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In one of the previous articles by EG, we have already discussed opal, diamond, emerald, and supreme jade. In this article, we plan to introduce some other precious gemstones.
What Are Precious Gemstones?
Taking a look at the title of this article, you may also ask what gemstones are. In fact the precious gemstone that is used in many cases is diamond that has been cut in different styles such as the “brilliant cut”. In other words, diamonds are precious gemstones that many people know and is used in producing different pieces of fine jewelry.
There are other precious gemstones besides diamonds, that are sometimes more expensive or even less frequent. These stones are usually used as the last touch to complete the piece of jewelry. In this article, we will discuss some of these stones which are listed in the following.
- Pearls
- Turquoise
- Red ruby
- Sapphire
- Agate
- Onyx
Are Pearls Considered as Precious Gemstones?
Pearls are also called the tear of the moon. Pearls are the only stones that are made by living creatures which may be why pearls are precious.
You may have noticed pearls in different pieces of jewelry. pearls are usually made as a result of the entrance of an outsider object.
Pearls are of different types, each of which grow in a special condition. Most natural pearls are found in gulfs, but are seen less frequently due to Overfishing. Cultivated pearls can grow in both salt water and fresh water.
They are not always symmetrical. They sometimes even don’t have a round shape and are called baroque pearls. baroque pearls come in various shapes. From those which look cubic to those that come in the shape of a heart, tear drop or even hemisphere.
Another point to bear in mind is the wide range of colors that is seen in pearls. We think of pearls as spherical white objects that exist in a range of colors, from white to black. As an example, a group of pearls titled as Tahiti pearls are seen in a range of black, peacock and gray pearls while another group titled as Okoya looks white and reflects the light beautifully. Another very attractive color refers to golden pearls that are called Mabé and many are among many people.
An important feature, beside those of type, color and cultivation site, is that pearls are special pieces that don’t need to be polished or cut and can be added to the pieces of gold.
Although many brands, including EG, use these precious tones to ornate the pieces of gold, in the long past, pearls have been used in the form of powder that could cure diseases. Some others tried to treat problems such as nerve or muscle weakness.
Pearls are among precious gem stones that can be found in different colors all over the world. If this attractive gem stone is among the stones you like, we suggest you read our article on «Different Types of Pearls and Their Differences with Each Other».
What Is Turquoise?
Another precious gemstone which is popular both in Iran and worldwide is turquoise. This stone is usually seen in a range of blue to green, the best types of which are usually from Neishabour. This precious gemstone is an igneous mineral that can be found near the earth surface. In some cases there are traces of impurity on the surface of turquoise and in some others the surface of this stone is completely even.
Turquoise can be found widely in India, America, Egypt, and Iran among which that of Iran is the most valuable. The stone has had many applications in ancient Iran and had been used for making a range of things, from weapons to jewelry.
Turquoise is considered a love mineral and as a result, enough care should be taken for keeping it safe. In the far past, many people took advantage of turquoise to boost their immune system and many researchers today believe that turquoise can help boost immune system and speed-up healing diseases.
Just like two finger prints that never look the same, two pieces of turquoise never look exactly the same. This precious gemstone is never transparent and is seen in a range of blue to green. Those pieces of turquoise that look rather blue, contain more copper and those that look rather green contain more iron.
There are of course agent that can hurt the turquoise and change its color such as perfumes, creams and any other greasy substance. However, with regard to the hard structure of turquoise, one can make sure that genuine turquoise can’t be scratched easily while turquoise can be used to scratch stones.
The Main Features of Agate
This precious gemstone, is among the micro-crystalline stones that are known and popular in Iran. Agate is a precious gemstone that induces a feeling of peace and security in the chaos of the modern world. As a result, wearing agate has been advised in several religious and psychological contexts.
The stone is available in blue, brown, green, red, yellow, black, and Solomon, yet is known as a red stone in Iran. Black agate is also a popular stone and is found in America, Mexico, Greece, and Italy. Besides the color of the stone, transparency contributes to the price of agate which is a sign of purity and authenticity of agate.
Using this precious gemstone has been frequently advised in religious contexts and many believe that they have supernatural features that make them appropriate for clearing negative energies, improving memory and concentration.
This precious gemstone is only three levels less harder than diamond in terms of hardness. Furthermore, one doesn’t need to have the same considerations in keeping agate as for turquoise.
With regard to the fact that some stones have non-ornamental applications, one needs to clean them every now and then. However, cleaning the stones is not just for removing impurities, but also to boost the properties the stones have. In other words, many people believe that stones have properties that help them clear negative energies, which is why it is necessary to clean them every now and then. Agate is not an exception and needs to be charged every now and then. To do so, you need to leave the agate in current water for two hours and place it under the sun for three minutes.
What Is Red Ruby?
Red ruby is another type of precious gemstone that is also known as «pigeon ruby». This precious gemstone is also used in the crown of the queen of England. The most expensive red ruby ever, belongs to a private collection owned by Cartier which was sold for over $30 million in 2015. Experts describe this stone as uniquely beautiful.
The stone is very resistant and if we consider diamonds at the 10th level of hardness, red ruby is on the 9th level. This hard mineral is even resistant to X-ray and its only diamond that can scratch it. Although ruby is of different types, red ruby is for sure among the most popular ones.
The stone would be very popular in the pastas well, and wearing it was a sign of prosperity and power. Red ruby has many useful properties that together with its beautiful appearance, make it more attractive. Among the useful properties of red ruby, one should mention the vital energy of life that the stone delivers to the body. Supernatural sciences consider this gemstone as stimulating the root chakra and strengthening the fundamental power of the body.
The pricing system of these stone is the same way as other colorful minerals, based on their colors. The more colorful the red ruby, the more expensive it will be; in other words, the best type of red ruby should look as red as pomegranate seeds. Burmese ruby is one of the most colorful types of ruby that is of a high purity level and most pieces of red ruby with high purity are referred to as Burmese ruby.
To clear negative energies, you should wash the stone in current water and leave it under the sun for two hours. This should be done very carefully and any mistake may hurt the stone seriously.
The Largest Sapphire
Another type of ruby that looks rather dark is sapphire. Just like red ruby, sapphire is a hard mineral that isn’t easily splittable. This gemstone can be found in Kashmir, Burma, Sri Lanka and Madagascar and other old volcanic layers such as India and Tibet. Another version of the stone existed in the past that looked green and was titled as green agate or chrysolite.
The largest sapphire ever in the world is called «Millennium» that weighs 18 kilograms equal to 90000 carats. This old stone looked like a statue and was sold for $180 million. The statue was sold under the condition of being exhibited in the public but has been exhibited only twice, so far.
The Last Precious Gemstone Onyx
The last stone to be studied in this article, is a mythological stone. In old mythological stories, onyx was formed after a piece of Aphrodite’s nail fell and went deep down in the sea. The name of the stone is derived from the Greek word «nux» which means nail. The stone is used both to make jewelry and for building facade. The stone comes in different colors, but black ones are more popular than others.
The stone has a bright surface and there are usually no cracks or breaks on its surface. There are wide lines and white stripes on the surface of this stone. Many people mistake onyx for black agate, which is not right.
Precious Gemstone Conclusion
In this article, we discussed some precious gemstones including pearls, turquoise, red ruby, sapphire, agate, and onyx after introducing each, we also described their physical features, such as hardness, color, properties, and applications. It was also mentioned that some stones such as red ruby and agate can be recharged by sunlight and this way they will get clear from negative energies.
