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Amethyst

amethyst

According to the Greeks the Amethyst was formed when Bacchus, the ancient god of wine, was insulted by a mere mortal. For revenge he vowed to have a tiger eat the next mortal he came across, however, it happened to be a beautiful young lady named Amethyst. She cried out to the goddess Diana to save her and turned into a brilliant white crystal.

When Bacchus saw what he had done he felt really bad, so he poured wine all over her. This didn’t turn her back but rather turned the crystal a violet colour. He didn’t colour her feet or head though and this is why the Amethyst is usually unevenly coloured and tends to have pale ends.

This lovely gem varies in colour from a deep violet (the most sought after) to a pale Lavender (just as stunning), and has been used by the Chinese for about 8000 years. It is possibly the most popular semi-precious gem not only for jewellery, but also for healing purposes. It provides peace of mind and understanding when a loved one is lost, and relieves stress, grief and depression.

The Amethyst derives its name from the Greek word “Amethustos” which means “not drunken”. Apparently wearing this stone or drinking from an Amethyst cup prevents you from getting drunk (I haven’t tried that one yet, but I get drunk just staring into any beautiful Gem).

It is the stone of Bishops, so all bishops of the Catholic church wear an amethyst ring to symbolise their moral victory over all worldly indulgence. Sacred to Buddha as well, prayer beads are often fashioned from Amethyst. It is also symbolic of royalty and features quite prominently in the British Crown Jewels.

Amethyst is the February birthstone.

The Amethyst is also recommended for men when they wish to attract attention from the fairer sex. Promoting pleasant dreams, providing immunity to poison, improving memory, providing security and peace of mind  and freeing ones self from those addictive personalities (oneself or others) are just a few of the many uses of our featured gem.  Give it a try, or you may never know.

— Zak

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Citrine

This sunny, happy stone is a member of the quarts family, and is basically the yellow to orange-brown variant that grows in conjunction with Amethyst.

Natural Citrine is actually rare; most gems on the market are Amethyst (purple) that has been heat-treated to turn yellow.

citrine and gold ring - goldfish jewellery design studio
“Celtic Love”. Citrine set in 9ct Gold Ring. Made by Goldfish Jewellery Design Studio

Citrine got its name from the French word for lemon: “citron”.

In Ancient times this gem was carried to ward of evil thoughts and snake bites. It is also said that if you place it in your moneybox it will attract more business, hence its nickname, ‘Merchant Stone’.

Citrine is one of the few stones that dispel negative energy, so it never needs to be energetically cleaned. In fact, this stone is excellent for alleviating depression and for brightening up those dark corners of ones self. It helps the wearer to laugh and frees the mind from negative thought.

On the physical side it is used in the treatment of thyroid, kidney and liver problems. It also aids in matters of digestion and blood circulation.

Citrine is one of the November birthstones and is well known for its calming energies. The stone also represents strength and hope, peace, prosperity, loyalty, healing and creativity.

— Reinette

 

Goldfish Jewellery Design Studio works with all precious metals, stones and diamonds. For further information, please contact us.

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Bloodstone

bloodstone

Bloodstone is a dark green stone with red flecks. It is a form of silica quarts, also known as green Chalcedony. Chalcedony is actually a group of tiny quartz crystals that grow in masses/lumps. Plasma and Heliotrope are the two variations; Plasma is very deep opaque green with little or no red flecks and may even have yellowish spots. Heliotrope is a slightly translucent, lighter green and has red in it.

As with many gemstones, Bloodstone was treasured by the ancients. The Christian religion had a close connection with this gem as it was said to represent the blood of Christ. The legend of Bloodstone says that it formed when a drop of Christ’s blood fell on some Jasper at the foot of the cross. A traditional amulet would have the head of Christ positioned on Bloodstone in such a way that the red flecks look like blood.

During the middle-ages, Bloodstone was believed to have healing powers; the stone was crushed and mixed with egg whites and honey to cure tumours and to stop bleeding. Alchemists used it to cure blood poisoning or to draw out poison from snakebites. A Franciscan Friar gave the Mexican Indians pieces of Bloodstone during the 1576 plague to stop their haemorrhaging.

On a metaphysical level, Bloodstone is said to heal all blood ailments. It also symbolises the connection between the red lifeblood of animals and the green plant world. For meditation, this gem is excellent as it helps to align chakras and smoothes energy flow.

Bloodstone is the birthstone for March.

— Reinette

Goldfish Jewellery Design Studio works with all precious metals, stones and diamonds. For further information, please contact us.