What stones are beads made from? Semiprecious stones: description and names

Jewelry without stones is boring and monotonous. All that a jeweler can do in this case is to use engraving, notches, a combination of metals and other elements. But with the use of stones, jewelry is completely transformed. A large gem becomes the “heart” of the product and attracts all eyes, while a scattering of small stones radiates a unique brilliance and adds luxury.

Stones used to make jewelry

Attempts to make a reliable classification of what stones jewelry is made of have been made since ancient times, but the largest-scale study was organized by Academician A. E. Fersman at the beginning of the twentieth century. This classification is used by gemologists to this day. The academician divided the stones into groups depending on the rarity of finding, value and individual properties of each of them. According to this theory, there are three types of stones for jewelry:

  1. Gems or precious stones of the first order. These include: diamonds, sapphires, rubies, emeralds, alexandrites, chrysoberyls. Pearls were also attributed here, designating it as a precious stone of mineral origin. Transparent, clean stones of even dense color are especially valued. Turbidity, fracturing and uneven coloration greatly reduce the value of the gem.
  2. Semi-precious stones of the second order. Their price is much lower than the cost of gems, but they are also used for jewelry. These include beryl, topaz, phenakite, pink tourmaline, amethyst, zircon, opal. With exceptional transparency and beauty of tone, they are sometimes rated as stones of the first order.
  3. Ornamental stones. Only rare specimens have a high cost. Everything else is very cheap and available. These stones are used for inexpensive jewelry and have the following names: turquoise, tourmaline, rock crystal, quartz, carnelian, amber, jade and others.

These types of natural stones for jewelry have found application in art. Some artists use the remains and small crumbs of stones to decorate paintings, and folk healers are credited with wearing stones for various diseases.

Jewelry with colored stones

We have decided which stones are used for jewelry, and now we can give another classification, which is based on the color of the mineral. It is the color that draws attention to the product and emphasizes its originality and individuality. Although this classification is not official, it gives a complete overview of colored stones.

  1. Blue stones. This color looks noble and majestic. The most valuable blue stone in jewelry is called sapphire. In addition, aquamarines, tourmalines and topazes have a bluish tint.
  2. Black stones in jewelry. The name of the black stone in jewelry can be more than one: agate, jet, sheol, bloodstone. Black diamonds, garnets and black corals are considered more rare and expensive. The dark color in jewelry looks mysterious and bewitching. Black stones look stylish in combination with silver and white gold.
  3. Red stones in jewelry. Saturated bright red in stones is impossible to meet, there are dark red brownish colors. Garnets, hyacinths, rubies and tourmalines have such shades.
  4. Jewelry with green stones. For such products, the following stones are used: euclases, aquamarines, topazes, amazonites, emeralds. Products with green stones look especially noble.

These are the main colors of jewelry that are often found in salons and products. Less often in jewelry you can find pink stones, yellow, white or purple.

A child's dream of finding a treasure chest and an adult's desire to disconnect from smartphones and the frantic pace of life can be fulfilled with one hit - try a trendy hobby of finding stones and minerals, or, in other words, hunting for stones. As a bonus - jewelry with semi-precious (in some countries - precious) stones of our own authorship. Jewelry designer Alison Jean Cole told Vogue more about the new hobby. About where to start the search and what nuances to pay attention to - in our material.

Alison Jean Cole once got into a stone carving course, and this occupation captured her so much that after a while she quit her main job, and six years later she launched her own jewelry brand. Now she creates earrings and pendants from the stones she finds.

Place

Despite the fact that this hobby - hunting for stones and minerals - was born in America, it can be practiced almost anywhere in the world. Just make sure you check your local laws first. In Russia and the CIS, you can independently search for common ornamental stones, and semi-precious and precious stones - only if accompanied by an employee of a mining company. In most Asian countries, a found gem can be taken away only if it is a semi-precious or ornamental specimen. But in Australia, America and Canada, any find outside the territory of professional mining - a gold nugget, a pink diamond, and a banal but pretty jasper - automatically belongs to you. Such is the memory of the gold rush.

First, find a place with open rocks. For example, beaches next to cliffs or hiking trails in hilly terrain. But dense forests are not suitable for these purposes: it is almost impossible to find a worthy exhibit in the soil littered with branches and trees.

Necessary equipment

You will need a capacious container where you will put the treasures found. You won't have to pick out pieces of stone from the rocks: your task is to collect what lies under your feet. You can take with you the simplest set of gardening tools: a small shovel, gardening gloves, a chisel and a scraper.

The right uniform is more important. Remember, you'll be out in the sun all day, so a wide-brimmed hat, several layers of lightweight fabrics, and high boots are a must. And don't forget to bring enough water and a light snack with you, but it's better to leave your smartphone at home or at least turn it off - such a hobby involves a digital detox. A real dream of a resident of the metropolis.

Map

Before you go looking, do not be too lazy to find out as much as possible about the area. So you will find out which rocks and minerals to pay attention to. Also, practice reading maps - who knows where the road will take you. Cole recommends regular paper maps, as they give more coverage: "With them, you will be able to explore areas that are often overlooked when you use electronic navigators."

good sample

Everything depends on the goals. Experienced "hunters" usually take any stones and minerals that seem interesting to them. If you intend to assemble a serious collection, it is important to develop your own taste - so that later on you will look for only the samples you need. For example, Cole collects mainly stones of bright unusual colors with interesting textures or patterns - these are ideal for jewelry.

From this article you will learn:

    What natural stones are jewelry made from?

    How to choose jewelry from natural stones

    What are the magical properties of jewelry made from natural stones

    How to choose jewelry made of natural stones by zodiac sign, name and date of birth

    Where to buy jewelry made of natural stones

Jewelry made from natural stones is increasingly gaining popularity among women who want to look beautiful and stylish. You can always choose among the semi-precious stones your own, suitable in every sense, stone. Garnet earrings, pearl beads, an opal ring, and maybe a turquoise necklace. All this can be wonderfully combined in combination with all kinds of outfits, skillfully choosing the color of the eyes and hair. In addition, each of the natural stones has its own magical and healing properties, corresponds to a certain name and zodiac sign.

What natural stones are jewelry

Everything natural is beautiful, and the stone from which jewelry is made is created by nature itself. Any connoisseur of beauty and art will highly appreciate the quality of such material and note the unique, captivating power of such jewelry. They will always add charm to any woman and emphasize her style. Yes, but which stone to choose and what really fits? We always have jewelry made of natural stones on our website. In the online store "Witch's Happiness" you can always pick up an amazing gift for your loved ones or yourself.

Natural stone is divided into precious, semi-precious and ornamental. Even in the last century, such a classification was developed by the famous mineralogist, academician A.E. Fersman, paying attention in his work to the characteristics of minerals, their rarity and value.

  1. gemstone- This is a very rare mineral, which is used mainly for the manufacture of jewelry. The excellent appearance of a noble diamond, fiery ruby ​​or spring emerald will not go unnoticed and will draw attention to any woman. There have been stories about these precious stones, as well as sapphires, topazes and zircons since ancient times. Their beauty is compared to the most beautiful women. And the value is much higher than gold. Individual copies are sold for fabulous money.

Depending on the characteristics and size of the gem, precious stones are assigned to a certain order.

Diamonds are ranked first, topaz is second, and gems such as zircon are third.

Lower order stones are sometimes more expensive than higher level crystals. It happens that an emerald weighing up to two carats used by a jeweler costs up to $500-1000. And an emerald that weighs more than three carats can in some cases be more expensive than a diamond and ruby ​​of the same weight.

  1. Semiprecious stone- it is natural, not rare and more common than precious.

There are quite a lot of such stones in the bowels of the earth, which is why they are called semi-precious. For example, these are garnet, amethyst, chrysolite, agate, tourmaline and so on. They are, of course, not as expensive as precious stones. But even here there are exceptions to the rule.

In particular, high quality tourmaline costs $25-150 per carat. But a stone with smooth transitions from one color to another can come across, its price can reach one thousand dollars per carat. A blue-green stone will cost even more - up to $5,000. You can always find out from the masters what kind of natural stones the jewelry that you like is made of. Often this information is indicated on the tags of jewelry.

  1. Ornamental stone. It is an opaque mineral, rock, organic compound. All this is suitable for making jewelry from natural stones. Such ornamental stones do not have a bright luster, but if they are cut with high quality, they can compete with stones that are precious.

The category of jewelry made from natural stones includes products made from such ornamental materials as azurite, sodalite, jade, malachite, lapis lazuli, jasper, vesuvian, etc. You can always check with boutique sellers or craftsmen what stones the jewelry you like is made of. .

5 tips on how to choose jewelry made from natural stones

If you do not want to make a mistake and want to purchase only high-quality jewelry made from natural stones, remember a few simple recommendations:

    Jewelry must be chosen in a good mood.

    When choosing jewelry made from natural stone, one should not forget that some stones, for example, garnet, are more suitable for a middle-aged woman, and it is better for a young girl to give preference to turquoise.

    Keep in mind that jewelry with a large natural stone attracts the eye, so you need to be especially careful in choosing an outfit and applying appropriate makeup.

    When choosing jewelry, it is advisable to focus on the color type of the stone.

    Undoubtedly, jewelry made from large stones is the most popular among the weaker half of humanity, but you should always know the measure and remember that large earrings should not be worn with a large necklace - others may think that you have no taste at all.

Jewelry colors made from natural stones

Agree, the color of the stones is of decisive importance. One is perfect for a blonde, but in no case will it make an attractive brunette or brown-haired woman.

A stone like turquoise is almost universal in jewelry that will suit many fashionistas. It looks very stylish in vintage products. Most often, jewelry with this stone is worn in the summer. No wonder that last year it was turquoise that took first place in the fashion catalog of natural stones.

No less popular is the amethyst. It personifies sincerity, has a special strength, stands out for its unusual beauty. Amethyst jewelry can be safely worn both at a corporate party and at a business lunch, all that remains is to choose an outfit that suits the color with elements of lilac or light lilac.

Jewelry made from green stones - onyx, emerald, aquamarine, jade - is also a huge success, each of them is unusual in its own way. It is said that the stone of green color improves mood and cheerfulness. Most of all, he suits brunettes, redheads, brown-haired women. Jewelry with green stones will make each outfit especially harmonious, and the image will be memorable.

See also: Obsidian stone: meaning and properties

Jewelry made from natural stones: meaning and magical properties

From ancient times to this day, it is believed that stones have special energy and magical properties. The sciences, the subjects of which are the nature of stones and their influence on the fate of people, are lithotherapy and astrology.

Lithotherapy - one of the varieties of alternative medicine, promotes treatment with natural stones. Its adherents believe that the disease can be cured by choosing the right natural stone.

Treatment with natural stones was widely used in Tibet. The stones were part of many medicines, were the material for pyramids, balls and various devices for massage. Chinese medicine has also used stones in their treatments. Its essence is the impact of certain stones on the biologically active points of the human body. So doctors tried to achieve a balance of Yin and Yang energies, as well as increase the vitality of Qi. It is not for nothing that yogis use natural stones to protect against damage and the evil eye. Feng Shui also tries to use the properties of natural stones in order to neutralize negative and enhance positive energy. Astrology claims that the fate of a person is predetermined by the sign of the zodiac under which he was destined to be born. The same sign also determines the special properties of a person's "own" stone.

And now let's try to figure out which stones that are used to make jewelry can cure people's diseases.

    Diamond has long been considered a stone that symbolizes innocence, purity, wealth, success and happiness. In its composition, the main vital element is carbon. This stone helps the owner to improve memory, feel younger.

    The emerald, bewitching with its beauty, is credited with not only mystical, but also healing properties. It helps to cure the stomach, bladder, head, joints. In addition, he is able to calm, keep from rash actions, helps to maintain fidelity in marital relationships.

    Pearls are amazingly popular as jewelry. It takes at least 12 years for a grain of sand that has fallen into a mollusk shell to turn into a stone, which symbolizes chastity, wealth, and long life. It can improve family relationships.

    In jewelry, craftsmen quite often combine zircon with large precious stones. This is a rather fragile mineral, which is characterized by the bright radiance of a diamond; it is not for nothing that it is called the younger brother of this gem. Zircon represents strength and power.

In our online store "Witch's happiness" you will be happy to help you choose natural stones for jewelry. You can buy them from us inexpensively, besides, managers are always ready to give a free consultation and advise the appropriate option.

Before ordering jewelry made from natural stones, you need to study their properties well and know which stones can be combined with each other without fear of negative consequences for health and even your life.

It is undesirable to combine gold with garnet, red jasper, hematite, pink topaz. It can be used in jewelry with agate, golden topaz, onyx, emerald. Gold is ideally paired with a noble diamond, amber-colored sapphire, hyacinth, chrysolite, red and green amber.

Silver does not like diamonds, rubies, turquoise, zircon, beryl, red coral. The most suitable pair will be rock crystal, lapis lazuli, topaz, pearls, malachite. Ideally, combine it with crystal moonstone, lilac amethyst, legendary jade.

    Red stones (garnet, ruby, red tourmaline, carnelian) have a healing effect on the cardiovascular and circulatory system, vision and help in the treatment of acute respiratory viral infections. But in no case should you abuse their power.

    Minerals of yellow and orange color (amber, topaz, beryl, citrine, hyacinth) improve appetite and general physical condition, help cure skin diseases. Excessive use of the energy of these stones can activate the gallbladder.

    The power of blue and blue stones is used in the treatment of the endocrine system, diseases of the throat and lungs. With an excess of "blue" energy, the human psyche suffers.

    Green stones (emerald, jade, jadeite, malachite, chrysoprase) have a beneficial effect on the human immune system, normalize blood pressure, relieve headaches, and cheer up. But overexposure can contribute to the formation of gallstones.

    White minerals (for example, opal, pearl, moonstone, chalcedony) are used to cleanse the human body and treat mental disorders.

    Black stones (hematite, morion, black tourmaline) promote concentration, relieve fear, develop willpower.

For many centuries, people have accumulated knowledge about the magical properties of stones and know that stones can have both positive and negative effects on a person. This should be taken into account when choosing designer jewelry made from natural stones.

Jewelry made of natural stones according to the sign of the zodiac

Such an ancient science as astrology has long been looking for an answer to the question of how natural stones affect people's lives. It is already clear that a person can attract success and happiness through minerals that correspond to the zodiac sign of this individual.

At the heart of the magical effect of stones lies the harmony and relationship between all living on our planet. The stone corresponding to your zodiac sign accepts its vibrations, makes the influence of the sign and the corresponding planet stronger, attracts positive energy into your life.

All zodiac signs have stones associated only with them. Choosing "your" stone, you need to feel a strong connection with it. Only in this case it will bring you happiness and success.

Jewelry made of natural stones as a talisman

Amulets and talismans, selected in accordance with the personal data of a person, are considered the most effective and efficient. Therefore, there are specially developed classifications of minerals that will help you choose the most suitable option.

If you want a stone to act as a talisman, it should be chosen according to your individual qualities. Only in this case it will have the most effective impact. Consider the most popular groups that will help you make the choice of "your" stone:

    According to your zodiac sign. This option is the most common.

    The choice is based on the date of birth. It turns out that people who were born on the same day, but in different months and years, can use the same stones.

    According to the month of your birth. You need to choose stones depending on which month you were born.

    To your liking, according to your intuition. If the stone “attracts” you, feel free to choose it.

    By a fatal accident, the so-called predetermined choice. It happens that some stones have a very strong effect on a person’s life, sometimes we don’t even notice it. It involuntarily attracts to itself and acts as a strong talisman.

    Depending on what name is given to a person at birth. For many centuries, knowledge has been accumulated about how stones affect people. It was noticed, among other things, that it depends on the names.

    depending on the disease. Stones are believed to have healing properties. Therefore, knowing what you are sick with, you can choose a stone that will help cure the disease.

    According to what the person wants. For example, if you want to attract success and prosperity, you need to use some stones, if you are unlucky in love - others.

In addition, there are many Slavic talismans that are useful to everyone without exception. They are used to attract various benefits and protect against ailments.

The mascots of the Slavs were incredibly popular, which were used both as decoration, and as a toy, and as part of an outfit, and as an element of home decor. Such magical items are usually divided into those that:

    associated with legends about the origin of the world;

    are amulets of spell magic;

    associated with animal worship.

Currently, the demand for Slavic talismans is also very high, as they both protect and direct the actions of the person who owns them.

Items that were made in the form of a cross, circle or wheel have always been associated with the sun and helped in work, in solving family problems, and attracted good luck. The strong half of humanity often used magical items in the form of lightning bolts, arrows or swords. They made a person more courageous and helped to defend their land from enemies. Stones and metal products, similar to the moon, were considered feminine, they symbolized fertility. A white object, made in the shape of a crescent, was for a woman a symbol of a happy and calm family life.

Round pendants with a cross and a moon in the center were considered paired talismans. Couples in love who wore such magical items remained inseparable. When they got married, their life was happy.

Jewelry made of natural stones, selected according to the date of birth, helps to develop all the good in a person and reduces his negative character traits, making his life consisting only of pleasant events.

People born on the first, tenth, nineteenth, twenty-eighth should prefer jewelry made of red coral, opal, yellow and gold topaz or ruby. For those born on the second, eleventh, twentieth, twenty-ninth, it is better to use jewelry made from a tiger or cat's eye, jade, pearls, green opal and pearls.

For those who were born on the third, twelfth, twenty-first, thirtieth, topaz, coral, amethyst and emerald are better suited. Those born on the fourth, thirteenth, twenty-second, thirty-first will be wearing jewelry made from such natural stones as aquamarine, diamond, garnet, light blue sapphire, gray opal. Products made of white sapphire, diamond or zircon are suitable for people born on the fifth, fourteenth, twenty-third.

The stones of those born on the sixth, fifteenth, twenty-fourth will be green opal, beryl, aquamarine, emerald. White opal, pearls, tiger's eye, moonstone - these stones should be preferred by people born on the seventh, sixteenth, twenty-fifth.

For those who were born on the eighth, seventeenth, twenty-sixth, we recommend lapis lazuli, red-brown and gray opal, blue sapphire. Pomegranate, coral, ruby, red opal - suitable for those born on the ninth, eighteenth, twenty-seventh.

If you chose a stone according to the month of your birth, it will help you improve your health, promote a happy life, and protect you from trouble.

Stones that help people born:

    in January - dark purple pomegranate;

    in February - purple amethyst;

    in March - blue aquamarine;

    in April - a transparent diamond;

    in May - a bright green emerald;

    in June - green and red alexandrite and cream-colored pearls;

    in July - a red ruby;

    in August - green chrysolite;

    in September - deep blue sapphire;

    in October - pink opal or tourmaline;

    in November - golden topaz;

    in December - azure turquoise or zircon.

The choice of a mascot also depends on the name of the woman and the man.

Women's names. According to observations, the stones most suitable

Alexandre: aventurine, alexandrite, garnet, chrysolite, malachite;

Alice: amazonite, alexandrite, turquoise, topaz, lapis lazuli;

Alle: almandine, olivine, agate, ruby;

Anastasia: zircon, malachite, chrysoprase, fluorite;

Angele: citrine, lapis lazuli, opal, chrysolite;

Anne: rock crystal, ruby, andalusite, amber;

Antonina: phenakite, sapphire, smoky quartz, agate;

Valentine: wavelite, pearl, olivine, amazonite, carnelian;

Valeria: ruby, opal, garnet, agate;

Varvara: variscite, jet, ruby;

Verde: verdelite, beryl, verdite, aquamarine, ruby;

Veronica: sapphire, onyx, rose quartz;

Victoria: harlequin, azurite;

Vite: tiger's eye, eudialynt, rhodonite;

Galina: pomegranate, galena, hyacinth;

Darier: obsidian, diamond, hematite;

Eugenia: rubellite, aventurine, emerald;

Catherine: chrysolite, tiger's eye, beryl;

Elena: chalcedony, onyx, moonstone;

Elizabeth: olivine, amethyst, jasper;

Jeanne: diamond, carnelian, rock crystal;

Zinaida: labrador, emerald, serpentine, malachite;

Zoya: jade, jadeite, cat's eye;

Inne: opal pearl, mother-of-pearl, diamond, emerald;

Irina: mother-of-pearl, coral, pearls, chalcedony;

Karine: quartz, jasper, eudialyte;

Larissa: turquoise, aventurine, onyx;

Lydia: jet, malachite, aquamarine;

Love: rose quartz, chalcedony, lapis lazuli;

Ludmila: sapphire, alexandrite, garnet;

Margarita: ruby, pearl, tiger's eye;

Marina: jasper, chrysoprase, turquoise, amethyst;

Mary: carnelian, sapphire, garnet, diamond;

Hope: adularia, coral, agate;

Natalia: obsidian, beryl, hematite;

Nine: amber, rauchtopaz, pyrite;

Oksana: citrine, aventurine;

Olga: tourmaline, chrysoprase, opal;

Raise: phenakite, rhodonite, hematite;

Svetlana: rhodonite, malachite, coral;

Sofia: lapis lazuli, spinel, tourmaline, euclase;

Taisii: sardonyx, topaz, jade;

Tamara: tiger's eye, obsidian, garnet, jet, jasper;

Julia: emerald, rubellite, jadeite;

Janet: citrine, labradorite, staurolite, jasper.

Men's names. Noticed, the stones that are most suitable

Alexandru: alexandrite, chrysoprase, mudstone;

Alexey: lapis lazuli, corundum;

Albertu: marble, azurite;

Anatolia: aquamarine, agate;

Andrew: andalusite, amethyst, actinolite;

Arcadia: amazonite, tourmaline, corundum;

Artem: anhydrite, beryl;

Arthur: aragonite, chalcedony, corundum;

Bogdan: balin, marble, beryl;

Boris: benitoite, turquoise, barite, amethyst;

Vadim: corundum, turquoise;

Valentine: beryl, vesuvian;

Valery: malachite;

Vasily: almandine, pomegranate;

Victor: hematite, corundum, selenite;

Vitaliy: vivianite, sapphire, hyalite;

Vladimir: rock crystal, green jasper;

Vladislav: pomegranate, topaz, grossular;

Vyacheslav: topaz, kyanite;

Gennady: jet, hiddenite, zircon;

George: sapphire, hyalite, heliodor;

Gregory: goethite, cat's eye, heliotrope, granite;

Denis: diopside, sapphire;

Dmitry: lapis lazuli, dravite;

Eugene: pearls, eudialyte;

Egor: serpentine, sapphire, tourmaline;

Ivan: diamond, eudialyte, rhodonite, emerald;

Igor: iolite, beryl;

Kirill: calcite, sapphire, kunzite;

Constantine: beryl, opal, eudialyte, quartz;

Leonidas: labrador, diamond, lepidolite;

Michael: lapis lazuli, malachite, jasper;

Nicholas: corundum, chrysocolla, jade, sapphire, moonstone;

Oleg: obsidian, epidote, pearls;

Paul: ruby, morion, onyx;

Peter: peridot, pyrite, petersite, emerald;

Roman: rhodolite, amethyst, rhodonite, amber;

Ruslan: aventurine, rauchtopaz;

Sergei: sagilite, pearls, carnelian, jasper;

Stanislav: sapphire, scapolite, rock crystal;

Stepan: sardonyx, aventurine;

Tarasu: topaz, tiger's eye;

Philip: fluorite, morion, ruby;

Edward: uvarovite, onyx;

Yuri: emerald, zircon, chalcedony, zoisite;

Yakov: chrysoberyl, jasper;

Yaroslav: amber, citrine;

When choosing jewelry, be sure to check that the stones do not have cracks and foreign inclusions, since even small defects can sometimes adversely affect the effectiveness of the magical properties of minerals.

The best jewelry store made of natural stones

If you are looking for jewelry made from natural stones, choose trusted manufacturers who produce only high-quality jewelry.

We are glad to present to your attention our online store "Witch's happiness", which is rightfully considered one of the best esoteric stores in Russia.

You do not have to stay long in search of jewelry made from natural stones. In our online store "Witch's Happiness" you will find what is right for you, a person who goes his own way, is not afraid of change, is responsible for his actions not only to people, but to the whole Universe.

Humanity has been talking about the magical properties of stones, crystals and metals since the time of the Ancient World. Touch the tradition, which is not one thousand years old!

There is nothing complicated in working with magic stones, it is a safe and effective way to improve your life. Among the magic stones there are amulets, assistants in financial affairs, good luck talismans, energy conductors, crystals that call for happy love. These magnificent gifts of the earth can do anything!

Too much choice? And we are always in touch on Facebook, Telegram, VK and WhatsApp.

"Witch's Happiness" - the magic starts here.

Any jewelry has a unique appearance if there are precious stones in their design. If the stones are not used, then the jeweler can do little - engrave the jewelry, play with different metals, colors. Jewelry with precious stones is completely transformed. A scattering of small precious stones throughout the jewelry gives it a luxurious appearance, and one large stone will make others pay attention to itself - it will become the "soul" of the jewelry

Stones used to make jewelry

Even ancient researchers attempted to make a detailed classification of all gems. However, this was not so easy to do - from the remote ends of the inhabited continents, the most incredible and outlandish stones were brought to large cities. Only after some time it turned out that some of them are found almost everywhere, and some are very rare, if not unique. A.E. Fersman began a full-fledged systematization at the beginning of the twentieth century. Gemologists still use it by classification. This academician was able to classify stones by rarity, value and properties. Following this classification, three main groups of stones can be identified:

  1. Gems and precious stones of the first order: sapphires, rubies, emeralds, alexandrites and chrysoberyls. Later, pearls were added to this group, which received the status of a precious stone relatively recently. Of great value are clean and transparent stones, with a uniform structure and color. Turbidity in color, cracks in the structure and uneven coloring will greatly reduce the cost of any stone.
  2. Second order semi-precious stones: beryl, topaz, amethyst, phenakite, zircon, pink tourmaline, opal - they all cost significantly less than first order gems, but are used very often. Sometimes, if there is a natural first-class beauty, the semi-precious stone is transferred to the group of stones of the first order as an exception.
  3. Ornamental stones. Only rare and unique specimens can have a high cost, all the rest are extremely cheap and available. Such stones are used in the creation of inexpensive, but quite beautiful jewelry: turquoise, rock crystal, carnelian, tourmaline, quartz, jade, amber, and so on.

Natural stones have found application not only in jewelry, but also in art. Many artists often use precious waste (dust and crumbs) to decorate their artwork - paintings. Traditional medicine often claims that certain stones should be worn around the neck to promote health.

Jewelry with colored stones

So, with the classification of stones that are used in jewelry, we figured it out. But there is another important classification - it is based on the color of the mineral itself. It is the color that first of all attracts attention, and emphasizes the uniqueness of the stone. This classification is not official, but it allows you to group different stones in the most accurate and detailed way.

  1. Blue stones look noble and majestic. Sapphires are the most valuable blue stones used in jewelry. Also, blue shades are characteristic of aquamarines, tourmalines and topazes.
  2. Black stones in jewelry are used quite rarely, but are considered especially valuable. These stones include agate, sheol, bloodstone. The rarest and most expensive are black diamonds, garnets, corals. Dark tones in jewelry look menacing and mysterious, such stones fascinate and look great in silver or white gold settings.
  3. Red stones are quite common, but they all have cloudy and sad hues. To meet a rich bright color is simply impossible. Dark red shades are typical for garnets, hyacinths, rubies and tourmalines.
  4. Euclases, aquamarines, amazonites, topazes and emeralds are green. Green stones have a special, noble appearance.

Above are the main colors of stones that are very often found in jewelry stores and branded jewelry. Yellow, purple, white or pink stones are considered especially rare.

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