Joe Rooks Designs

September - Citrine

2009-08-31T13:40:00.000-07:00

Citrine is a member of the quartz family and is closely associated with amethyst and smoky quartz. Given that in its natural state, it is very rare, some citrine is heat treated amethyst. Natural citrine is pale yellow to pale orange, and much lighter than the heat treated variety. Its pale yellow to brown color is attributed to its iron content. Most citrine comes from Brazil while other sources are Russia, France, and Madagascar. Citrine is believed to help the heart, kidney, digestive tract, liver and muscles. It is also the birthstone of November.

August – Amber

2009-08-03T13:13:00.000-07:00

Amber as a gemstone has been treasured and used for centuries in jewelry. Amber is perhaps the oldest substance used for human adornment. Amber beads and pendants were found in Northern Europe gravesites dating back to 8000 B.C. Amber is a fossilized tree resin of now extinct conifer trees and ancient pine trees. It is an amorphous hydrocarbon and may contain particles of various foreign materials, trapped insects and air bubbles. Amber can vary in color from yellow to red, from green to blue, but amber’s color is usually honey brown. Amber beings good luck and is associated with time, cycles and longevity. The most famous source of amber is the Baltic Coast off of Germany. It is also found off the coast of Sicily and England. As amber is soft, it can easily be scratched and therefore, as a piece of jewelry should be stored separately.

July – Lapis

2009-08-03T13:07:00.000-07:00

Lapis (lazuli) is a gemstone compared to the stars in the sky and reminds us of the magic of the Arabian Nights; a deep blue with golden inclusions which shimmer like little stars. This opaque deep blue gemstone has a grand past as it was among the first gemstones to be worn as jewelry. It was treasured by Babylonian and Egyptian civilizations and often worn by royalty. Persian legend says the heavens owed their blue color to a massive slab of lapis upon which the earth rested. The stone is said to increase psychic abilities and to be a cure for melancholy and for certain types of fever. Lapis is regarded by many as the stone of friendship and truth. The blue stone is said to encourage harmony in relationships and help its wearer to be authentic and give his or her opinion openly. The main supplies of lapis are found in Afghanistan, Egypt, Canada, Chile, South America and the United States.

June - Pearls

2009-06-10T14:58:00.000-07:00

Pearls are cherished as symbols of purity and perfection, elegance and affluence, they are unusual gems, created inside animals called mollusks. Occurring naturally in a wide range of sizes, shapes, and colors, pearls have long captured the attention of scientists and socialites. Throughout much of human history, people around the world have fashioned beautiful jewelry and decorative objects of natural pearls, collected from both freshwater and marine mollusks. More recently, though, people discovered how to induce pearl formation leading to the introduction of cultured pearls to the global market in the early 20th century. Quality natural pearls are very rare jewels. The actual value of a natural pearl is determined in the same way as it would be for other precious gems. The valuation factors include size, shape, quality of surface, orient and luster. In addition, pearls (especially cultured freshwater pearls) can be dyed yellow, green, blue, brown, pink, purple, or black.

May - Coral

2009-05-04T14:21:00.000-07:00

Coral, which is not a mineral but a hard calcareous substance, is among the most ancient of gems, having been used for adornment since prehistoric times. It is found growing plant-like in the depths of the sea, especially the Mediterranean Sea. With pollution on the rise, it is becoming increasing rare. Coral is actually branch-like and occurs in a variety of colors including shades of red and pink, and even blue and white. Coral creates numerous virtues like valor, tenaciousness, capacity to confront and solve situations and problems and enable one to take risks. It is useful for increasing self-awareness, administrative potential and the power of applying rights in social and political arenas. While coral in jewelry has been found in Celtic Tombs from the Iron Age, it is also the height of fashion today, flattering against the skin but yet adding a modern shot of strong color that enhances the drama of what is being worn.

April - Turquoise

2009-03-24T19:15:00.000-07:00

Turquoise is an opaque, blue-to-green mineral. It is rare and valuable in finer grades and has been prized as a gem and ornamental stone for thousands of years. The word turquoise is derived from the French word either for Turkish (Turquis) or dark-blue stone (pierre turquin). This maybe because turquoise was traded at Turkish bazaars to Venetian merchants who brought it to Europe. In many cultures of the Old and New Worlds, this gemstone has been esteemed for thousands of years as a holy stone, a bringer of good fortune. In nature, it occurs in the whole range of hues from sky blue to grey-green, and mostly found in places where there is a high concentration of copper in the soil. While turquoise has been found in a region known as Persia in Iran for over two thousand years, it is also found in the Southwestern part of the United States and is frequently used in Indian jewelry. The wearing of turquoise makes one feel happy and cheerful.

March - Aquamarine

2009-03-02T13:58:00.000-08:00

Aquamarine gets its name because of its seawater color, hues of light to intense blues. The coloring agent for this semi-precious stone is iron. It is closely related to the gem emerald. Aquamarine in its light blue arouses feelings of sympathy, trust, harmony and friendship. During the Middle Ages, it was thought that aquamarine could magically overcome the effects of poison. Ancient sailors traveled with aquamarine crystals, believing that they would ensure a safe voyage, and guarantee a safe return. In the United States, aquamarine can be found in Wyoming and central Colorado. It can also be found in large quantities in Brazil, Colombia, Zambia, Madagascar, Tanzania and Kenya.

February - Amethyst

2009-02-02T13:12:00.000-08:00

Amethyst holds a magical appeal that’s proven to be timeless and even protects its wearer from seduction. Amethyst is rich in hues of purple, from very light to very dark. While purple can be the chosen color of royalty, its appeal unwavering popularity even for healing purposes. While amethyst is the most valued of the quartz group, its name means “not drunken” in the Greek and therefore, is worn because of its protective against drunkenness. The most important deposits of amethyst are found in Brazil, Madagascar, Zambia, Uruguay, as well as the United States (Arizona).

January - Garnet

2009-02-02T13:05:00.000-08:00

When most people think of garnet, think of those magnificent deep-red gemstones found in antique jewelry. But garnet goes beyond being deep-red gemstones and antique jewelry. Its full spectrum of rich colors can make it the perfect accent to lampwork bead jewelry that becomes wearable art, making the perfect statement. There is a broad diversity of colors from the green of summer grass, the gold of freshly harvested wheat, the orange of fiery hot steel, the pink of a delicate rosebud – garnet has is all. Garnet can be found in many areas of the world. Some of the most magnificent sources include Africa, Australia, Brazil, India, Madagascar, Russia, Sri Lanka and the United States.