Moonstone is an orthoclase feldspar which is used for making porcelain and scouring powder. It comes in a range of colours: white, grey, yellow red and blue.

When it is pearly or opalescent it is called moonstone and the most sought after have a beautiful blue sheen. It can also show a cat’s eye or star effect found in some stones.

Part of its mystery is the belief that it helps some people to see the future. Lovers could put the stone under their tongues and tell what their relationship would be like in the future.

Supposedly it is a beneficial stone for women , helping in the menopause time. It is the blue moonstone which seems to have all of the qualities of the other colours. Its lore is closely associated with the moon.

It was given the name moonstone as it often resembles moonlight. Moonstone is best cut into cabochons rather than facets. When you turn moonstone around you get a play of light which gemologists call adularescence. The feldspar variety that it comes from is called adularia.

The blue stone is almost exclusively found in Sri Lanka but this source is almost depleted which makes the stone even more expensive.

Although the source of the blue moonstone is depleted there are still other colours which are plentiful and still being mined. There is the silver-white moonstone as well as the rainbow moonstone which are well priced in most people’s reach.

It is a relatively soft stone coming in a 6 on the Mohs’ scale and so will mark and be easily damaged but similar to opal to can be repolished and repaired. It makes enchanting jewellery and looks superb with diamond accents.

Opals are expensive and opal miners and opal cutters like to make even the thinnest or smallest piece of opal stone into something that will sell and look good in jewelry.

An opal cutter begins with a piece of opal and he or she wishes to make it into a particular shape, most times that will be an oval, but there will be odd shapes like triangles and small chips left over so these small bits are polished as well in the hope that they can be sold as chips to be used in jewelry making somehow.

But then sometimes a nice piece of opal will be so thin that it will break apart if we use it in a ring or other piece of jewelry. In that case the cutter can glue a piece of common opal , called potch, on the back of it and this will reinforce it so that it can be set in jewelry. These two pieces of opal glued together are now called something else – a doublet and another name for that is an opal product. Some people wishfully like to call it a reinforced opal but no matter how you think about it you cannot escape the fact that it is a doublet. Doublets are worth less than a solid opal.

Sometimes the thin piece of opal is so thin that even a backing to reinforce it is not enough so the cutter puts a third piece on the first two. This third piece is usually a clear dome of quartz or perhaps glass or some other clear substance. This opal product is now called a triplet. Triplets are worth less than doublets.

The last type of opal product is called mosaic. Mosaics are made by very patient and skilled people who get chips of bright colored opal and glue them together into intricate patterns and make them into jewelry or wall hangings. They are often magnificent and relatively cheap as they are mostly from cottage industry craftspeople.

Opal composites are a great way to use what would otherwise be beautiful pieces of opal which would be dumped. They are also a good way for everyone to be able to afford a piece of opal jewelry.

The short story is that the most prized of the non blue sapphires or the “fancy” sapphires is called the Padparadscha which gets its name form the lotus flower. Its colouring is a blend of pink and orange. These stones are rare and have a distinct even arrangement of the colours throughout. The colours are evenly spread throughout the stone but if you view it from the side and the tones are be separated then this is just a fancy sapphire rather than a true padparadscha.

The longer story is more complex and the colour identity is not as easy as most writers discuss. It seems that people who research this thoroughly suggest that the colouring is also like a tropical sunset.

Experts suggest that even the term padparadscha is misunderstood and perhaps should not be used for what is now commonly understood by the term.

The bottom line for consumer is simply how to tell a padparadscha from a pink sapphire. If experts seem to have so much trouble in deciding what it is exactly and what it should be called then what hope has a consumer got? The answer is to trust your eyes and trust your vendor after taking the steps to make sure that you actually can trust him or her.

The gem experts suggest that a high quality Padparadscha will be untreated, eye clean, that is having no inclusions visible to the naked eye, will have a blend of pink and orange, and will be best cut as a round stone. They will come from Ceylon.

They are best viewed in daylight or fluorescent light rather than incandescent. The lesser quality stones will most likely be heat treated to improve their overall quality as only the very best are untreated. They may also come from other countries such as Vietnam and Africa and even Australia. There are also synthetic padparadscha stones.

The best way to get your loved one the diamond ring she'll love and cherish for always is to let her choose her favorite diamond ring herself. But if you are worried she'll pick out a ring with the biggest diamond in store or you simply want to get down on your knees and surprise her with that big question, then the second best thing is to choose for her.

Buying a diamond engagement ring is pretty tricky since you are a man. Here are easy guidelines for you to follow before heading out to a jeweler's in town or visiting an online jewelry store. Just make sure you're well-prepared and know how to buy a diamond ring before you really buy one.

1. Do you know what kind of metal does she like to wear? - Every woman is different. While some prefer gold jewelry, others adore white gold and platinum. Have you noticed her jewelry? Is her necklace in gold or silver color? What about her earrings and bracelets? If they're all the same, and she kind of wears them all the time, then that's her favorite. So, when you buy her a diamond ring, you'll have to look at either the ones in gold or the ones in white gold or platinum. Note that white gold is cheaper than platinum. It will be a lot easier for you.

2. Is she an adventurous, a classic or a contemporary woman? - You must know her. After all, she is the one you love, isn't she? If you can summarize her in one word? What's she like? Is she funky, edgy, eccentric, shy, old-world, self-confident, dare-devil, outspoken, conservative, elegant, urban, modern, sexy or what? Is she an Angelina Jolie in Tomb Raider, an Audrey Hepburn in Breakfast at Tiffany's, a Sarah Jessica Parker in Sex and the City, or a Jennifer Aniston in Friends? Keep this in mind when you pick out a diamond ring for her. The diamond ring must portrays her style.

3. Notice her hands and fingers: Are they short and chubby or long and sleek? - This is an extremely important factor. If she has short and chubby hands and fingers, then the best choice would be an elongated diamond like a marquise or an oval because it will make her fingers look longer. If her hands and fingers are long and sleek, then you would have no problem at all. Any diamond will look good on her. Now about the band. If the band is thick, it will make her fingers look shorter. On the contrary, if the band is thin, it will make her fingers look longer.

4. Do you know what shape of jewelry she likes? - While round diamonds are the most popular shape of diamond, it is very important that you pick the diamond shape she likes the best. You can always tell by looking at the jewelry she wears every day. Is it round, pear-shaped, square, or cluttered? Do you think she'd prefer a solitaire diamond engagement ring (a diamond set alone in a ring)? Or do you think she'd perfer a cluster of diamonds? If you take a good look at her everyday jewelry, you'll have a pretty good idea.

5. What ring size does she wear? - You can ask her mother or her best friend. If they don't know, they'll figure a way to find out.

Throughout antiquity, man has assigned themes to events and things. Gem fall within this category and here is a brief explanation of what each is associated with.

There are many different areas of gift giving that offer ways to convey special meanings. For centuries, a gift of certain types of flowers has been able to show the receiver just what you think of him or her. Gemstones also have this type of ability, because the different types of gems, along with their colors and cuts, often convey a thought to the receiver. The subjects conveyed are greatly varied, depending on the area of the world you're in, and your beliefs.

Of course, one of the most common sources of associations can be found with birthstones. The twelve months each have at least one corresponding gemstone, and these were set forth in 1912 by the National Association of Jewelers. These gemstones are as follows:
There are many other gem associations besides these obvious ones. Many have to do with their healing and mystical properties. Gems that are used for birthstones also have these other properties, and here's a rundown of some of them. Amethyst – February – used to reflect negativity, it can also strengthen your intuition. Bloodstone – March – used to remove physical and mental blocks, as well as general protection. Moonstone – June – used to attract compassion and love, as well as enhancing psychic powers.

Other gems that are not used as birthstones are also believed to have certain powers and abilities that are bestowed upon their wearers. Carnelian, for example, can be used to stimulate career growth. Rose quartz, a lovely pink version of the quartz crystal, offers those who wear or carry it a feeling of peace and love, and also promotes beauty. Amber, the soft translucent smoky brown gem made from fossilized tree sap, is a great all purpose gem that's perfect for protection of children. Finally, the stone known as tiger eye is great for allowing its owner to know whether he or she is being deceived.

While some may not believe that gems have these powers, others swear by the many different stones and their abilities to enhance mental and physical prowess. Whether you prefer the usual gem association of birthstones, or would like to try wearing a stone for other reasons, one thing is sure – gems are beautiful additions to your life!

Most people think of diamond jewellery as having sparkling white stones but can we get other colours? Yes we can but most of them are white diamonds turned another colour from treating them. Today you can have your white diamond turned another colour for about $400. But how would you like your engagement ring made with a blistering, vibrant pink diamond and a natural one at that! Well, the Argyle diamond mine in Western Australia will supply that to you as well as yellows, browns and blue.

Diamonds come from the earth’s mantle and move to the surface in what are called pipes which are made from kimberlite or lamproite rock. There are diamond deposits in every state of Australia.

The Argyle diamond pipe was found in 1979 a very short time ago. In 1983 construction began on the main open cut diamond mine and processing plant. Even before the plant was commissioned some fifteen million carats of diamonds had been found as alluvial deposits in the region. Since then the Argyle diamond has made Australia one of the world’s largest producers of diamonds and now annually produces around one third of the world supply.

Argyle diamonds come in a variety of different colours but are broken up into three main categories: pink, champagne and white. The colours range from grey, yellow, brown, orange, green and reds as well as intermediate colours. The best are the colorless or the ones which exhibit a distinct and vibrant colour which are named fancies. Pink diamonds are rare and this mine produces the most dependable supply in the world.

The best of the Argyle diamonds are processed, cut and polished in Western Australia and that is a comforting aspect when we know that there is no conflict with these diamonds. You can be sure that no child in a third world country has laboured for these and no adult has been forced to mine them by some rebel soldier under penalty of death.

Moonstone is an orthoclase feldspar which is used for making porcelain and scouring powder. It comes in a range of colours: white, grey, yellow red and blue.

When it is pearly or opalescent it is called moonstone and the most sought after have a beautiful blue sheen. It can also show a cat’s eye or star effect found in some stones.

Part of its mystery is the belief that it helps some people to see the future. Lovers could put the stone under their tongues and tell what their relationship would be like in the future.

Supposedly it is a beneficial stone for women , helping in the menopause time. It is the blue moonstone which seems to have all of the qualities of the other colours. Its lore is closely associated with the moon.

It was given the name moonstone as it often resembles moonlight. Moonstone is best cut into cabochons rather than facets. When you turn moonstone around you get a play of light which gemologists call adularescence. The feldspar variety that it comes from is called adularia.

The blue stone is almost exclusively found in Sri Lanka but this source is almost depleted which makes the stone even more expensive.

Although the source of the blue moonstone is depleted there are still other colours which are plentiful and still being mined. There is the silver-white moonstone as well as the rainbow moonstone which are well priced in most people’s reach.

It is a relatively soft stone coming in a 6 on the Mohs’ scale and so will mark and be easily damaged but similar to opal to can be repolished and repaired. It makes enchanting jewellery and looks superb with diamond accents