The Smithsonian has a fantastic collection of amethysts in jewelry at the National Museum of Natural History! Here are just a few. Check out the links for more information about each piece.
The name amethyst is from the ancient Greek word "amethustos" which means "not drunk." Because of the Dionysys myth, the Ancient Greeks thought that drinking from a vessel fashioned from amethyst would keep them from getting drunk. They probably had a lot of fun testing that theory!
In Exodus 28-19 in the Bible, the last gemstone in the third row of the High Priest's breastplate is thought to be amethyst by most scholars.
In Hebrew, the name for amethyst is 'ahlamah' from the word halam meaning 'to dream.' They thought wearing amethyst would give you good dreams.
In medieval times, amethyst was believed to keep your thoughts pure and make you more intelligent.
In the early Christian church, amethyst was also believed to have spiritual qualities and was part of a bishop's regalia. The best quality amethyst is often called "bishop's grade."
Ethan Beckler takes amazing photos of garnets the size of a grain of sand!
You can see more of his work here: https://www.facebook.com/1of1images/
You can find the jadeite filter HERE.
Below are some photos showing the filter in use:
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- Sapphires have been coveted and worn in jewelry for thousands of years in ancient Persia, the Roman Empire, and throughout the Middle Ages
- Sapphires come in a rainbow of colors! Including blues, yellows, orange, pinks, green. Red corundum is called Ruby. Colors other than blue are called Fancy Sapphires.
- Sapphire (corundum) is one of the hardest minerals! It ranks a 9 on the Mohs hardness scale.
- Blue sapphire gets its color from iron and titanium. Ruby gets its color from chromium.
- One of the rarest sapphires is a pinkish-orange color called padparadscha. The name is derived from a Sinhalese word for lotus flower. These gemstones can be found in the rivers in and around Sri Lanka
- The word Sapphire comes from the Greek word “Sapheiros“, and the Latin word “Saphirus” which means blue.
- Sapphires are often heat-treated to improve their color and clarities.
- The largest Sapphire ever cut is the Millennium Sapphire discovered in Madagascar, weighing an impressive 61,500 carats.
- Sapphires are Pleochroism stones. Meaning, viewing these stones from two different angles (like the top view and the side view), may produce two totally different colors; green in one view, blue in another.
- Blue Sapphire is the proper gift for these Wedding Anniversaries: 5th, 10th, 12th, 16th (Star Sapphire), 45th, and the 85th Wedding Anniversaries.
- Some of the best sapphires are mined in Kashmir, Burma, and Sri Lanka (Ceylonese).
- The most famous sapphire ring today is the royal sapphire ring given by Prince Charles to Lady Diana Spencer in 1981. Princess Catherine now wears the ring. The ring possesses a 12-carat oval blue sapphire and is surrounded by diamonds.
Do you have any sapphire facts to share?
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