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Alphabetical Listing of Gemstones & Crystals |
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Obsidian This gemstone is actually natural glass that is created when hot lava is submerged in water. This process forms obsidian’s glassy texture. Before the molten rock is cooled, bubbles of air can get trapped between layers which can produce stunning effects. Some of these have been called rainbow obsidian and sheen obsidian. When small cristobalite crystals get trapped, snowflake obsidian is the result. Apache tears is the name given to obsidian that has been worn smooth and round by wind and water making it perfect for use in feng shui. Ancient tools and weapons were made with obsidian because of the sharp cutting edge that can be produced by chipping it. Obsidian has also been used for jewelry and mirrors. This gemstone is said to be able to mirror one’s soul. Obsidian is a strong grounding stone and has been called “the protector” for its ability to block negative energy. Popularly used for scrying mirrors, it is believed to aid in divination and seeing into the future by providing insight. Obsidian is useful in dispelling half-truths. Color(s) - Dark
green, dark brown, black
This form of chalcedony quartz takes its name from a Greek word that referred to a fingernail, claw or hoof. It was popular in ancient Greece where a legend tells of Cupid (whether as a form of joke or service) trimmed the nails of the sleeping Venus. Not wanting to see any part of her perish, the Fates turned Venus’ fingernail clippings to stone. The Greeks called almost any colored chalcedony stones onyx. The Romans limited the name onyx to only dark brown and black forms of chalcedony. They also gave the name sardonyx to reddish-brown onyx. (See separate listing for more on sardonyx.) Onyx was also popular during the Renaissance and in the nineteenth century. Onyx is a stone that provides balance and stability, as well as protection. When used in dream work or meditation it can help bring guidance and transformation from an inner source. It helps control emotions and negative thoughts. Color(s) - Black,
black-brown with bands of white
This gemstone takes its name from the Sanskrit word upala meaning precious stone, as well as the Greek word opallios, change of color. In ancient Rome it was called opalus. Containing as much as ten percent water, the opalescence “play of color” is produced by miniscule spheres of silica. Along with the water these tiny spheres create different rates of light diffraction. The more aligned the silica spheres, the more brilliant the stone’s color. This iridescent play of color is also referred to as a stone’s “fire”. If the stone is heated at high temperatures, the water will be lost and along with it the opalescence. The transparency of the stone and its background color also effect the overall depth of color. Six thousand-year-old artifacts found by Louis Leaky are the earliest known use of opal. Ancient Greeks and Romans prized the use of opal and its value was greater than diamond. The Romans nick-named it “Cupid’s stone” because its color can be evocative of a sensuous complexion. The Aztecs also used and valued Opal. This gemstone was mentioned in the writings of ancient scholar Pliny, and again centuries later by Shakespeare in Twelfth Night. In the Middle Ages it was galled ohthalmios meaning “eye stone” because it was thought to preserve one’s eyesight. Also in Medieval Europe, if it was worn by a woman with blonde hair the opal was believed to keep her hair from turning gray. During the fourteenth century plague years, opal became known as a stone of bad luck. It was said that the stones of those who wore it and died had changed color. It is now thought that the fairly rapid change of temperature in the wearer’s body (from high fever to cold after death) may have been enough to cause an opal to change color. An opal that has a fracture can easily break – a fault that added to this gemstone’s connection with bad luck. Rulers enjoyed opal. It was used in the emperor’s crown of the Holy Roman Empire and in the French crown jewels. Opals came to the attention of Queen Victoria when new sources were found in Australia. Her liking this gemstone brought it back into popularity during her reign. Some of opal’s imitators are called opalite and Slocum Stone. Imitators also include glass and plastic. Opal has been called the “stone of visionaries”. The Greeks believed that it had powers of prophecy. The Romans saw it as a symbol of hope. Opal attracts inspiration, insight, and stimulates a wider vision. Some believe it enhances clairvoyant abilities. Color(s) - Black
opal – dark to gray-black, dark base color Pearl Pearl is the only gemstone created by a living creature. Its popularity began before the classical Greek and Roman period and has never waned. Pearls were used through Asia, the South Seas and by Native Americans. The Greeks attributed pearls with the ability to help sustain a blissful marriage. Cleopatra wore pearls as did most European royalty centuries later. From the thirteenth to sixteenth century common people were not permitted to wear pearls as they were seen as being special for only those of royal blood. Completely natural pearls are rare and as a result, quite expensive. Most pearls on the market are “cultured” meaning that the process of creating the pearl was initiated by human hands. A pearl begins as an irritant inside an oyster. In nature, this could be a grain of sand – in pearl “farms” it is a bead that is implanted into the mollusk. However it begins, it is not comfortable for the host oyster. In defense, a secretion called nacre is released to coat the irritant. Nacre is the same material that coats the inside of the oyster’s shell and is called mother-of-pearl. Any pearl that forms will color-match the mother-of-pearl. For example abalone, whose shell is widely used for inlay and jewelry, produces blue-green, green, pink and yellow pearls. Pearls are produced by both fresh and saltwater mollusks. A pearl’s luster (reflective quality) adds to its value. The finer the luster, the higher the quality. A pearl’s “orient” refers to the iridescent shimmer of its surface. Shape is also important but changes with the times. Various irregular shapes – drops, pears, eggs, nuggets – come in and out of fashion. Perfect roundness has always been highly prized probably because they are difficult to find. Imitators include coated glass and plastic beads called Majorca pearls which are created by dipping beads into a solution concocted from fish scales. Pearl symbolizes purity and emotional clarity. It induces emotional balance and openness. Legend says that a pearl is a joyful tear from an angel. Color(s) - White,
cream, silver, gray, gold, blue, green, pink, yellow, black
Peridot, a member of the quartz family, gets its name from the French, péridot which originated from the Arabic word for gem, faridat. This gemstone was used by Egyptains as early as 1500 B.C.E. Records of its early mining date to the year 70 on St. Johns Island in the Red Sea. This gemstone is born of fire – found in rocks from volcanoes. The Hawaiian Goddess Pele is said to have shed tears of peridot. Fiery meteors have also yielded deposits of peridot and it has also been found on the moon. Peridot is a type of olivine. Its darker colors have been mistakenly used for the green demantoid garnet. Peridot’s mineral name is chrysolite, from the Greek chrysos meaning gold/yellow. The Greeks also used it for yellow chrysoberyl and other yellowish stones. In ancient Egypt the more yellowish peridot was called topaz as it was not distinguished from that gemstone at the time. Some scholars believe that it may have been the “topaz” in the breastplate of Aaron mentioned in The Bible. Ancient Romans called peridot the “evening emerald” because it maintained its color and did not darken as the sunlight faded. Peridot became popular in Europe after crusaders brought it back from the Mediterranean. It is thought that they initially believed it to be emerald. The “emerald” that graces the Three Holy Kings shrine in Cologne Cathedral was identified as peridot in the late nineteenth century. It was later mined in Bohemia (Czechoslovakia), and in 1900 when additional sources were discovered, peridot became more popular. In addition to decorating churches, it was crushed into a powder and used as a remedy for asthma. Peridot promotes peace and happiness, and attracts success and good luck. It protects against nightmares and general negativity. Peridot is also instrumental in healing damaged relationships. This gemstone is a symbol of rebirth and renewal. It attracts comfort and builds vitality. Color(s) - Green,
green-brown, green-yellow, yellow
This gemstone takes its name from the old German word querkluftertz which described the white veins in rocks. Quartz is one of the most common minerals and can be found almost everywhere on earth. It is the main ingredient in sand found on beaches and in deserts. It has even been found on the moon. Quartz has been used by humans for thousands of years – at first for tools and weapons, then later for jewelry and decorative objects. Rock crystal objects have been found with human remains in France, Spain and Switzerland dating to 7500 B.C.E. It was used in ancient Egypt, as well as by the Mayans and Aztecs in the Americas. It was used extensively throughout the fourteenth century for Christian reliquary objects. Clear quartz has been commonly called rock crystal. In Latin it was crystallus. In earlier times it was called crystallos from the Greek meaning frozen because it was thought to be a permanent form of ice. It’s no surprise that the ancients may have believed this, as quartz is always cool to the touch. In our modern world, quartz is widely used in watches and many appliances. Colorless quartz is common, however, perfectly clear samples large enough to produce crystal balls, bowls or other objects is not common. Nowadays, glass is frequently substituted. Crystal bowls came from the idea of the Rinn or “singing bowl” used to create sacred sound in ritual or for meditation. The pure sound it produces is said to balance the energies of all the chakras. Like the chalice and the cauldron, the bowl is symbolic of female energies from which new life emerges. Smoky quartz is sometimes called smoky topaz on the market to garner a higher price. Rutilated quartz is clear quartz with tiny “needles” of rutile arrayed inside. These have been called Venus hair and Cupid’s darts. Tourmalinated quartz is similar, but with dark green or black tourmaline crystals instead of rutile. Sunflower quartz and falcon’s eye quartz were popular in classical Greece and Rome, in Europe during the Renaissance, and in the nineteenth century. The falcon’s eye, cat’s eye and tiger’s eye effects are created by arrangements of fibrous minerals within the quartz. Another variety of quartz is a gemstone called chalcedony. Instead of a single crystal, chalcedony consists of fine micro-crystals. The chalcedony group includes agate, bloodstone, carnelian, chrysoprase, jasper and onyx. (Amethyst, ametrine, citrine, chalcedony, chrysoprase and rose quartz are covered in their own sections.) Quartz is a strong transformer that empowers people, as well as amplifies and focUses - energy. It is a protector that also opens the spirit, provides emotional and physical balance, alleviates anger and reveals distortions. Color(s) - Colorless,
white, blue-white, gray-blue, pink, rose, violet, purple, green,
brown, yellow
This gemstone takes its name from the Greek rhodochros meaning rose colored. Although rhodochrosite was “discovered” in Argentina just before World War II, it was used by the Inca as early as the thirteenth century. It is sometimes called Inca Rose. Rhodochrosite is more widely used as an industrial mineral in the production of alloy steel. To the opposite extreme, because of its color, rhodochrosite has been called the stone of “love and balance”. It is a gentle balancer of emotions and transmits a message of love by drawing in white light. This gemstone engenders love on all levels. It attracts comfort and provides support during times of transition. Color(s) - Pink
(usually pale) with white stripes
Rhodonite takes its name from the Greek rhodon meaning rose. This gemstone is pleochroic and has been used for decorative objects, mainly carved beads, boxes and vases, since the nineteenth century. Because of its rose color and the Associations - of roses, rhodonite has been called the “stone of love” and the “stone of brotherly love”. This love is on the wider level of caring for humankind and spiritual wealth. Rhodonite brings order to chaotic situations with emotional support, and quells anxiety through clear vision. It balances yin and yang. Color(s) - Dark
pinks with veins of black
This milky rose pink variety of quartz was cherished in classical Greece and Rome, Renaissance Europe and the nineteenth century. It was used by the Assyrians (800-600 B.C.E.) for decorative objects, but very little jewelry. Rose quartz is associated with the heart, love and beauty. Its calming effects help to balance yin/yang energy. Its warmth heals emotional turmoil and strengthens friendship. Color(s) - Pink,
milky rose
Ruby takes its name from the Latin word for red, rubeus. It has been called the “king of precious stones”, “lord of gems”, and “queen of gemstones”. This prized stone was written about by the ancients in The Bible as well as in Sanskrit writings. Ruby is a type of corundum – the crystalline form of aluminum oxide. All other colors of corundum are called sapphire. It has been an on-going debate whether or not pinkish colored corundum is ruby or sapphire. In addition to its intense color, ruby can occasionally contain an asterism effect. This appears as a six-pointed star that seems to follow a light source. This star is created by rutile “needles” that align with the ruby’s crystal faces. The intensely colored stones from Burma are called “pigeons blood”. The ancient Romans considered it the stone of their war god, Mars. Ruby was mentioned in the writings of Pliny and Marco Polo. It is believed that a ruby that turns a darker color indicates bad luck will befall the owner. Henry VIII’s first wife Catherine of Aragon is said to have expected difficulties because of her darkening ruby. Because ruby is rare it has many imitators – almost any deep red gemstone. The so-called balas ruby is spinel and Brazilian ruby is actually pink topaz. Non-gem quality rubies are used as movement bearings in watches. For centuries ruby has been a symbol of devotion and love. In addition, it is believed to attract wealth, inspire wisdom, and strengthen self-esteem. This gemstone engenders loyalty and generosity. It dispels fear and protects from all forms of negativity. Color(s) - Red,
brown-red, pink-red, purple-red
More on Gemstones & Crystals
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