Spring Greens

Say "March" and immediately most people think St. Patrick's Day, spring or green. I think of these stunning green and spring-like gemstones.

Emerald is at the top of the list of green gems. It has been treasured for its lush green hue since antiquity. The first known emerald mines were in Egypt and date from 330 B.C. It is believed that emeralds reveal the truth and protect against evil spirits. It is also the stone of fertility and rebirth.

Emerald Rough

Grossular Garnet Beads

Green Garnet comes in two different mineral types, grossular and andradite. Tsavorite is a highly sought after gem-quality green grossular garnet that can rival emerald in color. Demantoid is a rare green andradite garnet that has the sparkle of a diamond. Green garnet is a stone of confidence and service.

Peridot ranges in color from yellow/green to deep chartreuse. It has been mined as early as 1500 B.C. and is the national gem of Egypt. In artificial light, it glows a brilliant green and thus has been named "Evening Emerald." It is thought to promote wealth and power, and to ward against nightmares and jealous thoughts.

Peridot & Bronze Earrings

Prehnite & Bronze Necklace

Prehnite, a beautiful apple-green stone, was first described in 1788 in South Africa. It is named after colonel Hendrik von Prehn (1733-1785), a mineralogist and early governor of the Dutch colony at the Cape of Good Hope. Prehnite is thought to enhance inner knowledge and is called the stone of unconditional love.

Serpentine, a green mineral sometimes mottled like the skin of a snake, is not one mineral but a group of minerals with the same chemical formula but different structures or crystal lattices. Serpentine has been used for jewelry, ornamental carvings and in architecture for centuries. Because it can be similar in appearance to jade, it is sometimes called "New Jade." Serpentine is said to help you find inner peace and balance mood swings.

Serpentine & Sterling Pendant

Add a little spring to your wardrobe with these and other beautiful green gemstones.