Gemstone Guide

Gemstone – just like diamond the cut , colour, clarity and size that accounts for their purchase.

 

Gemstones as birthstones have an influence on the wearer life. The concept of birthstones was first found in the Gregorian Calendar. It was believed that a person’s energy and power was enhanced when the birthstone gem was worn. Birthstones were chosen based on the qualities associated with the month. So depending on when you were born, pick up an elegant piece with your birthstone on it and wear it for luck.

Garnet –January

The garnet gets its name from ‘Granatum’ or pomegranate seeds, which it closely resembles. Although the red wine-coloured garnet is most popular, garnets actually come in all shades of the rainbow – except blue. That’s why January borns are considered to be multi-faceted, with a wide range of skills and talents! The different colours of a garnet resonate with different energies and are believed to help with different issues: Green for mediation and focus; Orange for commitment; Purple for mental stability and Red for passion, self confidence, creativity and reflection. Almaasbynirakarajewels.com has the classic red garnet in a stunning range of earrings, pendants & rings for January borns.

Amethyst– February

The Amethyst is a transparent form of quartz found in purple or violet shades. In fact, February’s birthstone defines the colour purple for all gemstones. A much coveted gem, Amethysts have been worn by the people in power for over centuries. Its rich purple shade denoted royalty and class. Many powers are attributed to the Amethyst. The two most popular being – that it protects the wearer against seduction. And two, it prevents the wearer from getting drunk. In fact, the very word ‘amethystos' in ancient Greek meant – not intoxicated. If your special day falls in February, you can choose rich purple Amethyst in elegant designs at almaasbynirakarajewels.com

Aquamarine – March

The Aquamarine is a transparent variety of beryl, found in an extraordinarily beautiful range of light blue shades. The blue of Aquamarine is a divine, eternal colour, because it is the colour of the sky and of water. The name Aquamarine comes from the Latin 'aqua' (water) and 'mare' (sea). Considered the sailor’s lucky stone, many legends revolve around the Aquamarine, including one about its origin in the treasure chest of mermaids! March borns can rejoice, for Aquamarine is associated with many positive attributes including love, happy marriage, joy and wealth! Now that’s what we call an ideal birthday gift! almaasbynirakarajewels.com has captured the light blue of Aquamarine in rings, earrings & pendants.

Diamond - April

What can we say about Diamonds that hasn’t been said or felt over hundreds of years? The world’s most magnificent gem is April’s birthstone. Renowned for its ability to attract and disperse light, the diamond has always been the first choice for royalty and lay man alike. The name diamond is derived from the ancient Greek (adámas) which translates as "proper", "unalterable", "unbreakable" or "untamed".

Diamonds come in a variety of colours, from the popular colourless ones to the more fancy pinks, blues, yellows, oranges, greens and reds. Fancy diamonds are rarer and more expensive.

almaasbynirakarajewels.com is India’s largest online retailer of diamonds, and we offer certified diamond jewellery to suit all tastes and budgets.

Emerald - May

Emeralds are a green transparent variety of beryl. Like Amethysts define purple, Emeralds stand for all things beautifully and unimaginably green. In top quality, fine emeralds are even more valuable than diamonds! The name emerald comes from the Greek 'smaragdos' and the Old French 'esmeralde', which means ‘green gemstone’. One of the oldest stones to be mined, every culture from Indian to Inca, associates the emerald with luck, healing & holiness.

This classic gem is available at almaasbynirakarajewels.com in elegantly crafted jewellery.

Pearl - June

Pearls come in all shades, from pinkish lavender to black. Colour does not affect the value of the pearl, so go ahead and choose shades that flatter your skin tone. While no pearl is totally perfect, the lesser the imperfections on the surface, the higher the value of your gem. Lustre or sheen refers to the mirror like quality of the pearl. Pearls with good surfaces typically have better lustre and stand out when worn.

Ruby – July

Rubies are a deep red, transparent variety of corundum. Rubies along with emeralds and diamonds are one of the world’s most treasured gems. Its characteristic fiery red is associated with passion and warmth, fire and blood, vivacity and spontaneity. Rubies are about elemental energy. The word ‘Ruby’ itself comes from the Latin word ‘rubens’ meaning red and there is no need for further explanation! All other colours of corundum are classified as sapphires.

Give yourself a Ruby High, with classic red ruby jewellery at almaasbynirakarajewels.com

Peridot – August

Peridots are a pale green, transparent variety of olivine chrysolite. The peridot is one of the few gemstones which come in one colour only – green with a hint of gold. It is also one of the world’s oldest gemstones. The ancient Romans called it the - 'emerald of the evening', as it was believed that the Peridot glowed with light even as darkness fell!

 

The word Peridot is derived from the Greek word 'peridona', which means 'to give richness'. An ideal summer stone, touches of Peridot add lightness & shine to any wardrobe. The Peridot signifies strength, both individual and within a relationship, as well as the promise of new growth in years ahead.

 

For those whose B’day falls in August, almaasbynirakarajewels.com has Peridot jewellery in earrings, rings & pendants.

Sapphire – September

Sapphires are a pure form of the mineral corundum. Sapphires are mostly thought of as blue in colour, but this versatile stone can be found in pink, orange, yellow and purple shades!

 

However, the blue of Sapphire supersedes all others gems when it comes to symbolizing sincerity and faithfulness: reasons why a Sapphire engagement ring has a large band of followers!

 

Named after the Greek word "sapphirus", meaning blue, Sapphires were thought to be protective against envy, and even against poisoning! The second hardest stone, next to the diamonds, Sapphires can easily be fashioned into any form of jewellery.

 

almaasbynirakarajewels.com offers you rings, earrings and pendants in Blue & yellow sapphires.

Tourmaline – October

Born in October and you have a rainbow to choose from! Tourmaline, the October birthstone comes in an incomparable variety of shades. According to legend, the Tourmaline on its way up from the centre of the earth passed through a rainbow, absorbing its colours on the way.

 

This gemstone of the rainbow, gets its name from the Singhalese words ‘tura mali’ which roughly translates as ‘mixed in colours’. A unique gem stone, no two Tourmalines are alike and even a single Tourmaline can change colour depending on the light!

 

What a delightful, quirky birthstone!

 

almaasbynirakarajewels.com celebrates the vibrancy of Tourmaline in rings, pendants, hearts, earrings & more!

Citrine - November

Citrine is a pale-yellow variety of crystalline quartz. The name Citrine comes from an old French word, "citrin", meaning lemon. Citrines range from the palest yellow to a dark amber named Madeira, that nearly touches red.

 

First surfacing in Roman times, the Citrine was believed to have magical powers and was worn as a talisman against evil. It was also used for medicinal purposes as a remedy for urinary and kidney ailments.

 

A gift of Citrine is symbolic for hope and strength. With its sunny brightness, this gemstone brings a ray of sunshine to the darkest days.

 

A gift of Citrine is symbolic for hope and strength. With its sunny brightness, this gemstone is ideal for helping anyone to get through the tough times in life!

 

almaasbynirakarajewels.com offers classic mellow yellow shades of Citrine in designs designed to let its warmth glow!

Topaz - December

While most people think of Topaz as blue, it is a fluorine aluminium silicate and comes in yellow, yellow-brown, honey-yellow, flax, brown, green, blue, light blue, red and pink shades.

 

The word Topaz is derived from the Sanskrit word "tapas," meaning fire. This is because Blue Topaz was considered by ancient civilizations to have cooling properties. Not only was it believed to cool boiling water, but to calm hot tempers as well! This gemstone was credited with many other healing powers, including the ability to cure insanity, asthma, weak vision and insomnia!

 

You can wear it to simply feel good and luxuriate, for Topaz jewellery is both prized and considered extremely tasteful.

 

almaasbynirakarajewels.com has blue & yellow Topaz, in a glittering range of rings, earrings & pendants.

Gemstone enhancement

The treating and enhancement of gemstones to improve quality, especially colour, is fairly common. For instance, the irradiation and heating of colourless topaz permanently transforms it into blue topaz! The most common enhancement methods are heating, oiling, dyeing, irradiation, bleaching, coating and diffusion to name a few. While these practices are known and even accepted, we at Nirakarajewellers.com do not sell any gemstone that has been enhanced in any way. All our gemstones are free of any treatment or enhancement. That’s the Nirakarajewellers.com guarantee for you.

Gemstone jewellery

Gems are set into earrings, rings, pendants, bangles or brooches depending on their inherent characteristics. Gems like diamonds are hard and can be cut into any size/shape without affecting the stone. Rubies and emeralds are also considered hard enough for any kind of cutting/setting. Softer stones may not suit all types of jewellery. Similarly, the transparency or lack of it in a stone determines the kind of jewellery it will be used in. Today, thanks to advanced cutting & manufacturing methods, you can enjoy most gems in regular jewellery like rings or earrings.

 

Care of gemstones

A few handy tips to keep those gemstones looking good for generations!

 

Cleaning:

Clean your jewellery regularly. Rings particularly tend to collect dust and soap behind the stone, especially ones worn daily. To clean transparent crystalline gemstones, simply soak them in water, brush with a gentle soap and a soft toothbrush.

 

Care:

Even tough stones like Rubies & Sapphires can chip on hard impact. So, if you have a softer gem stone or an included stone, do take it off before any strenuous activity.

 

Opaque & Porous gems:

Pearls, turquoise, coral etc need special care. These gems are porous i.e. they can absorb, so using a chemical cleaner, even soap may cause the stone to discolour. The best way to keep their shine, is to gently wipe them with a moist cloth. Hard stones or single crystal stones like Sapphires do not absorb, so it is safe to clean them with a little ammonia to remove film.

 

Water & sunlight:

Some gems are affected by water and direct sunlight. Make sure you understand the nature of the gem and care requirements in this regard before buying!

 

Storage:

Store each piece of gemstone jewellery separately so that harder stones don't scratch softer ones. Almost every gemstone is much harder than the metal it is set in, so unless you want your gold, silver or platinum scratched, don’t keep gemstone jewellery in a pile in your drawer or jewellery box.