Amber Jewelry

Most gemstones come in one color, one shade only. Some gems come in a couple of different shades, but are basically the same color when you really get down to the specifics of it. While this is the case for basic gemstones, the classics such as those used as birthstones, there are other kinds of stones that come in a wide variety of colors, such as tourmaline or amber. While tourmaline is popular in certain areas of the country and there are only a limited number of people who have heard of tourmaline before, amber jewelry is virtually taking America by storm. It's been starting for a little while already, but it seems that amber is the new gem for just about every taste in jewelry.

This jewelry comes in very small, refined pieces, which seems to suit people with a more delicate taste in jewelry. This sort of amber jewelry is usually made with silver and has a silver chain with an amber stone of one color, or perhaps more, as a pendant in the front of the necklace. The same goes for earrings and for bracelets; one or a few small pieces of amber are set as the centerpiece in a piece of silver jewelry. One of the popular looks with amber jewelry is to either match pendant, earrings, bracelet and ring to be all made of the same silver and the same color of amber. Conversely, you can choose a pendant with three colors of amber, usually orange, yellow and green but are not limited to those, and then have the earrings of one color, the bracelet of another, and the ring of another color of amber. This is done because presumably the necklace will be the biggest piece, so it should contain the most colors and then each of the three coordinating pieces complements with one color of amber.

Amber jewelry also comes in very large, tribal looking fashions. These pieces of jewelry frequently do not have silver or another metal as part of their construction, but rather are constructed entirely of amber, usually with the connecting fibers being in the interior of the pieces of amber. The result of this type of jewelry is a sort of ethnic look, a grassroots approach to jewelry, but one that is elegantly beautiful instead of being beautiful in a simple way, like hemp jewelry is.

When amber jewelry is made this way, with large pieces of amber, the biggest advantage is that you can see the variation within a stone of one color of amber. An orange, a yellow or a green stone has many hues inside of it, but the smaller stones set in silver don't really allow this property of amber to be seen. These large pieces of jewelry are certainly not to suit everyone's style or every occasion, but the rainbow effect they produce, thanks to this internal variation in the stone, is stunning.

Understanding Peridot Birthstone

Peridot, the birthstone of August is a golden green sparkling stone that is quite popular today and has been used as an adornment for thousands of years.

This clear and stunning gemstone is unchanging in color, even when the light fades and is often referred to as "evening emerald". This stone was popular in ancient Egyptian jewelry and is often paired with other gemstones in contemporary sterling silver jewelry.

Peridot was not only popular in jewelry but was also found to be used in Medieval churches as an adornment and accessory for the church. The tranquil green color can be very calming so you can see why it has been so popular throughout the ages.

Peridot has had it's uses as a healing stone as well. In Hawaii, this stone symbolizes the tears of the goddess Pele and teeny stones can be found on some of the beaches. Taken internally, it is thought to help relieve asthma and the stone is also thought to bring power and influence to those who own it.

Peridot which is found in the Red Sea island of St Johns, China, Pakistan, New Mexico, Arizona and Burma is composed of iron, magnesium and silicate can range in color from olive to brownish green to yellow-green. The stone is not very hard and must be cut carefully as it can easily be broken during cutting.

Peridot is a type of stone that is suited for everyday wear. It is not a heavy stone and will not "take over" your whole outfit. This stone requires minimal care and can go with casual as well as formal wear. Although you can wear peridot at any time of year, it is particularly suited for summer wear. The lime green color is a perfect accent for most summer colors including white, turquoise, peach and yellow.

Peridot can be set into necklaces, rings, earrings and bracelets and looks great in both gold and silver settings. This gemstone is striking when used alone in jewelry but also works well with other stones including turquoise, iolite, amethyst, garnet and citrine.

When buying peridot be aware that some stones are treated with waxes or resins to enhance color. The best color to choose when shopping for peridot is a vivid lime green color with no brownish tones. As with any gemstone, the larger the stone the more you can expect to pay and you won't find many larger than 3 carats. As with any jewelry, pick the best you can afford in a style that you love and you can't go wrong!