Guide to Cabochon Gemstones

Amethyst gemstones ranges in colour from deep purple to pale lilac. The most popular varieties of this gem are found in Africa and South America. The name amethyst derives from the Greek word amethystos, which means "not drunk". It was used from that period through to the middle ages to help maintain clarity and sobriety when having the odd goblet or two. There are countless references to this in ancient Roman texts. Quartz will commonly contain trace amounts of iron (in the range of 10's to 100's parts per million of iron. The colour in amethyst comes from colour centres in the quartz. These are created when trace amounts of iron are irradiated (from the natural radiation in the rocks).

Move forward without fear. You have to put yourself out there to let someone know how you really feel. On this day in particular there will be many people, trying to summon up the courage to do just that. Aquamarine is known as the "stone of courage" and encourages one to be brave and prepared for all eventualities. It's pale blue colour links it to the throat chakra, the communication chakra. This stone helps you express yourself for positive results.

Aquamarine is a pale blue beryl that can grow into large hexagonal crystals. It's blue colour comes from iron atoms within lettuce. It emits a gentle compassionate energy and help judgmental people to be more tolerant.

Aquamarine expands the mind in many ways. It accelerates the intellectual reasoning process, and makes one unconquerable through learning. But it also helps one attune to more spiritual levels of awareness.

We all have moments in life when we have to be brave, and show courage. Aquamarine is an excellent stone to help you get through moments like that. If you know someone who might need help in this area. Or maybe you know student who might need to buckle down and get revising, then you might want to consider aquamarine as a gift.

Black opal is a beautiful gemstone from Australia. It ranges in color from grey to black, the best of which can display a full spectrum of iridescent colours.

Black opals are sold in 3 ways. Solid, doublets, and triplets. Solid opal is as it sounds. A solid peace of opal that has been cut and shaped to bring out the very best of its colours. Doublets and triplets of something completely different. If uncle Paul is too thin to cut into a solid, it may be combined with other minerals to form a workable gemstone. A doublet is a thin layer of the precious opal, backed with a dark coloured mineral, such as onyx or obsidian. Equipment is very similar, Opel sandwiched between the dark layer at the back and dome of clear quartz on top. The quartz takes a high polish and acts to protect the opal.

Opal is the stone of the mystics, the "dreamtime" stone. It helps one to understand the higher powers of intuition and mysticism. It can be used to instill faithfulness and loyalty, both at home and at work.

Citrine is a translucent quartz. Ranging in colour from burnt orange right the way through to an almost colourless pale yellow. But the majority of citrine is a bright yellow colour. Citrine has a very gentle grounding effect, and helps the body to release stress and tension. It's a gemstone that allows one to completely relax.Citrine is known as 'the merchants stone'. It is said that if you put a piece in your till or cash box it'll help to multiply its contents.

Dalmatian Jasper, also known as dalmatian stone, is found primarily in Mexico. It's name is derived for obvious reasons. It has a creamy coloured quartz base, with black and brown spots of tourmaline. This fact means that dalmatian Jasper isn't a Jasper at all, as Jasper is of the chalcedony mineral type.

Dalmatian Jasper is a gemstone that allows one to stay calm, rationalise and let go of old thought patterns. It has the ability to dispel feelings of extreme anger. It has an energy that encourages one to believe that it's OK to be happy, and to move forward with your life in a positive manner. Regardless of the situation that may be holding one back

Diopside (Black Star) presents a beautiful, bright white floating Star, or asterism, on a lustrous black surface. Asterisms are more commonly seen in star rubies and star sapphires. They differ in the fact that the asterism in black star displays 4 points as opposed to 6. Being a black stone, it is associated with the base chakra. It resonates at a very deep, physical level. It helps to stimulate the more physical aspects of brain function, such as computation and spatial awareness. Black Stars connection with our physical aspects makes it ideal for the gym. I use it on the treadmill myself to keep muscle spasms, stitches and cramp at bay.

The properties of fluorite are some of the most complex in the gemstone world, and many of them are still a bit of a mystery. It's a common stone and available in all continents and subsequently its colours cover the full spectrum.

Fluorite has the special quality of fluorescence, or changes colour under UV light. In fact the word fluorescence derives from the name of the gemstone. The light emitted from the gemstone under UV light is usually a blue colour. But other colors do also occur. For some specimens of fluorite it is possible for the colour to change when moved from bright sunlight into shade. The fluorescence may be caused by trace amounts of the rare earth elements yttrium and ytterbium, or volatile hydrocarbons. The blue fluorescence is certainly attributed to the presence of the rare earth metal europium in the crystal lattice formation of fluorite.

Fluorite is a common gemstone because it is often found with minerals such as silver, tin and lead. Thus miners have been taking it home for thousands of years. Fluorite takes its name from the Latin word fluere, which means "to flow". This is due to the minerals low melting temperature. It's an important mineral for industry. It is the primary source for fluorine gas and hydrofluoric acid used to make steel, enamel and glassware.

There are many metaphysical properties assigned to this gemstone. But my favorite is the one that propagates empathy and understanding in relationships. Not just romantic relations, but family and group relations in general.

For the jewellers out there, if you can put a collection together with a UV light in one of the cabinets, it will make for a truly unusual and eye catching display. Fluorite worn to nightclub and raves will certainly attract attention under their UV lights.

Garnet is not actually a single gemstone, but a group of several related minerals. As such it comes in many different varieties, and a whole range of colours. Yellow, green, orange, brown, pink, purple, grey and black are the colours that these varieties display. But the most common gem quality garnet's are red. Of all of the transparent gemstones garnet is the most magnetic due to the high concentrations of iron and /or manganese.

Garnet is also known as the stone of inspiration, and helps to guide one during times of contemplation. Balancing peace and solitude with harmony and activity. It's regarded as sacred stone by Native American Indians who believe in its creative energy.

Moonstone is another feldspar mineral. I stock it in a number of colours. White peach and grey. The physical properties characterising moonstone are its milky opalescent sheen and in some cases a chatoyant [shuh-toi-uh nt], which is a single streak of moving light on the surface of the stone. More commonly known as a floating cats eye. The energy of moonstone is balancing, introspective, and reflective. It helps one understand the ups and downs in life, and to gracefully accept the changing cycles. It is a stone for feeling and understanding via intuition and emotional thoughts rather than intellectual reasoning. Moonstone stimulate intuitive recognition and helps one to apply intuitive knowledge in a practical sense. It also enhances perception and discernment, enabling one to make decisions which painlessly further ones development.

Moonstone has a very feminine energy. That energy allowed me to confront and explore my thoughts and feelings, instead of burying them.

Green aventurine is a quartz spangled with mica and is found mainly in India. Green aventurine enhances creativity, and motivation. Which is just what I needed to get this blog done. It also reinforces ones decisiveness and amplifies ones leadership qualities.

Green aventurine is associated with a forth chakra or heart chakra which is the center of compassion in spirituality. All green stones are loving and soothing. With a liberal smattering of ecstasy, exhilaration and joyfulness.

Iolite is called the violet stone. Its colour ranges include blue, brown, yellow, dark violet, grey and green. But gem quality iolite is generally violet blue colour. This gemstone also exhibits pleochroic qualities. Which means that the violet blue colour is visible, until the stone is turned through 90 degrees. Then it will display a more bluish brown colour. And then if that stone is turned on its side, it may display a completely new shade of blue or brown.

Iolite was also called the 'Vikings Compass'. Because the pleochroic effect works by determining the direction that light waves are traveling. Very useful for determining the suns position on overcast days. With a well polished piece of iolite and a good understanding of the way that the colours shift within stone, in relation to the sun, and you could theoretically navigate your way across the Atlantic. Regardless of the weather, as it's the polarization that affects the stone. Not the sun. What an amazing reason for a gemstone based prized possession. [How to Catch a Robot Rat by Agnes Guillot, Jean-Arcady Meyer, Susan Emanuel (2010)]

Labradorite is another one of my favorite gemstones. The plate like composition of this feldspar stone, causes iridescent (labradorescent) changes in colour, from peacock blue to coppery red and dusky gold.

Its name derives from the island of Labrador, where the stone was first discovered in the 18th century. Since then deposits have been found in Finland and the Ukraine.

Without the iridescence Labradorite is a dull and unremarkable gemstone. But the iridescence changes it into something that is quite spectacular. The energy produced by this stone is the same. Allowing one to discover new solutions to problems, and reveal new opportunities in life. Labradorite is a very useful stone for energy protection, as the ever changing colours prevent negativity from attaching. It also makes one mentally tolerant of those who subconsciously drain your energy.

For the gemstone layman, which is how we all start out. It's often hard to believe that this royal blue stone with gold flecks is actually not man made. Revered by the Pharaohs of ancient Egypt and most famously used in the solid gold death mask of Tutankhamen. It's from their obsession with the gemstones that the terminology "royal blue" derives. The gemstone is prolifically used all over India and Nepal, not just in the present, but also in antique jewellery, particularly in bead form.

The majority of gem quality lapis comes from Afghanistan. Lapis is a combination of minerals, primarily lazurite and calcite, with the gold flecks in the stone being caused by the occurrence "iron pyrite", more commonly known as "fools gold".

You may have seen a form of lapis which is blue with much more white or calcite, and no gold flecks at all. This type of lapis lazuli is from deposits found in Chile.

Crystal Metaphysics Lapis is known as the stone of awareness, truthfulness, inner power, organization, and communication. It is believed the gem can help one expend their intellectual capacity, as well as facilitating organizational skills in ones day to day activities. It is also believed the gem can be used to develop insight into ones own dreams.

Moonstone is another feldspar mineral. I stock it in a number of colours. White peach and grey. The physical properties characterising moonstone are its milky opalescent sheen and in some cases a chatoyant [shuh-toi-uh nt], which is a single streak of moving light on the surface of the stone. More commonly known as a floating cats eye. The energy of moonstone is balancing, introspective, and reflective. It helps one understand the ups and downs in life, and to gracefully accept the changing cycles. It is a stone for feeling and understanding via intuition and emotional thoughts rather than intellectual reasoning. Moonstone stimulate intuitive recognition and helps one to apply intuitive knowledge in a practical sense. It also enhances perception and discernment, enabling one to make decisions which painlessly further ones development.

Moonstone has a very feminine energy. That energy allowed me to confront and explore my thoughts and feelings, instead of burying them.

Jasper is a chalcedony that comes in many forms and colours. Jasper is known metaphysically as a stone of gentleness, comfort, and relaxation. When its protective energies are also considered, it's no wonder jasper is sometimes called the "nurturing stone." In the mental and emotional realms, Jasper is primarily about peace and relaxation. It enhances one's ability to relax and come to peace even in difficult situations. This helps bring in wholeness, emotional healing, kindness, and comfort. Jasper also helps to remind one that they are not on their own, that there are people around who want to help and provide love.

Clear quartz crystal is the pure form of the mineral silicon dioxide. It is free of any impurity in the crystal lattice that might create colour, and forms long hexagonal crystals that's meet at a single point. Sources of quartz crystal can be found in most parts of the world. Ancient Greeks believed it to be ice that was so frozen it could never be thawed, crysallos being the Greek word for ice. Quartz crystal possess both piezoelectricity and pyroelectricity. Both of which had been covered in my blog Electric Gems (see link). Some quartz crystals are so sensitive that the heat and energy generated by certain individuals can cause the gem to vibrate and glow.

Clear quartz is an excellent gemstone to use for meditating and aids spiritual development. It's the number one stone for crystal healing and divination, we've all heard of crystal balls, after all.

Jasper is a chalcedony that comes in many forms and colours. Jasper is known metaphysically as a stone of gentleness, comfort, and relaxation. When its protective energies are also considered, it's no wonder jasper is sometimes called the "nurturing stone." In the mental and emotional realms, Jasper is primarily about peace and relaxation. It enhances one's ability to relax and come to peace even in difficult situations. This helps bring in wholeness, emotional healing, kindness, and comfort. Jasper also helps to remind one that they are not on their own, that there are people around who want to help and provide love.

Rose quartz is known as the stone of the heart, or the love stone. This pretty pink gemstone has been associated with love and romance since antiquity. It has a calming energy bringing peacefulness and calm to relationships, and promotes receptivity to the beauty of all art forms.

Rose quartz can be found on all continents, but the largest commercial deposits are in the US and Brazil. The Romans imported rose quartz from mines in Sri Lanka, india and Russia. Carved intaglios, cameo's and personal seal rings still exist from this period.

Rock Ruby...

Smoky quartz is a gemstone with a colour range of light grey/brown to almost black. The colour is caused when clear quartz is naturally irradiated from deep within the earth or by UV wavelengths. Over the years the different colour ranges of smoky quartz have acquired different names. Morion is the name used by the German and Danish speakers, and is generally associated with a very dark almost black smoky quartz. Cairngorm is another name, and relates to the much paler version of smoky quartz. This crystal is found in the Cairngorm mountains of Scotland.

As with all quartz minerals smoky quartz vibrates in a very unique way (see my earlier post "electric gems" for more information), thus making it a powerful healing stone and excilant for meditation. Smoky quartz emits wavelengths that provide a protective barrier around the user that can absorb all forms of negativity.

Smoky quartz is also known "as the stone of corporation" bringing together the energies of many, and focusing them on a common goal.

Smoky quartz it's a beautiful gemstone, either when faceted or in cabochon form. It makes great jewellery for women and men and is inexpensive. For those jewellers amongst you who haven't yet used smoky quartz, you might want to consider it. Drop me a line if you have any questions.

Snowflake Obsidian is a black glassy opaque volcanic gemstone with inclusions of a white mineral [spherulites] the structure of which, when polished resembles snowflakes. The majority of commercial snowflake obsidian, is from the Black Rock area in Western Utah, in the United States. That makes sense, right.

There are many forms and varieties of obsidian. The common theme throughout all forms off obsidian, is that of transforming negative vibrations within an environment, and providing a field against negativity. It also producers very blunt answers. Focusing one's inner vision, and stimulating pictures of the required course of action.

Sunstone is a bright orange feldspar gemstone. And like most feldspars it displays on the surface of the gem. In this instance it's a brilliant, spangled effect.The optical effect of sunstone is called a shiller, and is due to the presence of copper in the mineral.

Deposits of this gemstone have been found in Norway and the United States.

On a more spiritual/metaphysical level, sunstone can be used to encourage independence and originality. It's also said to encourage good luck in games.

Another beautiful and underrated gemstone.

Turquoise is created when water comes into contact with copper and aluminium minerals, and the stones blue colour comes from the copper content. For millennia turquoise has been mined in Egypt, near the Red Sea, in Persia and in Anatolia, which is in modern day Turkey. Ottoman Turks valued the stone so much, that it saw them control mining operations in these countries. Turquoise entered the European markets via Turkey. From the 13th century onwards the stone is known as turquoise, or the Turkish stone. Turquoise is a very porous gemstone. Changes in temperature and humidity can affect its colour. Subsequently the majority of gem quality turquoise on the market is injected with a waxy resin to help stabilise the colour.

In Persia turquoise was used to protect one from physical injury. Turquoise will assist ones communication activities, both written and oral. It acts to induce wisdom and understanding, and to enhance trust, and kindness. It is said to promote spontaneity in issues of romantic and to stimulate the initiation of romantic love. Turquoise is the master healer. It emanates a purifying energy and dissipates external negativity and psychic attack.

The majority of turquoise in the global gemstone market is from United States and Mexico. Mine's such as Kingman, Sleeping Beauty, Campo Frio have produced beautiful turquoise for many years. But 95% of the turquoise that I sell comes from Persia, or Iran. I prefer it because its easier to find with very little or no matrix, and the fact that it's always slightly harder than it's American and Chinese counterparts. Making for much nicer cabochons. In my opinion.

Unakite acts to balance the emotional body, bring it into alignment with higher forces of spirituality. Which for me is very important, as I'm always looking for ways to become more spiritual. To elevate my own vibration. I'm only human, and as such crammed full of subconscious emotional blockages. But Unakite is a gemstone that I believe can help one deal with events of the past which instilled those blockages, allowing more space for love and spirituality .

Unakite is a mottled type of granite, consisting of olive green epidote and pinkish orange orthoclase feldspar. It gets its name from where it was 1st discovered, the Unakas mountains of North Carolina, USA.