Fan•Designs

GEMSTONE DESCRIPTIONS:

Below is a listing of birthstone and exotic gemstones used in our bracelet slides. Regardless of the gemstone that is shown mounted in a slide (on our website or in our catalogs), you may order in most of the gemstones listed below. Almost all our slides are set with genuine stones; however, there are a few laboratory created gemstones (i.e., Created Alexanderite). Where appropriate, it will be noted in the description.

GARNET is the birthstone for the month of January and anniversary gemstone for the second year of marriage. The history of Garnet dates back to the Bronze Age (more than 5,000 years ago), when it was a very popular gemstone. It is known as the "stone of health" - ridding the body of negative energies. Garnets are available in a wide range of "warm" tones such as reds, oranges, yellows and burgundies, as well as greens and some rare color-change varieties. On a hardness scale ranging from 1 to 10, Garnet has a hardness of 7.0 to 7.5.

Birthstone Gemstones
MONTH	GEMSTONE
January	Garnet
February	Amethyst
March	Aquamarine
April	Diamond
May	Emerald
June	Pearl or Created Alexandrite
July	Ruby
August	Peridot
September	Sapphire
October	Opal or Pink Tourmaline
November	Citrine
December	Blue Topaz

AMETHYST is the birthstone for the month of February and anniversary gemstone for the sixth year of marriage. The intense purple color and relative availability of amethyst has ensured its popularity throughout the millennia. A popular gem since Pre-Roman times, the wine-loving Greeks believed amethyst gems could prevent intoxication while medieval European soldiers wore amethyst amulets as protection in battle. Amethyst is believed to be the "stone of spirituality and contentment". On a hardness scale ranging from 1 to 10, Amethyst has a hardness of 7.0.

AQUAMARINE is the birthstone for the month of March and anniversary gemstone for the 19th year of marriage. Its name is derived from "sea water". For centuries, many believed oceanic energy was captured within the delicate semblance of aquamarines. When amulets made of this precious gem were worn, sailors believed that unmatched bravery would be instilled in their souls. Made of beryl, aquamarine is a hard gem variety, making it a good choice for frequently worn jewelry, especially in earrings and pendants where its delicate color and clarity can be predominately displayed. On a hardness scale ranging from 1 to 10, Aquamarine has a hardness of 7.5 to 8.0.

DIAMOND is the birthstone for the month of April and anniversary gemstone for the 10th and 60th years of marriage. Diamonds have long reigned as the ultimate statement of love and affection. Derived from the Greek word "adamas", which means unconquerable, it suggests the eternity of love and has become a traditional symbol. Diamonds have been a source of fascination (and misinformation) since around 800 BC when they were first presented to royalty in India. The only diamond producer for an astounding 2,500 years, Indians once believed diamonds were created when lightning struck a rock. On a hardness scale ranging from 1 to 10, Diamond has a hardness of 9.0 to 10.0.

EMERALD is the birthstone for the month of May and anniversary gemstone for the 20th and 35th years of marriage. With the richness of green, emeralds are considered the gemstone of "eternal spring". Emeralds were first mined more than 3,000 years ago, during the time of the Ancient Egyptian Empire. Emeralds are said to have a powerful effect on the conscious and unconscious mind, strengthening memory and increasing psychic awareness. Emeralds are actually a green form of beryl and range in color from light lime green to deep forest green. On a hardness scale ranging from 1 to 10, Emerald has a hardness of 7.5 to 8.0.

PEARL is the birthstone for the month of June and has been a favorite of brides for hundreds of years. The ancient Greeks believed that wearing pearls promoted marital bliss. Legends abound about this gemstone but one fact is undeniable, pearls are the oldest known gem and for centuries were considered the most valuable. Pearls were thought to be so valuable that the Roman General Vitellius allegedly financed an entire military campaign with just one of his mother's pearl earrings. Believed to symbolize the moon, the oldest known pearl jewelry is a necklace found in the sarcophagus of a Persian princess who died in 520 BC. On a hardness scale ranging from 1 to 10, Pearl has a hardness of 3.0 to 4.0.

RUBY is the birthstone for the month of July and anniversary gemstone for the 15th and 40th years of marriage. According to ancient beliefs, those who wore rubies were accorded wisdom, happiness and health and would bring good fortune to gamblers and lovers. First mined more than 2,500 years ago in Sri Lanka, the intense red color in rubies led many to believe they carried mystical powers. The ancient Burmese believed when inserted beneath the skin, rubies generate a mystical force that protects the wearer from accidents and attack. Rubies were also once believed to contain prophetic powers, enabling wearers to predict the future based on changes in their ruby's color intensity. On a hardness scale ranging from 1 to 10, Ruby has a hardness of 9.0.

PERIDOT is the birthstone for the month of August and anniversary gemstone for the 16th year of marriage. Common in early Greek and Roman jewelry, Peridot has been popular since about 1500 BC when the Egyptians started mining it on Zebirget (St. John's Island), a Red Sea island about 50 miles off the Egyptian coast. Known by the ancient Egyptians as the "gem of the sun", Peridot it is believed to bring the wearer success, peace and good luck. On a hardness scale ranging from 1 to 10, Peridot has a hardness of 6.5 to 7.0.

SAPPHIRE is the birthstone for the month of September and anniversary gemstone for the 5th and 45th years of marriage. Prized since ancient times, sapphire has been called the "gem of the heavens". The ancient Persians believed the earth rested on a giant sapphire and its reflection colored the sky. Sapphires come in all spectrums of color, except red. Often when people refer to sapphires, they mean blue sapphires. Other color sapphires are correctly referred to as "fancy sapphires". Sapphires symbolize sincerity and faithfulness. On a hardness scale ranging from 1 to 10, Sapphire has the hardness of 9.0.

OPAL is the birthstone for the month of October. Opal is brittle, heat sensitive and breaks and scratches easily. Some varieties self-destruct through the loss of water. Even with these drawbacks, opal remains a premier gemstone. The Romans wore opals for centuries and considered them a symbol of hope or purity, while the early Greeks believed they embodied the powers of foresight or prophecy. The more fancifully minded Arabs thought opals fell from heaven in flashes of lightning thus achieving their unique play of color or "opalescence". On a scale ranging from 1 to 10, Opal has the hardness of 5.5 to 6.5. (A DOUBLET OPAL is a layer of opal attached to a black background as a two-piece composite.)

CITRINE is the birthstone for the month of November. One of the most affordable gemstones on the market, citrine is a golden yellow form of quartz. Its name is derived from "citron", the French word for lemon. In former times citrine was used as a protective talisman against the plague, bad skin, evil thoughts and as a charm against snakebites. It is also believed to symbolize happiness, aid digestion, remove toxins from the body, and be useful in the treatment of depression and diabetes. On a hardness scale of 1 to 10, Citrine has a hardness of 7.0.

BLUE TOPAZ is the gemstone of choice even though the true birthstone for December is Turquoise. Since Blue Topaz has a hard surface, it is an ideal gemstone to be worn daily. Blue Topaz ranges in color from a sky blue to Swiss blue to the darker color of London blue. Topaz is available in many colors; blue, green, orange, red and pink. On a hardness scale of 1 to 10, Blue Topaz has a hardness of 8.5.

Exotic Gemstones

ALEXANDRITE may be substituted for Pearl, the birthstone for the month of June. Discovered in 1830 on the birthday of Czar Alexander, Alexandrite is the most valuable form of the mineral chrysoberyl. When viewed under sunlight, Alexandrite appears medium to bluish green, while under candlelight or incandescent light, it appears violet red. The discovery of Alexandrite on the Czar's birthday was considered fortuitous, as the colors mirrored those of Imperial Russia. On a hardness scale ranging from 1 to 10, Alexandrite has a hardness of 8.5. Since Alexandrite is an expensive gemstone, we use laboratory created Alexandrite in our slides.

BLUE GREEN TOURMALINE is one of a variety of topaz colors ranging from blue, yellow, green, violet and multicolored. No other gemstone in the world has as much color aviation as tourmaline. The primary sources of tourmalines are Nigeria, Brazil, Pakistan, Madagascar, Nambia and the U.S. On a hardness scale ranging from 1 to 10, Blue Green Tourmaline is 7.0 to 7.5.

CAMEO is carved shell. Most frequently, the carnelian shell is used which holds a low-intensity peach or orange color. The color often contrasts between the foreground and background colors of the carving. Traditionally sea shells began being carved in the 15th or 16th century and were popularized by Queen Victoria of England. While the true birthplace of the cameo was nearly 300 years before the birth of Christ in Alexandria, Egypt, cameos owe their origins to ancient carving traditions. Many carvings depicted Greek and Roman gods and goddesses, themes and events, historical heroes or rulers. During the 19th Century, cameos predominately showcased women's profiles.

IOLITE has different colors when held in different directions. It may look violet blue, almost like a sapphire from one angle, clear as water from another angle, and a honey-yellow color from the top. In years past, this property led some to call iolite "water sapphire". The name iolite comes from the Greek ios, which means violet. When cut properly, iolite is usually a purplish blue and is quite attractive. The richer blue in color the more valuable the stone. It is mined in India, Sri Lanka, Mozambique, Zimbabwe, and Brazil. Iolite is a relatively hard gemstone.

ONYX was very popular with the ancient Greeks and Romans. The name comes from the Greek word onux, which means fingernail. The legend is that one day Cupid cut the divine fingernails of Venus with an arrowhead while she was sleeping. He left the clippings scattered on the sand and the Fates turned them into stone so that no part of the heavenly body would ever perish. On a hardness scale ranging from 1 to 10, the hardness of Onyx is 6.5 to 7.0.

PINK SAPPHIRE is a natural color of sapphire and is described as a "fancy sapphire". The pink color is one of the most desirable of the fancy sapphires. Rarely does the pink hue come in sizes over 2.0Cts. As with other sapphires, pink sapphires has a hardness, on a scale ranging from 1 to 10, of 9.0.

PINK TOURMALINE is a gemstone which many substituted for October's opal birthstone. As it is found in all spectrums of color, tourmaline is often described as the "chameleon gemstone". It is not surprising to find a fine tourmaline that mirrors the exact semblance of other gemstones, such as emerald, ruby and sapphire. Some tourmaline crystals may even appear as crystallized rainbows with several bands of color, ranging from the most brilliant red to the deepest blue. Many refer to tourmaline as the "muses' stone", for they believe its imaginative colors contain inspirational powers. On a hardness scale ranging from 1 to 10, Pink Tourmaline is 7.0 to 7.5.

RHODOLITE GARNET is available in rose-red or pale to rich violet colors. All garnets have similar atomic structures. On a hardness scale ranging from 1 to 10, Rhodolite Garnet has a hardness of 7.0 to 7.5.

SPESSARTINE is orange to reddish-brown in color. The gem's namesake derives from the Spessart district of Bavaria where it was first discovered. The primary source for this gemstone is Nigeria, Nambia, Madagascar, India, Sri Lanka, Pakistan, Burma and Brazil. On a hardness scale ranging from 1 to 10, Spessartine has a hardness of 7.0 to 7.5.

TANZANITE is a special and unique gemstone. It is mined in only one specific location within the world, the east-African state of Tanzania. Its rich blue color, which shimmers in a slightly purplish hue, is quite magnificent. Tanzanite is one of the most sought-after and popular gemstones in the world. Discovered in 1967, it was enthusiastically received and celebrated as the "Gemstone of the 20th Century".

TSAVORITE GARNET comes in a variety of green, pale yellowish-green and emerald green colors. In 1968, tsavorite was discovered in Kenya's Tsavo National Park. The primary source for this gemstone is Kenya, Tanzania and Madagascar. On a hardness scale ranging from 1 to 10, Tsavorite Garnet has a hardness of 7.25.