THE AMETHYST
Quartz Family.
Color: deep purple to lilac.
In History
This stone takes its color, in the legend, from the God Dionysus, having thrown his wine with purple reflections on a pure stone of quartz that the goddess Diana had just created. It was thus considered as a talisman against drunkenness.
CHALCEDONY
A variety of Quartz, family of agates.
Color: blue or peach.
In History: In the ancient Greek tradition, the chalcedony was the stone of mother earth, the goddess Gaia and would help with eloquence and speech, according to the Romans. It was very appreciated in the Antiquity.
AQUAMARIN
Beryls family.
Color: light blue with turquoise shades.
Sources: the most important mines are in Brazil, but they are also found in Namibia, Sri Lanka, India and Russia.
In History: Because of its color, it is known since ancient times as the stone of the sailor. The latter often wore it as a talisman against seasickness, storms and to return safe and sound from long voyages.
Famous: The Dom Pedro is the largest cut aquamarine in the world (10,395 carats - 2.07kg). It forms an obelisk, made by the sculptor Bernd Munsteiner.
THE PERIDOT
Color: bright green to olive green, hence the name Olivine.
In History: Peridot was known by the Egyptians as the "stone of the sun" and has always been linked to the concept of light because of its brilliance.
Famous: At the Topkapi Palace in Istanbul, the throne "of ceremonies" used by the sultans is covered with gold plates inlaid with 954 peridots of beautiful size.
THE CITRINE
Quartz Family.
Color: yellow.
In History: In ancient Egypt, citrine and agate were commonly used against snake venom. Later, it became very fashionable during the reign of Charles X.
Famous: Rene Lalique, famous master glassmaker and jeweler realized in 1910 a famous square brooch decorated with citrines in the style of Art Deco.
PINK QUARTZ
Quartz Family.
Color: pale pink.
Main sources: Brazil, India, Mozambique, Namibia.
The presence of tiny rutile needles in the crystal gives it a special softness. These stones are usually cut in cabochon to bring out their shimmer.
THE OPAL
Opals from Australia have a black or gray base on which the colors form a pattern, called "color play" more or less organized. This is the charm of these stones which are all absolutely unique and whose colors vary depending on the light and their orientation.
African opal is translucent and the play of colors is seen throughout the material. Fire opal, which comes mainly from Mexico, is orange to red in color, transparent or translucent. The color is homogeneous, there is no play.
In History: Many stories exist about opal. In Australia, the aborigines called it "snake of the rainbow" and according to the legend, the creator god would have taken the colors of the rainbow and would have joined them together to create the opal.
A famous opal: The Andamooka opal was presented by Queen Elizabeth II in the 1950s during her first trip to Australia: it is 203 carats and was set on a pendant and surrounded by diamonds.
THE TOPAZE
Family: silicates.
Color: white, blue, green, yellow, orange, red, pink, purple and multicolor.
In History: Topaz has been known since ancient times when it was already mentioned by Pliny the Elder. Moreover, imperial topaz originated in Russia in the 19th century: at that time the Ural Mountains were a major source of topaz and the most beautiful of them - imperial topaz - were named after the Russian Tsar and their possession was limited to the royal family.
Famous: The "Braganza" topaz was found in 1640 in the Ouro Preto region. Weighing 1,680 carats, it was mounted on the crown of Portugal.
THE CHRYSOBERIL
Color: greenish yellow, gray, brown-ochre, bluish green are frequent but there exist of all colors.
Chrysoberyl, also known as Alexandrite, is famous for its color change due to its exposure to natural light or incandescent light, going in the most exceptional cases from green under artificial light to red under incandescent light.
THE TANZANITE
Zoïsites' family
Color: blue, purple.
Deposits: Currently, tanzanite comes from only one deposit in Tanzania. Quantities of crystal are limited and it is highly likely that deposits will be depleted within the next 20 years.
In History: In 1967, a member of the Maasai tribes discovered by chance a sparkling blue crystal at the foot of Kilimanjaro in Tanzania, which he first mistook for a sapphire. It was later established that such a stone had never been discovered before and it was named after its country of origin.
JADE
In jewelry it is the Jadeite Jade that is used.
Colors: Green, purple, white, exceptionally black.
In History: For thousands of years, jade has been a symbol of love, virtue and social status. In Asia, this stone has been the symbol of imperial dynasties par excellence. In the China of 9000 years ago, jade was seen as the integration of the living essences of Heaven and Earth; it was sacred.
LAPIS LAZULIS
Family: silicates.
Color: Deep blue often spotted with golden pyrite crystals.
In ancient Egypt it was used to create jewelry but also wall decorations or death masks for kings, like that of Tutankhamen.
Lapis lazuli was also one of the main pigments used by Michelangelo to paint the Sistine Chapel.
LA TURQUOISE
Color: from pale blue to green blue.
The name turquoise, which means stone of Turkey, is explained by its commercial transit through this country. It was already extracted in mines in Sinai 4000 years before Christ. Today, it is found in Australia, Brazil, the United States and Mexico.
