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Gemstones
Emerald
Ancient Egyptians mined Emeralds nearly 4,000 years ago. Cleopatra was an avid
collector of emeralds. The rich supply of emeralds was discovered by the 16th
Century Spanish explorers who found large emeralds in the possessions of the
Aztecs and Incas. Presently, most of the world’s emeralds are mined in
Columbia, Brazil, and Zambia. The cuts range from the traditional rectangular
step-cut (emerald cut), to rounds, ovals, squares, and cabochons. The hardness
rating of emeralds are 7.5 -8 Mohs. Emerald need mild cleaning to protect their
delicate state. They should not be placed in mechanical cleaners.'s
jeweler's art.
Ruby
Ruby is named so because of it’s vibrant red color. Rubies belong to the
corundum family. The coloring pigment is chrome and for some brown hues, a bit
of iron. Ruby is the hardest stone after diamond with a rating of 9. Because of
it’s brittleness, extra care is necessary when setting the stone. Burma,
Thailand, Sri Lanka, and Tanzania are among the most important ruby deposit
sites. Rubies are one of the most expensive stones. Rubies should be protected
from scratches and harsh blows. Rubies can be cleaned by gently scrubbing with
a soft toothbrush and a solution of mild dish soap and warm water. Rubies are
rated “excellent” for everyday wear. Avoid exposure to heat and contact with
chemicals.
Sapphire
Sapphire is the non-red variety of corundum. It rates a 9.0 on the Mohs scale
of hardness. The sapphire is the second hardest natural mineral. Blue is by far
the most popular color for sapphires, but they can be almost any color,
including yellow, green, white, colorless, pink, orange, brown, and purple. The
Padparadscha is the name for a rare orange-pink variety of sapphire and has a
higher value than blue sapphires. As with all colored stones, the simplest
method of cleaning is to use warm soapy water and a toothbrush.
Tanzanite
Tanzanite was discovered in 1967 in the mineral rich soil of Eastern Africa.
Tanzanite is part of the Zoisite mineral species. Tanzanite is named after the
country where is it mined and to date, has been found nowhere else on earth.
Tanzanite is one of the most popular blue gemstones found today. It occurs in a
variety of shapes and sizes. Tanzanite appears in overtones of purple. In
smaller sizes, Tanzanite tends to appear in lighter tones, and the lavender
color is more common. While in larger sizes, Tanzanite typically displays
deeper, richer color.
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