December 8th 2015 6:06 am | by Gemme Couture | Posted in Blog
Derived from the Arabic words zar and gun, meaning gold and color, zircon is found in a wide range of colors such as: blue, yellow, orange, brown, green, colorless, and red (the most prized color). However, most people think of a bright sky blue when they hear Zircon, hence the most popular colors of Zircon are the vivid blue and bright Caribbean Sea colors. For many years colorless zircon was used to imitate diamonds.
In the Middle Ages, Zircon was said to aid in resting, bring prosperity and promote honor and wisdom in its owner. Folk wisdom grants zircon the power to relieve pain, whet the appetite, protect travelers from disease and injury, to ensure a warm welcome, and to prevent nightmares guaranteeing a deep, tranquil sleep. Major sources of zircon are the Chanthaburi area of Thailand, the Palin area of Cambodia, and the southern part of Vietnam.
Gemme Couture jewelry – Blue Zircon Necklace and Red-Brown Zircon with South Sea Pearls Necklace and Zircon Gemstones
Discovered in the late 1960s in Tanzania, Tanzanite is a one-of-a-kind gemstone unlike any other and can only be found in one place on Earth: the foothills of Mount Kilimanjaro. Tanzanite exhibits a rich violet-blue color for which the gemstone is treasured; often it is heat-treated to achieve this color. Colors range from blue to purple, and Tanzanites that are medium dark in tone, vivid in saturation, and slightly violet blue command premium prices. In smaller sizes, Tanzanite usually contains lighter tones and the lavender color is more common. While in larger sizes, Tanzanite typically displays a deeper, richer and beautiful blue. As tanzanite can be less expensive than sapphire, it often was purchased as an alternative. However, it has increased in popularity and now is valued more for its own beauty and brilliance than as a sapphire substitute.
Rough Tanzanite; Cut Tanzanite Gemstones and Gemme Couture jewelry – “Byzantine Times” Ring with Tanzanite Cabochon, Emerald and Diamonds
The name turquoise, from the French expression Pierre tourques or Turkish stone, originated in the thirteenth century and describes one of the oldest known gemstones and its popularity has spanned the globe for centuries. It graced the necks of Egyptian Pharaohs and adorned the ceremonial dress of early Native Americans Turquoise varies in color from greenish blue, through robin’s egg-blue, to sky blue shades and its transparency ranges from translucent to opaque, its finest color being an intense blue. Turquoise may contain narrow veins of other materials either isolated or as a network. They are usually black, brown, or yellowish-brown in color. Known as the matrix, these veins of color are sometimes in the form of an intricate pattern, called a spider web. Turquoise has been attributed with healing powers, promoting the wearer’s status and wealth, protecting from evil and bringing good luck.
Turquoise was among the first gems to be mined, and while many historic sites have been depleted, some are still worked to this day. These are all small-scale, often seasonal operations, owing to the limited scope and remoteness of the deposits. Most are worked by hand with little or no mechanization. However, turquoise is often recovered as a byproduct of large-scale copper mining operations, especially in the United States. Several mines exist in Arizona, the most important producer of turquoise by value, two of them famous for their unique color and quality and considered the best in the industry: the Sleeping Beauty Mine in Globe ceased turquoise mining in August of 2012. The mine chose to send all ore to the crusher and to concentrate on copper production due to the rising price of copper on the world market. The price of natural untreated Sleeping Beauty turquoise has risen dramatically since the mine’s closing.
Turquoise Pebbles; Sleeping Beauty Turquoise Rough stone and Drop Cut Pebble; Gemme Couture jewelry – Sleeping Beauty Turquoise Drop Earrings with South Sea Pearls and Diamonds and Turquoise Pebble Necklace with Dangling Diamond all on 18K Gold
