The Healing Powers of Gemstones

Is turquoise a shade of blue, a shade of green, or a combination of the two? Whatever the case, the stone’s vibrant color is only enhanced by the inclusion of its host rock, which appear as dark lines, webbing or patches within the mineral. “The god of the sky alive in the earth,” a phrase Native Americans used to describe turquoise, captures the marriage of the two colors, blue-green representing the sky and brown-black representing the earth. Turquoise is an ancient stone, used decoratively by Egyptians, the Chinese, the Aztecs, and Incans, because it symbolized protection, power, good luck, strength...

Intense and multifaceted are two words that capture the essence of black onyx. When you look at onyx closely, you notice there is complexity and depth to its darkness. Then, when you step back and see a piece of onyx jewelry worn with articles of clothing in primary colors, you realize how stunning the combination can be because the black draws attention to the color behind it. Because black represents the absence of light, it holds all colors. What white illuminates, black covers and cloaks. While white shines a light on the truth, black keeps the truth hidden. If white...

If you want to wear a piece of jewelry that is going to grab someone’s attention, something made with Lapis Lazuli is a fantastic choice. Its bright, deep blue hue is pleasing to the eye, and the gold speckles in the stone, called inclusions, make the blue hues even more complex. Lapis, a semi-precious stone that in ancient times was mined in Afghanistan, is composed of three different minerals – lazurite, calcite, sodalite and pyrite. In the past, Lapis was ground into a powder to create the highly sought-after pigment, ultramarine, which was used to by Renaissance painters to color...

Studying a piece of Amethyst jewelry, you can’t help but be pulled in by its beauty, the mysterious quality of the stones. The colors are beguiling – hues of lavender, lilac with hints of pink, and cabernet grape purple offer calm, stability, and powerful energy. It is no wonder, then, that this rare form of quartz is often used as a tool for meditation, for it is thought to bring a person clarity of mind, provide spiritual protection and bolster inner strength. When you are feeling stressed and strained, sad or irritable, angry or fearful, that is the time to...