Archive for the ‘Gem Blog’ Category
Diamonds really were Elizabeth Taylor’s best friend!
Wednesday, September 19th, 2012Like Priceless-Gems
Wednesday, May 16th, 2012
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Rose Quartz
Thursday, May 10th, 2012
That we find a crystal or a poppy beautiful means that we are less alone, that we are more deeply inserted into existence than the course of a single life would lead us to believe. ~ J Berger
Rose Quartz is such a beautiful crystal. What do you think Priceless Gems readers? Rose Quartz, is of course, part of the quartz family of crystals which are very commonly found all around the world. But to me, Rose Quartz is a wonderful variant of the very abundant quartz which is of course white. For may years I wore a Rose Quartz pendent pretty much night and day. A definite favourite! And, I must admit, I think it also helped at times with my overall well being.
Rose Quartz gets it pink hue from trace amounts of titanium, iron and manganese, which sets it apart from it’s ‘normal’ or white/clear quartz cousin. In Greek mythology it is thought that the blood of Adonis, and his lover Aphrodite, during a time of war, were wounded together and blood stained the White Quartz in the ground below them , to pink or Rose Quartz. Rose Quartz or ‘pink’ quartz is rarely found in crystal form, again, unlike its common relative quartz which is found in crystal form. I am sure many of our Priceless Gems readers would have found some quartz while out walking or gardening or the like.
As I said earlier in this post, I felt that my Rose Quartz seemed to help with my overall well being. And, truth be told, Rose Quartz has always been revered as a crystal that can provide the owner or wearer with general well being. Rose quartz can benefit many wearers especially those who would like to improve circulation or stress related skin problems. It can also help with headaches and female fertility. Emotionally Rose quartz can deliver a feeling of well being in helping heal depression and giving strength to forgive mistakes whether the wearers or others. It is also considered a mothering crystal.
Of course Priceless Gems has many Rose Quartz pieces of jewellery. Please contact us anytime via the ‘contact us’ tab above and we will help you find the perfect Rose Quartz pendant or piece of jewellery.
Amazing Amber
Sunday, April 15th, 2012
Whence we see spiders, flies, or ants entombed and preserved forever in amber, a more than royal tomb. ~ F Bacon Snr.
For our first Priceless Gem Blog for 2012, we thought we would post about a gem that is not even stone or Crystal. Amber. Amber is a tree resin that is fossilised, which in turn becomes beautiful pieces of Amber, which has been used in jewellery and for other uses since the Stone age. Interesting that it became popular and sought after in the Stone age and is not even stone. Amber gained its name from the Arabic ‘anbar’, and also from Medieval Latin and Old French derivitives.
Some of the most sought after of Amber are pieces with ‘Inclusions’, where insects have been trapped or entombed in Amber while it was in liquid form. The above picture shows an insect ‘included’ in the piece of Amber. And pieces of Amber with ‘inclusions’ can still be found today and are still highly prized and regarded. While Amber, as its name suggests is 
orange brown in colour it can vary within this spectrum and there is also ‘Blue Amber’ which is Dominican Amber that turns blue in natural sunlight. This ‘Blue Amber’ is very rare and highly sought after.
Amber has quite a few uses, and has been used in many ways, for thousands of years. Today Amber is predominately used in jewellery, and perfume. But is also has and is used as a gem with healing properties. Amber can help, physically, for female fertility and male potency, toothache, and has been known to ease pain associated with childbirth and gallstone pain. Emotionally, Amber can stimulate self-healing and remove obstacles we put in our own way. It has also seen to benefit or improve short-term memory, anxiety and depression. – Crystal Bible, Cassandra Eason
While Amber is not a gem, so to speak, it does however make the transition in the use of jewellery very well and lends itself to making beautiful jewellery, of which all pieces will be totally unique. Each piece of Amber is not the same, like our finger prints, there will never be and exact match.
Check out Priceless Gems Amber jewellery found in our site. Unfortunately Priceless Gems can only show but a few of the many truly unique pieces of Amber that we have in stock. We have a huge range of Amber rings, pendants and earrings. Contact us via the ‘Contact Us’ tab above if you have a request or would like to purchase a piece of Amber Jewellery.
New Priceless Gems …
Saturday, March 31st, 2012
Hello to all our Priceless readers and customers. Priceless Gems has added some new and beautiful items for you all to view, including the delightful Amber tree pictured above. Priceless Gems has added new Cubic Zirconia rings and necklaces, Mother of Pearl rings, and Turquoise necklaces to name a few. Please browse through our pages to find our newly added pieces. More beautiful pieces of jewellery are on the way as well, so check back regularly or bookmark Priceless Gems. As always Priceless Gems is only too happy to help with your requests. Please contact Priceless Gems via the ‘Contact Us’ tab, we look forward to hearing from you.
Birthstones
Sunday, December 11th, 2011December – Turquoise
Summer is here… and it is certainly warm here in Cairns. The beginning of Summer means it is December in Australia, and of course the last of the birthstones for the year. December’s birthstone is Turquoise, a stone or gem that has been used and revered from early Egyptian royalty. In fact Turquoise was studded throughout the mask of Tutankhamen, in the event of his death. “The word Turquoise, which dates to the 16th century, is derived from an old french word for ‘Turkish’, because the mineral was first brought to Europe from Turkey” – Wikipedia
Turquoise is a beautiful blue gem with veins of brown or blotches of black, but I think this adds to the elder gem. Turquoise can also be green in colour, but blue is the more prized, and in my opinion the most grand.
Of course as well as being a beautiful stone both in natural state and refined, Turquoise can also offer some great benefits for those who wear it. Turquoise is thought to be quite beneficial in many areas of the body, including problems with the eyes, ears and throat and problems such as headaches, and arthritis. Turquoise has also been thought to aid in calming the mind and help those who need empowering to be strong within themselves.
Priceless gems has many beautiful pieces of jewellery featuring Turquoise, of which some are already on display in the rings and bracelets tabs of this site. We also have many more pieces available, including earrings and pendants, and would love to help you find a perfect Turquoise gift for your loved one. Please contact us now through the ‘Contact Us’ tab above.
Birthstones
Sunday, November 13th, 2011November – Topaz
Novemebr is most certainly here, which means there is a new birthstone to introduce. November also sees the lead up to Christmas and the festive season all over the world. What a great time of the year!
Having a birthday in November means your birthstone is Topaz. Topaz is also thought to be the gem stone of friendship, which is also good for this time of year when we all look to spend more time with family and friends, from now and all through the festive season. Topaz is mostly a colourless, transparent gem, but can have some colour including yellow, grey, reddish-orange and blue-brown. These colours are from impurities found in the gem.
Topaz also, like other birthstones, has some healing and positive properties for the wearer. Topaz can help you radiate confidence and help clearer thinking. It is also thought to help recovery from illness or injury, particulary of the respiratory system. As Topaz can also carry an electrical charge, clear Topaz can help boost the wearer mentally and spiritually. A very beneficial gem for the wearer, and of course a great gift for anyone with a birthday in November.
Contact Priceless Gems, via the ‘contact us’ tab on this site. We have a very good range of Topaz jewellery and we are only too willing to help you find that special piece.
Birthstones
Tuesday, October 11th, 2011
October – Opal
October is here, the year seems to be moving so quickly! Interesting October used to be the 8th month of the year, in an early Roman calendar in a 10 month year, and time seemingly is moving that quickly. It feels like the year has converted back to a 10 month length, where has the time gone?
Then again October also allows us to showcase Opal as the birthstone for this month. You can find within our site, that we already have a page for Opal. A beautiful, truly Australian gem stone. Opal, is also known as ‘rainbow’ opal, and this is said to have come from the Aboriginal ‘Dreaming’ stories about the Rainbow Serpent and stepping on the land turned the rocks to colourful rainbows, which then formed opals. And Opals are just that beautiful. Rainbow colours that are happily trapped in rock and shine beautifully in any light.
Like other gems we have showcased in our Gem Blog, Opal can also have great properties for the wearer. Opal is said to turn a persons bad run of luck around. It is also thought that an Opal is even more lucky and powerful if you wish on an Opal gem while a rainbow is in the sky. Rainbow Opal is also the stone of ‘happy dreams’ and is especially helpful if you or a child suffers from bad dreams’ – The Crystal Bible
Do you have a person who is having a birthday in October? Why not see some of our extensive Opal jewellery on our Opal Page or for more of our range, please contact us now via the ‘Contact Us’ tab.
Birthstones
Thursday, September 1st, 2011September – Sapphire
Welcome back readers old and new! Spring has sprung here in Australia and tropical Cairns. The weather has already started to warm up with great sunny days and comfortable evenings to sit back and enjoy. With a new Season we also get to share a new birthstone with you all, and anyone with a special birthday in September certainly would appreciate some Sapphire jewellery. I’m sure, as I would like a special piece as well!!
Gaining it’s name from the Greek word ‘sappheiros’ – “Blue Stone“, this gem stone can also be found in almost every colour except for red. Red stones are classed as Rubies which is the birthstone for July. Having such a long history, like many of the birthstones talked about in earlier posts, Sapphires have been found all over the world and are still found in countries such as Australia and Sri Lanka to name two. It is also said that Sapphires and Ruby’s will commonly be found together, with one more abundant than the other.
Since early in history also, Sapphire has been used as a gem stone in jewellery and is a highly desired gem to this day. It is said that King Solomon had a ‘magical’ ring of blue Sapphire and it was a symbol of wisdom. Practical uses for Sapphire include being a stone of love and fidelity and given to couple at time of marriage. Sapphire has also been known to help calm or have a calming affect for the wearer and helps decision making.
Priceless Gems have some stunning Sapphire jewellery, like the pendant above. Make a statement or give a beautiful piece of Sapphire jewellery to someone you love. Contact us now via the ‘Contact us’ tab and we are only to happy to help you choose a perfect piece of Sapphire jewellery.
Birthstones
Saturday, July 30th, 2011August – Peridot
Ah the last month of Winter here in Australia. Looking ahead to Spring and a great Australian Summer. It has been quite a cool Winter even for us here at Priceless Gems. Tropical North Queensland has encountered some very cool nights, which has kept everyone on their toes and enjoying the sun filled days to ‘de-frost’. Of course the last month of Winter in Australia is August, my favourite month, but I am biased. A new month, brings a new birthstone for us to share with you all.
The birthstone for August is the light green coloured gem Peridot. It is thought that Peridot may have became a gem during the times of ancient Egypt, but this is not confirmed. The origin of Peridot as a name is also very unclear. It is possible that the Anglo-Norman word pedretes, which means kind of opal, may be where peridot was so named. The most interesting fact about Peridot is that it can and has been found in meteorites and is the only gem to do so – ‘Peridot crystals have been collected from some Pallasite meteorites. A famous Pallasite was offered for auction in April 2008 with a requested price of close to $3 million at Bonhams, but remained unsold. Peridot is the only gemstone found in meteorites.’ – Wikipedia
Peridot is mainly light green in colour but can also have yellow/green hues or even brown. But Peridot, as a gem, is mostly green and has been, at times in history, been mistaken for Emerald. Like all gems we have showcased each month, Peridot is also thought to provide the wearer with healing or beneficial qualities. Peridot is thought to help strengthen the physical body, and also the heart and other internal organs. It is also thought to help with stabilising emotions, reduce stress and help balance mental processes. Peridot in not just a beautiful gem it is also a hard working gem for the wearer.
If you are looking for that special piece of Peridot jewellery to spoil yourself or someone special. Please contact Priceless Gems via the “contact us’ page or checkout some of out range found in the necklace and bracelet pages on this site.
