Trends

There so many influential people In the world, who have gone down in history for their incredible lives or legacies, this is the case of astronaut Neil Armstrong, who said: ” its is small walk for a man big for humanity “ when he arrived on the Moon on July 20, 1969, or Stephen Hawking, an important British physicist, who by the way died recently, this past March 14, Mr. Hawking made great advances in the world of science, and he left a large number of famous phases, but there is one that I particularly love: ” Quiet people have the loudest minds”. It is not surprising that in the passionate and glamorous world of fashion there have also emerged incredible characters, as i mentioned before, they have transcended through time to become icons of Pop culture and synonyms of elegance with their interesting lives. Here I share the best phrases of the most relevant characters:

Marilyn Monroe:

Diamonds Are a Girl's Best Friend Click To Tweet

Norma Jeane Baker or better known by her pseudonym Marilyn Monroe, was not only one of the most beautiful women in history, she also had a high IQ (162) beating Einstein (160) or Stephen Hawking (152). She interpreted the song with perhaps the most famous phrase in the world of jewelry, but in reality this song used in the famous musical “The Gentlemen Prefer Blondes”, was written by the British-American composer Jule Styne, who composed others very famous songs, like “Let it Snow! Let it Snow “, but it is inevitable to give the prominence to this iconic American blonde

Jennie Kwon:

Jewelry has the power to be this one little thing that can makes you feel unique - Jennie Kwon Click To Tweet

Jennie is an American designer. During childhood he trained as a classical violinist, studying with several recognized characters in that area. Later she directed her professional career to the field of corporate law, after several years as a lawyer and with the birth of her twins, she was reborn in her passion for creativity and that is when she decided to return to the artistic field with the creation of  Jennie Kwon Designs.

Audrey Hepburn:

Life is a party, dress like it - Audrey Hepburn Click To Tweet

Audrey Hepburn was the stage name of Audrey Katleen Ruston. Actress, model, dancer and activist born in Belgium in 1929. She is considered the greatest female legend in the history of American cinema, but more importantly, she was also known for her humanitarian work at Unicef, she collaborated with communities in need as Africa, South America and Asia between 1988 and 1992 and awarded the Presidential Medal of Freedom in recognition of her work as Ambassador of the Goodwill of UNICEF in 1992, a few months later, at the age of 63, dies from colon cancer, in Switzerland. Despite of the ostentatiousness of the phrase, she always stays far of the world of fashion. Her images was natural elegance, non-ostentation of jewelry, or costumes.

Coco Chanel:

A woman needs ropes and ropes of pearls - Coco Chanel Click To Tweet

The love for the pearls of the emblematic haute couture designer and creator of the house Chanel is well known. She was one of the most important dressmakers in history during World War II, she was a pioneer in the trend of an informal, simple and comfortable clothing style, very different from the one that the society was accustomed to, this brought many controversies around her, not only for that, also for having contributed to the Nazi Secret Police (Gestapo), during the German occupation in France, which made her competitors use this information to give her a bad name, however, after that difficult time, she managed to claim the position of her brand until she die in 1971, her fame remains until our days.

This French designer has a large number of famous phrases. For example: “You triumph with what you learn”, “Less is more”, “Simplicity is the key to true elegance”, “In order to be irreplaceable one must always be different.” or “It is not the appearance, it is the essence, it’s not the money, it’s the education, it’s not the clothes, it’s the class.”

Proverbio chino: 

Gold can not be pure, as persons can not be perfect - Proverbio Chino Click To Tweet

It seems to be a law of nature. Indeed it is, if you look at the latest developments in cosmology there’s a law that is imposed on the rest: ”The universe is not perfect” Maybe it is out of subject, but I will do it. It’s good to be a blog, and not a magazine.  Gravity is a perfect universe creating a perfect stability, and when there’s only imperfections the universe starts moving. Fascinating, right?

Salvador Dalí:

The difference between false memories and true ones is the same as for jewels: it is always the false ones that look the most real, the most brilliant - Salvador Dalí Click To Tweet

Salvador Dalí, this memorable Spaniard, painter, sculptor, set designer, maximum representative of surrealism, had the opportunity to work with great and renowned characters such as Alfred Hitchcock, Walt Disney and Luis Buñuel. He was characterized by a great imagination and by his remarkable tendency to narcissism whose objective was to attract the attention of the public and generate controversies around him, he took his creativity also to the field of jewelry. Mouths made with rubies and pearls, watches that lose their consistency, among other pieces. Some of the most significant have been reproduced as costume jewelery with excellent design by the Gala – Dalí Foundation.

Kahlil Gibran:

Perhaps time’s definition of coal is the diamond - Kahlil Gibran Click To Tweet

Kahlil Gibran, was a poet, painter, writer, novelist, essayist and theologian, who lived in Lebanon and later in the United States. He died in April 1931 because of cirrhosis of the liver and tuberculosis. He was characterized by its rebellious style of writing. He is considered a literary hero, both in Lebanon and in the United States, he became popular in the 60’s, with his most famous book “The Prophet” and the emergence of the American counterculture and later the “New Age” movement, this book is one of the most famous bestsellers in history. Elvis Presley was very impressed by his book and is said he given copies of this book to his friends and colleagues. Among the most famous phrases are the following: “To understand the heart and mind of a person, look not at what he has already achieved, but at what he aspires to” or “At the heart of every winter lives a pulsating spring, and behind every night, comes a smiling aurora.”

Warren Buffett:

If you don’t know jewelry, know the jeweler - Warren Buffett Click To Tweet

Warren Buffett has created his own empire to become one of the richest people in the world (the third according to the Forbes list). And he is considered one of the biggest investors in the world. He is also famous for donating a large part of his fortune to charity, and for his simple lifestyle. For example, he lives in the same house where he lived before creating his great fortune. They say that much success can be attributed to inactivity. Most investors do not resist the temptation to buy and sell constantly, but the cornerstone should be lethargy, bordering on laziness.

Elizabeth Taylor:

I adore wearing gems but not because they are mine. You can't possess radiance, you can only admire it -Elizabeth Taylor  Click To Tweet

Elizabeth Taylor had one of the most impressive collections of jewelry. Many of them have been auctioned recently acquiring prices of more than one million euros per piece. And a total of more than 120 million euros. It has been valued not only the quality of the piece, but the history of each piece. No item remained to be sold. Taylor has one of the most emblematic phrases: “You can’t cry on diamond’s shoulder, and diamond’s don’t keep you warm at night, but they are sure fun, when the sun shines“.

Dolly Parton:

It is hard to be a diamond in a rhinestone world - Dolly Parton Click To Tweet

The last quote corresponds to the famous American singer Dolly Parton. The beautiful singer sparked some controversy for her usual and intensive plastic surgeries. Along with Beyoncé is the most nominated singer to the Grammy. She has a brilliant sense of humor, and warm at the same time. She knows how to appreciate the best of everyone, and take with some humor the criticals. For example, calling Dolly the first cloned sheep in the United States.

All these phrases have been conceived under quite singular lifestyles and personalities, none of these characters was immortalized due to their great eloquence.

Actually I got myself with so many relevant phrases, I’ share some some others …

“Diamonds can be a girl’s best friend, but pearls will make you shine like the moonlight” – Coco Chanel

——–

“ Costume jewelry is not made to give women an aura of wealth,
but to make them beautiful” – Coco Chanel

——–

“Big girls need big diamonds” – Elizabeth Taylor

——–

“If I were a woman, I would wear the same dress for a month and only change my hat and gloves. Maybe the shoes too. Although in reality are the jewels that modifies an outfit” – Manolo Blahnik

——–

“Jewels move people’s minds away from your wrinkles” – Sonja Henie

——–

“Where the taste is lacking, gold and silver are worth nothing” – popular saying

——–

“The secret of my success? You just paint women smaller and their jewelry bigger” – Kees Van Dongen

Of all these phrases, what has been your favorite? Do you have any other that you want to share or that you would add to the list? I’d love to read your opinion about it, thanks in advance for sharing your comment. And if you liked the post, please share it and subscribe to our newsletter to receive more free posts.

The key material in the pieces of Rites of Passage are the metal meteorites, worked with different techniques and combined with precious stones, rare minerals and gold. Artistic and timeless jewelry made in Madrid. Unique pieces mostly. Directly from other worlds and other realities, comes Rites of Passage, pure art born from the hands and creativity of its creator.

The universe is loaded with , some of which reach our planet in the most surprising and natural ways; The greatest recognition we can have towards him is the creation of art with these particles; and that is precisely what the Rites of Passage brand does. We are sure that you will inevitably by entangled trapped in it.

• 

ARROWHEAD. Seymchan, onyx and yellow gold .

The world of jewelry was born with the idea of creating art that people would use directly on their bodies not only to enhance their beauty, but also to talk about who was wearing them; loaded with meanings: as symbols of status, of honor. As amulets, or to honour great personalities; also as part of several rituals. Over time, market expansion and globalization have lost some of their artistic, symbolic and creative value. Teresa Escudero comes to the world of jewelry with a different, personal and absolutely moving proposal.

CEFEUS. Seymchan pallasita, Colombian emerald of, 50 qts. and yellow gold

Jewels from another world
When we mentioned at the beginning of this article that Rites of Passage is a gift from the universe we mean it, this collection is made with pieces of space as the main material. It is the remains of celestial bodies that impact the earth without completely disintegrating, and that come from the asteroid belt located between Mars and Jupiter, with an age of more than 3000 million years. Remains of the formation of the solar system. Here is the magical component of these pieces.

Metallic type meteorites, which represent only 6% of those fallen on earth, are the key material of these jewels. Made up mainly of of iron and nickel, they generate alloys that reveal a structured pattern of interlaced bands of kamacite and taenite; of extreme beauty. These alloys have been formed by slow cooling, at an average of one degree every ten million years.

In this edition Rites of Passage has used mostly with the Seymcham meteorite. However, some other pieces are made in Gibeón and in Sikhote-Alín.

In addition to meteorites, Rites of Passage uses along with these in their creations 18-carat gold and precious stones, ranging from the more traditional such as diamond or emerald, to less conventional ones such as chrysoprase or hesonite garnets, for example . Also rare stones such as scarce quartz, tourmalines, amazonites, etc.

To complete this collection have also been used some organic materials such as pearls from Fiji and Tahiti and leather (especially for unisex and male jewelry).M

Magical presentation
The boxes of the pieces emphasize the intention to create a completely exclusive and different line, in addition to coherent; They are made with concret and wood; carried out also in a handcrafted way, using natural materials and dyes. They involve individual work, so none is exactly the same. It is not a mere pack, they are also made to last and admire.

• 

AMULET. Quartz with amphibolite, sapphire of 0,80 qts. and gold.
Ç

In Teresa’s words, Rites of Passage is born as true works of art do, from the deepest of consciousness and consciousness, from initial thoughts that expand in her mind, generating different lines and figures to take the form of jewelry pieces.

The choice of the name of the brand was certainly not casual; the rites of passage have a special meaning.  “Throughout our lives there are significant moments, important moments that mark a before and an after”, and it is the product of this introspective analysis that Teresa begins to develop her creations.

She defines herself as an undeniably artistic person, with the need to practice a poetic life, free and in constant search of improvement and knowledge.

In Teresa´s words Rites of Passage was born as the real works of art do, from the depths of consciousness and initial thoughts that expand in your mind, generating different lines to take the shape of pieces of jewelry.

“I do not conceive a jewel as a simple element that beautifies and adorns, or an artifice of ostentation that makes us feel more secure, but as a piece that accentuates and reflects the best of the personality or allows us to declare a unique intentionality when we give it to someone special”.

The perception of art for Teresa Escudero goes beyond an aesthetic purpose; and it is exactly what she transmits with her collection, where she recreates reality, generating emotions, energy and beauty.

Timeless jewelry

And although fashion and art have always gone hand in hand, the word trend is not her favorite. Her creative activity is based on a process of understanding everything she wants to reflect and then translating it through matter into a creation that is “made to last.” The pieces of Rites Of Passages are always current, they are outside the weather. Pieces without age over the years, which will also become more valuable because they escape a pattern of concrete behavior in a particular environment for a period

“The magic and commitment to make a jewel requires that time does not pass through it. That is why the essence and objective of each piece is not found in creating something fleeting. It is about transcending, innovating, creating an ownstyle and transmitting certain knowledge and universal consciousness “. And, like the universe and nature, timeless and eternal. “

Each one of the creations of this collection has been carried out with the purpose of transmitting a different sensation, a unique idea. And it achieves it making use of a simple, delicate and sophisticated style.

• 

Bulls Head Ring

And you may wonder, what is the trajectory of the creator …

Teresa Escudero, in addition to her long career in Communication, holds a Bachellor´s Degree in History, hence her deep artistic roots, which she can not deny; something that comes to light in her in a natural way and without postures like personal gifts.
Her jewelry creations are the result of her great passions: sculpture, architecture, painting and a great scientific curiosity, which is precisely the ingredient that brings the most distinctive touch perhaps in her work as a jewelry designer.

Elaborate pieces combining precious and noble terrestrial materials with raw material from the outside of our planet is without doubt the most representative way to describe it. Escudero’s creations has the ability to send you a powerful message

The world of jewelry will be grateful to profiles as interesting as Teresa, because it is thanks to everything that she is in herself, which allows the existence of Rites of Passage; the ability to encompass, through creativity and its eclecticism, history, art, elegance, class and beauty in a piece of jewelry. Rites of Passage is undoubtedly a new category, which overflows magic and beauty

Discover what the universe and the earth have for you and what is contained in each of the creations of this brand.

Pictures by: Marta Muzás

More information in: https://www.ritesofpassage.es/es/

We are fascinated by gold and its derivations. The jewels in this material are exclusive and they hypnotize anyone with all beauty and brightness. Generally, when we think of gold we visualize the intense yellow color of real metal, but today there are variations of gold in terms of color, such as rose gold, red gold, blue gold, black gold and white gold.

More in detail, gold is a precious metal characterized by its yellow color. In the periodic table of the elements its symbol is Au, coming from the Latin aurum whose meaning is “bright dawn”, interesting, right? Another characteristic is that it is very soft and malleable enough, that is why it can undergo to a great deformations without breaking and obtain the “gold leaf” from this metal, probably you have seen it, but you did not know its name, it is an extremely thin sheet of beaten gold that is used in different surfaces, such as: sculptures, vases, frames, jewelry and more … this property of plasticity at the same time is a disadvantage for the manufacture of objects with this metal, that is why it is mixed with other metals to give it a better hardness and rigidity, in order to create pieces with better finishes and greater resistance to abrasion and scratching.

.

But…

What is white gold?

Actually white gold as such does not exist, it is an alloy or mixture between gold evidently yellow color together with other metals, in this case palladium or platinum both whitish gray color. Palladium is an element discovered in 1803 and is a noble metal such as gold or silver, similar to platinum, although palladium has a higher cost than platinum and gold, making jewelry made with this material also have a higher price. The color of Palladium is a little less silver than platinum (see picture below). On the other hand, if the gold is mixed with copper or silver it will keep its distinctive yellow color, as I mentioned earlier, the gold is too inconsistent, and for this reason it is usually mixed in a proportion that usually goes from 10 carats (10 gold and 14 gold). of another metal) to 18 carats (18 parts of gold and only 6 parts of other metals, that is to say a ratio of 75% to 25%) to this gold is known as gold of first law; The so-called “pure gold” is 24 carats but we already know that it is too fragile for use in jewelry.

.

How to identify white gold?

It is extremely difficult to differentiate a white gold alloy from another gold alloy at a glance. Often to all these pieces, a rhodium bath is made superficially and in fact its color is slightly modified, they can adopt the appearance of high gloss or mirror finish of other white metals, such as silver, platinum, palladium and even metal. Therefore, it is necessary to investigate thoroughly. To determine the composition of an alloy with precision, it is necessary to carry out a more in-depth laboratory analysis, people usually do not carry this kind of equipment with them.

.

It should be mentioned that the regulation on white gold does not take into account the quantity of other materials, only the weight in gold. White gold is sold in 18 carats, as are other gold alloys, which consists of 75% pure gold, and normally 16% palladium and 9% pure silver. You can also find 14 carat white gold, lowering the percentage of pure gold to 59% of the total alloy. Most of the objects in white gold bear a mark that allows to identify the amount of gold present in the alloy, this way consumers who do not have the scientific tools are allowed to know the amount of carats that the jewel has.

Something very important that you should also know about this type of gold is that as other metals, some people may be allergic or sensitive to contact with their skin (approximately 13.5%), normally reactions do not go beyond a simple redness or a slight rash, but nobody wants to go through that unpleasant moment and less after having invested so much money on that piece of luxurious material. The allergy is due to the fact that some alloys contain nickel and this can irritate the skin, however, its use has now been reduced to avoid this inconvenience
.

What is rhodium and why is it associated with white gold?

Rhodium is a pure precious metal, like gold or silver, but its price is at least 10 times that of gold. It has the property of having an unalterable bright white color, although it is too inconsistent to make pieces of this material alone.The Rodio mines do not exist, it is an additional or parallel extraction to other mining activities. In South Africa, it is a byproduct of platinum, 80% of the production is concentrated, while Russia is second and is obtained as a by-product of nickel.

Rhodium is used in applications and electrical installations. It is galvanized (electrochemical process by which one metal can be covered with another) easily to form surfaces more resistant to wear, bright permanently, is used in mirrors, reflectors, jewelry and electrical contacts.

It is considered one of the most expensive metals in the world, having reached its price in 2018 to more than 2300 dollars an ounce.

On the other hand, speaking of white gold is a great ally for its exceptional brightness, greater and more durable than silver. Its brightness, which is usually present in most high-quality jewelry, and also usually coated the pieces of white gold with a bath of rhodium. This brightness has a issue, over time disappears and i have a bit more discouraging news, not only the brightness disappears but also the whitish all characteristic of these jewels, however, the good news is that with a simple new Rhodium in your trusty jewelry, the piece will regain its mirror-like brightness and the best thing is that it is not excessively expensive

How were made before the rings of white gold and why maybe there were better?

.
Before gold rings were not bathed in rhodium, so they never acquired the spectacular brightness as they have now. At the same time, the mixture was as white as possible, so that was the final color. Today, sometimes the jeweler thinks that if the piece is going to be bathed in rhodium, it is not worth the effort to get a very pure white gold. So when buying a white gold ring, it is positive to ask that the base ring be really white or similar and not just rhodium-plated yellow gold.

.

The white gold jewelry is beautiful. You can match precious stones like emerald, ruby and sapphire, and the combination will be impressive for its bright colors, but white gold can go with any stone.

One of the most popular jewelry made with white gold are wedding rings and / or engagement rings, people love having some exclusivity in such a significant and memorable event in their lives and it makes a lot of sense do not you think?

What is your favorite gold color and what kind of jewel would you prefer to use? I invite you to leave us your comment about it, I would love to read your opinion… that unique brightness, I think it is a bit difficult to select just one piece, they are all beautiful! I also invite you to subscribe to our blog, where you can continue to enjoy information about the exciting world of jewelry of great interest.

Creativity and design of a piece of jewelry begin in most of the cases by the acquisition and manipulation of the gem. Depending on many factors choosing the gem can lead to the design of a sophisticated and breathtaking jewel.

There is an outstanding number of people that acquire gems for scientific purposes, mainly to perform specific research about their characteristics and properties. Another significant group of people acquires gemstones to make them the foundation of a jewel.

In this article, we will do a study through the most remarkable and desired gemstones for jewelers. We will consider the various essential characteristics to evaluate when buying and managing gemstones: physical properties, color tones, and availability.

Gemstones Origin

Nature process and phenomena determine the creation of the gems and their characteristics, like color, form, purity, strength among others. In the interior of the earth, the rock passes through several cyclic natural processes all the way from its formation to his wear. The process is known as the rock cycle. This cycle exposes the rocks to several climate conditions like extreme temperatures and pressures, and also the mixing of different minerals, which ends finally in the gems formation.

To facilitate rock research and classification, Geologist divides the rock formations into three big groups: Igneous, sedimentary and metamorphic.

The earth’s crust is the source of most of the gems types. This precious or semi-precious gems, depending on their classification, have their roots on the three rock types earlier mentioned.

It is also possible to find gems in sediments or deposits created by nature through atmospheric processes like erosion.

Classification of gem falls into two categories, precious gemstones, and semi-precious gemstones according to the jewelry industry, however, before-mentioned classification does not have an association with their purity, beauty, and pricing.

Gems’ rusticity, color, and brightness makes them very attractive for buyers, which in the present time are more knowledgeable and inquiring about them.

Precious Stones

Diamond

One of the most known and valued gemstones in the market is the diamond, which has its origins in the igneous rock.

The term igneous means fire, as its name states, this rock comes from the burning lava, and once frozen Diamonds originate.

Diamonds originate in the depths of the earth, and we access them at the earth’s surface due to volcanic explosions, or other times they are dragged to fluvial deposits by the rivers and streams, other times it is also possible to find them in the sea sands or seabed.

The diamond is chemically composed of crystallized carbon. The Diamond is the most remarkable rock for jewelers: it is highly attractive due to his strength, purity, and brightness, the most highly priced in the market is the white variation of it. Other Diamond colors comprehend yellow, orange, cognac, pink and blue.

Diamonds certification involve the evaluation of different quality characteristics and attributes which are then specified by an expert laboratory in an issued document. The final value of the rock is proportional to the property qualification.

Angola, South Africa, Namibia, and Australia are the regions where this rock commonly originates.

Other varieties of rocks are grouped and classified into families based on their similarities in chemical composition.

The corundum, for example, is one of the most prominent and attractive gemstone families. Of this group, Ruby and Sapphire are two of the four most valued precious gems by the high-end jewelry market.

Ruby

This red-intense color gem can contain small pieces of violet and orange tones on it. The rubies with the red-violet like darkest color with the least impurities are considered the most valuable.

We can find The ruby with better attributes and the purest color at Myanmar (Burma). Other places where we can find Ruby as well are Sry Lanka, Vietnam, Tanzania, Afganistan, Australia among others. In these former places, the red color is less intense, more opaque and with some unusual changes.

Sapphire

This gem is more abundant than the Ruby. Of this kind of gemstone, the most popular and valued is the one with the deeper blue color: however, it is possible to find a great variety of colors in different regions of the planet, like pink, green, violet, and even translucent.

In the region of Myanmar, we can find sapphire with the deepest blue color with small violet tones, and thus it is considered one of the best based on quality. Additional places where we can find blue sapphires are Africa, Australia, and Brasil.

These precious gemstones can be modified through common legal processes and practices to improve and enhance them in some way. We can also find unique Gemstones in a natural condition with no human intervention. The last have higher values in the market than the formers, a consequence of its natural no-modified status.

Acquisition value of Sapphires and Rubies depend on their color, size, and dimensions, even the origin place is another factor that influences their final price. When purchasing these precious gemstones, it is recommended to request a lab certificate of the rock properties.

The emerald gemstone, member of The Beryl family it is also considered a precious gem. The Beryl Family also includes other gemstones like the aquamarine gemstone.

Emerald

Emeralds along with diamonds, sapphire, and ruby are gemstones cataloged as precious due to his purity, exclusivity, and quality.

The best quality emerald worldwide can be found in Colombia: its pure green color is steady despite the temperature and light variations.

Other countries where quality Emeralds originate are Brasil and Zambia. Additional relevant countries with Emerald origination are Australia, India, and Sudafrica.

Color Depth and the pure state of this rock is the base of its pricing.

The Emerald is a sensitive rock due to its essential characteristics and smalls interior cracks that may be present: mounting and sculpting this rock is a process of extreme care.

Semi-precious stones

Aquamarine

This gemstone varies in color, all of them associated with the sea tones: sky blue, dark blue, light green. Sky blue Aquamarine gemstone is the most desired by the buyers.

Aquamarine gems are brighter more translucent than Emerald. The Aquamarine gems originate in Brasil, Mozambique, and Afganistan.

Lapis Lazuli

This gemstone has a high value in the market. A gem from a metamorphic rock of a deep and intense blue color in some occasions showing violet hues.

The name of this rock means stone of heaven: its value has been considered high since ancient times. The Egyptian civilization steadily included this rock in many art expressions, more notably in the jewels of Tutankhamon’s treasure.

Read more about this civilization

The Lapis Lazuli exhibits sparkles of white and gold colors which distinguished this rock. also  This Gem quality is rated higher when its color blue is the most intense along with few impurities or few pyrite and calcite. Despite the before mention quality guidelines, the gem looks more attractive when it presents these pyrite inclusions, so it gives the final jewel a remarkable touch.

Commonly this rock appears naturally in a matt tone: then it achieves its brightness and brilliance through polishing processes.

Afghanistan is the region where we find the best Lapis Lazuli gems: Here in the middle east this rock appears with the most intense color and purity which make it highly desirable. It is feasible to find this gem also in Russia, Canada, Argentina, and Chile.

If you want more advice about the care of The Lapis Lazuli gem, try our following article. Lapis Lazuli Care & Cleaning 

Quartz

It is the most numerous family of gems. This family is the most regularly used gems in jewelry. Due to its abundance, there are in this group of gems a great variety of colors, hardnesses, and prices.

The amethyst, rutilated quartz, citrine, rose quartz, aventurine, among others are the most common of this group.

The transparent quartz or crystal is very abundant, as a consequence is surprisingly affordable to get.

Amethyst

Amethyst is one of the most well-known gems in the jewelry industry.  Its distinctive color is a pretty intense and crystalline purple, you also find it in a brighter tone in the market.

The most intense purple Amethyst is most expensive than other lavender tones. Superior quality Amethyst gems come from Russian territory.

Rutilated Quartz

A gem that is characterized by its transparency and contains additions of gold or deep yellow colors that distinguish parts of the gemstone.

Citrine

This gem is also known as yellow quartz: its characteristic color is a crystalline yellow with green hues. Find Citrines with tones golden and opaques is also feasible but less common.

Pink quartz

A gem considerably common and desired by both jewelers and consumers. Its color has different intensities of pink. It goes from the lightest pink to a slightly stronger tone that contains dyes towards the peach tone. Rose quartz is usually translucent and due to its inclusions, tends to have a cloudy appearance.

Aventurine

Aventurine is known for its uniform green color, of light intensity. A gem that is not very translucent and that is usually inexpensive.

Tiger’s Eye

This gemstone is known for its characteristic brown-yellow color with golden streaks. The market appreciates this gem due to its impact and color effect. We can also find it in a reddish or even greenish tone. Its price is quite friendly.

Cornelian

Also called carnelian, it is a red-orange shade that looks translucent and slightly bright. This gem has been remarkable since ancient times. Even today, jewelry designs use this gem widely.

This gemstone is found mainly in India, and there are also gems of excellent quality in the territories of Brazil and Uruguay.

Topaz

The Topaz is a brilliant gem that comes in different colors. The best-known tone is yellow-brown. We can also find topaz in other colors as orange, pink, blue and colorless.

Through processes, it is possible to enhance or accomplish new colors, also make the gem look free of impurities.

It is possible to find Topaz in territories as Brasil, Pakistan, Russia, Afganistan, and Australia.

Tourmaline

The Tourmaline is a versatile gem that has a wide range of tones that often are part of the same stone. It is possible also to find this gemstone in various tones like blue, deep pink, yellow, green.

It can likewise contain two or three colors within the same gem: this is the case of the watermelon tourmaline, which is the best-known combination of colors.

The value of the tourmaline will depend on the quality of its color.  The most expensive on the market is called rubellite, which is pink or fuchsia pretty strong and intense, followed by the tourmaline blue tone called indicolite.

Garnet

The most popular garnet is the type called pyrope that is strong red with few inclusions. In the same way, it is possible to find different colors such as violet red, orange-red, bright orange, green, among others.

This gemstone comes from the territories of Argentina, Brasil, Germany, India.

Opal

The opal has the distinctiveness of changing its colors depending on the angle from which you look. Carving this stone in the shape of a cabochon is a common practice, the reason is due to take advantage of the size of the gem and therefore the set of colors that it can present.

There are different types of opal from which different shades of them derive. The most famous opal gem is the one with a white and clear base which has a variety of colors when moving it.

There are other types of this gem, such as black opal: its color is dark base, fire opal: it is yellow or red tone, Opal matrix: the one with mother rock inside the gem or vice versa.

Turquoise

A well-known gem highly appreciated. Its traditional color and more recognized is the azure blue; however, we also find this gem in a more intense blue, blue with greenish or yellowish tints.

It is very usual to see in the turquoise veins of black or brown color: this is the consequence of the mother stone often penetrating in the turquoise formation.

The Turquoise comes from the territories of the United States, Afghanistan, Australia, and Brazil.

Agate

In reality, this gem is the set of microcrystalline quartz that together gives the appearance solid mass.

In the case of agates, the color may appear as stripes of various colors and widths. Also, it can display forms that resemble tree shapes, without being organic inclusions. It is feasible to find this gem in Brazil, Uruguay, United States.

Organic Gems

There is another classification of gems: the ones originated from biological processes, whether animal or vegetable.  They are considered gemstones because they have properties, behaviors, and characteristics that credit them as such.

In this classification, we can find pearls, coral, amber and nacre.

Pearl

Pearls originate from the process of a living being of animal origin. The formation begins when a foreign body enters the interior of a mollusk and it reacts by covering it with a substance regularly called nacre, which is what ultimately forms the pearl. This process lasts several years until finally obtaining the gem.

Pearls can vary in color and shape.  There are significant differences in their origin: freshwater or saltwater, or its growth: natural or cultured.

Freshwater pearls originate from mollusks of rivers, lakes, and ponds. Saltwater pearls originate in ocean mollusks, gulfs, and bays.

The natural pearls, as the name says, are those that are present naturally in their habitat: seabeds. Cultured pearls arise from human intervention.

We can find natural pearls in the Persian Gulf and the Red Sea. And the cultured pearls are in Japan, a pioneer region in developing this technique and we can also find them in China and Australia.

Amber

Amber is of vegetable origin and is fossilized resin. This resin comes from trees that have at least thirty-five million years of existence.

This gem is also called Solar Stone, or “Northern Gold” is a soft and silky stone, light, warm and with a high visual impact. 100% natural amber can vary in its hue and its main characteristic it is its shiny surface representative of the appearance of the resin.

The crystalline yellow tone is the most popular and most wanted, however; amber has other hues that also make it charming.  These tones depend on the compositions, like the typology of the tree and everything that happens through the time it takes to harden it.  There are various tones, however, the most known range from a yellow-brown tone to reddish or orange colors reaching the color cognac.

Amber can contain many fascinating inclusions inside, which make it more attractive and collectors object.  Among the additions, we can find stems of plants, insects, air bubbles, among others.  Even in 2016, a dinosaur tail was found fully preserved in amber.

Healing properties have been attributed to the amber because it is said to contain succinic acid that the skin can absorb and distribute to the body through the bloodstream to cure some illnesses or diseases. It is even of regular use by many moms with their children in teething processes.

One of the most famous regions where amber comes from is from the Baltic. However, it is also possible to find it in other territories such as Norway, Denmark, and Mexico.

Nacre

The Nacre is a coating that occurs inside the shells of some mollusks. It is a substance that the mollusk secretes once it detects that a foreign body entered the interior of its body, this is the same substance that covers the pearls.

We can find this material in Northern Australia, the United States, and South Africa.

What type of gemstone do you like the most? Tell us in the comments which one is your favorite.

Do not forget to subscribe to our blog, so you do not miss any of our entries.

As we all know, we use our jewels and accessories to ornament our bodies and make us feel more attractives, elegants, desirables and sometimes with certain social status. There are an exorbitantly, expensive and at the same time incredibly beautiful jewels in the world, while you read and see this awesome top 10 and their stories, you will be breathless.

The jewels, to be considered as that, must be made of precious stones or gems, this are minerals carefully cut and polished impeccably, this is considered a true work of art, at the same time the precious metals are implemented, those metals are the one they find in pure state in nature, not combined with other elements (the most outstanding, as we already know is gold, silver, platinum). The union of these unique minerals combine with delicacy and mastery, creates these majestic jewels that I present to you next.

10. The Perfect Pink: $ 23,2 million

A magnificent ring, the star protagonist: the intense pink diamond of rectangular shape that weighs 14.23 carats, flanked on each side by a diamond of rectangular shape that weighs 1.73 and 1.67 carats, mounted in white gold and rose of 18 carats. Since they were discovered for the first time in India, pink diamonds have been considered among the most beautiful gemstones.

It is particularly rare, because less than 10% of all pink diamonds weigh more than 0.20 carats, at the same time its color is simply pink, unlike others diamonds that shows some traces of purple, orange or gray elements. It was sold in Hong Kong in 2010 for $ 23,274,064.

9. Winston Blue: $ 23,8 million

It is the largest and most impeccable blue diamond in the world, initially acquired by Harry Winston, a famous American jeweler. (A curiosity about thing this character… he donated to the Smithsonian Museum the famous Diamond Hope, (also known as Blue Diamond or Cursed Stone) it was believed that this jewel had a curse, it served as inspiration to create “The Heart of the Sea”, necklace with a blue diamond carved with the shape of a heart, given to Rose DeWitt Bukater (Kate Winslet) by Cal Hockley (Leonardo Dicaprio), in the movie Titanic).

The history of this diamond is shrouded by mystery, although most experts are agree, the diamond was probably mined in South Africa, Where the majority of the blue diamonds are extracted.

This jewel, of 13.22 carats, was sold for $ 23.8 million, establishing a world record price per carat for a blue diamond at $ 1,799,953 per carat, flanked on each side by a pear-shaped diamond, weighing approximately 1.00 and 0.96 carats, respectively.

8.Chopard 201 carat watch: $ 25 million

.

It may be on the 8th place of this rankings, but this watches are the most expensive in the world. In total, they contain 874 diamonds of various sizes, the biggest weighing 15 carats. Even more surprising is the mechanism that allows three larger diamonds to move, revealing a dial. The Chopard company is known for its products and for the elite.

7. Hutton-Mdivani necklace: $ 27,4 millions

.

It represents one of the most important pieces of green jade in the world and one of the most expensive jewels of Cartier.

It was commissioned by American tycoon Frank Winfield Woolworth, father of Barbara Hutton to Cartier jewelry as a wedding gift to his daughter with the Prince of Georgia, Alexis Mdivani. The garment has 27 beads of 15 millimeters of diameter, carefully carved and a translucent and hypnotic green color, these beads previously belonged to the Chinese imperial house in the 18th century. Tha Jade was an exclusive symbol of the ruling classes in China and the necklaces of this stone were used only by the emperors and their families.

The design made by Cartier incorporated a brooch of rubies and diamonds that gave the jewel an Art Deco style in keeping with the avant-garde trends of the early twentieth century.

6.Diamond Bikini: $ 30 millions

This piece was made by the designer Susan Rosen and Steinmetz Diamonds (one of the most famous houses and with the best diamond creations for more than 7 decades) for the Sports Illustrated magazine and modeled by the American actress Molly Sims in February 2006.

Its weight is more than 150 carats in diamonds, including a pear-shaped diamond of 51 carats, an emerald cut of 30 carats, a pair of circular diamonds of 15 carats, another in a pear’s shape of eight-carat and to top it off these stones are set in platinum.

As for jewelry, there is also the most expensive bra in the world produced by Victoria’s Secret. Valued at 3 million dollars, the name, Fantasy Bra was made with diamonds and emeralds, collecting 9 thousand precious stones.

5. Zoe Diamond:  $ 32,6 millions

It is important to note that colored diamonds are very unique, among 10,000 diamonds extracted, the possibility that there is one of this type is 1, ie 0.3%. The diamonds sent for the classification, just a few have the pure electric blue tone to guarantee a Fancy Vivid rating, a very rare color quality and quite difficult to reach for blue diamonds.

.

4. Graff Pink – $ 46,2 millions

About the origin of this extremely rare pink diamond weighing 24.78 carats, very little is known, has been described as “one of the best diamonds ever discovered.” It was purchased for the private collection Harry Winston, famous American jeweler in 1950 and then sold to Laurence Graff, another English collector and jeweler.

The diamond, mounted on a ring, is accompanied on both sides by two colorless diamonds weighing 1.73 and 1.67 carats, the three rectangular diamonds are set to a pink and white gold ring of 18-carat. It was sold by auctioneers of Sotheby’s in Geneva, Switzerland, on November 16, 2010, before the auction it was expected that the stone would enter the list of the ten most expensive diamonds in the world; its price of US $ 46 million, turned it into the most expensive jewel ever sold in an auction until that moment.
.

3. l’incomparable: $ 55 millions

Despite of being in the third place in the ranking, this diamond necklace, is listed as the most expensive necklace in the world, known as “The Incomparable”. It was created by the famous company Mouawad. It is a huge yellow diamond pendant, similar to the size of an egg, weighing 407 carats, suspended by a rose gold frame and decorated with 90 smaller white diamonds weighing 230 carats. This necklace was completed in the year 2012.

The story of its appearance is even more surprising. In the 80’s, this diamond, which weighed 890 carats, was found by a little girl, who played among the rubble of mining, she gave the stone to a relative and that person sold it to a merchant; These types of anecdotes are explain why this jewels even more valuable and desirable.

This stone before being part of the necklace of the Mouawad, was exhibited in the Smithsonian Museum, in Washington DC. The first appearance as a necklace was at the Doha Jewelry and Watches exhibition in 2013, Qatar.