The Baltic Region is home to the largest known deposit of amber called Baltic amber or succinite . It was produced sometime during the eocene epoch, but exactly when is controversial. It has been estimated...

A 17th-century Spanish superstition held that having a child wear a lozenge of malachite would help them sleep, and keep evil spirits at bay. Marbodus recommended malachite as a talisman for young people...

Moonstone has been used in jewelry for millennia, including ancient civilizations. The Romans admired moonstone, as they believed it was derived from solidified rays of the Moon. Both the Romans and Greeks...

Did you know that the world s oldest pearl necklace belonged to a Persian princess? This antique piece of jewelry is now to be found in the Louvre Museums. This necklace and similar charms point to the...

Peruvian opal (also called blue opal) is a semi-opaque to opaque blue-green stone found in Peru, which is often cut to include the matrix in the more opaque stones. Peruvian Opal shows a more earthy tone...

The gem's purple colors represented purity of spirit . Its purplish and reddish hues represented the chastening and purifying effects of suffering. Some believed the colors alluded to the wounds and suffering...

Tibetans consider amethyst sacred to the Buddha and make prayer beads from it. Amethyst is also considered the birthstone of February. In the Middle Ages, it was considered a symbol of royalty and used...

Jasper is an opaque rock of virtually any colour stemming from the mineral content of the original sediments or ash. Patterns arise during the consolidation process forming flow and depositional patterns...

Howlite is commonly used to make decorative objects such as small carvings or jewelry components. Because of its porous texture, howlite can be dyed to imitate other minerals, especially turquoise because...