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 How Minerals and Gemstones are Formed
Do you know what diamonds, rubies, and emeralds are called? "Jewels", is the most common response. It's an accurate answer, but it doesn't tell the fascinating story behind these treasures from nature.
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 The Stone that captured Moonlight
The facts, myths and folklore about Feldspar or Moonstone, sun stone and amazonite.
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 The Fragile and Fiery Opal
An interesting article that explores the beautiful opal
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 Amber Petrified Sunlight
A brief, but interesting introduction to amber
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 The Deadly Bead
Do you remember the movie "The Blue Lagoon" (version one)? You will recall that at the end their baby dies after eating some bright berries growing on a bush on a desert island. The parents committed suicide by eating them, too.
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 Plants To Weigh Beads
It’s all about seeds used to weigh small, costly things like beads, precious stones, gold or silver.
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 The Amazing Pearl
Article based on the lecture and exhibit “Pearls: A Natural History”
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 Amazonite
According to folk lore, amazonite is said to be useful to activate lazy teenagers
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 Sugilite
One of the prettiest purple stones available.
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 Rose Quartz
Rose Quartz is one of the more desirable varieties of quartz
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 The dZi Beads of Tibet
The dZi bead is one of the most mysterious of all the beads known to us today. It is unclear as to its exact origin, time of manufacture, or even how long they have been an important part of Tibetan culture.
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 Pumtek Beads
Genuine Pumtek are made on the opalized wood of the palm Borassus flabellifer
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 The Chalcedony (Agate) Family
Many of your favorite semiprecious stones are from this family
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 Altering Quartz Minerals
Are your precious stone beads enhanced or altered by man?
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 The Onyx Problem
A name problem . . . Would the “real” Onyx please stand up?
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 Rhodonite
Typically pink to red or orange and even black
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 Aventurine
As you move a piece of aventurine, the sparkling inclusions produce reflections causing a glittering effect.
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 Turquoise
When turquoise first came to the attention of man is unknown.
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 Carnelian Beads
Long carnelian beads, sometimes more than 12 centimeters long, were a specialty of the Indus Civilization.
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 Rudraksa
The rudraksa bead is the dried fruit of the Elaeocarpus Ganitrus. Rudraksa translates directly as: Rudra=Shiva’s aksa=Eye. In effect, they are pleasing to the eye of Shiva.
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 All About Pearls
The term "pearl" is often used by the jewelry industry to mean many things. Technically speaking, a pearl is a stone-like creation that forms inside the shell of an oyster. When a piece of sand gets inside the oyster's shell, the animal secretes a mucus...
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 Beads from the Sea Shore
The most likely process that initiated the making of beads from shell is beach combing. We know prehistoric people were curious and collected fossils, crystals and such things without having any apparent function
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 Pearls of Wisdom
Nothing is more natural than a pearl. Unlike gemstones, regularly cut and polished to unleash their beauty, pearls arrive ready-made, as natural as when they emerged from the creature that conceived them, or do they?
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 Jasper, A Member of The Quartz Family
The minerals grouped as jasper belong to the quartz family. Quartz is one of the most abundant minerals on Earth. It's formed primarily from silica and oxygen, but includes trace amounts of dozens of other minerals.
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 The Ruby, King of Gems
Like many gems, rubies are known by several names. One of its earliest titles was ratnaraj, which is Sanskrit for "king of gems." Another early name was carbuncle. At a time when gems were classified by colors only, carbuncle was the name given to all red gems, including rubies.
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 Lapis Lazuli Defines the Color Blue
Lapis lazuli, as lovely as its exotic name, has decorated humans and enhanced their art for thousands of years. Normally a rich deep shade of blue or blue-violet, lapis lazuli may at times have a slightly greenish cast. It is often sprinkled with small gold specks.
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 Facets: Amethyst
By Alix Toney
The month of September is synonymous with the beginning of the school year. Many students, no doubt, will find it difficult to concentrate on lessons, classes, and homework. I’d like to introduce Amethyst, reputed to assist in concentration, prevent homesickness, and prevent drunkenness.
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 Facets: Opals
By Alix Toney
No other stone can claim the iridescence and the fire of the opal; the characteristics of the opal are very distinct. and it is easy to stare at an opal, fascinated by the play of color and light, changed by the slightest movement.
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 Facets: Spooky Stone: Rock Crystal
By Alix Toney
When it comes to stones, believe it or not, one of the spookiest is the seemingly innocuous Rock Crystal, otherwise known as the colorless quartz. You may recognize it as one of the more popular stones used as a crystal ball,
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 Facets: Jade - The Stone of Gifts
By Alix Toney
Commonly thought of as a green stone, jade is found in a plethora of colors. It has been highly prized in China since ancient times, although its name heralds from more recent centuries.
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 Facets: Birthstones
By Alix Toney
Curiously, the wearing of a particular gemstone according to one’s month of birth stems from practical reasons. It was believed that certain gemstones’ powers were stronger during certain months and times of the year, and even more so for people born under their influence.
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 Facets: Reminders of Spring: Citrine and Emerald
by Alix Toney
I am truly a child of the sun. I thrive when the days are bright and clear. During such days, I enjoy taking walks outside with my daughter, watching her run and skip on the sidewalk, listening to her comment on the birds and bugs,
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 Facets: The Fairy Stone
by Alix Toney
Staurolite is a reddish brown crystal that is twinned, forming a natural cross. The twin crystals may cross at a ninety degree angle, forming a Greek cross, or at a sixty degree angle, forming St. Andrew’s cross.
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 The Oldest Stone Bead Industry
By Peter Francis
Surprisingly, there were almost no stone beads during the Stone Ages. People couldn't work hard stones and had to use softer materials. It wasn't until about 5000 BC. that hard stones such as agates were first made into beads.
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 The Most Worn Bead Plant
Peter Francis, Jr.
It's called Coix lacryma-jobi in botanical nomenclature, but don't let that put you off. That's just the Latin way of saying "Job's Tears." The annual grass produces a fruit shaped like a tear drop.
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 Facets: Pearls
By Alix Toney
Once a long time ago, a fisherman went fishing. When he drew his net, his eyes saw many fish, but his eyes were drawn to the bottom, where a mollusk lay. He took it home with the rest of his catch.
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 The Wonderful Kukui Tree
By Peter Francis, Jr.
The Kukui or Candlenut tree (Aleurites moluccana L.) is the state tree of Hawaii and the symbol of the `Aha Kupuna, the Council of Elders of the Nation of Hawaii. Native to Southeast Asia, it was apparently brought to the islands by early Polynesian settlers
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 Amethyst, The Purple Stone
By BeadBugle.Com
Amethyst is the purple variety of quartz and is one of the most popular and widely used gems. Learn all about Amethyst, where it comes from, the different varieties of and where it is mined.
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 Beads and Sea Shells
By Peter Francis, Jr.
A shell is the hard, outer covering, in this case animals collectively called molluscs (mollusks). Molluscs are soft creatures that make the second largest group (or phylum) of animals on earth.
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 Etched Beads and dZi Beads
By Peter Francis, Jr.
The "etching" of beads is a misnomer, because alkalis, not acid is involved in their decoration. They are distinctive and much has been written about them.
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Quartz, Number One Bead Mineral
By Peter Francis, Jr.
Quartz (silicon dioxide) is the most abundant free mineral on Earth and a major rock former. The sands of beaches, gravel on roads, sandstone cliffs and much more is made of quartz. It is also the major ingredient in most glass.
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 The Hardness of Minerals
by Peter Francis, Jr.
In 1822 Frederick Mohs devised a scale for the hardness (actually scratchability) of minerals from 1 (softest) to 10 (hardest). A stone with a higher hardness will scratch one with a lower hardness.
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 F.A.C.E.T.S: My Tourmaline
by Alix Toney
My daughter just started kindergarten. On Back to School Night, her teacher passed out a sheet of paper asking parents to write down the characteristics of their children, e.g. strengths, weaknesses, and other pertinent information that would help her with her interactions with the children.
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 Yellow Turquoise
by Rhea Raghaven
A variant of the famed jewel turquoise, yellow turquoise is usually found in China's Hubei province. This relatively soft stone is a natural turquoise but is usually dyed to achieve its deep yellow hue.
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 Aquamarine
by Rhea Raghaven
The epitome of true blue royal beauty aquamarines has dazzled the women across cultures and eras. The stone embodies every plausible blue of the skies and the oceans
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 Labradorite
by Rhea Raghaven
This gemstone could fool any unassuming observer with its almost subtle and uninteresting first look. But on a slight hint of light the stone dazzles with an intoxicating play of colors called labradorescenceand yellow.
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 Pietersite
by Rhea Raghaven
Pietersite is the blend of blue and gold tiger’s eye in the quartz. Found in Namibia by Sid Pieters, it considered to be the anchor point of the divine 12 of the galactic counsel and is responsible for harnessing creative energy to earth.
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 Fluorite
By Rhea Raghaven
The harbinger of peace and calm, Fluorite dispels all stress and worries with its magnificent hues and visually appealing appearance. Fondly called the most colorful mineral in the world, the hues of Fluorite has bewitched men.
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 Moonstone
By Rhea Raghaven
For centuries now, the moonstone has captured the imagination of countless lovers and romantics with its bluish-white luminosity. It is the closest a man can get to bringing his lover a piece of the famed moon.
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 Garnets
By Rhea Raghaven
The word garnet would most obviously bring to mind the color red, but admirers of this stone should know that red is just one of the many colors this gem is available in..
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 Blue Topaz
by Rhea Rhaghaven
From the deepest blues of the ocean to the light hues of the skies, blue topaz is the icing on every romance. Its magnificent hues mesmerize its owner and bearer and promise longevity and happiness.
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 The Opal
By Rhea Raghaven
A precious gemstone Opal has formed over millions of years from the hardening of silica gel. Today they form a family of some of the most calming and beautiful gems that thousands desire.
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 Ametrine
By Rhea Raghaven
The stone that now enjoys great popularity in Europe found its way into the European sensibilities first via the conquistador’s gift to the Spanish queen. Typically a rectangular shape with a 50 /50 gradation of purple and yellow.
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