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Jade has a long and sometimes confusing history.    Is is the mystical birthstone for March and also for the Zodiac sign Virgo.  It is often given as a gift for 12th 30th, and 35th wedding anniversaries.

When one thinks of jade, the color that comes to mind is green, but is this the only color that is available for the gemstone?  The answer is a resounding no!

Jade comes in a wider varitation of colors than most of the known gemstones.  It has been found in the deepest black, to the purest white, with a wide variety of colors in between - yellow, brown, gray, and so many different colors of green.  Yellow jade is very rare and a real find.

The photo shown here gives a good idea of the color variations.  Photo Courtesy of Mason Kay - Fine Jade Jewelry.

True jade comes in two varieties - jadeite and nephrite, with jadeite being the more rare and more expensive variety.  Most of the world's supply of jadeite comes from Burma but deposits are also found in a few other areas as well.

Nephrite is more plentiful and less expensive.  Nephrite deposits are found the whole world over, including the USA.

When buying jade jewelry, look for uniform, intense colors.  Semi transparent colors seem to be more valuable than opaque colors.  Be aware when you purhcase jade that fake jade is plentiful.  Sometimes, color intensified nephrite is sold as jadeite.  As always, buyer beware.

Gemstones have long been used in jewelry as a fashion statement, but those who are interested in metaphysics also have the belief that the various gemstones have mystical qualites attached to them.

Before you discount this idea, think about copper.  Many of you may have heard that wearing copper is beneficial for easing arthritis.  Some of you may even have known someone who benefited from wearing the metal.  Why would gemstones not have similar qualities?

I have written several articles on the various gemstones for my research library and each of these articles mentions the effect that gemstones are reported to have in healing of various diseases.  If you have an interest in this topic, you may find it interesting to read these gemstone articles.

The following is an overview of some of the supposed metaphysical qualities of some popular gemstones.

• AMETHYSTS: help for headaches, pancreatic ailments, and backache.
• AQUAMARINES:  helpful for headaches, pancreatic ailments, and backache
• EMERALDS:  improve intellect and memory and to help with tired eyes and insomnia.
• GARNETS: relieve inflammations of the skin, and is believed to regulate the heart and blood flow and aid in curing depression.
• HEMATITE:  relieves hemorrhages, aid in lowering high blood pressure, helps with depression, and is a general pain reliever.
• OPALS: enables the wearer to find true love and happiness.
• PERIDOT:  strengthens breathing, promotes prosperity, growth, and openness.
• RUBIES:  the gemstone which signifies everlasting love
• SAPPHIRES:  effective for health problems relating to hearing problems, cancer and burns.
• TURQUOISE:  promotes mental clarity and to enhance trust, kindness and understanding of others.

To read the full articles on these gemstones, please visit this page of our research library.

The Museum of Natural History in New York has just finished an exhibit of  25 diamonds in the museum's Morgan Memorial Hall of Gems.

The diamonds in the exhibit include some fabulous colorful diamonds including some from the Argyle mine in Australia, a wonderful 5.4 carat diamond necklace with 20 sapphires, some laboratory grown diamonds, created using chemical vapor deposition and some lab grown diamonds using the high-pressure and high temperature technique in large presses.

My favorites are these five vibrantly colored diamonds in shades ranging from blue green, orange-yellow, purple-pink, blue and orange.  They are from the Olympia diamond collection which is on loan from Scarselli Diamonds.

If you weren't in New York to see the exhibit, never fear, the Natural Museum has a special page on the site showing the diamonds which were in the exhibition.

Swarovski is known for their fabulous rhinestones.  Many jewelry designers use swaravski crystals in their designs and these pieces are often high in demand.

The company is recently showing more and more products with marcasites as a focal point. Many Swarovski pieces use black gemstones, since these go so well with all fashion choices, so it's no surprise to see marcasites being used in their designs now.

The ring shown here is one such design.  It is made by Ponchi jewelry and features a large round top with gemstones and the lower part of the setting is covered with marcasites.

Marcasites have been long used in vintage jewelry.  It has the same composition as pyrite (also known as fool's Gold) but has a different chemical structure. It is a gunmetal gray color with a shiny finish and is inserted in the same was as a rhinestone is.

Vintage Jewelry Lane has a few marcasite designs.  Here is a pretty butterfly pin set in sterling silver with marcasite accents.  It is a real bargain at only $16.99.