Our Gemstones
Amethyst
Amethyst is an exceptionally bright and vibrant lavender-coloured gem, historically considered a cardinal gemstone comparable with emerald, sapphire, ruby and diamond. Supposedly it would protect the wearer in both war and peace, and it would grant victory over enemies and some believed amethyst had a calming effect, reducing nervousness, anxiety and fears, while at the same time raise intelligence and make the wearer cunning in business. Romans also wore amethyst rings or amulets to preserve […]
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Aquamarine
Aquamarine is a blue to greenish-blue variety of beryl. Due to its colour’s similarity to water it was associated to the god Neptune and therefore was believed to protect sailors and travellers at sea. Aquamarine was also supposed to protect travellers by land, and could help the wearer find hidden objects they were searching for. Legend has it that aquamarine would protect the wearer against poison from their enemies. It was also believed to help […]
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Diamond
Diamond is probably the most well-known gemstone of them all and today undoubtedly considered the gem of all gems. However, diamond has been coveted since ancient times and Pliny the Elder wrote in "Naturalis Historia" that diamond was “the substance that possesses the greatest value, not only among the precious stones, but of all human possession”. According to Pliny the Elder, diamond would neutralise poisons, cure delirium and dispel bad thoughts. It has also been […]
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Emerald
According to Pliny the Elder there was "no stone, the colour of which is more delightful to the eye; there being no green in existence of a more intense colour than this" and "of all the precious stones, this is the only one that feeds the sight without satiating it". Emerald has been worn already from Egyptian time by Cleopatra as a symbol of spring and rebirth and to ward off evil influences, and has […]
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Garnet
Garnet is a gemstone variety of silicate minerals which comes in a wide variety of colours, however it is mostly known in its yellowy-red colours ranging from yellow via orange and deep reds to purple. Garnet was the most common gemstone in Rome during the late antiquity and has been believed to grant good health and to protect the wearer against disease. Persians believed garnet would protect the wearer against forces of nature and in […]
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Moonstone
Moonstone is a milky-to-clear bluish stone with a faint yellow and sometimes iridescent shine which has been described as “a beam of moonlight on calm water”, called adularescence, which will change depending on the ambient light. Pliny the Elder described the stone as white or transparent with a reflected colour like that of honey, with a figure within it like that of the moon that would vane and shift with the phases of the moon. […]
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Opal
Opal is an iridescent gemstone created form the mineral silica. The brilliant colour-display of opals makes it probably one of the most spectacular gemstones, where a single gem might shine in all colours of the rainbow, from green and yellow to red and purples and blues, and at the same time change colour depending on the light shining on it. Due to their magnificent colours opals have often been credited with supernatural origins, where the […]
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Peridot
Peridot is a bright yellow-to-green gemstone variety of silicate mineral, which is uniquely found in volcanic rock and meteorites and not in the Earth’s crust like other gemstones. Peridot was known by the Egyptians as the 'Gem of the Sun', who used it extensively in jewellery of the time. Peridot has been said to contain a gift of inner radiance, helping realise one's spiritual purpose as well as help free the mind from envious thoughts. […]
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Rock Crystal
Rock crystal, also known as pure or clear quartz, is a transparent, silica mineral. Pliny the Elder wrote in "Naturalis Historia" that it was believed with quite strong certainty that rock crystal was some form of strange fossilised or petrified ice, which was also supported since “crystal [was] only to be found in places where the winter snow freezes with the greatest intensity”. Rock crystal was also a popular gemstone, where it was believed the […]
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Ruby
Ruby is a brilliant gemstone with a deep red-to-pink glow known to the Romans as carbunculus, meaning red-hot coal. Ruby has been described as “the lord of stones; it is the gem of gems, and surpasses all other precious stones in virtue” and in Sanskrit ruby is known as the "king of precious stones", and “leader of precious stones”. Ruby has been believed to assure the wearer a life of peace and tranquillity and that […]
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Sapphire
Sapphire is a precious gemstone normally recognised as a blue gemstone, however it also comes in pink, yellow, orange, green, purple and white. Sapphires have been worn by kings and queens as a defence against harm, and it was believed to protect the wearer against envy and to attract favour from the gods. It has long been worn as a symbol of purity of character and wisdom and it was believed it would help concentration. […]
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Topaz
Topaz is gemstone with colours ranging from white, in the absence of impurities, to brown, yellow, green, pink and blue. Topaz have been believed to be able to banish evil spells, protect against the evil eye and reduce anxiety and fears and according to Richard von Garbe in “Die indischen Mineralien” anyone who wears a topaz would be guaranteed a long life, beauty and intelligence. Topaz is the birthstone for the month of November and […]
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Tourmaline
Tourmaline is a multi-coloured variety of the mineral silicate. Most commonly tourmaline is found in colours in a spectrum between pink and green, where certain crystals are bi- and tri-coloured. It was early discovered that tourmaline had magnetic properties, where the stone would attract small charged particles, and it has been suggested that the stone has an internal vibration, which is supposed to be strong enough for very sensitive individuals to feel it. Because of […]
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