Crystal Lotus Jewelry

Birthstones :: The Invincible April Diamond

These birthstones have graced the hands of kings, been worn as invincible battle ornaments and are now the gems of choice for wedding engagemant rings. Of course, we're tallking about diamonds, which also happen to be the April birthstone. Keep reading for more information on the magic and mystery of diamonds. (Diamonds are just one of the birthstones for April. The other April birth stone is clear sapphire.)

What's In A Name? The Invincible Diamond

Our word diamond comes from the Greek "adamas." I've seen this translated as "hard" as well as "unconquerable" and "invincible." Even though these cherished gems were first discovered betweeen 800 and 600 BC in India, they are still the hardest natural substance known to exisit.

In part because of the hardness of this stone, kings and other soldiers wore diamonds in their armor and breastplates. It was believed this made them unconquerable in battle and many warriors stayed away just because of this belief. (Which in turn increased the invincible reputation of the king or the soldier.)

Diamonds & Ash :: Chemical Composition and Gemology

Diamonds are the hardest natural substance known to exist. Those which are not used for jewelry are used for industrial purposes, such as bits. However, regardless of popular beilef and mythical meaning, they are not invincible. If you hit a diamond with a hammer, it will break. (Please don't try this at home.)

Diamonds are made of carbon. It's hard to believe, but these sparkling birth stones are basically made of the same chemicals as the ash in your fireplace. Why do diamonds look the way they do when that hunk of burned wood in your fireplace looks completely different? For starters you would need to take your hunk of charcoal, pull it down 93 miles below the earth, and superheat it to 2,192 degrees Fahrenheit. Then, after a million years of waiting, you might have a new diamond! (I'm saying might here, as geologists are not in complete agreement as to how diamonds are formed.)

Diamonds are octahedral in shape. Imagine an eight sided double pyramid, and you have the octahedral shape of these birthstones. Diamonds are usually clear or yellow (yellow is not as expensive.) There are also naturally colored diamonds in blue, green, red, pink, canary yellow and amber. Colored diamonds are very expensive. The best cut diamonds are also the most expensive as it takes years to learn how to cut these birth stones gems. The major cutting cities are New York, Bombay, Tel Aviv, and Antwerp.

Not for Men Only :: The Changing History of Diamonds

Diamonds were first discovered in the riverbeds in India over three thousand years ago. This April birthstone is listed in the Bible in Exodus: 10:13 as part of the breast plate of Aaron. Many of our modern birthstones are also listed there. Diamonds are also mentioned in Ezekiel 28:13.

Louis IX of France (1214-1270) was extremely enamoured of diamonds. He passed an edict during his reign which essentially said that only kings could wear diamonds, and absolutely no women. (That included queens and princesses.) In 1477, the Archduke Maximilian of Austria gave a diamond ring to Princess Mary of Burgundy. Thus began the tradition of diamond engagement rings which continues to this day. In 1723, these birthstones were found in Brazil and in 1867, diamonds were found in the Orange River of South Africa. Some of the more famous diamond gem stones are the Koh-in-Moor and the Hope Diamond, both from Golconda, India. It is also the US state gem stone of Arkansas (where diamonds are mined in the US, but they are not gem quality.)

Lightening, Tears & Stars :: Diamond Mythology

In ancient India, diamonds were not cut for fear their magical properties would be lost. It is said that ancient Hindus believed diamonds appeared where lightening hit the rocks. Many people of ancient times also believe this birth stone to be the tears of the Gods or splinters from the stars. This last myth is particularly interesting to me, as scientists have now discovered microscopic diamonds in certain types of meteorites. Their physical properties are identical to our eartly diamonds, but they have a different crystalline structure. Scientists believe these tiny diamonds are the by-products of exploding stars, or supernovas. Diamonds... Splinters from the stars!

A popular belief about these birthstones during the Middle Ages is that diamonds would grow darker in the face of guilt and shine brightly for the innocent. Diamonds would also change color in the presence of poison. The rainbow colors of the prism were thought to give one magical power over evil eyes. This April birthstone is also the ancient symbol of the "Perfected Man," one whose spirit gleams for those on the spiritual path. Another belief about diamonds -- and one that I have read in regard with other precious stones as well -- is that they should be received from another person. It was said that they lose their power if bought instead of given. One more reason to give April birthstone jewelry as a gift!

Diamonds as Healing Stones

Here are a few of the ways diamonds have been used as healing stones:

* Detect and detoxify poison

* Open spirituality channels

* Aid in creativity

* Assist in calming creatures

If you set a diamond in gold and wore it on the left hand side, it is supposed to have the power to take away nightmares.

Diamonds and You

April birthstones, the diamond, have been a symbol of love, faith, trust, and prosperity for thousands of years. It has been worn by kings and warriors in battle, used as a talisman against bad dreams, and given as a comittment to marriage. Give a diamond birthstone as a gift and share the love.

May Birthstones :: Rare and Fragile Emeralds

What do Cleopatra, Isis and Venus have to do with the birthstones? They all loved emeralds, the May birth stone.... This birth stone has a very colorful history. These precious gems have been found on the necks of queens and prima donnas. In addition, this birthstone signifies love and fidelity. Keep reading for more information on the magic and mystery of these birthstones.

What's in a Name? :: A Lackluster Name for a Brilliant Gemstone

History gave the French the opportunity to name these vibrant and fragile gems for all time. They called these birth stones "esmeraude" from the Greek work "smaragdos," meaning green stone. When you consider that other birth stones have fascinating myths (such as pomegranates and the myth of Persephone and Demeter for January's birthstone) and meanings (the invincible and unconquerable April diamond) green stone is not the most imaginative name for this May birthstone. Fortunately, what the name lacks in meaning it makes up for in brilliant beauty.

A Garden of Crystals :: May Birthstone Gemology

Emeralds are a type of beryl, like aquamarine (the March birthstone.) The color of these precious stones varies from a deep forest green to a blue-green that is typical of the emeralds from the Columbian mines.

One unique characteristic of these birth stones is called "jardin." Jardin is french for garden. In emeralds, this is a garden of incrusted crystals trapped within the emerald. These can only be seen by microscope. Some Columbian mined emeralds have something called "trapich-emerald" which is a six ray star inside.

The green color of this birthstone is due to iron impurities which absorb red light and transmit green. Emeralds attribute their color to chromium. Emerald crystals like the company of other deposits and are found with mica and pegmatite. Because of its fragility and easily broken nature, the May birthstone is cut in a square or rectangular cut. This protects the stones from outside stress. In addition, because they are so fragile, emeralds are often coated with an oil to hide the fissures and faults.

Some of the finest of these birthstones are mined at Muzo and Chivor, Columbia. These mines were used for a millennium before the Spanish took them over in the 1500's and made them very popular in Europe. This action also gained credibility for Spain as a nation of power at that time. Emeralds were more recently discovered in Russia's Ural Mountains, in 1830. These birthstones are also found in the US, in North Carolina, making emeralds the state gemstone for North Carolina.

Queens, Moguls & Museums :: Royal History of May Birthstones

Emeralds were much loved by the Egyptians. They were recorded as being mined as early as 2000 B.C. Cleopatra adored emerald jewelry and she had her own private mine for these birthstones. The mine was lost and then rediscovered in 1818. Unfortunately, the emeralds had been completely mined out by that time. India's Sha Jahan, builder of the Taj Mahal, had a jewelry talisman made of this May birthstone. It had a blessing engraved around the edge of the emerald. Another talisman, the Mogul Emerald found in 1695, weighs 217.80 carets and is 10 cm. tall. One side has prayers and the other side has flower. It was auctioned at Christie's for 2.2 million dollars. The New York Museum of Art has a pure emerald cup of Emperor Jehingar as well as a crystal weighing 632 carats. The Iranian state treasure is said to have a tiara of former princess Fahah in its safe.

Death, Life, & Sports at the Coliseum :: More Great History on the May Birthstone

Emeralds appear in a number of the world's religions. For example, these birthstones are listed in the Bible in Exodus 28: 17-21 as the emerald for the tribe of Levi. In another example, the Holy Grail was supposed to have been made from one huge emerald that fell from Lucifer's crown as he plunged to earth. The Egyptian goddess, Isis, wore this stone. Legend says that everyone who looked upon it had safe passage through the land of the dead. To the Egyptians, emeralds symbolized fertility and life. The Romans dedicated these birthstones to the goddess of love, Venus. Even Emperor Nero enjoyed them. It is said that he had a pair of emerald glasses made, so he could watch the sports at the Coliseum. In the Middle Ages, these birthstones were used to tell the future. They were also linked to love. In addition, it was believed that emeralds would change color after acts of infidelity. Emeralds are said to be a stone of the spring.

Emeralds as Healing Stones

Emeralds have been used as healing stones for hundreds of years. Pliney the Elder described the color of these birthstones as calming and soothing to the eye. The eleventh century writer, Marbode, said that emeralds alleviated depression. Anselmes de Boot, a seventeenth century philosopher, recorded that it prevented epilepsy, bleeding, and panic. Emeralds have been used as healing stones for:

* Depression

* Insomnia

* Stimulate sexuality

* Increase IQ

* Help and soothe poor eyesight

* Infertility

* Radiation therapy

* Mental Illness

* Circulatory and neurological disorders

* Balance

* Patience

* Psychic ability and clairvoyance

* Dream insight

* Drive away evil spirits

* Cure dysentery

* Detoxify blood

If you set an emerald in silver or copper bracelets, it is supposed to relieve arthritis of the hands, elbows, and shoulders. Emeralds (and the green color ray of emeralds) relate to the 4th chakra. This is the Heart Chakra, for soul and heart consciousness, and for the thoracic cavity. The healing vibration of emeralds supports:

* Growth

* Peace

* Harmony

* Willingness of the heart

Emeralds and You

The May birthstone, the emerald, has been a symbol of love, faith, and trust for thousands of years. It has been carried by kings and warriors and worn by queens and goddesses. Emeralds are the most rare and valuable gem of all the birthstones. In addition to being the May birthstone, emeralds are also the gem for the 20th and 35th wedding anniversaires.

Whether you are considering emeralds as a jewelry stone to give or to wear... I hope this information has enriched your appreciation for this precious stone and your interest in wearing it.

June Birthstones:: They're Not Stones, They're Pearls

What do Krishna, the Koran, and Hanover Royalty have in common? Beautiful creamy pearls. The June birthstone is not really stones at all but an organic material! Find out more about the magic and mystery of the little organic mineral.

Pearls in the Rough :: What's in These Birth Stones?

June birthstones begin as a pain in the neck, literally. Pearls are formed in oysters and mussels as an irritant. To protect themselves, these creatures form a "nacre" around whatís bothering them (usually a parasite or a piece of rock).

The nacre is made out of CaCO3 (calcium, carbon, and oxygen). It takes about 7 or 8 years to make a quality pearl.

How do pearls get their luster? Actually, it's in the temperature of the water. The cooler the water, the more luster; the warmer, the bigger the pearl. Now if these pearls stay too long in the shell, they become "baroque pearls." These pearls are no longer spherical but have different shapes.

Also, the June birthstone can have different shades of color depending on where they are from. People who really know pearls can identify where they came from by their color. Pearls from Japan are creamy white; Sri Lanka, pink; Persian Gulf, cream; the June birthstone from Burma are a beautiful white tinted with rose; and pearls even come in black from the Gulf of Mexico.

Pearls can be very tiny, but the ones you see in pearl jewelry are usually 6 to 10 mm. However, the seas around Burma can grow pearls to 16 mm.

The man-made version of the June birthstone began in the thirteenth century when the Chinese began introducing irritants into the shells and so started the "cultured" pearl business.

Cleopatra did WHAT with her June birthstones?

Pearls begin their history as far back as the fourth century as they were found buried with a Persian Princess. These birthstones are even found in the Bible and Koran. Job laments to God in Job 28:15-19 mentioning pearls and other birth stones. The Koran states a good Muslim on entering the Kingdom of Heaven "is crowned with pearls of incomparable luster, and is attended by beautiful maidens resembling hidden pearls."

Cleopatra even dissolved a pearl in wine for Mark Anthony, to show the tremendous wealth of Egypt, not to seduce him.

The June birthstones have been found in tombs from the Toltec and Aztecs to Egyptian graves.

One of the most traveled strands of these birthstones are the Hanover Pearls which went back and forth from England to Germany many times depending on who was on the English throne at the time. However, rumor holds that the birthstones that are currently in Germany are not the original Hanover pearls and that they still reside in England.

Mythology and Legends :: June Birthstones

The legends surrounding pearls are as wondrous as the June birthstone themselves. The Ancient Greeks had a belief that pearls would promote marital bliss and prevent newlyweds from crying. Roman women would sleep with these birth stones to sweeten their dreams.

Legend has it that the Hindu god Krishna drew pearls from the sea to give to his daughter Pandaia to wear on her wedding day. Thus, he started the tradition of giving these birth stones to brides.

There was also an ancient beliefs that these birth stones were Tears of God.

Pearls are considered by some to be the "Queen Gem" as compared to the "King Gem" or diamond.

During the Crusades, knights would give these birth stones to their ladies to show their feelings.

Pearls are also the Chinese symbol of wealth, power, and longevity.

Healing Pearls :: June Birthstones in the Healing Arts

The pearl has been used for gentle healing like the energy of the sea.

These birth stones are used in healing for:
* Relaxation
* Soothing emotions
* Sensibility
* Relieving Stress
* Purity of heart and mind
* Balancing
* Creating beauty and harmony from discord
* Eye Ailments

Europeans used either the powder of pearl or swallowing these birth stones whole to cure themselves of troubling thoughts and feelings.

These birth stones correspond to the 4th Chakra for soul and heart. It is said to help with:
* Creativity
* Purity
* Sacrificial love
* Balance

Symbolism of June Birthstones :: The Purity of Pearls

Some symbolic meaning of pearls include:

* Wealth

* Power

* Longevity

* Beauty

* Sensibility

The June birth stone is also the traditional jewelry gift for the third and thirtieth wedding anniversary. Freshwater pearl jewelry is used for the first anniversary.

June birthstones, pearls, have long been a symbol of love and wealth. Persian to Egyptian royalty as well as the knights of the crusades used these birthstones to let their loved ones know their feelings for them.

I love the energy of pearls and would be happy to custom design a piece of pearl jewelry for you. They also make lovely energy for prayerbeads, and in fact I've seen antique Buddhist malas made with pearls. I would be happy to create a pearl prayer beads mala for your meditation practice.