Pearls and Gems Jewelry

Diamond is the birthstone for the month of April. It is the recommended Gem for the crown chakra and is most suited for those of the zodiac signs Aries, Taurus and Leo.

It signifies purity, abundance, Harmony, Prosperity and Love. It brings love and clarity into partnerships, bonding
relationships.

There is something really attractive about a diamond unlike any other. I was really surprised to see a black diamond ring when I first saw it. I never even imagined there could be diamonds of different colors such as yellow, blue, pink and black. A black diamond supposedly gives us courage to look within without illusion.

Black is the color of objects that do not emit or reflect light in any part of the visible spectrum; they absorb all such frequencies of light. White color on the other hand reflects light. As a result black color is symbolic of illusion and ignorance while white of knowledge and wisdom. Imagine the color of the sky. Is it really black or just an illusion?

Although some people are okay with wearing complete black, to some it can feel depressing. However, when black is worn in combination with other colors it has a place and beauty of its own. After all we need a balance of all opposites to realize the beauty of the whole. So it is with jewelry that when different colors are combined they can accentuate the beauty of the outfit.

Color therapy is a holistic approach which addresses the body as a whole not only in its gross form but also in its subtle form. The body that is decorated beautifully with a balance of colors in terms of matching the fashionable outfit with the appropriate colorful jewelry is definitely very attractive and appealing to the eyes.

White light comprises all the colors in it. Colour is simply light of varying wavelengths/frequencies. Our body also radiates certain colors thru our energy centers called chakras in Sanskrit, meaning wheels which are in the subtle body. These energy centers are formed by a network of criss-crossing nerve channels through which energy flows. There are mainly seven centers that are mentioned by the great seers who can  see in their meditations some colors in them. They also note that sometimes people who are diseased or who are in imbalance have very faded colors. Alongwith certain practices of meditation, positive thinking and wearing certain crystals and gems of the corresponding colors helps them to strengthen their chakras and brighten those colors to restore good health.  For example, the red color of Ruby Earrings strengthens the first or Root Chakra which has a red color.

I am so excited that  Christmas is almost round the corner.  Pretty soon come Fall schools and colleges are going to open and children are going to get back to their active lives with their friends at their side. Shopping in the mall is also becoming interesting as new inventory is replacing the old, as well as new fashions are emerging. A certain amount of change is always welcome. But along with change we need stability.

Pretty soon we are going to have to think about the gifts we will need to buy as Christmas rolls around. Why not think of giving something of long lasting value to be remembered through the changing times? Showing your appreciation of your beloved through precious jewelry is a great idea. What is it that makes something precious or semiprecious depends on its relevant availability or rarity. For instance Pearls, diamond, ruby, emerald and sapphire are considered precious while all other gems are considered semi precious. Precious gems ofcourse cost more than semi precious. However, both look beautiful with their own colors. I will write more on the topic of colors later.

I like anything that dazzles and gemstone jewelry definitely sparkles. I think Peridot and Citrine definitely  make a good combination. Green represents abundance and prosperity and yellow represents auspiciousness. Think about it yellow is the color of turmeric. And turmeric signifies auspiciousness in India because of all its medicinal properties of anti bacterial activity and other health rejuvenating qualities.

Just as the gems of life enhance the value of life gemstone jewelry enhances the beauty of the wearer. Not only does it enhance the beauty but it also radiates its healing properties.

Peridot is a gemstone variety of the mineral olivine. Peridot is also called the ‘Evening Emerald’. Peridot is the birthstone for August which is coming up and is also my daughter’s birthday.

The other day I was talking to my niece and she told me she bought a few sapphire pendants and was very happy with them.

She is pretty young and I wondered how she got interested in gemstone jewelry. She is a Post graduate in Psychology and she told me she has to deal with a lot of mental issues that people have and it can get pretty taxing on her own emotions. And then she thought she is going to need her own healing and that is when she discovered about healing gems.

Her latest interest is on Citrine gems. Citrine is actually the birthstone for the month of November. Citrine gem is a form of quartz, derives its name from the French word for lemon, ‘citron.’ It is available in a range of golden hues from lemon to straw to sun yellow to gold, as well as orange, browns, and deep Madeira red. It is generally more inexpensive than amethyst and is also available in a wide range of calibrated sizes and shapes, including very large sizes.

In ancient times, citrine was carried as a protection against snake venom and evil thoughts. It was also thought to give calmness and mental balance to its wearer.

Red is my favorite color. Ruby the birthstone for the month of July is distinguished and known by all for its fiery red color. Ruby is a red variety of the mineral corundum, which is a crystalline form of an oxide of aluminium. The color of ruby ranges from bright red to dark reddish-brown.

In Sanskrit, ruby is known as a ratnaraj, the king of gems and as ratnanayak, the leader of gems.
Red signifies activity and energy. The planet Mars is also known as the red planet and signifies energy, passion and anger.

Astrologically speaking, the wearer of a ruby becomes we althy, has good children, happiness, courage, prestige, property and a respected position in society. The wearer’s will-power and determination will also be strengthened.
Speaking about chakras and their colors the base or root chakra, the muladhara chakra is supposedly red in color. Red relates to self awareness. It is the area of survival and stability and your place on this earth. The colour red provides the power from the earth and gives energy on all levels. It connects us to our physical body. Everything that is to be commenced needs the life vitality of red. The positive aspects of red are that it signifies security, courage, strength of will and pioneering. Astrologers also advise to wear the red ruby in order to overcome the negative aspects are signified by insecurity, self pitying, aggressiveness and fear.
Rubies support the development of will power, courage and vitality. The wearer will develop a royal life,, and be protected from problems, fear,misfortune and disaster. He or she will be fortunate, successful, optimistic, authoritative, intelligent and will receive social status.

Even though rubies are a fiery red,  ruby Earrings, necklaces and rings  can really look gorgeous when matched with the correct outfit.

I attended my niece’s engagement party this past July 4th weekend and her fiancee gave her a sapphire ring. Even Prince Charles gave Princess Diana a sapphire ring for their engagement. Sapphire is the birthstone for September which is her birth month. It is also the recommended gem for couples celebrating their fifth and 45th wedding anniversaries. It represents faithfulness and love and symbolizes truth, sincerity and loyalty. The color blue is associated with reliable emotions of sympathy and harmony.

A red sapphire is also called a ruby. Both sapphire and its sister stone, ruby, are part of the corundum family, one of the strongest minerals on Earth.   A sapphire is made of aluminium oxide and is a highly reactive metal.
Sapphires gems come in a variety of fancy colors including blue, red, violet, purple, pink, peach, green, yellow, orange, gray, white, colorless and black. The blue variety is most often used in jewelry but the yellow, pink, and orange stones are also popular. The stone is most often cut in a cushion shape - a rounded rectangle - or an oval. But smaller stones are available in round brilliant cuts and a variety of fancy shapes, such as triangle, square, emerald, marquise, pear, baguette and others.

Sapphire is harder than any other gemstone except a diamond. This quality makes it extremely durable for everyday jewelry pieces subject to repeated impact, such as rings and bracelets. In general, sapphire can be cleaned with soapy water or commercial solvent and a brush.