Our Gemstones

February’s birthstone, amethyst has long been believed to be associated with spiritual powers. Its name is probably from a Greek word that translates to ‘not drunk’, since it was believed to protect one from intoxication.

To find gemstones that are both exquisitely beautiful and have transparent, ethical sourcing is difficult. Gemstones are valued based on saturation, hue, depth of tone, cut and inclusions.

Turquoise, which is December's birthstone, has been highly valued by Native peoples, and is associated with earth knowledge. Turquoise has been valued throughout the world, and for thousands of years. 

Tourmalines are a complex silicate composed of aluminum and boron with other lesser mineral content which determine their wide variety of color. They are found in veins of metamorphic and igneous rock in many parts of the world, including the Americas and Asia. 

 Tanzanite is one of the rarest, most sought after gemstones; and those of the finest quality will fetch nearly any price. It is found only in Tanzania in small mines on the plains not far from Mount Kilimanjaro and its distribution is tightly controlled.

Garnets have been appreciated and sought after for thousands of years – they are found in the jewelry of the ancient Egyptians. Some people wore them as a talisman for protection on journeys, believing that that the high refraction of this beautiful gemstone brings light to the darkness, protecting one from evil.

Quartz, with a chemical composition of silicon dioxide, is one of the most widely distributed minerals in the earth's crust. It's form is hexagonal, prismatic and crystalline, and it has a hardness of 7. 

Though rubies and sapphires appear different, in fact they are chemically made of the same material. They are corundum, a natural oxide of aluminum and come in a rainbow of other colors. 

Though rubies and sapphires appear different, in fact they are chemically made of the same material. They are corundum, a natural oxide of aluminum and come in a rainbow of other colors. 

Tourmalines, a gem that is mined all over the world, display a spectrum of color. The ancient Egyptians believed the gem originate in the heart of the earth and traveled to the sun on the back of a rainbow. The word itself is from Sri Lanka, where much tourmaline is mined. 

Peridot is gem quality olivine, a mineral that composes a lot of the earth's mantel. The crystalline gem is carried to the earth's surface by volcanoes. 

 Pearls have universally been used for adornment for thousands of years. They are formed by irritants within the flesh of the oyster which over time are calcified into something beautiful. Hence, pearls have been seen as a metaphor for healing. 

Opals are loved for their play of color which is caused by light diffracting in silica spheres. Though opals come in a variety of colors, we choose the blue range from Australia that we select annually at gem shows.

Moonstone is a type of feldspar, composed mainly of aluminum silicate. We choose cabochons with a semi-clear, cloudlike appearance. 

Pearls have universally been used for adornment for thousands of years. They are formed by irritants within the flesh of the oyster which over time are calcified into something beautiful. 

Lapis was once a very expensive gem, until the collapse of Afghanistan, which has the finest reserves in the world, in the Badakhshan Mountains. 

Jade, May's birthstone, has been used for thousands of years and has great historical significance in many cultures, from China to Native peoples through central and South America. 

Hematite is found in many rock formations where iron minerals are strongly present, most commonly in sedimentary rock which were the remains of ancient bodies of water.

 Garnets are found throughout the world, mostly in matrixes of metamorphic rock. The name garnet comes from the Latin word for pomegranate.