Gemstones

[Catherine-Marie]

Well, I would never turn down diamonds, especially canary diamond. But, I positively adore rubies.

[ot:0ce8587380]My birthstone is apparently alexandrite. Does anybody know what this is?[/ot:0ce8587380]

 

[sandra]

Since red is my fave color, it's positively RUBIES!!! Also my birthstone is from the red family, GARNET, and i like that also. Runners up include pink tourmalines, blue topaz and coral stone. I adore CORAL!

 

[Cookie]

Well, I would never turn down diamonds, especially canary diamond. But, I positively adore rubies.

[ot:8200fe2714]My birthstone is apparently alexandrite. Does anybody know what this is?[/ot:8200fe2714]

Yes! It's my birthstone too. And I just won one on ebay! Natural alexandrite is extremely rare, more rare than diamonds in fact. Only 1 in 100,000 people have even seen a natural alexandrite stone. They were discovered in Russia 150 years ago and named after the Czar Alexander the Great. The mines have been closed for 100 years, and they aren't found anywhere else. They can be made in labs though. They are purple in incandescent light and change to green in natural or fluorescent light.

I was just about to post that they are my favorite stone. The one I'm getting on ebay is set in a pink gold ring. It is from the 50s and even has a star and sickle marked on the inside.

Rings on Ebay:

<img border='0' alt='image'src=http://www.csk.pl/~rumper/70.jpg>


<img border='0' alt='image'src=http://www.jbya.com/a111301.JPG>

<img border='0' alt='image'src=http://www.jbya.com/a111302.JPG>

 

[Catherine-Marie]

Wow! Thanks, Cookie! That was some good information! I am off to search for a naturally-made alexandrite ring. Congrats on your ebay find! :mrred:

 

[Cookie]

There are several on ebay. I got mine from a seller called ibereslav who has one out now. She is Russian and seems to have many alexandrite items. You can probably get a ring for under $200.

 

[estevairevana]

Any of 'em! As long as they are cut in the shape of a heart.

 

[xopher215]

Good point, este .

I like square cut. 8)

 

[littlered]

I love Diamonds and saphires....together set in platinum is even better

<img border='0' alt='image'src=http://www.bluenile.com/assets/product_images/rings/CM30500200_EC_100_cat.jpg>

 

[classic1908]

Kunzite is my current favorite -- what a beautiful pink shade, IMO.
I also like tanzanite and opal (my birthstone).
Here is a kunzite example:

<img border='0' alt='image'src=http://members.cox.net/maresdiver/kunz4.jpg>

 

[estevairevana]

A moonstone is a feldspar. Amazing! I had heard alot about them, I did not expect that.

 

[xopher215]

<img border='0' alt='image'src=http://www.r-plus.com/pierres-precieuses/pictures/ex-moldavite.jpg><img border='0' alt='image'src=http://www.r-plus.com/pierres-precieuses/pictures/mo6rd.jpg><img border='0' alt='image'src=http://images.google.com/images?q=tbn:LlI6N3cDiT0C:www.moldavit.de/megalith/jpg/fac/GM07B.jpg><img border='0' alt='image'src=http://www.r-plus.com/pierres-precieuses/pictures/moldavite-ex.jpg><img border='0' alt='image'src=http://www.r-plus.com/pierres-precieuses/pictures/mo10ov.jpg>

Many years ago, I bought my mother a pair of Moldavite earrings that she absolutely loved.
Here's their story:

<span style='font-size:11'>About 20 million years ago there was a meterorite shower in the Moldau Valley of Czechoslovakia. The result of this shower was moldavite, a rare crystal of a bottle-green, translucent hue. Although some people believe that it is a true meteorite (formed in outer space), it is more generally believed that it originates from rock which was struck by a meteorite and melted, and combines extraterrestrial and terrestrial properties.
</span><span style='font-size:9'>from "Beyond The Rainbow"</span>

 

[xopher215]

Here's another pretty one... sorta masculine.

My mother bought me a gold ring with with one of these
as a grammar school graduation gift when I was younger.

<img border='0' alt='image'src=http://www.swissgemshop.ch/media/star-sapphire-1325.jpg> <span style='font-size:14'>Black Star sapphire</span>

Natural varieties are becoming very rare. Several years ago I was at a jeweler's shop on
unrelated business and he offered me cash on the spot for my ring. Of course I declined.

 

[Nicky]

<img border='0' alt='image'src=http://www.r-plus.com/pierres-precieuses/pictures/ex-moldavite.jpg><img border='0' alt='image'src=http://www.r-plus.com/pierres-precieuses/pictures/mo6rd.jpg><img border='0' alt='image'src=http://images.google.com/images?q=tbn:LlI6N3cDiT0C:www.moldavit.de/megalith/jpg/fac/GM07B.jpg><img border='0' alt='image'src=http://www.r-plus.com/pierres-precieuses/pictures/moldavite-ex.jpg><img border='0' alt='image'src=http://www.r-plus.com/pierres-precieuses/pictures/mo10ov.jpg>

Many years ago, I bought my mother a pair of Moldavite earrings that she absolutely loved.

Xopher those are some gorgeous stones, your mom is very lucky

My best friend has this ring with this amazing stone called Ametrine. It's a quartz variety combining both the properties & colors of the Amethyst & the Citrine. It's my absolute favorite I'll take it over diamonds any day
<img border='0' alt='image'src=http://r-plus.com/pierres-precieuses/pictures/ametrine-ex.jpg>

 

[xopher215]

[ot:4fa7f807d8] ops: Thanks.[/ot:4fa7f807d8]

That ametrine is pretty. I just found out that it's also called trystine and is "the ideal stone for someone who wants to:

 

[xopher215]

I really like the green stones most, including tsavorite garnets. Alexandrite is another green variety though very rare nowadays. It's called a phenomenal gem because it actually changes color from green in daylight to red in incandescent light.

I'm sure it's been mentioned in this thread, but the .gif below is cool because it demonstrates the color change when you look at it for a bit.

<img border='0' alt='image'src=http://www.gemstone.org/images/01/Stones_Alex_ani.gif>

 

[Nicky]

-develop and use personal power for the greater good

I always thought this should be my goal in life.

And the Alexandrite is sooo cool, I love it.

 

[Dancer0128]

Diamonds are my favorite, also champagne diamonds & pink diamonds, and tanzanite.. I have some rings with all of these gems but I still don't have a piece of jewelry with pink diamonds yet..
My favorite ring of mine is a platinum think band with small round diamonds all across the front, it was my Grandma's engagement ring

 

[estevairevana]

Once I had a thing for marcasite! Lately I have been attempting to mimick diamond owners and have been trying on diamonds..when I have diamonds on---my whole outlook changes! So I know I do need one. I am heavily into metal sans stones to be honest. But certains colors and shapes are mesmerizing..

 

[rivalee]

I love Emeralds, Sapphires, and Blue Star Sapphires. My mom gave me her ring that her parents gave her when she was 16 (I was also 16). It is set in white gold with two teeny diamonds on the sides.

I also like diamonds. I want a 3 stone diamond ring as my engagement ring, if that ever happens.

 

[ultramarine]

I'm into diamonds (shiny!), aquamarine (the color!) and opal, (like these ones)

PS Jade I like a lot ... its some ancestor thing!