Care & cleaning of gemstone jewellery :
All Sterling silver will tarnish over time. This is a natural oxidisation of silver - a chemical reaction between the metal and its environment. Tarnishing is very rapid in areas with salt sea air and/or near hot springs where the air has a high sulphur content.
Cleaning : Never use any chemical cleaners nor Isotonic cleaners on gemstones or pearls!
1: Use a couple of drops of liquid green dishwasher soap (not the lemon scented) or Ivory soap in a glass of luke warm water.
2: Soak for a couple of minutes. Brush very gently with a soft old toothbrush to remove any grime or dirt.
3: Rince very well with clean cold wather and dry with a soft cloth.
Cleansing of gemstones
There are a number of simple ways to ‘cleanse or energise’ your gemstones
1. Place gems in open sunlight for 20 to 30 minutes - Do not leave them out in the sun for too long as this may cause fading in most stones.
2. Rinse under water for a minute or two. - Best if you have rain water or use bottled water.
3. Find a quiet place where you may meditate. Hold the gemstone in your hand and invisage a bright clear white light entering through your breath and into the stone.
4. Last but not least - Place all your stones in the moonlight of the full moon. This may be on the window sill or outside. Leave them overnight to be energised.
Birthstones :
January:
Garnet (Stone of health, commitment, manifestation of creative endeavours)
Rose Quartz (emotional balance and healing, gentleness, love, forgiveness)
February:
Amethyst (wisdom, spirituality, sobriety, protection)
Onyx (grounding, Protection, Endurance)
March:
Aquamarine (soothing, enhancement of clear communication)
Bloodstone (strength, courage, vitality, purification. insight)
April:
Diamond (Increased Intuition, serenity, Intensity of focus)
Clear Quartz / rock crystal (balance, clarity, cleansing, healing energy)
May:
Emerald (love, compassion, abundance)
Chrysoprase (love attractor, forgiveness, new beginnings, growth, connection with nature)
June:
Alexandrite (balance, confidence, joy)
Moonstone (balance, good fortune, intuition)
Pearl (modesty, purity, beauty, happiness)
Chrysoprase is one of the star signs for Gemini. (see May)
July:
Ruby (love, success, integrity, passion and promise)
Carnelian (luck, safety, courage, vitality, action)
August:
Peridot . (fame, dignity, positive power, manifestation, protection, success)
Sardonyx (stone of Virtue, Happiness in marriage and "live in" relationships)
September:
Sapphire (truth, sincerity, joy, intuition, loyalty)
Lapis Lazuli (understanding, objectivity, wisdom, protection)
October:
Opal (truth, Hope, faith, confidence. stone of “happy dreams and changes")
Tourmaline (balance, endurance, protection)
November:
Topaz (strength, wisdom, Love and success, courage)
Citrine (sunshine and financial abundance, cheerfulness, vitality, health, fidelity)
December:
Tanzanite (perception, compassionate self-expression, understanding)
Blue Zircon (wisdom, Intuition, balance, honor)
Turquoise (communiacation, new possibilities, feminine intuition, understanding, balance, happiness)
………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………….
Healing Stones :
Agate:
Agate is the name given to many varieties of banded Quartz in the Chalcedony group. Agates were used in jewellery in ancient times as far back as 3000 B.C.
Agates vibrate at a lower and slower intensity and are thus regarded as having stablizing and strengthening abilities.
Blue lace agate : Communication with clarity
Sources: The best material is from South Africa. Some found in Romania
Blue Lace agate brings calmness and confidence. An excellent stone for those needing to make themselves heard.
As a stone of communication, it can ease the harsh edge off communication in difficult times, enhance public speaking, and aiding smooth discussions. This stone assists with tactfulness in speech and written communications, clarity of thought and selecting the most appropriate words.
Blue lace agate is used in crystal healing to improve stuttering and other nervous speech habits and patterns.
Blue lace agate works in a slow, steady manner. It helps one stick with the task and magnifies the energy of our efforts.
Dendritic Agate : Growth & Wisdom, Abundance, Transformation
Sourses: Mostly from Brazil, India and USA
Not stricly an agate. pale brown, grey or white with fern or tree-like inclusions of iron or manganese.
Wearing or keeping one of these close helps purify and clarify thought processes. Helps to change old behaviors and rid oneself of self imposed limitations. These stones release the stress of unwarranted self destructive behaviour.
Through resonance with the truth, this stone helps to overcome feelings of guilt, resentment, envy, blame, shame and other destructive emotions leading to a great relief from these burdens.
Stone of "plentitude" providing abundance and fullness to life. Gives clarity enabling sound business decisions.
Fire Agate : Vitality, Sexuality, Creativity
Sources: The best material is from Mexico
Flashes of brilliant iridescent colours out of a deep brown base colour. This is like a fire deep in the belly. Ignites the creative flames within. Lights up the life forces with creative energy, sexuality and vitality, with a spiritual energy from deep within. This stone awakens the lower chakras filling one with a zest for living. Increases awareness to everyday pleasures and lifts the spirits with a new sense of drive.
Represents the " spiritual flame of perfection". This stone provides a protective shield which reflects harm back to the source.
This stones creates the platform to enable one to be the “best" you can possibly be. The energy aids perseverance, intropection and inspiration.
Moss Agate : Stability, Growth, Persistence, Abundance
Sources: Mostly from India. Also found in South Africa.
Beneficial for everyone, this stone brings the vibrations of balance in nature. It connects us with the earth and natural energies. This stone steadily enhances new projects bringing fresh ideas and steady creative concepts into the mix. It supports physical health and abundance by connecting with the "nature spirits" reminding us of nature's abundance and generosity.
Helps to bring one's dreams into reality by reminding us of our inner vision until manifestation takes place.
Assists steadily with recovery after illness and in release from addictions.
Laguna Agate : Flexibility, Awareness of Purpose. Intellectual persuits. Good stone for mathematical/ Intellectual persuits
Mexican Crazy Lace Agate : High Pysical levels. Joy.
Red, white / yellow lace configurations. Allows one to laugh heartily reaching heights of awareness and to comprehend the games of the world.
…………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………
Alexandrite : Joy, Wisdom, Release from sorrow
Sources: Russia, India, South Africa, Brazil, Burma. (very small deposits)
Photochloric - changes colour depending on the source of light - "Ruby by day, emerald by night") Alexandrite is a form of Chysoberyl with hardness of 8.5.
One of the rarest and most costly gemstones. Believed in Russia to be a stone of good fortune.
Alexandrite is said to bring about a joyful inner transformation. Its ability to change colour enables you to see both sides of the picture. A powerful agent for inner transformation.
This is a stone of high wisdom and heart energy. An excellent stone for overcoming fear. It gives hope even in the darkest times - aids one to find the light and joy in life.
…………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………
Amazonite : Truth, Communication concerning love
Amazonite is a type of blue green feldspar It soothes all chakras and rejuvinates the heart chakra. Balances the male/female energies. Eliminates aggravation, soothing the emotions and thus helping to eliminate fears and worries.
This stone is said to absorb and dissapate negative energies in the envoironment so great to have near computers and electronic equipment to dissapate the effects.
Amazonite a peacemaker assisting communications without emotions getting out of hand. This is a stone of truth, enabling one to speak from the heart understanding the power of words. Words of truth manifest reality. An excellent stone for those seeking the strength in their own voice rather than being overly concerned about the opinions of others.
This stone will help in gaining clarity, gently pointing out the gifts and knowledge which enable one to get back in touch with one's own truth and purpose.
It is an excellent stone for those needing assistance in setting appropriate boundaries that assist in defining one's personal space. It helps in overcoming fears and inner conflict helping one develop self discipline and “ walking the talk".
Amazonite gives one the freedom to live and speak your own truth for the highest good.
…………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………
Cobalto Calcite: Love, Abundance. Healer of broken hearts. Compassion
Natural pink gemstones are relatively rare in the gem world. Cobalto calcite was discovered in the 1990's in the Katanga Copper Crescent, Congo, Africa. Prospectors were searching for malachite and copper when they happened upon the finest cobalt calcite druzy deposit. A druzy or druse is a trade name for gemstones with a surface of fine sparkling crystal formations.
Cobalto calcite varies from a soft reddish pink to a very bright magenta druzy with an amazing sparkle.
This stone is rare as the unstable and volatile political situation prevents this gem from being mined.
On a metaphysical level, this stone is a stone of compassion and unconditional love. It stimulates the base chakra, amplifying the energy and light thereby clearing the energy blocked by trauma. By unblocking this energy it enables the chakras to open and become balanced; giving one the ability to move forward from trauma, especially involving matters of the heart. This stone assists in moving forward giving the courage to move forward and take your life back. Facilitates all emotional healing.
It is an lovely stone for manifesting abundance and relieving stress.
A powerful stone for healing broken heart giving the strength to let go of the past.
…………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………
Shungite : Protection, Eliminates electromagnetic radiation. Magical
Sources: Russia. Main deposit Lake Onega, Karelia at Zazhoginskoye near Shun'ga. Also Vozhmozero.
Shungite is a magical black carbon based stone, said to be around two billion years old. It is the only natural material known to contain fullerness (powerful antioxidants). Shungite has been used since the 17th century as a water purifier and there is scientific evidence to back this up this claim. Once purified with shungite, the water is said to be infused with remarkable healing properties. It is believed to have an abundance of remarkable characteristics making it a mineral like nothing else on earth!
As with most black stones, shungite works on the base chakra as an excellent grounding stone. It is protective as it deflects negative energies allowing only positive energy to reach you. Energises the aura infusing it with light. It is said to be a good stone for providing "psychic protection". An extraordinary stone to wear in jewellery or keep a piece within your aura.
Believed to protect against harmful electromagnetic frequency radiation from cell phones, computers, wifi, TV sets, microwave ovens etc.
"Shungite cures, rescues, purifies, heals, protects, normalizes, restores and even stimulates the growth. Amazing rock: it kills and devours anything that harms people and other living beings, and concentrates and restores all that is good. The scholars who have studied shungite in one voice declare, it is a miracle! "
From the book by A. Doronina "Shungite - the stone-savior"
…………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………