A three part series on the Amethyst Gem Stones

What is an amethyst gem stone? Amethyst is a violet or purpose variety of quartz. The name comes from the Greek and essentially means, "not drunk".

It was believed that the stone protected it's owner from the intoxicating effects of alcohol and Dionysius, who was the god of intoxication, was angered when he was insulted by a mortal and in a moment of pique vowed to enact revenge on the next mortal that crossed his path. He created tigers to carry out his wish and when a beautiful girl called Amethyst came among the path on her way to pay tribute to the Goddess Diana, Diana quickly changed the tigers into statutes of pure crystal quartz. Filled with remorse for his actions Dionysius wept tears which stained the quarts purple creating the amethysts we know today.

Amethysts can be found in many locations including various areas of the US such as Delaware county, Pennsylvania, North Carolina, Texas and Yellowstone national Park for example.

Amethyst is also found in Argentina, Bolivia, Brazil, Uruguay, as well as in Zambia, Namibia and other African countries.

Amethyst from South America tend to be available in larger sizes than the African amethyst but, on the other hand, amethyst from Africa have the reputation for having a better, more saturated color in smaller sizes. Very dark amethysts, mostly in small sizes, are also mined in Australia.

As purple has always been considered a royal color it comes as no surprise that the amethyst gem stone has been so much in demand by royalty throughout history. You can see amethysts featured in the British Crown Jewels. They were also a favorite of Catherine the Great and Egyptian royalty. Amethyst, transparent purple quartz, is probably the most important quartz variety used in jewelry

Choosing a diamond is an extremely personal decision. The most important part of choosing a diamond is to choose one that appeals to you personally. The first rule when choosing a diamond is to make sure it is accompanied by a grading report. Choosing a diamond is as important as learning how to buy a diamond. While choosing a diamond you should consider these factors shape, cut and clarity. Remember that choosing a diamond is not an exact science. For most people, the most important consideration when choosing a diamond is price. True, choosing a diamond is all up to the buyer's taste, but an expert’s opinion definitely counts. The hardest part in choosing a diamond is not what you thought, it’s only over when you find someone special enough to present one to. Step one in choosing a diamond is learning about them, it costs nothing, but could end up saving you a bundle. Choosing a diamond is one of the most important decisions of your life.

If they are colorless, they usually don't alter a diamond's clarity. Clarity is an important factor that can be "stretched the farthest" when choosing a diamond. When looking at clarity, many diamonds have what are known as inclusions. Your objective is to find a diamond of the highest clarity possible. The 4Cs - Cut, Carat, Color and Clarity play a very important role in choosing a diamond and determine its value. The fewer the inclusions the diamond has, the greater the clarity and the more valuable the diamond. Alternatively, a stone may be cut well, but have poor color and clarity. Two diamonds can be of equal carat-weight, but if the cut, color and clarity are different they can be less then a single cut diamond with better quality. The number, size and location of these inclusions determine the stone's clarity. A cut that is poor will make the diamond look very dull even if the color is of high level. Another vital grading characteristic in diamonds is their clarity. One of the most important characteristics of a diamond is clarity, if the clarity is not good you could see carbon or inclusions in your diamond jewelry. A diamond with outstanding color and clarity will not sparkle as it should if the stone is not cut to interact properly with light.

What to think about before buying a diamond of any particular shape. Shape refers to the overall outline of the diamond when viewed from the top. Most people are interested in the shape and carat when people are choosing a diamond, people should also consider the cut and color. The most commonly purchased type of diamond is the round diamond. Once the diamond's shape has been determined, facets are cut.

Gold charms make the perfect gift for all ages and occasions. Charms come in all different shapes, styles and sizes making it easy to find the perfect fit. They can be worn on a romantic classy bracelet or around the neck with jeans and a T-shirt. The choice is yours.

If you are the gift giver, I am about to make your life much easier. Follow this advice and you will have one happy gift receiver on your hands.

Purchase a charm bracelet and a single charm. Charm bracelets come in single, double, or triple link. Triple link being the sturdiest of the 3, while single link is a nice starter bracelet. Now, for every holiday or special event you have something to purchase for that person. If they graduate from high school, win a volleyball tournament, or pass the real estate exam, there is a charm you can give them that represents a wonderful time in there life. It is like scrap booking, only around your wrist or neck. Over time, the charm bracelet begins to tell a story of there life, one charm at a time.

I have had people from all over the world ask for specific charms for specific reasons. Here is an example. A woman had a flat tire in Germany. A man stopped to help her, and they ended up getting married 2 years later. Is that destiny or what? My customer asked me if I had a flat tire charm for her bracelet.

Unfortunately, the answer was no, but I did have a tow truck. Do you see how you create a story?

Here are 6 important points to consider when purchasing gold charms, pendants and charm bracelets.

1.

The words charms and pendants are interchangeable. Most people think charms are small and hang on a charm bracelet, and pendants are larger and are usually worn around the neck. This can be true, but some people wear large charms on there bracelet and small charms around there neck. It all depends on the individual size and style.
2.

Know the person you are purchasing for. Do they prefer yellow gold, or white gold? White gold looks just like silver except it does not tarnish. Remember, you are going to be buying gold charms to make a story, a history, and a piece of art. You don't want the jewelry to tarnish, so stick with 14kt yellow or white gold.
3.

Is the charm 3-D or flat on the back? When purchasing a charm make sure you know if it is 3-D or flat on the back. Most of the smaller charms are 3-D. If the charm were a 3-D volleyball it would look like a real ball. (A full circle all the way around. A house would look like a full square house.) If it were flat on the back it would hang nicely around the neck and lay flat on the chest. When purchasing from a web site find a site that lists the items as 3-D. If it says 3-D you know it is full like a ball. If it doesn't say 3-D it is most likely flat or concave on the back.
4.

Consider the size and weight. Make sure you understand the size of the charm or pendant. The best way to do this is to make sure the web site you purchase from has the size of the charm posted. If you visualize a quarter in your mind. The quarter is about 1" by 1". So, use a quarter as your reference. If the charm is too big or too small, it might not work for the person.
5.

Weight in grams: Also, make sure you know how many grams of gold your charm has. Gold charm web sites should have the weight next to each charm. This way you will be able to tell if the charm is solid or hollow. Of course, solid will last longer and look better. If the weight is not listed on the web-site do NOT buy. What this is telling you is that it is hollow and overpriced. Sometimes a retailer will advertise puffed charms. The word puffed also means hollow. Hollow is okay if that is what you are looking for. For example a big puffed heart is a great valentine gift for your sweetie. Just make sure you have the grams of gold listed for that puffed heart.
6.

Also, find a web site that gives good quality products and customer service. One extra bonus to consider is a charm website that offers a wish list. This way your gift receiver can sign up (usually for free) and list the charms they are interested in. Viola, your shopping just got easier for every single holiday and special occasion. Also, you can sign up (usually for free) for a gift reminder service. This is fast and easy for you. This way you never end up in the doghouse again, by missing a special holiday.

Don't forget charms and pendants are not just for women. Men love jewelry too. Most men will wear a large flat backed pendant around the neck. An anchor, shark, motorcycle, number, dragon, eagle or whatever your guy is into are great recommendations.

Remember, it's not just a charm. It is an investment in gold. It is wearable art that represents that person and a special time in there life. Charm bracelets become history that can be passed down from generation to generation. Gold Charms are like a story or scrap book around your wrist, or around your neck.

Garnets have been used in jewelry for centuries and, in fact, many years ago were thought to protect travelers and were carried by those who went off to explore foreign lands. If you have a loved one that is going on a trip and you are trying to find that perfect gift, you might want to consider a piece of garnet jewelry - to not only protect them while they're traveling, but also as a beautiful keepsake. This gem stone is also thought to help with disorders in the blood as well as infections. Garnets have been found in jewelry that date as early as the Bronze Age.

Garnets are mined all over the world including the US, Europe, Australia, Tanzania, Brazil, Russia and Africa. is a fairly common gemstone they are often included with other gemstones in sterling silver jewelry and are beautiful and affordable.

While we think of garnets we think of the deep blood red color that we associate with this gem but garnets come in many colors. You can find them in green, orange, yellow, purple, brown and pink.

The Uvarovite Garnet is found In Russia and is a bright green cluster of crystals sometimes also called drusy.

Tsavorite garnets are a green or yellowish green color and are found in Africa.

Rhodolite garnets are a favorite and are a pink to reddish lavender color.

Spessartite garnets are found all over the world including Europe, the US, Sri Lanka, Pakistan and Brazil and are a reddish orange color.

Almandine garnets found in Brazil, streamline And the US are deep red to purply red.

The Hessonite Garnet is mined In Africa and Sri Lanka and is a yellow to brownish yellow color.