with traditional white rhodium, black rhodium may wear away over time. Replating is a simple process that Bali Designs offers to restore your jewelry's black finish.
Rose Gold
The beautiful pink hue of rose gold jewelry is created by using a copper alloy. Again, the overall percentages of metal alloys is the same for rose gold as it is for yellow or white, there is just a different mixture in what alloys are used.
Vermeil
Rich in golden color, many of our fine jewelry pieces are crafted with vermeil. The industry standard definition of vermeil is sterling silver that is plated with 10k gold with a minimum of 2.5 microns in thickness for longwearing durability. At Bali Designs, we strive to offer a higher quality to our customers. Our vermeil pieces feature 14k to 24k gold.
For More Information...
Gold, element Au, was one of the first known metals. The gold standard defines the world's currency system, whereby money represents a value in gold.
24 karat = 100% gold
Too soft for fine jewelry
22 karat = 91.7% gold
Too soft for fine jewelry
18 karat = 75.0% gold
Ideal for fine jewelry
14 karat = 58.3% gold
Ideal for fine jewelry
10 karat = 41.7% gold
Not acceptable for jewelry
Our 18k and 14k gold jewelry is intricately crafted into beautiful pieces for every occasion or style.
Pricing
Gold jewelry prices are dependent upon the purity of the gold used or karat weight, the market value of gold, and the level of craftsmanship and design of each jewelry piece.
Care
Since gold is a natural element, it is affected by harsh chemicals such as chlorine or other cleaning products. We recommend that you remove your jewelry when using chemicals to reduce daily abrasions and prolong the luster. To clean gold jewelry, use a solution of warm water and detergent-free soap with a soft-bristled brush. When not worn, store your gold pieces in soft cloth bags or the original box to protect them from the elements of daily exposure.
Shop our yellow, white, and rose gold jewelry collections.
Gem Stones Education
This guide defines the five essential characteristics of gemstone quality. By understanding these characteristics, you'll be able to shop with confidence. Print this helpful information and take it with you shopping so you can make the best choice on a beautiful piece of gemstone jewelry.
Color
The jewelry industry recognizes the highest quality gemstones by purity of their hue, the depth of tone, and the color saturation. The best value is in colors that include "slight" traces of other colors, are not too light or dark, and have a lot of saturated color. Bali Designs offers some of the highest-quality colored gemstones available. Nearly all gemstones today, including Bali Designs stones, have been treated to enhance their color. The most common methods of treatment are heating, nearly always seen with aquamarine, citrine, amethyst, sapphire, ruby and tanzanite, bleaching commonly seen with pearls, and irradiation performed on nearly all blue topaz.
Clarity
Almost all gemstones contain inclusions. Even those most highly prized have at least some inclusions. Flawless gemstones are very rare and very expensive. The best value is found in gems that are lightly to moderately included, like those in Bali Designs gemstone jewelry. Emeralds are typically treated with colorless oil, wax or resin to minimize surface-reaching inclusions.
Cut
Unlike diamonds, with gemstones there isn't an "ideal" cut geometrically configured for maximum brilliance. But a high-quality gemstone cut is one that presents the most even color, exposes the fewest inclusions, and displays the majority of the gemstone weight when set in jewelry.
Size
The carat weight of a gemstone is not necessarily an accurate gauge for gemstone size. To help you judge the size of a gemstone, Bali Designs lists the diameter of the gemstone when viewed from above - since if the gemstone is set in jewelry; this is the only part of the gemstone that is visible.
Enhancements
Nearly all gemstones on the market, including gemstones offered by Bali Designs, have been treated to enhance their appearance. Gemstones that have not been treated but exhibit desirable color and clarity command extravagant prices. Some enhancement treatments are almost universal, are permanent, and require no special care of the gemstone, such as heat treatment to enhance color. Other treatments are common, and may require more or less special care to avoid damage, such as infusion of colorless oil, wax or resin to improve clarity.
Gem Stone Enhancements
Bali Designs's Colored Gemstone Enhancement Policy
Bali Designs offers consumers only the highest quality, authentic gemstones. Our colored gemstones undergo rigorous internal inspections by our trained gemologists to ensure they meet our stringent quality standards.
Due to their rarity and unique visual properties, nearly all colored gemstones sold at fine jewelers, including Bali Designs, are enhanced using various techniques. Many of these techniques have been used for centuries. Colored gemstones that have not been enhanced are very rare and command extravagant prices.
Our white and fancy-color diamonds are not enhanced in any way, other than normal cutting and polishing. Black diamond fashion jewelry contains natural diamonds that have been treated to create the unique black color.
Colored Gemstone Enhancement Processes
There are many methods of enhancing colored gemstones. We describe the most common enhancements below. For more information on colored gemstone enhancements, see the American Gem Trade Association's Gemstone Information Manual.
Heat Treatment
The application of heat to enhance the color and/or clarity of gemstones has been a common practice around the globe for centuries. It is part of the standard polishing and finishing process for many colored gemstones. As such, it is accepted by the jewelry industry and the American Gem Trade Association. The enhanced color and/or clarity of heat-treated gemstones is permanent.
Infusion
The filling of a gem material with an oil, wax, glass, resin or other material, colored or colorless, to improve appearance. This process began centuries ago by gemstone merchants who found that immersing emeralds in oil or waxes made them look clearer to the unaided eye. This practice continues today with many colored gemstones.
Coating
The use of wax, resin or oil applied to the exterior of a porous colored gemstone to protect the natural substance, and to improve sturdiness and appearance.
Bleaching
The application of chemicals or other elements to lighten or enhance color consistency.
Dyeing
The act of adding coloring agents so that they permeate a colored gemstone to enhance or alter color.
Irradiation
The alteration of a gemstone's color through the use of radiation. This is often followed by a heating process. The enhanced color of irradiated gemstones is permanent.
New And Future Technologies
Techniques for enhancing colored gemstones, either detectable or otherwise, are continually being developed. These may be difficult, or in rare cases, impossible to detect, even for the most sophisticated laboratory. Bali Designs will continue to work with industry groups and gemological experts who are committed to the identification and disclosure of new and future techniques in order to maintain our stringent quality standards.
Basic Gemstone Care
While gemstones are durable, they require varying levels of care. For example, some gemstones are especially vulnerable to household chemicals and temperature changes. Cleaning gemstones presents special challenges. While many gemstones should be cared for by following our basic care guidelines below, please refer to our Gemstone and Pearl Care and Enhancement Overview to understand the care requirements for your specific stone. If you still have questions, please contact Bali Designs customer service.
Cleaning
After removing your gemstone jewelry, clean it by following the directions on a non-abrasive jewelry cleaner. Make sure that the jewelry cleaner specifies that it is safe to use with your gemstone. Use a soft cloth to remove any remaining dirt or other residue.
Storing
Store your gemstone jewelry in a lined case or a soft cloth, so the gems do not touch each other or parts of other jewelry. Gemstones are harder than gold, silver, or platinum and can scratch the surfaces of your other fine jewelry if they are not kept separate.
Wear
While it's true that gemstones such as ruby and sapphire are second only to diamond on the hardness scale, it is not a measurement of their indestructibility. It means that these gemstones are able to resist scratching almost as well as a diamond. Abrasive surfaces, harsh chemicals, and sharp blows can damage even the hardest gem. Your gemstone jewelry should be the last thing you put on when getting dressed and the first thing you take off at the end of the night. Store your gemstones carefully and they will be enjoyed for generations.
Type of Gem Stones:
Actinolite Cat's Eye
Actinolite is a rare translucent variety of chatoyant actinolite. It is an amphibole silicate that is sometimes mistakenly called 'cat's eye jade'.
Malachite
Malachite is copper carbonate with distinctive green veining. Though not a particularly hard stone, it takes an excellent polish.
Agate
Agate is a form of chalcedony quartz that forms in concentric layers in a remarkable variety of colors and textures.
Mali Garnet
Mali garnet, is one of the hybrid garnets, a mixture of grossular and andradite garnets. It gets its name from the African country where it was first discovered.
Agate Geode
Agate is a form of chalcedony quartz that forms in concentric layers in a remarkable variety of colors and textures. Geodes are rock cavities or vugs with internal crystal formations.
Maw-Sit-Sit
Maw-sit-sit is an unusual gemstone. It was first discovered in 1963 and named after a village in Northwestern Burma.
Alexandrite
Alexandrite is one of the rarest of all colored gemstones and is famed for its color change from green in daylight to red under incandescent light.
Melanite
Melanite is the black variety of the rare andradite garnet. It is sometimes known as titanian andradite.
Almandine Garnet
Almandine garnet, the most common garnet, is dark-brownish or purplish-red. Garnet is very popular for its excellent hardness and brilliance.
Moldavite
Moldavite is a bottle-green to brown-green gemstone belonging to the tektite group. It is formed from condensed rock vapors after a meteorite impact.
Amazonite
Amazonite is a gemstone variety of green microcline, a feldspar mineral. It is named after the Amazon river in Brazil, although no deposits have been found there.
Moonstone
Moonstone is a unique stone that reflects light in a distinctive shimmering phenomenon known as adularescence.
Amber
Amber, the fossilized, hardened resin of the pine tree, is one of the few gemstones of organic origin. Most amber is found in the Baltic, where it formed about 50 million years ago.
Morganite
The pink form of beryl was named morganite, after the American banker and collector J.P. Morgan. A soft pink to violet, morganite belongs to the same family as emerald.
Amethyst
Amethyst is the most precious gemstone within the quartz group. Amethyst ranges in color from pale lilac to deep reddish-purple.
Moss Opal
Moss opal is a milky white opal with unique inclusions of green hornblende in moss-like patterns.
Ametrine
Ametrine is a form of quartz that occurs in bands of yellow and purple, a combination of the colors of amethyst and citrine.
Mystic Quartz
Mystic quartz is the product of a new high tech enhancement process, whereby a coating is applied to colorless quartz.
Ammolite
Ammolite is a rare gemstone of organic origin that is fairly new to the market, with commercial mining beginning only in 1981.
Mystic Topaz
Colorful mystic topaz is the product of a high tech enhancement process that is stable and permanent.
Andalusite
Andalusite is a strongly pleochroic gem, which means that it can display different colors when viewed from different angles.
Nuummite
Nuummite is an opaque metamorphic rock with an iridescent play of color. Its chief constituent minerals are gedrite and anthophyllite.
Andesine Labradorite
Supplies of andesine-labradorite are quite recent, with the mineral found in a range of colors, including red, yellow, champagne and green.
Obsidian
Obsidian is naturally occurring volcanic glass. It is formed when felsic lava extruded from a volcano cools without crystal growth.
Apatite
Apatite, a stone seldom found in jewelry stores, is beloved by collectors for its many different colors and forms.
Onyx
Onyx is the black form of chalcedony, a cryptocrystalline form of quartz.
Aquamarine
Aquamarine is best known for its breathtaking range of blue colors and belongs to the same family as emerald (beryl). Aquamarine is colored by trace amounts of iron.
Opal
More than any other gem, each opal is unique. No other stone has such rich and varied folklore. Opals are also the most delicate gems commonly worn.
Aventurine
Aventurine is a type of green quartz often used for carvings and cabochons.
Opal Doublet
An opal doublet consists of a slice of natural opal glued to a black backing, which causes the color to become more vibrant.
Axinite
Axinite is a group of brown to violet-brown or reddish-brown minerals that sometimes occur in gem quality. Axinite is distinctive for its strong vitreous luster.
Orthoclase
Orthoclase is a transparent yellow feldspar resembling citrine quartz or yellow beryl, found primarily in Madagascar.
Azotic Topaz
A new high tech enhancement process using thin film deposition has created this new-look topaz.
Paraiba Tourmaline
Paraiba tourmaline is a rare copper-bearing gem with a vivid neon blue color. First found in Brazil in 1989, similar material has since been found in Africa.
Beryl
Beryl is one of the most important gem minerals. The most famous beryl is emerald, but other beryl varieties include aquamarine, heliodor and morganite.
Peanut Wood
Peanut wood is a variety of petrified wood, where the shape and structure of the wood is pre- served when the original organic material is replaced by quartz.
Bloodstone
Bloodstone, also known as heliotrope, is a green gemstone dotted with bright red spots of iron oxide.
Pearl
Pearls are products of bivalve mollusks (mainly oysters and mussels). They are built up of nacre, which is mainly calcium carbonate in the form of aragonite crystals.
Boulder Opal
Boulder opal is the second most prized form of opal, after black opal. The name is derived from the fact that boulder opal is found embedded in ironstone boulders.
Peridot
Peridot belongs to the forsterite-fayalite mineral series. It is an idiochromatic gem, meaning its color comes from the basic chemical composition of the mineral itself, rather than impurities.
Calcite
Pure calcium carbonate is colorless, but calcite is often colored by various impurities, including iron, magnesium, manganese, zinc or cobalt.
Pietersite
Pietersite is a breccia aggregate of hawk's eye and tiger's eye, with swirling colors of blue, rusty red, gold and brown.
Carnelian
Carnelian is a brownish red to orange variety of chalcedony quartz, colored by trace amounts of iron. Darker colors (red-brown to brown) are often referred to by the name sard.
Prehnite
Prehnite, a form of calcium aluminum silicate, has a vitreous mother-of-pearl luster. Affordably priced for its size, prehnite makes distinctive and interesting jewelry.
Cassiterite
Cassiterite is one of the densest gem materials known. It also has a very high refractive index, higher than zircon, sphene and demantoid garnet.
Pyrope Garnet
Pyrope garnet is the most famous of the red garnets. Its dark, blood red color often resembles the color of ruby.
Cat's Eye Apatite
Chatoyancy, (the cat's eye effect), is the reflection of light by parallel fibers, needles, or channels, which resemble the slit eye of a cat.
Quartz
Quartz is one of the most common minerals on earth and is well known in the gemstone world in its many forms including amethyst, citrine and ametrine.
Cat's Eye Aquamarine
Aquamarine is best known for its breathtaking range of blue colors and belongs to the same family as emerald. Cat's eye aquamarine is quite rare.
Quartz Cat's Eye
Quartz cat's eye is quartz in which inclusions of rutile create chatoyancy (the cat's eye effect). Usually found in white, green, yellow or brown.
Cat's Eye Diaspore
Diaspore, sometimes marketed under the name zultanite, is a color change gem from Turkey. Cat's eye diaspore is fairly rare.
Rainbow Moonstone
A combination of orthoclase and albite arranged in layers cause the lovely sheen. Despite the name, rainbow moonstone is actually a variety of labradorite with a multicolored adularescence.
Cat's Eye Scapolite
Scapolite is a sodium calcium aluminum silicate with a hardness of 5.5 to 6 on the Mohs scale. It is named after the Greek word for "stick", since its crystals grow in columns.
Rainbow Pyrite
Rainbow pyrite is a recent find from Russia. The material comes in the form of druzy - a layer of miniature pyrite crystals coating a matrix.
Cat's Eye Tourmaline
Tourmaline with tiny parallel inclusions sometimes displays a strong cat's eye effect when polished.
Rhodochrosite
Rhodochrosite is usually found in an aggregate form with alternating light and dark stripes in zigzag bands.
Chalcedony
Chalcedony is the fine-grained variety of the silica mineral quartz. It has a waxy luster and appears in a great variety of colors.
Rhodolite Garnet
Rhodolite garnet is the name applied to a mixture of pyrope and almandite. Rhodolite tends to be lighter in color than most other kinds of red garnet.
Charoite
Charoite is a new gem on the market, first appearing in 1978. It is found only in one location in Siberia, Russia. The swirling shapes of lavender and violet are quite unique.
Rhodonite
Rhodonite is a manganese iron magnesium calcium silicate, and a member of the pyroxenoid group of minerals.
Chrome Diopside
Chrome diopside is colored by chromium and displays a rich forest green that has similarities to tsavorite garnet and chrome tourmaline.
Rose Quartz
The unique soft pink color of rose quartz is thought to be derived from tiny traces of titanium. Rose quartz crystals tend to be cloudy, which deepens its color.
Chrome Tourmaline
Chrome tourmaline is a distinct variety of tourmaline colored by chromium. It is sometimes referred to as chrome dravite and is known for its rich forest green color.
Rubellite Tourmaline
Vivid pink to red tourmaline, often with a violet tinge, is known as rubellite. It is one of the most valuable tourmaline colors.
Chrysoberyl
Faceted chrysoberyl is a beautiful gem which is not as well known as it deserves. Apart from the very good hardness (8.5 on the Mohs scale), it has excellent luster.
Ruby
Ruby is the red variety of corundum, the 2nd hardest substance on the Mohs scale, with a rating of 9. It is the combination of hardness and rich color that makes fine ruby so valuable.
Chrysoberyl Cat's Eye
The most famous and valuable cat's eye gemstone is chrysoberyl cat's eye. It is valued for its excellent hardness (8.5) and sharp cat's eye.
Ruby-in-Fuchsite
Ruby-in-fuchsite is a natural combination of ruby and fuchsite in the same specimen. It is an interesting and colorful stone, with blue to emerald-green fuchsite and pink, purple or red ruby inclusions.
Chrysocolla
Chrysocolla is hydrous copper silicate. Often confused with turquoise, chrysocolla is found in unusual multicolor combinations as well as blue or green.
Ruby-Zoisite
Ruby-zoisite is the natural combination of ruby and zoisite crystals in a single specimen. It is often used for carvings.
Chrysoprase
Chrysoprase is a gemstone variety of chalcedony or cryptocrystalline quartz, colored by trace amounts of nickel. Its color varies from apple-green to deep green.
Rutile Quartz
Rutile quartz is clear or smoky quartz with inclusions of rutile crystals.
Citrine
Named after the French word for lemon, citrine is yellow, gold or orange-brown transparent quartz.
Rutile Topaz
Rutile topaz is colorless topaz with inclusions that look like rutile crystals. But the inclusions are actually thin channels of limonite staining.
Clinohumite
Clinohumite is a rare mineral and an especially rare gemstone. Only three sources of gem-quality clinohumite material are known; in Tajikistan, Siberia and Tanzania.
Sapphire
Sapphire, with its excellent hardness, second only to diamond, is one of the four traditional precious gemstones.
Color-Change Diaspore
Diaspore, sometimes marketed under the name zultanite, is a color change gem from Turkey, which was recently introduced to the international market.
Scapolite
As a gemstone scapolite is not well known, but it can be a very attractive stone. Its color, which is usually a vibrant yellow, orange, pink or violet, is its best feature.
Color-Change Garnet
Color-change garnet is a mix of spessartite and pyrope garnet. This garnet presents a color change from brownish in daylight to rose pink in incandescent light.
Seraphinite
Seraphinite is a trade name for a particular form of clinochlore. The dark-green color of seraphinite is enhanced by a silvery and feathery shimmer caused by mica inclusions.
Color-Change Sapphire
Some rare sapphires exhibit a color change under varying lighting conditions. Color change sapphires are typically blue in natural light and purple under incandescent light.
Serpentine
Serpentine is a type of green magnesium silicate aggregate. It is used as a decorative stone or for carvings.
Coral
Precious coral is a species of coral that grows in rocky seabottoms. Coral exhibits a range of warm reddish-pink colors ranging from salmon pink to deep-red.
Sillimanite Cat's Eye
Sillimanite is a type of aluminum silicate that is related to both andalusite and kyanite. In fact, these three minerals share the same chemical composition but have different crystal structures.
Danburite
Danburite gets its name from Danbury, Connecticut, where it was first discovered in 1839. It is quite hard, with a rating of 7 to 7.5 on the Mohs scale.
Smithsonite
Smithsonite is one of two zinc-containing minerals discovered by the British mineralogist James Smithson. The zinc silicate was named smithsonite in his honor.
Demantoid Garnet
Demantoid garnet is the rarest and most valuable of the garnets. Found in green to emerald green, demantoid garnet is scarce and is typically only seen in small sizes.
Smoky Quartz
Smoky quartz is fast becoming a designer favorite for its earthy tone and tribal look. It is one of the few gemstones that is gray or brown.
Dendritic Agate
Dendritic agate is a whitish-gray or colorless chalcedony with fern-like inclusions known as dendrites. The inclusions look like plant material, but they are actually iron or manganese.
Snowflake Obsidian
Obsidian is a naturally occurring volcanic glass. In some stones, the inclusion of white crystals of cristobalite produce a blotchy pattern, known as snowflake obsidian.
Diamond
Diamond, the hardest known natural material, is a transparent carbon crystal. Diamond is famed not only for its superb hardness, but also for its high refractive index and dispersion.
Sodalite
The mineral sodalite gets its name from its sodium content. As a gemstone, sodalite is usually blue, often with a violet tint, and frequently contains white veins of calcite.
Dumortierite Quartz
Dumortierite quartz is an unusual quartz that is intergrown with the mineral dumortierite. The inclusions of dumortierite give it a deep blue color that is unique in the world of quartz.
Spessartite Garnet
The most valuable spessartite garnets display a bright, orange-red. The best specimens come from Namibia.
Emerald
Emerald is the most precious stone in the beryl group. The wonderful green color of emerald is unparalleled in the gem world.
Sphalerite
Sphalerite is a rare collector's gem which has exceptional dispersion (also known as fire). In fact its dispersion rating is three times as high as that for diamond.
Enstatite
Enstatite is a rare gemstone that belongs to the pyroxene group of minerals. It is typically brown-green with a vitreous luster and is a collector's gem.
Sphene
Sphene is a brilliant yellowish-green, green or brown gemstone of high luster, unique color shades and, with brilliant cut, an intense fire.
Fire Agate
Fire agate is a type of opaque, limonite-bearing chalcedony with an iridescence caused by the diffraction of light in its layered structure.
Spinel
Due to its excellent hardness and clarity, spinel is an excellent gemstone for all types of jewelery. Spinel is never treated in any way.
Fire Opal
Fire opal is an unusual variety of opal from Mexico, which can be yellow, orange or orange-red. Some fire opal gemstones are clear enough for facets.
Spodumene
Spodumene is a relatively new mineral to science, with gem varieties discovered only in the last 120 years. Spodumene occurs in white, gray, pink, lilac and green.
Fluorite
Fluorite is a mineral with a veritable plethora of brilliant colors that include purple, blue, green, yellow, colorless, brown, pink and orange.
Star Diopside
Diopside is best known for the vivid green chrome diopside, but the black diopside exhibiting asterism (also known as the star effect) is also important.
Fossil Coral
Fossil coral is a decorative material that is formed when ancient coral is gradually replaced with agate. The proper name for this material is agatized coral.
Star Garnet
Star garnet is a rare and unusual garnet, found only in Idado in the USA and India. It displays a four-rayed star due to aligned inclusions of rutile.
Gaspeite
A recent discovery (1966), gaspeite is a very rare nickel carbonate mineral named after the place in Eastern Canada where it was first described.
Star Lemon Quartz
Star lemon quartz is a lemon-yellow variety of quartz that displays asterism (the star effect).
Goshenite
The colorless precious beryl is known as goshenite. It is named after the small town of Goshen in Western Massachusetts where it was first described.
Star Moonstone
Moonstone is a combination of orthoclase and albite arranged in layers which cause the lovely sheen. Star moonstone exhibits a stunning cat's eye or four-rayed star effect.
Grossularite Garnet
Grossularite (or grossular) garnet is a calcium-aluminium garnet. The name grossular is derived from the botanical name for the gooseberry, grossularia.
Star Rose Quartz
Rose quartz displaying asterism or the star effect is rare. The unique soft pink color of rose quartz is thought to be caused by tiny traces of titanium.
Hackmanite
Hackmanite exhibits an unusual phenomenon known as reversible photochromism, where a mineral changes color when exposed to sunlight.
Star Ruby
Star ruby is a ruby that displays asterism, a six-rayed star that shimmers over the surface of the stone when it is moved.
Hambergite
Hambergite is one of the lesser-known gemstones. It is usually nearly colorless, with the vitreous luster of glass when cut. It is quite a hard material, with a hardness of 7.5.
Star Sapphire
Star sapphire is a sapphire that contains unusual tiny needle-like inclusions. These needles produce a phenomenon called asterism.
Hematite
Hematite is iron oxide that is typically blackish-gray. When highly polished it can sometimes look like silver. Hematite is a remarkably dense material.
Star Sunstone
Sunstone is plagioclase feldspar with a unique glitter from platelets of hematite. Typically it has a red glitter, and more rarely a blue or green glitter. Star sunstones are known but rare.
Hemimorphite
Hemimorphite is usually found in aggregate form with blue and white bands, or mixed with a dark matrix.
Strawberry Quartz
Quartz with red inclusions of lepidocrosite, hematite or goethite is often sold under the name strawberry quartz.
Hessonite Garnet
Hessonite is an orange-brown variety of garnet colored by traces of manganese and iron. It is sometimes known as cinammon stone.
Sugilite
Sugilite is an obscure and quite rare mineral named after the Japanese geologist, Ken-ichi Sugi, who discovered it in 1944.
Hiddenite
Hiddenite is a form of spodumene containing chromium. The green color varies from a yellowish to a bluish-green.
Sunstone
Sunstone is a type of plagioclase feldspar that exhibits a spangled appearance, due to reflections of red hematite.
Howlite
Howlite is an interesting grayish-white mineral that is sometimes referred to as white turquoise because of its distinctive veining.
Tanzanite
Tanzanite is a variety of zoisite. Colors of tanzanite include blue, purple and green. The highly coveted color is deep blue, which has a purple pleochroism.
Idocrase
Idocrase is also known as vesuvianite, since it was originally found on Mt. Vesuvias. The color is normally green, but it can also be brown, yellow, blue or purple.
Tashmarine Diopside
Tashmarine diopside is a brilliant yellow-green diopside from a recent discovery in Tajikistan, Uzbekistan and Western China.
Imperial Topaz
The most sought after of all natural topaz is called imperial topaz. Its rich golden color with reddish and orange overtones is generally not enhanced by any kind of treatment.
Tiger's Eye
Tiger's eye is a type of opaque macrocrystalline quartz with a fibrous structure. It typically displays chatoyant stripes, because structural fibers are crooked or bent.
Iolite
Pleochroism is very pronounced in iolite and is seen as three different color shades in the same stone; violet, yellow-gray and blue.
Tiger's Eye Matrix
Tiger's eye matrix is the name given to tiger's eye that is cut and finished with some of its host rock intact.
Jadeite
Jadeite is found in most colors, including pure white, pink, brown, red, orange, violet, blue, black and a range of greens.
Topaz
Topaz is an important gem due to its hardness and high refractive index. Topaz comes in many colors and blue topaz is especially popular.
Jasper
Jasper is usually considered a type of chalcedony, however, scientists put it in a group by itself because of its grainy structure.
Tremolite-Hexagonite
Tremolite is a rare gemstone sometimes known as 'hexagonite' or 'tremolite-hexagonite'.
Kornerupine
Kornerupine is a rare transparent to translucent, typically brownish-green collector's gem. It was named after Danish naturalist, artist and explorer, Andreas Nikolaus Kornerup.
Tourmaline
One of the most versatile of gems, tourmaline is found in every color. It can show every tone from pastel to dark, and can display various colors in the same stone.
Kunzite
Kunzite is the pale pink-violet to light-violet species of the mineral spodumene. Kunzite is named in honor of the mineralogist George F. Kunz.
Tsavorite Garnet
This green species of garnet was discovered in 1967 by British geologist Campbell R. Bridges in the bush along the frontier between Kenya and Tanzania.
Kyanite
Kyanite is a layered crystal with a vitreous to almost pearly luster that is usually found in a sapphire-like blue color.
Turquoise
Turquoise, the blue cousin of lapis lazuli, has been known and valued for thousands of years. The early mines in Sinai, Egypt, were already worked out in 2000 B.C.
Labradorite
Labradorite is a member of the plagioclase feldspar group and displays a distinctive schiller in lustrous metallic tints.
Variscite
Variscite is a relatively rare type of phosphate mineral. High quality specimens are used as gemstones and for carvings. Variscite is colored by traces of chromium.
Lapis Lazuli
Lapis lazuli has been used for thousands of years in jewelry and ornamental objects. The unique deep blue color has never lost its attraction.
Verdite
Verdite is light to dark-green serpentine rock that is often spotted or variegated. Most specimens come from South Africa and Zimbabwe.
Larimar
The blue variety of pectolite has become known as Larimar. A very rare mineral, it has only been found in the Dominican Republic, where it was first discovered in 1974.
Zircon
Zircon has great brilliance and intensive fire, due to its high refractive index and strong dispersion.
Lepidolite
Lepidolite is a lilac-gray or rose-colored lithium-bearing mineral of the mica group. It is one of the major sources of the rare alkali metals rubidium and caesium.
Birthstones
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January |
Garnet |
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February |
Amethyst |
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March |
Aquamarine or Bloodstone |
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April |
Diamond |
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May |
Emerald |
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June |
Pearl, Moonstone or Alexandrite |
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July |
Ruby |
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August |
Peridot or Spinel |
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September |
Sapphire |
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October |
Opal or Tourmaline |
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November |
Topaz or Citrine |
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December |
Turquoise, Zircon or Tanzanite |
Anniversary Gemstones
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1st Anniversary |
Gold Jewelry |
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2nd Anniversary |
Garnet |
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3rd Anniversary |
Cultured or Natural Pearls |
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4th Anniversary |
Blue Topaz |
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5th Anniversary |
Sapphire |
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6th Anniversary |
Amethyst |
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7th Anniversary |
Onyx |
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8th Anniversary |
Tourmaline |
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9th Anniversary |
Lapis Lazuli |
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10th Anniversary |
Diamond Jewelry |
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11th Anniversary |
Turquoise |
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12th Anniversary |
Jade |
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13th Anniversary |
Citrine |
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14th Anniversary |
Opal |
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15th Anniversary |
Ruby |
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16th Anniversary |
Peridot |
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17th Anniversary |
Watches |
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18th Anniversary |
Cat’s Eye |
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19th Anniversary |
Aquamarine |
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20th Anniversary |
Emerald |
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21st Anniversary |
Iolite |
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22nd Anniversary |
Spinel |
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23rd Anniversary |
Imperial Topaz |
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24th Anniversary |
Tanzanite |
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25th Anniversary |
Silver Jubilee |
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30th Anniversary |
Cultured/Natural Pearl Jubilee |
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35th Anniversary |
Emerald |
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40th Anniversary |
Ruby |
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45th Anniversary |
Sapphire |
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50th Anniversary |
Golden Jubilee |
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55th Anniversary |
Alexandrite |
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60th Anniversary |
Diamond |