Amber is a fossilized resin from an extinct species of resin-producing trees which flourished some 40-60 million years ago in what is now known as the Baltics, specifically Poland, Russia and Lithuania. Baltic amber which has been submerged in the Baltic Sea region is considered the highest quality in the world. Speculation in the wide variance of colours is often attributed to the type of tree that the resin was formed from, as well as the different earth and insect components it absorbed in its movement. Amber can be found in many colour varieties including shades of cognac, green, and lemon. Some colours such as cherry amber are created through heating and chemical processes. Along with its beauty, it has been known for its electromagnetism and purifying properties. The name Amber is actually derived from the Greek word for “electron”, which is the name origin for electricity. Return to top
Amazonite is found in Brazil, Africa, Russia and the United States. This gemstone often displays a "schiller of light" which is caused by its inclusions. A schiller is a lustrous reflection or more commonly known as irridescence. Amazonite displays an array of varied shades of green and blue and is not enhanced. Amazonite was used extensively by the Egyptians and named the "stone of courage" after the Amazon women warriers. Return to top
Amazonite
Amethyst
Amethyst is a type of quartz and considered the most valued member of this family. This gemstone displays varying shades of deep purple to lilac/mauve and also presents in a pale green hue. Amethyst can be found in many parts of the world. The combination of deep purple with a rose tint being the most popular combination. Ancient healers considered this gemstone to have strong healing properties and referred to it as “natures tranquilizer”. Return to top
Blue Topazis found in most continents of the world, the largest examples being from Brazil. This gemstone is typically found in a yellow or brown colour but can also come in green, blues, reds and pinks. Swiss or London Blue Topaz refers to the deeper and darker blue stones with sky blue being a lighter shade. The name Topaz is believed to come from the Greek word "Topazos" meaning green gemstone. Topaz played a large role in mystic rituals of ancient cultures highly regarded for it's protective powers. Return to Top
Blue Topaz
Brecciated Jasper
Brecciated Jasper is a beautiful example of the Jasper family found in a range of rich, warm tones of red, orange and brown. Brecciated Jasper is composed of sharp angled fragments or “breccia” embedded in a fine grained matrix. Initially fractured, the cracks between the fragments are later “healed” by the heat and pressure forcing new material into the gaps. Brecciated Jasper can be found in Asia, Egypt and parts of Lybia. Return to top
Carnelian is a type of Chalcedony which belongs to the Quartz family. This popular gemstone is found in Australia, Brazil, Madagascar, South Africa and the United States. It is most commonly found in a range of colours from deep brownish orange to a pale milky orange colour. This stone is featured in much folklore and often thought to purify the blood and enhance fertility and passion. Return to top
Carnelian
Chalcedony
Chalcedony is a crystalline member of the quartz family. Chalcedony is an opaque and translucent gemstone which comes in a wide variety of colours. It is found worldwide and is named for the ancient Greek town of Chalkedon. Native Indians believed chalcedony to be a sacred stone and it was used for many of there spiritual ceremonies. Return to top
Charoite was discovered in Russia in 1978 which is the only known location of this gemstone. It is named after the Charo River found in the Muran Mountain region of Russia. Charoite displays many shades of purple, lavender and violet with wild swirling patterns of fibrous material. Charoite is said to enhance self esteem, accelerate spiritual growth and improve the ability to love. Return to top
Charoite
Citrine
Citrine is a variety of quartz ranging from pale yellow to darker hues of brown and orange. Pale yellow or light orange is the natural colour of citrine and examples of darker reddish brown stones are usually heat treated. Natural Citrine can be found in the Ural Mountains of Russia and also in France and Madagascar. Citrine crystals can form together with amethyst or smoky quartz to create a bi-coloured quartz called Ametrine. Return to top
Crazy Lace Agate is found only in Northern Mexico in the Sierra Santa Lucia. Agates are a multi-coloured variety of Chalcedony that form as nodules inside volcanic rocks. This gemstone provides a wide array of twisting, swirling patterns of soft pastel tones highlighted by bold reds and blues. This stone is not treated or dyed and these colourations are completely natural giving a unique and distinctive design to each stone. Return to top
Crazy Lace Agate
Flint (Polish)
Polish Flint is found only in the Jurassic limestone of Poland. The ancient mines were discovered in the 20th century and this gemstone dates back 160 million years. The dark grey and tan swirled patterns create subtle and unique designs. During the neolithic period 5000-3500 years ago flint was used to make arrowheads, axes and knives. This gemstone is said to help calm emotional drama and heal past hurts. Return to top
Garnet appears in a variety of colours including shades of green but probably the most recognizable is the deep, crimson red gemstone. The rarest is the blue garnet discovered in Madagascar in the 1990’s. Garnets are found in the United States, South Africa, South America and parts of the United Kingdom. This gemstone dates back thousands of years to Ancient Egyptian times and was said to act as a talisman and provide protection. Return to top
Garnet
Golden Sheen Obsidian
Golden Sheen Obsidian is a type of naturally occurring glass created when certain types of volcanic lava flow come in contact with water. This process produces a glassy texture resulting in rock. Golden Sheen Obsidian contains small bubbles of air that aligns along layers of molten rock. This light refraction through the tiny bubbles produces the stunning sheen effect. Return to top
Green Amethyst is often called Prasolite, Vermarine or Lime Citrine. It is a member of the quartz family and ranges in colour from a light sage green to a deep grass green. Green Amethyst is mined primarily in Brazil and Arizona. This gemstone is in the large Quartz family which includes Citrine and Ametrine. This gemstone possesses magnetic properties and is often used in healing ceremonies. Return to Top
Green Amethyst
Iolite
Iolite is a rich violet blue gemstone often compared to a light blue sapphire although much more affordable.Often referred to as "water sapphire" it displays a range from light violet to deep blue. This gemstone is primarily found in Sri Lanka, India, Madagascar and Burma. The name iolite comes from the Greek work "ion" which means violet. The cut of this gemstone has to be created exactly in the right direction so that the colour can be shown to its best advantage. The Viking mariners used thin pieces of Iolite to create a filtered lens with which they determined the exact position of the sun. Return to Top
Labradorite is a truly fascinating and beautiful mineral. It is widely known for its iridescent properties or “labradorescence" caused by the play of light across the many planes and cut sections of the gemstone. The striking and intense colours range from blues and violets through to greens, yellows and oranges. Also known as spectrolite, it is found in Canada, Northern Europe and Madagascar. Return to top
Labradorite
Lapis
Lapis is considered a rock, not a mineral. It is a combination of various minerals, primarily lazurite with traces of blue sodalite and pyrite(fools gold). Lapis is found in varying shades of blue with hints of violet and flecks of gold. This gemstone has been mined for more than six thousand years and is found in Siberia, Chili, Pakistan and parts of North America. The ancient Egyptians used Lapis for seals, eyelid cosmetics and often carved it as a decorative adornment on vases and figurines. Return to top
Lemon Topaz is a yellow variety of the quartz family. It is more lemon in colour than a citrine which can display deeper tones of orange and browns. Most of the world supply of Lemon Topaz comes from Brazil. This gemstone grows in a hexagonal crystal shape and the shades of yellow are caused by iron breaching into the colour centers of the stone. Return to top
Lemon Topaz
Mookaite
Mookaite is the coined name for a silicified porcelainite. The main sources of this stone are from Mooka Station in the Southwest of Australia. Estimations of the age of Mookaite range from 105-115 million years old and its structure comes from fossilized sedimentary rock formations. Mookaite exhibits irregular patches of colour ranging from white through various shades of red, purple and brown. Return to top
Moonstone is an opalescent stone which can exhibit a wide range of colours from blue, peach, green, pink, yellow, brown or gray with a silvery sheen. The iridescence in moonstone is known as adularescence whose clarity ranges from transparent to translucent. This gemstone is found mainly in Canada, Kenya and parts of India and Sri Lanka. The ancient Greeks believed this stone ruled the planet Venus and named it Aphroselene after the goddess Selene. Return to top
Moonstone
Ocean Jasper
Ocean Jasper is a rare mineral found in only one place in the world, the Ambolobozo Peninsula on the Northwest coast of Madagascar. The stone is immediately recognizable by its concentric rings of colour earning it the name orbicular Jasper. This gemstone has an astonishing array of colour combinations which helps create very unique looking stones. The supply is extremely limited by access, deposit size and location and can only be collected at low tide. Return to top
Onyx is a chalcedony quartz that is mined in Brazil, India, California and Uruguay. It has a fine texture and is black in colour. Some varieties of onyx display white bands or ribbons against a black or brown background which is known as “Sardonyx”. This gemstone is ideal for jewelry settings providing a high luster and rich appearance. The name Onyx comes from the Greek word meaning "claw". Return to top
Onyx
Peridot
Peridot is part of a group of minerals called Olivine, although gem stone quality peridot is quite rare. This gemstone is found in Burma, Norway, Hawaii and some Islands in the Red Sea. Peridot is one of a few gemstones that come in only one colour. The depth of green depends on how much iron is contained in the crystal structure and varies from yellow green though olive and greenish brown. The name peridot is said to come from the French word “peritot” meaning unclear. The largest cut 310 carat specimen of peridot is found in the Smithsonian Museum. Return to top
Pietersite is found in South Africa, Sri Lanka, India, Brazil and Australia. It is a type of Quartz and is not enhanced. The colour ranges include deep to light blues, gold and browns with the presence of a unique iridescence. This gemstone is an exotic variety of Tigers Eye. Pietersite is said to hold the keys to the kingdom of heaven. Return to top
Pietersite
Rodochrosite
Rodochrosite is found in South America, the United States and Canada. The pink colour is caused by the element manganese and is formed from the carbonate material that drains from the ceiling of the caves and crevices deep underground.The Incas who called this gemstone "Inca Rose" believing that rodochrosite was the blood of their former kings and queens that had been turned to stone. Return to top
Red Coral is found on the rocky sea bottom of the ocean floor, typically in very dark environments, growing in caverns and crevices. The original species, C. rubrum, is found mainly in the Mediterranean Sea. This coral grows from depths of 10-300 meters, although the shallower of these habitats have largely been depleted from harvesting. The mining of red and pink coral has been permanently banned and it is illegal to import "real" coral. Most coral is actually sponge coral that has been dyed. An interesting fact is that coral and pearls, although drastically different in appearance, are chemically very similar. Return to top
Red Coral
Red Agate
Red Agate is a variety of chalcedony formed from layers of quartz. Agate is found worldwide and often exhibits concentric bands or feathered patterns. You may also find clear, luminescent examples as well. Legend says that agate improves memory and concentration while increasing stamina and encouraging honesty. Return to top
Rose Quartz is a type of quartz which exhibits a pale pink to rose red hue. In crystal form, which is rarely found, it is called Pink Quartz. The colour crystals can be photosensitive and are subject to fading. Rose Quartz is most often found in a cloudy form and examples of clear gemstones are used for faceted cuts. It is found in Madagascar, India, Germany and several parts of the U.S.A. Historically, rose quartz was extracted from a famous site near Custer, South Dakota, but most of the world's supply now comes from Brazil. Return to top
Rose Quartz
Smokey Quartz
Smokey quartz is a brown transparent quartz that is sometimes used for unusual faceted cut stones. This gemstone is often incorrectly referred to as Smoky Topaz. It is found in Scotland, Brazil, Utah and Switzerland. An interesting formation can occur within the crystal itself when a separate shape is discovered and is often referred to as a “phantom crystal”. Smoky quartz has been called “champagne on ice”. It is the national stone of Scotland having their national scepter displayed with a large smoky quartz crystal on top. Return to top
Smithsonite is named for James Smithson, the founder of the Smithsonian Institute. Smithsonite comes from the famous mines of Tsumeb in Nambia and also the Broken Hill mines in Zambia. Traces of cobalt can create an array of exotic colours primarily in the green, blue and lavender hues.The lavender coloured examples are the most rare and sought after. New Mexico also produces the finest blue/green examples of this gemstone. Smithsonite is often described as having a melted wax luster. Return to top
Smithsonite
Turquoise
Turquoise is named for the Eastern Mediterranean Levantine traders, more commonly known as “Turks”. The colour is of course mainly turquoise but can exhibit shades of greens, blues and browns. For centuries the most valuable turquoise was found in Iran, but today some specimens from the Southwestern United States can compete in quality. The name “Persian Turquoise” generally refers to any turquoise stone that does not have the black and brown veining commonly found in the US. Turquoise was a sacred stone in the ancient cultures of the Aztecs and Native Americans, featuring prominently in their spiritual rituals. Return to top
Tigers Eye (black) is a member of the quartz group of chalcedonies. This gemstone exhibits a changeable silky luster as light is reflected within the parallel fibrous bands. Tigers eye is found in Western Australia, South Africa, North America and India. Often tIgers eye is best recognized in its golden yellow hues but can also range in beautiful blue and black shades as well. Legends says it is the gemstone of great business;a protector able to aid in achieving clarity. Return to top
