Give that someone special (or yourself) jewelry made with one of these “love” gemstones.
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When I think of gems, I immediately think "jewelry." But gems are used in many other ways. In fact, the majority of gems that are mined are used in applications other than jewelry. Here are just a few. Corundum is aluminum oxide. It is called ruby when red and sapphire when other colors. Regardless of color, corundum is used as an abrasive for grinding glass and polishing metal. It is made into sandpapers and grinding wheels.
Jewelry Facets provides more information about these and other gemstones.
This year look for jewelry featuring these Classic Blue gemstones. Sapphire is the ideal Classic Blue gemstone in both color and meaning. It symbolizes wisdom, virtue, good fortune, faithfulness and sincerity. It is believed to increase/enhance intuition, mental clarity and spiritual power.
In addition to gemstones, crystal, glass and cubic zirconia beads will abound in this timeless color. Regardless of your budget, you'll be able to find just the right piece of jewelry in the 2020 Color of the Year - Classic Blue. The Pantone Color Institute, often referred to as simply Pantone, is the global color authority and provider of professional color standards for the design industries. These standards allow the exact same color to be used across a variety of products as diverse as home furnishings, paint, cosmetics, clothing, and linens.
Metal has been used to make jewelry since ancient times. Gold was first used in 6000 BC! Copper followed in 4200 BC and silver in 4000 BC. Today, metals used in jewelry are divided into two groups - precious and base. The precious metals are silver, gold and platinum; all other metals are considered base metals. Metals can be either elements, for example iron, copper or niobium, or alloys which are mixtures of elements. Alloys can be a base metal like brass (copper and zinc) or a precious metal like sterling silver (silver and copper). Generally, alloys are created to improve the color, workability or durability of metal. The metals I use most are:
I'm passionate about making metal jewelry. I love the feel of metal and the very different looks I can achieve with it. View my collections to see all the ways in which I use metal.
Without treatment, only the best natural gems and gemstones would be mined and sold. These natural stones would not only be rare but also very expensive.
Keep from being fooled. Buy jewelry from sources you trust and don't be afraid to ask if the stones have been enhanced. If the price seems too good to be true; it probably is.
![]() February wasn't always the second month of the year. It started out as the last month in the Roman calendar. January and February were added to the Roman calendar about 713 BC. Prior to that time Romans considered winter to be a monthless period. About 450 BC the Roman calendar was re-arranged, and February became the second month of the year. At certain intervals, February was truncated to 23 or 24 days and a temporary 27-day month was inserted immediately after February to realign the year with the seasons. The reforms that created the Julian calendar in 45 BC did away with the temporary month and created leap years which occurred every four years. During leap years, February gained a 29th day. the Julian calendar was replaced by the Gregorian calendar in 1582 which further refined how leap years and leap centuries are handled. The Gregorian calendar is the most widely used calendar today. Februarius, the Roman name for February, comes from the festival of ritual purification Februa held on February 15 (full moon) in the old Roman calendar. The festival celebrated Spring washing or cleansing. The festival of Februa was later incorporated in to Lupercalia, a fertility festival dedicated to the Roman god of agriculture. Lupercalia was deemed un-Christian in the fifth century when Pope Gelasius replaced it with St. Valentine's Day. Over the years Valentine's Day became the day to celebrate love and romance ![]() February's birthstone is amethyst which symbolizes piety, humility, spiritual wisdom and sincerity. Amethyst, from the Greek amethystos meaning "not-intoxicated," was believed by ancients to protect against drunkenness. It is also believed if you place an amethyst under your pillow you'll have pleasant dreams - perhaps about the one you love! |
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