Diamonds may just be a girl’s best friend, but they’re far from her only one. There are many gemstones, but only a few are precious and beautiful enough to be commonly used in jewelry. Different types of stones have diverse significances, are appropriate as gifts on different occasions and have their own unique lore. Keep reading to find out more about your favorites!
Diamond
Diamonds, it has been said, are forever. That’s partly because they’re so often given as engagement rings, representing the commitment to everlasting love. It’s also because they are the hardest gemstones and one of the most valued in existence. Most diamonds originate in South Africa, and white or clear are the most commonly used colors in jewelry. Diamonds also come in yellows, greens and blues, however.
The diamond is known to bring clarity, balance, abundance and longevity. Some believe that it has the ability to amplify the wearer’s thoughts, strengths and weaknesses. They symbolize innocence and constancy and have been highly coveted for crown jewel sets.
Emerald
Another stone that’s well-known for being a symbol of love and romance, the emerald is the sacred stone of the goddess Venus. It is a symbol of hope and is thought by many to be the stone of prophecy. Others even believe that it can have a tranquilizing effect on a wearer suffering from a troubled mind. In folklore tales it’s often stated that the emerald’s powers are at their zenith during the springtime and full moons.
These harmonizing green stones are properly referred to as “beryls,” which come in many different colors. If the stone contains too much blue, for instance, it’s known as an aquamarine, not an emerald. It’s also common for these gemstones to have inclusions (bubbles) in them.
Opal
Not all opals are considered to be precious gemstones, so which ones are? It’s a bit of a technical explanation, but those that consist of spheres of silicon dioxide arranged in closely packed planes are precious. The opal is a multicolored stone that is rated on a scale of one to five, with five being the brightest. The name opal itself comes from the Sanskrit word “upala,” which means “precious stone.”
The opal is believed to be a stone that enhances one’s imagination and creativity and helps with memory. Opal is also said to symbolize fidelity in love.
Pearl
Somewhat similarly to the emerald, pearls are said to help the wearer become more in tune with life’s peaks and valleys by bringing about a calming and centering feeling. They are a strong symbol of purity and encourage charity, integrity, truth, faith and loyalty.
Pearls are exceptional in that they aren’t dug up from underneath the Earth. Instead, they are hard objects that are produced within the soft tissue of a living shelled mollusk. Speaking of being exceptional, the term “pearl” has even become metaphorical for something or someone that is rare and admirable.
Ruby
Did you know that rubies are actually red sapphires? It’s true! These pink or blood-red stones are so close to sapphires that sometime in the early 20th century it became popular to refer to some rubies that don’t meet a minimum color saturation as a pink sapphire instead of a ruby. There is some debate around the subjectivity of this distinction, though, and the International Colored Gemstone Association has stuck to using only the term ruby, regardless of whether a stone is more pink or red.
Regardless, the ruby is closely associated with love and passion, and some believe it gives wearers the courage to live up to their highest potential. It can be a symbol of either friendship or love when given as a gift. The majority of rubies originate from Burma and Thailand.
Sapphire
Sapphires come in a range of blues from pale hues all the way up to dark blues that can appear to be almost black. In popular lore, sapphires help contribute to mental clarity and perception and some even believe they can lead to financial success. In certain cultures, it is the symbol of heaven and devotion to God. Additionally, it is the birthstone for those born in the month of September. The majority of today’s sapphires are unearthed in Australia.
The sapphire’s proper mineral name is “corundum,” and it comes in a variety of colors other than blue, which is of course the color most commonly associated with the gemstone. Some other varieties include yellow, red, black, purple, orange, green and colorless. Finally, sapphires are considered to be the traditional gifts for 45th and 65th wedding anniversaries.
Best CZ Jewelry
There is one more type of “stone” that’s popular for rings, necklaces, brooches and other jewelry types: cubic zirconia. Actually, despite what many think, there is a diverse array of types of cubic zirconia, just like there is with actual gemstones. There are five kinds that are available in abundance to jewelers, but not all of them are created equal.
Birkat Elyon strictly uses only the high-end cubic zirconia in its jewelry, ensuring that even some experts won’t be able to tell the difference between it and a real stone. Even more importantly, though, it ensures it’ll look as gorgeous as you when you wear it!