January Birthstone: Garnet that Speaks Glamour Part- II

Hello everyone, welcome again! In my last blog - January Birthstone: Garnet that Speaks Glamour Part- I, we talked about the history of garnet and the variety of different garnets available in the gemstone world. Due to its rich display of color, garnet serves as a hypnotizing element in various jewelry items. From simple rings to elaborate necklaces, garnet works as a showstopper.

Garnet Jewelry - January Birthstone

How to Glam up Your Look with Garnet

Are you searching for unique jewelry? If yes, then look no further, as garnet offers a variety of options from which to choose! As a wonderfully versatile gemstone, garnet goes well in contrast to the summer palette and for all types of themes.

For centuries, this jewelry has been worn as a symbol of affection. As time has progressed, garnet is considered one of today's designer gems. Whatever the reason or whatever the mood, there is no need to think twice before grabbing a piece of this stylish jewelry.

Garnets are particularly trendy right now, meaning they'll go perfectly with many items already in your wardrobe!

Garnet Jewelry Sets

Illuminate and Enjoy Vintage Flair

The color portrayed by garnet gemstones sometimes mirrors the beauty of rubies. Thus, in ancient times, garnet was mistaken for ruby and was awarded a place in the jewels of royalty.

If you love the traditional jewelry styles, garnet is your baby. Just add this stone to any handcrafted jewelry design and enjoy the flair it brings. The exceptional hue makes this gemstone a perfect add-on to any wardrobe. Whether you're looking for a vintage style ring, earrings, necklaces or brooch, adding this gem will give you the perfect final addition.

Available in plenty of colors, garnet is one of the best choices when it comes to vintage jewelry.

Vintage Style Garnet Jewelry

Easy to Take a Contemporary Shot

While garnet infuses a beautiful vintage flair into jewelry, its incredibly beautiful hue brings the perfect modern touch required to augment any look. Showcasing its beauty in a variety of colors, this stone is my personal favorite.

I can play with this stone in many forms. If I am looking for jewelry for formal occasions, nothing can beat the charm of a rhodolite garnet tennis bracelet. Or an artisan crafted earrings laced with tsavorite garnet will do wonders to my outfit for the wedding reception. And if I am searching for something mild and refined to accessorize for a shopping date, a garnet ring comes as the ideal solution.

Matching up style with garnet jewelry is an easy job!

Garnet Jewelry: Forever and Versatile

Like diamonds, few gemstones portray a unique charisma. And garnets are one of them. The colorful brilliance of these gemstones makes you steal anyone's heart with ease. Be it a wedding, or a beach outing, a shopping date or school graduation; you can look your best with garnet jewelry.

Whether it's for you, or someone special, the versatile beauty of this gemstone never fails to impress. If you find a garnet jewelry in your grandmother's treasure trove, trust me you will surely love to wear it on your special occasion.

So, if your jewelry collection is still missing a piece of garnet jewelry, it's time to bring it home. You'll never regret your choice!

Share your garnet jewelry pictures with us!

January Birthstone: Garnet that Speaks Glamour Part- I

Happy Birthday to all those who celebrate in January! The month enjoys a beautiful birthstone, garnet. And I know every gem lover will fall in love with the brilliant hue of this gemstone.

The January birthstone, garnet appears as a sign of everlasting friendship and belief and is an excellent gift for a friend. The name garnet comes from the word granatum, which means seed, as this gemstone resembles the beautiful pomegranate seed. The use of the stone dates back to 3100 BC when garnet was used by Egyptians in the form of jewelry inlay.

Garnet represents a group of minerals that portrays their charm in a rainbow of colors, from the rich red of the pyrope garnet to the dazzling green allure of tsavorites. It's still an unknown fact for many that garnet illuminates its beauty in a variety of color! It's interesting to know that at present, Africa, Sri Lanka, and India are the most important sources of garnets.

Tiffany and Co. published birthstones poems in 1870 by an unknown author, and I am totally in love with them. Here is the beautiful poem for the January-born.

By her who in this month (January) is born
No gem save garnets should be worn;
They will ensure her constancy,
True friendship, and fidelity.

Make a New Friend with January Birthstone

As mentioned, garnet springs its beauty in various colors. Through the ages, garnets have been one of the most sought-after and prevalent gems because of their classic and splendid colors. Here is a glimpse of the most popular variants. Take a look at each and every variety and choose your favorite one as your personal birthstone for January.

• Rhodolite Garnet: First found in 1882 in the hills of North Carolina, rhodolite garnet is a distinct pyrope-almandine member of this big family. This gorgeous variety illustrates stunning shades from pastel rose-red with clues of purple to classy grape purples with minor tones of deep rose-red.The color of this rare variety amazingly presents the exact color of the rough when removed from the mine.

Rhodolite Garnet Ring

• Purple Garnet: Mostly, rhodolite garnet arrays from a rose to red hue. On the other hand, purple garnet gives the impression as a delightful grape color. Now, if I place a purple garnet together with a fine amethyst, I am confident that it will be difficult for you to identify garnet and amethyst. Amethyst captures purple tones with hints of blue while garnet is infused with purple and reddish tones. The luster also set these gemstones apart. Amethyst owns an enamel luster, like refined glass when cut. While purple garnet enjoys sub-adamantine luster, which is virtually diamond-like. (Know more about Purple garnet properties)

Purple Garnet Rings

• Demantoid Garnet: Incomparable brilliance and fire are the facts that set demantoid garnet apart from the pack. And its rarity and outstanding radiance add to the value of this stone. It possesses a high refraction, yet still provides surprising distribution of light to reflect the complete spectrum of the rainbow. This is among the finest varieties.

Demantoid Garnet Ring

• Anthill Garnet: This gemstone comes as the little surprises from the Mother Nature. This gem is picked around anthills discovered in the Navajo Reservation in Arizona. As a variation of pyrope garnet, this stone is found in the bright red color mostly linked with the gemstone and it is exceptionally uncommon to find pieces of one carat or above.

Anthill Garnet Pendant

• Bekily Color Change Garnet: Rivaling the splendor of alexandrite, this gemstone showcases a vivid color-change effect ranging from rich brown to lively orange under different light sources. Discovered in 1990, this gemstone is rather a new addition to the family of garnets.

Bekily Color Change Garnet Rings

• Ratnapura Hessonite Garnet: Nicknamed as “cinnamon stone,” hessonite is mined in Sri Lanka and is an exceptional burnt orange member of the garnet household. While this gemstone is high in demand in India, it's rare to discover hessonite on the US market.

Ratnapura Hessonite Garnet Bracelet

• Tsavorite Garnet: Regarded as “The King of Garnets” tsavorite radiates fabulous green tones ranging from fresh spring-green to dusky forest-green. It's one of the most appreciated and amazing gemstone with constricted availability in the world. So, nothing can match the January birthday gift than a Tsavorite garnet.

Tsavorite Garnet Rings

• Mozambique Garnet: Fashionable Mozambique garnet owns similarities as of the red-rose variety of garnet known as rhodolite garnet. It also comprises the blend of the minerals pyrope and almandine. Nevertheless, this variant generally covers higher applications of almandine, which offers the gem its deep wine-red brilliance.

Mozambique Garnet Rings

• Spessaritite Garnet: First discovered in 1832, this gemstone is evident due to its bright orange hue and brilliance. You can enjoy its color variation from red-orange to pure orange to flaming yellow-orange. Taking its name and color from the monarch butterfly, this stone is an energetic add-on to any gem collection.

Spessaritite Garnet Rings

So, have you decided your favorite garnet as your January birthstone? Be sure to read part two, for more information on garnets. Learn about the more glamorous side of garnet and how this versatile stone brings a punch of traditional flair to any look.

Be sure to read part two! - January Birthstone: Garnet that Speaks Glamour Part- II

Interesting Tidbits About Arizona Sleeping Beauty Turquoise

Rarely has there been a gemstone that's cast such a hypnotic spell on humanity. Indeed, there are very few stones that can rival the charm of Arizona Sleeping Beauty Turquoise. Available with minimal veining, the gem appears lively and bright even in its rough form. No wonder it's widely considered by many as the most beautiful turquoise variety to be ever mined.

Learning these little-known facts about this gorgeous gemstone will grow your appreciation of this gem.

Freak Accident Lead to the Discovery of this Fabulous Gem

It will come as a surprise to many that a gemstone as popular as Arizona Sleeping Beauty Turquoise was unearthed through an accident. The excavation at the mine in Globe, Arizona was in the pursuit of copper. It was the unearthing of the rough of lovely color that led to the awakening about this gorgeous gem. Mining for this brilliant gemstone began in the '70s.

The timing of the gem to announce its arrival was spot on, as demand for turquoise with blemishless color was peaking. This colorful and flawless beauty was immediately lapped up by jewelers and jewelry enthusiasts.

Rising Demand Led to Quick Depletion of Sleeping Beauty Turquoise

If you think that the discovery of this colorful beauty was unusual then it’s “end’ will surprise you even more! It was around 2012 that the value of copper took a steep climb, and the focus of mining shifted back to copper once again. This effectively sealed any chances of this variety of turquoise being made available to the public. The “production” of Sleeping Beauty Turquoise stalled but its demand showed little sign of abating. As a result, its prices went overboard. However, there are a few companies, such as SHOP LC, that makes jewelry made of this fabulous stone available at great rates.

Stabilization Seals the Deal for Sleeping Beauty Turquoise

It would be interesting to note that there are companies like SHOP LC that uses “Zachery Method” to improve the color and appearance of Sleeping Beauty Turquoise. The method also reduces the porosity of the stone and ensures that it shows no sign of discoloring with the passage of time.

Admired and adored ever since it was first excavated, Sleeping Beauty Turquoise is renowned for its flawless color compared to robin's egg blue. It's a versatile stone and is regularly used in all types of jewelry like rings, earrings, necklaces, pendants, and bracelets. We're sure that by now you know how your favorite stone was unearthed and the processes it undergoes before it appears in seductive designs, your interest has grown. You can trust online retailers such as SHOP LC to make available jewelry made of your favorite gemstone in attractive designs. All you need to do is to browse through their eclectic selection and go for the ones that you find most alluring.

Tanzanite: A Gem Filled with Uniqueness

The December birthstone, Tanzanite is a comparatively new member of the gemstone family. Since its find, this intensely saturated, perfect and brilliant gem has received great appreciation and rapid growth in popularity. Illuminating blue to violet-blue hues, this rock, pleochroic in nature, can challenge sapphire as the premier blue stone.

Tanzanite Stone

Tanzanite stone is admired for its dark, rich blue color. However, you might be surprised to learn that in its raw state, this crystal possesses an orange-brown color. This gem gets it famous bright blue tone after going through a proprietary heat treatment. You'll be amazed to know that when this gemstone was discovered, it was already blue! The pieces were exposed to a fire instigated by a lightning storm, receiving the color tanzanite is known for today.

So, let's get an understanding of the factors that contribute to tanzanite's value.

What is Tanzanite?

This rare stone has won over the hearts of jewelry lovers in a very short span of time. Named after its origin in Tanzania, tanzanite is, in fact, the trade name for the blue to violet variety of the mineral zoisite. Tiffany & Co. selected it as it was felt the name "blue zoisite" sounded too similar to the phrase "blue suicide." Made available for commercial use in the 1960s, this blue treasure has come a long way in fame and eminence. Let's uncover the details behind this rare discovery:

• In 1967, this stone was discovered by accident on the Merelani hills in Northern Tanzania by a Masai tribesman.
• Even in the present day, Merelani is the only place to find these brilliant blue crystals. Tanzanite is a single-source gemstone.
• Manual D’Souza was the first person to identify this blue gem. At first glance, he mistook tanzanite for blue sapphire.
• In due course, Tiffany & Co. became the first merchant of tanzanite and presented this gem to the international jewelry market in 1968. Over the years, its status has greatly increased among gemologists, jewelry designers, and rare jewelry collectors.

What Makes Tanzanite Valuable?

Certain factors contribute to the rising value of this gemstone.

• Tanzanite is only mined one place in the entire world. The stone is estimated to be 1000 times more rare than diamond.

Tanzanite Jewelry

• The vibrant and dazzling blue hue of this gorgeous gemstone rivals the exceptional charm of a sapphire. Tanzanite stones with deeply saturated tone are the most treasured.
• A pleochroic quality makes this gem incredibly unique. It displays different hues when viewed from various angles.
• According to geologists, the world’s supply of tanzanite might be depleted within the next decade.
• Eye-catching tanzanite is the first gemstone to be incorporated in the list of modern birthstones, first established in 1912.
• While being the birthstone of December, this stone is also associated with the 24th wedding anniversary.
• While the exclusive origin of the stone contributes to the rising demand of tanzanite, the stone is often considered the most beautiful blue gemstone to be mined for the last 2000 years.

Other Varieties: Bondi Blue and Natural Green Tanzanite

The family of tanzanite was expanded with the beautiful entry of Bondi blue tanzanite and natural green tanzanite. Both gemstones possess unique allure and charisma that’s difficult to ignore!

Green Tanzanite Ring

Bondi Blue Tanzanite Ring

The mesmerizing sea-blue color of beautiful Bondi Beach in Australia is the origin of the name of Bondi blue tanzanite. The stone reflects the exotic chemistry of dark blue tones mixed with a vibrant green hue. Green tanzanite entered the commercial world over 20 years ago. No doubt its enticing green hue is on par with the finest chrome tourmaline. This variety is considered the rarest.

Properties: Adding to its Uniqueness

Designer Tanzanite Jewelry

Color: As a mineral, zoisite is available in an array of colors such as yellow, pink, gray, and violet. Tanzanite is the blue to violet variety and gets its vibrant hue from small traces of vanadium. From dark blue to purple and violet, it's easy to find tanzanite in every color in between. Heat treatment enhances the color while improving saturation of this tantalizing gem.

Pleochroic: It’s a pleochroic stone and can exhibit various colors when viewed from different angles.

Hardness: This gem ranks 6-7 on the Mohs scale of hardness. It makes this gemstone entirely appropriate choice for many jewelry styles. Due to its durability, this stone is a great option for daily wear.

A beautiful rival of blue sapphire praised for its rich, deep blue color saturation, brilliant sparkle, and exceptional appeal; tanzanite speaks to sophistication and elegance. It's the perfect time to grab this amazing gem and enrich your collection.

What are you waiting for? Act now!