Gemstone Guide: Semi Precious Stones Used in Iced Candy
Amazonite
Amazonite is an opaque stone and can range from a milky green colour to blue green. The stone is found in India, Russia and Norway. Properties of the Amazonite stone are success, joy, self-expression, awakening heart, soothing, harmony and balance.
Amethyst
Amethyst is a purple form of Quartz stone which can range in colour from light purple to dark purple. It is dichroic, showing a bluish or reddish purple tinge when viewed from different angles. It’s colour is usually an indicator of the quality of the stone - the clearer and darker the colour the more valuable. Amerthyst is found in Zambia, Brazil, Sri lanka, India, Uruguay, Madagascar. Amerthyst from Russia has a reddish tinge while Amerthyst from Canada is violet. Properties of Amerthyst are contentment, spirituality, dreams, healing, peace, happiness, courage, love and intuition.
Aventurine
Aventurine ranges in colour from light to dark green and if you look closely you will find tiny specks of green mica. Aventurine can also be found in pink and peach. This precious stone can be found in Brazil, India, Russia, Japan and Tanzania. The properties of Aventurine are healing, money, good luck mental agility, visual acuity, peace, opening of the heart, motivation and leadership.
Carnelian
Carnelian is a red variety of Chalcedony which is a type of Quartz. Carnelian comes in a range of colours from intense amber to red-orange. Carnelian is found in the deserts of Arabia and Egypt it can also be found in India, China, Colombia, Saxony, Scotland and Germany. The properties of Carnelian are precision, analytical capabilities, physical energy, verbal skill, peace, spirituality, ambition, drive and confidence.
Chalcedony
Chalcedony is related to the Quartz family of stone. It ranges in colour from lemon, aqua, pink, mid blue. The properties of Chalcedony are memory improvement, enhance listening, enhance communication skills.
Citrine
Citrine is a type of Quartz and is related to the Amerthyst and Rock Crystal which is the colourless variety of Quartz. Citrine is a yellow quartz which ranges in colour from pale lemon to a deep sunny yellow. The name Citrine comes from the French 'Citron' which is French for lemon. The properties of Citrine are intuition, comfort, protection, creativity, physical energy, wealth, mental awakening, feel good and emotional well being.
Honey Jade
Honey Jade is a deep honey/butter colour and is particularly beautiful when it is cut into faceted beads and other shapes.
Jade
Jade is part of the Serapandine family and comes in a variety of colours from white, denim, red, green, pink and honey. We use new jade, white jade and honey jade in our jewellery collection. The beauty of jade lies in the many rich variations in colour, translucence and pattern. Jade is an overall good luck stone to attract wealth not just financial but in friendship, health and happiness. Jade is found in China, Myanmar, Italy, Russia and the Middle East. New Jade New jade is the most common colour which is a translucent sea green colour.
Oynx
Oynx is a variety of Chalcedony formed by the deposition of silica within gas cavities in lava. It is a glossy black stone with distinct faint banding. It is particularly beautiful when it is carved into faceted beads that reflect the light. The property of Oynx is protection. It is found worldwide and also comes in green and white.
Peridot
Peridot is the gemstone of the summer month of August. Peridot gets its colour due to the presence of iron. Peridot is a very old gemstone and it can be found in Egyptian jewellery from the early 2nd millennium B.C. This stone can also be found in Egypt, Hawaill, Arizona, South Africa, Myanmar, China and Pakistan. The properties of Peridot are protection against harm and the attraction of wealth.
Quartz
There are a number if different types of quartz each differentiated by composition and crystalline structure.
- Aqua Quartz is a member of the quartz family. The colour is a light, clear blue.
- Rock Crystal or Crystal Quartz is totally clear with no colour. It is found in Brazil, Swiss and French Alps, Madagascar and Russia. The properties of Rock Crystal are meditation, healing, health and spiritual well-being.
- Cherry Quartz is a cherry red colour.
- Rose Quartz is generally a delicate pale powder pink colour which can range from transparent to translucent. The pink colour comes from the presence of Titanium. It can be found in Madagascar, Brazil, Russia, Scotland, Colorado and Spain. The properties of Rose Quartz – or strawberry course as it can sometimes be known - are the promotion of peace, happiness and fidelity and love.
- Smokey Quartz ranges from light brown to a deep coffee colour with darker flecks of stone and can be found in Brazil, Madagascar, Swiss Alps, Colorado, Australia and Spain. Smokey Quartz is a grounding stone known as a mood elevator.
Quartz can be found in Namibia and South Africa. There are many properties of Quartz such as, love, peace, happiness, gentleness, healing, clearing the mind, personal pride, joy, protection.
Turquoise
Turquoise comes in a range of colours which are normally blue or green and was one of the first gemstones to be mined. It stabilised as it is naturally a very delicate stone (stabilising strengthens the stone). Turquoise often has a dark streak which is the result of the effect of iron compounds - which are also found where Turquoise is mined. Turquoise is found in Africa, India and the US. Sky blue turquoise is from Persia. The greener variety is found in Russia, Chile, Australia and Cornwall. Native American Indians used it as a protective stone. The properties of Turquoise are spiritual attunement, cleansing, healing, protection, valor, soothing, peace of mind, guidance and romance.
White Jade
White jade comes in a white glossy or mat variety. The stone is hard and semi-translucent in colour. The properties of White Jade are decision making, peace and progress.