PRECIOUS STONES
There are only four precious stones: diamond, ruby, emerald and sapphire. Sometimes you will see that pearl, opal or jade are listed as precious gemstones, but more often they are considered semi-precious. Traditionally, these four precious stones have been the most expensive and sought after. Browse through this carefully curated gemstones dictionary to learn more about these fabulous stones.
RUBY
Hardness - 9
Ruby, Star Light Ruby (left to right)
OVERVIEW
Ruby is the most valuable variety of the corundum mineral species, which also includes sapphire. Rubies can command the highest per-carat price of any coloured stone. This makes ruby one of the most important gems in the coloured stone market. The strength of ruby’s red depends on how much chromium is present—the more chromium, the stronger the red colour. Chromium can also cause fluorescence, which adds to the intensity of the red colour.
HISTORY
The name ruby comes from the Latin word ‘ruber’, which means “red”. The glowing red of ruby suggested an inextinguishable flame burning in the stone, even shining through clothing and able to boil water. Ruby is one of the most historically significant coloured stones. Rubies are mentioned four times in the Bible, in association with attributes like beauty and wisdom. In the ancient language of Sanskrit, ruby is called ‘ratnaraj’, or “king of precious stones”.
FAMOUS RUBY
The most renowned rubies, like those from Myanmar, the Himalayas and northern Vietnam, typically form in marble. They’re found in layers that are distributed irregularly within the surrounding marble. Marble forms as part of the metamorphic (rock-altering) process, when heat and pressure from mountain formation act on existing limestone deposits.
MEANING & ENERGY
Wedding - 40th Anniversary
Birthstone - July
Zodiac - Aries, Cancer, Leo, Scorpio, Sagittarius
Planet - Sun
Element - Fire
Ruby associates with the power of integrity, devotion, happiness, healing, courage, passion, enthusiasm, inspiration, prosperity, energy, power and leadership.
Red is the colour of our most intense emotions—love and anger, passion and fury. Early cultures treasured rubies for their similarity to the redness of the blood that flowed through their veins and believed that rubies held the power of life. Ruby has accumulated a host of legends over the centuries. People in India believed that rubies enabled their owners to live in peace with their enemies. In Burma (a ruby source since at least 600 AD—now called Myanmar), warriors possessed rubies to make them invincible in battle.
Ruby encourages passion and a zest for life. It improves motivation and setting realistic goals. Balances the heart and instils confidence. Ruby encourages joy, spontaneity, laughter and courage. It promotes positive dreams and stimulates the pineal gland. Ruby encourages the removal of negative energies from your path.
In many cultures, people believe ruby can detoxify the body, blood and lymphatic system. It treats fevers, infectious disease and restricted blood flow. They also believe ruby can stimulate the adrenals, kidneys, reproductive organs and spleen.
SAPPHIRE
Hardness - 9
Blue Sapphire, Purple Sapphire, Pink Sapphire, Champaign Sapphire, Yellow Sapphire, Orange Sapphire, Green Sapphire, White Sapphire (left to right)
OVERVIEW
Blue sapphire belongs to the mineral species corundum. It can be pure blue but ranges from greenish blue to violetish blue. The name “sapphire” can also apply to any corundum that’s not red and doesn’t qualify as ruby, another corundum variety.
Besides blue sapphire and ruby, the corundum family also includes so-called “fancy sapphires”. They come in white, peach, green, yellow, orange, pink, purple and intermediate hues. Some stones exhibit the phenomenon known as colour change, most often going from blue in daylight or fluorescent lighting to purple under incandescent light. Sapphires can even be grey, black or brown.
HISTORY
In folklore, history, art and consumer awareness, sapphire has always been associated with the colour blue. Its name comes from the Greek word sappheiros, which probably referred to as lapis lazuli. Most jewellery customers think all sapphires are blue, and when gem and jewellery professionals use the word “sapphire” alone, they normally mean “blue sapphire”.
In ancient Greece and Rome, kings and queens were convinced that blue sapphires protected their owners from envy and harm. During the Middle Ages, the clergy wore blue sapphires to symbolise Heaven, and ordinary people thought that the gem attracted heavenly blessings.
FAMOUS SAPPHIRE
For centuries, sapphire has been associated with royalty and romance. The association was reinforced in 1981 when Britain’s Prince Charles gave a blue sapphire engagement ring to Lady Diana Spencer. Until her death in 1997, Princess Di, as she was known, charmed and captivated the world. Her sapphire ring helped link modern events with history and fairy tales.
MEANING & ENERGY
Wedding - 5th and 45th Anniversary
Birthstone - September (blue Sapphire)
Zodiac - Virgo, Libra, Sagittarius
Planet - Saturn
Element - Water
Sapphire associates with the power of creative expression, intuition, meditation, luck, wisdom, optimism, love, loyalty, independence, centring, balance, self-appreciation, spiritual development, intellect, memory
Traditionally, sapphire symbolises nobility, truth, sincerity and faithfulness. It has decorated the robes of royalty and clergy members for centuries. Its extraordinary colour is the standard against which other blue gems—from topaz to tanzanite—are measured. In other times and places, people have instilled sapphires with the power to guard chastity, make peace between enemies, influence spirits and reveal the secrets of oracles.
Known as the "wisdom stone", each colour of Sapphire brings its own particular wisdom. It releases mental tension, depression, unwanted thoughts and spiritual confusion. Sapphire restores balance within the body, aligning the physical, mental and spiritual planes, bringing serenity and peace of mind. It stimulates concentration, brings lightness, and joy. Sapphire is also known as a "stone of prosperity", attracting gifts of all kinds and fulfilling dreams and desires.
EMERALD
Hardness - 8
Raw Emerald Mineral, Green Emerald (left to right)
OVERVIEW
One of the most well known coloured gemstones, this stone exists only in green. You can get small variances in hue, for example slightly darker deep green hues or the paler almost minty green hues. Emerald is the green to a greenish-blue variety of beryl, a mineral species that also includes aquamarine. Gem experts differ on the degree of green that makes one stone an emerald and another stone, less-expensive green, beryl. Some people in the trade tend to give the name emerald to any green beryl coloured by chromium.
HISTORY
The first known emerald mines were in Egypt, dating from at least 330 BC into the 1700s. Cleopatra was known to have a passion for emerald and used it in her royal adornments. Emeralds from what is now Colombia were part of the plunder when sixteenth-century Spanish explorers invaded the New World. The Incas had already been using emeralds in their jewellery and religious ceremonies for 500 years. The Spanish, who treasured gold and silver far more than gems, traded emeralds for precious metals. Their trades opened the eyes of European and Asian royalty to emerald’s majesty.
MEANING & ENERGY
Wedding - 20th and 55th Anniversary
Birthstone - May
Zodiac - Aries, Taurus, Gemini, Libra
Planet - Mercury
Element - Earth
Emerald associates with the power of romance, joy, cleansing, intuition, faith, serenity, intelligence, clear vision, truth, memory & communication, physical & emotional healing
As the gem of spring, emerald’s lush green has soothed souls and excited imaginations since antiquity. Its name comes from the ancient Greek word for green, “smaragdus”. Rome’s Pliny the Elder described emerald in his Natural History, published in the first century AD: “…nothing greens greener” was his verdict. He described the use of emerald by early lapidaries, who “have no better method of restoring their eyes than by looking at the emerald, its soft, green colour comforting and removing their weariness and lassitude.” Even today, the colour green is known to relieve stress and eye strain.
Legends endowed the wearer with the ability to foresee the future when emerald was placed under the tongue, as well as to reveal the truth and be protected against evil spells. Emerald was once also believed to cure diseases like cholera and malaria. Wearing an emerald was believed to reveal the truth or falseness of a lover’s oath as well as make one an eloquent speaker.
Emerald is known as the “stone of successful love”. It brings loyalty and provides for domestic bliss. It enhances unconditional love, unity and promotes friendship. Keeps partnerships in balance and can signal unfaithfulness if it changes colour. Emerald stimulates the heart chakra, having a healing effect on the emotions as well as the physical heart. It ensures physical, emotional and mental equilibrium, bringing harmony to all areas of one’s life. Focusing intention and raising consciousness, it brings in positive actions, eliminating negativity and enhancing the ability to enjoy life to the fullest.