Queen Of Gems

October 30, 2009

Gems and their Powers

Filed under: Gemstones — Tags: , — admin @ 6:04 am

People have adorned their bodies with gemstones since the beginning of time, and throughout the years special powers have been attributed to them.

Here’s a brief list of some of the more popular gems (ie, those that are honored by being birthstones!)

January – Garnet
Garnet signifies loyalty, devotion and energy

February – Amethyst
Amethyst brings peace of mind, and prevents drunkeness

March – Bloodstone
Also called heliotrope.
Thought to be a cure for most ills.

April – Diamond
The stone of love, worn to ensure fidelity.

May – Emerald
bestows on the wearer faithfulness and unchanging love

June – Alexandrite
A recent gem discover (supposedly first discovered on the day czar Alexander II of Russia came of age) it is a stone of good omen.

July – Ruby
Symbolic of love and passion, an aid to friendship

August – Peridot
An aid to friendship, and frees the mind of envious thoughts.

September – Sapphire
Symbol of the heavens, guardian of innocence, bestower of truth and good health

October – Opal
a symbol of fidelity and assurance

November – Topaz
Symbol of love and affection, and an aid to sweetness of disposition.

December – Turquoise
A symbol of courage, success and love.

October 28, 2009

Take a look at Tribal Jewelry

Filed under: jewelry — Tags: — admin @ 6:04 am

Tribal jewelry, when it comes to that being auctioned at jewelry-auctioned.com, consists of:

Jewelelry made the traditional way from Nepal, Afgahnistan, Pakistan ,Iran, and India.

Tribal silver differs from sterling silver in that it is a century’s old traditional method passed down from one generation to another. It uses 40% silver combined with local alloys to produce this natural style and is reputed to polish naturally when worn.

When it tarnishes, the color is not green but a natural earthy tones.

These traditional craftsmen also use bronze.

Tribal jewelery is made the traditional way with techniques passed from one generation to the next from the mountainous regions of Nepal to Afghanistan with craftsman making hand made jewelery as their ancestors did, but is now dying art form as not many young people are doing apprenticeship in this ancient craft.

Take a look at the tribal jewelry at jewelry-auctioned.com.

October 26, 2009

An introduction to Boulder Opals

Filed under: jewelry, opal — Tags: — admin @ 4:43 am

Take a look at the boulder opals available at jewelry-auctioned.com.

What are boulder opals, you are asking yourself.

97% of the opal today comes from Australia. Of this, 90% is white and crystal opal, or “light opal.” That breaks down to 60% white opal, and 30% crystal opal or pure hydrated silica, 8% is black. Only 2% is boulder opal.

When precious opal forms in veins and patches within brown ironstone boulders, it is called boulder opal. It is cut out, with a portion of the boulder as a backing, to ensure strength.

There are two types of boulder opal – seam, and matrix. In matrix boulder opal, the opal is mixed thoroughly into the ironstone.

Check out all the varieties of boulder opals on offer.

October 24, 2009

An introduction to Herkimer Diamonds

Filed under: Uncategorized — admin @ 4:12 am

Herkimer diamonds are not really diamonds, but rather double-terminated quartz crystals, which were first discovered in outcrops of dolostone at Little Falls in Herkimer County, New York in the 1700s.

They are sometimes referred to as Little Falls Diamond and Middleville Diamond, as well.

Herkimer diamonds are quartz crystals that have 18 facets (6 sides) and two terminations. They can be found clear, cloudy, or even containing a variety of rare impurities. Impurities can include clusters, scepters, enhydro aka fluid inclusions), phantom, and bridge crystals. A fluid inclusion contains a water pocket within the crystal, and a phantom is a crystal which contains an image of itself within.

Herkimer diamonds were formed about five hundred million years ago.

Wiccan and New Age belief systems ascribe specific properties to them, such as enhanced dream recall, connections between astral planes, and a wide variety of mystical powers to them.

View Herkimer diamond pendants at Gemrockauctions.com.

By the way, you can go prospecting at the Herkimer Diamond Mines yourself, and stay at a KOA campground nearby.

Here’s a link to the Herkimer Diamond Mine FAQ.

October 21, 2009

Kissing cuff links

Filed under: Cufflinks — Tags: , — admin @ 3:36 am

Take a look at the clothing that men and women wore throughout the ages and you might wonder when the practice of wearing cuff links first came into use.

It’s been happening since the Middle Ages.

At this point, it was the “cuff string,” that was used. One of the earliest references to cufflinks was made in the London Gazette in 1684, it referred to a pair of “cuff buttons set with diamonds”; in 1686 a pair of gold enameled cuff buttons was mentioned. In Suffolk, England, a 17th-century decorated gold single chain cufflink has been discovered.

The ancestor of today’s shirt appeared in the early-1500s. These shirts had ruffled wristbands, which were tied together with “cuff strings.” Cuff strings would be used until the mid-1850s.

When the French Cuff (or Double Cuff), came into fashion, stronger fasteners than string were needed, and cuff links were used to keep the ends closed.

There are two types of cufflinks, those that are “kissing,” with the ends pinched together, or “barrel-style,” in which one end overlaps the other. Kissing cuffs are the most popular type.

Cufflinks come in a wide variety of designs. They can be double-sided (also known as double-paneled) in which each end of the cufflink looks identical, or they can be single-sided (single face), with only one decorative crown, and an undecorated back for the other end.

Cufflinks come in a variety of designs. The crown can be set with a gemstone of some kind, such as amber, or with some kind of novelty design – such as baseball bats or footballs for sports enthusiasts, “career themed” such as bulls and bears or tiny airplanes, and so on.

Check out the men’s amber cufflinks on auction at jewelry-auctioned.com.

October 19, 2009

Pandora Style Bracelets

Filed under: Bracelets — admin @ 3:43 pm

Pandora is a Danish jewelry design company.

Check out Pandora Style Bracelets at Jewelry-auctioned.com

In Greek mythology, the god Zeus was angry at Prometheus for having stolen fire and given it to mankind. He punished Prometheus, but he punished mankind as well, by having Pandora created by Hephaestus (the god of of technology, blacksmiths, craftsmen, artisans, sculptors, metallurgy, fire and volcanoes). She was given a box into which the other gods put all the evil of the world, and then sent down to earth with instructions not to open the box. However, she was curious, she opened it, and all the evils escaped. By the time she closed the box, only hope was left.

The Danish company, Pandora Jewelry, was inspired by this myth, to create a line of charm and bead bracelets which could be personalized by the wearer. Small threads are used to sector each charm bracelet into three parts. Pandora beads, which have their own interior threads that may be fastened to the bracelet, can then be added on as a way to accentuate and personalize the bracelet.

The charms that can be used to personalize one’s bracelets include: Animals & Pets, Birthstones, Flowers, Good Luck Charms, Graduations, Holidays, Insects, Letters, Love & Marriage, Mom & Family, Music & Dance, Religious, Sea Life & Shells, Sports & Leisure and so on.

Pandora has an in-house design studio in Copenhagen. There, 250 silver and goldsmiths produce the highest quality jewelry. is Four times a year, new designs are introduced and made available to the public.

From its initial success, Pandora has expanded around the world. Its first introduction to the United States took place in 2002.
 
By the way, Pandora donates a part of their profit to charities, such as the Susan G. Komen Breast Cancer Foundation and the Mississippi Disaster Relief Funds.

 Check out Pandora Style Bracelets at Jewelry-auctioned.com

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