Sapphire
Although people often think of Sapphire as dark blue, it is found in a diversity of colours, including many shades of blue, violet, pink, white, green, black, yellow and orange – but never red. Red corundum (the material that makes up a Sapphire) is known as Ruby.
Revered as a stone of Royalty, Sapphire was believed to keep Kings safe from harm or envy and protects from dishonesty and poverty.
Ruby
For thousands of years, the ruby has been considered one of the most valuable gemstones on Earth. It has everything a precious stone should have: magnificent colour, excellent
hardness and outstanding brilliance.
Aquamarine
Aquamarines' name is derived from the Latin meaning ‘water of the sea’, an apt description of the colour and clarity of fine Aquamarine crystals. Aquamarine was believed to be a treasure of mermaids and valued as a stone of eternal youth and happiness.
Spinel
Spinel is the great impostor of gemstone history: many famous Rubies in crown jewels around the world are actually Spinels. Colours range from red to blue, green, colourless, black and brown.
Zircon
Natural Zircon is usually brownish red to brownish yellow. When faceted as gems, Zircons have high brilliance and intense fire.
Zircon can work as a talisman of spiritual protection. Worn in a faceted form as jewellery, its vibration keeps away intrusive or dangerous energies. Natural Zircon has such fire and light dispersion that it often resembles coloured diamond. The cheap artificial diamond substitute, cubic zirconia , was actually named after Zircon. It is not to be confused with the rare natural gem.
Garnet
Garnet is a gemstone most commonly known to be red, but is in fact found in a variety of colours including pink, green, black and orange. You will often find the traditional red Garnets, pinkish Rhodolite Garnets and orangey Spessartite Garnets at Victoria Buckley Jewellery.
Pictured right are earrings set with Malaia Garnets and Diamonds. Garnets have been known to Man for thousands of years. Noah, it is said, used a Garnet lantern to help him steer his ark through the dark night. Garnets are also found in jewellery from early Egyptian, Greek and Roman times.
Tourmaline
According to an old Egyptian legend, the Tourmaline, on its long journey up from the centre of the Earth, passed over a rainbow. In doing so, it assumed all the colours of the rainbow; no other gemstone has such a wide variation in colours.
