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GEMMOLOGY
Voted Rent Your Rocks as Shop Of The Week!
Absolutely brilliant for special occassions, the glittering collection has pieces to cater for all tastes and budgets...
The Times Newspaper
Absolutely brilliant for special occassions, the glittering collection has pieces to cater for all tastes and budgets...
The Times Newspaper
Gold
Gold is a naturally occurring yellow metal that is used in jewellery making due to its malleable and ductile qualities, it is also rare and hypoallergenic. Gold can be mixed with other metals to produce different colours, this is seen in white gold where the raw gold material is mixed with palladium and other white metals, white gold is then plated to give it a bright white finish.
Diamond
The most highly prized of all gemstones, diamonds come in a variety of colours and qualities known as the 4 C's, cut, colour, clarity and carat weight. Diamonds are the hardest known natural substance and can be polished to a adamantine lustre. Diamonds are found in Africa, Australia and Russia. Their fire and brilliance is matched by no other stone. Diamond is the birthstone for April.
Ruby
A member of the corundum family of gemstones, rubies are name after the Latin word for red "ruber". They can be found in Madagascar, Thailand and Sri Lanka with the finest specimens coming from Burma. These high quality rubies are a deep vivid red colour often described as pigeon's blood red. Rubies have a hardness of 9 meaning they are second only to diamonds. Ruby is the birthstone for July.
Sapphire
Sapphire is also a member of the corundum family of gemstone and so are found in similar localities and share the same attributes. Sapphires came in a rainbow array of colours and are also the birthstone for September.
Emerald
Part of the Beryl family of gemstones and is recognisable by its deep bottle green colour. Emerald although hard can be very brittle so they are best kept away from water and other liquids. Emeralds have long been sort after gems and the most famous ancient emerald mines were owned by Cleopatra. Emerald is the birthstone for May.
Pearls
Pearls are an organic gem material made by the natural defence process of oysters and muscles. They come in many varieties including cultured, freshwater, Tahitian, golden, chocolate and akoya but are all formed by the same process. Pearls also come many different colours the most popular being white, pink and black. Pearl is the birthstone for June.
Garnet
The word garnet is derived from the Latin word "granatus" in reference to the pommegrante seeds that the garnet crystals resemble. Most common in a deep red colour, garnets are found in a variety of localities but main concentration in Africa and North America. The term garnet refers to the species of the gemstone and can be broken down in to seven groups, of which, almandine is most widely used in jewellery. Garnet is the birthstone for January.
Tourmaline
Tourmaline comes in a vast array of colours but the ones mainly used in jewellery are pinks and greens. Tourmalines are mainly found in America, Africa and Russia.
Amethyst
Amethysts are a member of the quartz family with a hardness of 7. The best quality stones are a deep purple in colour. Found in Brazil, India and Russia amethysts were first used in pieces of jewellery by the ancient Egyptians. Amethyst is the birthstone for February.
Citrine
Is another member of the quartz family but is recognisable for its golden hues.
Topaz
Usually a light blue in colour the Topaz has a hardness of 7 and is the birthstone of November.
Gold is a naturally occurring yellow metal that is used in jewellery making due to its malleable and ductile qualities, it is also rare and hypoallergenic. Gold can be mixed with other metals to produce different colours, this is seen in white gold where the raw gold material is mixed with palladium and other white metals, white gold is then plated to give it a bright white finish.
Diamond
The most highly prized of all gemstones, diamonds come in a variety of colours and qualities known as the 4 C's, cut, colour, clarity and carat weight. Diamonds are the hardest known natural substance and can be polished to a adamantine lustre. Diamonds are found in Africa, Australia and Russia. Their fire and brilliance is matched by no other stone. Diamond is the birthstone for April.
Ruby
A member of the corundum family of gemstones, rubies are name after the Latin word for red "ruber". They can be found in Madagascar, Thailand and Sri Lanka with the finest specimens coming from Burma. These high quality rubies are a deep vivid red colour often described as pigeon's blood red. Rubies have a hardness of 9 meaning they are second only to diamonds. Ruby is the birthstone for July.
Sapphire
Sapphire is also a member of the corundum family of gemstone and so are found in similar localities and share the same attributes. Sapphires came in a rainbow array of colours and are also the birthstone for September.
Emerald
Part of the Beryl family of gemstones and is recognisable by its deep bottle green colour. Emerald although hard can be very brittle so they are best kept away from water and other liquids. Emeralds have long been sort after gems and the most famous ancient emerald mines were owned by Cleopatra. Emerald is the birthstone for May.
Pearls
Pearls are an organic gem material made by the natural defence process of oysters and muscles. They come in many varieties including cultured, freshwater, Tahitian, golden, chocolate and akoya but are all formed by the same process. Pearls also come many different colours the most popular being white, pink and black. Pearl is the birthstone for June.
Garnet
The word garnet is derived from the Latin word "granatus" in reference to the pommegrante seeds that the garnet crystals resemble. Most common in a deep red colour, garnets are found in a variety of localities but main concentration in Africa and North America. The term garnet refers to the species of the gemstone and can be broken down in to seven groups, of which, almandine is most widely used in jewellery. Garnet is the birthstone for January.
Tourmaline
Tourmaline comes in a vast array of colours but the ones mainly used in jewellery are pinks and greens. Tourmalines are mainly found in America, Africa and Russia.
Amethyst
Amethysts are a member of the quartz family with a hardness of 7. The best quality stones are a deep purple in colour. Found in Brazil, India and Russia amethysts were first used in pieces of jewellery by the ancient Egyptians. Amethyst is the birthstone for February.
Citrine
Is another member of the quartz family but is recognisable for its golden hues.
Topaz
Usually a light blue in colour the Topaz has a hardness of 7 and is the birthstone of November.
