AMETHYST
Amethyst was once considered a precious gem.
Until large reserves were found in Brazil, amethysts were
deemed highly precious and considerably valuable. Once these reserves
were discovered its value decreased and they became a semiprecious gem.
GARNET
Some folks believe that the garnet’s name was derived from a word
meaning “blood” because of its deep red color. Instead, the garnet is
named from the pomegranate because of the blood-red seeds that are found
on the inside of the fruit.
AMBER
The softest and lightest gemstone on earth is amber. It is so light that
it is able to float when in salt water. It is a stone that is a result
of the sap and resin from prehistoric trees that have been fossilized.
In order to be considered the gemstone that is amber, the fossilized sap
needs to be at least 30 million years old. Most jewellery created with
amber is made of Baltic amber, which is known to be the strongest type.
PEARL
Each pearl takes between a year up to three years to come to fruition. When a pearl
is cultivated, a small piece of shell or a bead, also known as the
nucleus, is placed within the mollusk in order to grow into a
pearl. These pearls are then harvested after they
grow into the perfect size to create pieces of jewellery.
The opal and the tourmaline both hold the record for the most colourful
gemstone. The tourmaline is also known as the “Rainbow Gem” because of
the fact that it is the only gem that can come in every color. The opal is
also a colourful stone, but some opals can be colorless. Opals can have
flashes of color within their black or white background appearance.
LAPIS LAZULI
Fact collection by Alexis