August Birthstone - Peridot

August Birthstone

Peridot (pronounced pair-e--doe) is the gem variety of olivine. Peridot is the birthstone for August and the Zodiac stone for the constellation Libra (astrological sources refer to peridot as Chrysolite). Peridot is associated with the values of fame, dignity, protection, and success.

Olivine, which is actually not an official mineral, is composed of two minerals: fayalite and forsterite. Fayalite is the iron rich member and forsterite is the magnesium rich member. Olivine's formula is written as (Mg, Fe)₂SiO₄ to show the substitution of the magnesium and iron. Peridot is usually closer to forsterite than fayalite in composition although iron is the coloring agent for peridot. The best colored peridot has an iron percentage of less than 15% and includes nickel and chromium as trace elements that may also contribute to the best peridot color.


Gem quality peridot comes from the ancient source of Zagbargad (Zebirget) Island in the Red Sea off the coast of Egypt; Mogok, Myanmar (formerly known as Burma); Kohistan, Pakistan; Minas Gerais, Brazil; Eifel, Germany; Chihuahua, Mexico; Ethiopia; Australia; Peridot Mesa, San Carlos Apache Reservation, Gila County, Arizona and Salt Lake Crater, Oahu, Hawaii, USA. The best quality peridot has historically come either from Myanmar or Egypt. But new sources in Pakistan are challenging that claim with some exceptional specimens. The Arizona gem material is of lesser quality, but is far more abundant and is therefore much more affordable. An estimated 80 - 95% of all world production of peridot comes from Arizona. The Myanmar, Pakistani and Egyptian gems are rarer and of better quality and thus quite valuable approaching the per carat values of top gemstones. Possibly the most unusual peridot is that which comes from iron-nickel meteorites called pallasites. Some are actually facetted and set in jewelry.

All about Fancy Colored Diamonds

 When a diamond sparkles with brilliant, intense color, it is a gem of great rarity and beauty. These extraordinary gems are known as "Fancy Colored Diamonds". If you did not know that diamonds came in colors, they do and are very rare. Only 1% of the diamonds mined are naturally colored diamonds. The two most famous diamonds in the world are colored diamonds. The Tiffany Diamond is a magnificent Fancy Yellow, 128.54 carat diamond and the Hope Diamond is a stunning blue. The most expensive diamond per carat weight is a 1 carat red valued at around $2.2 million. The rarest and most valuable colored diamonds are red, blue, pink and green.

Fancy Colored Diamonds have proven to be a sound investment. Most Canadians and Americans are not even aware of the phenomenon of Fancy Colored Diamonds because most of the highly graded colored diamonds are purchased in Europe. Europeans consider colored diamonds the same as "money in the bank". They are the best form of portable wealth in the world today, and they have a stunning track record. Pinks and Blues have increased so substantially that they are out of reach for most investors. A high quality Pink or Blue Fancy Colored Diamond has increased from $10,000.00 a carat in 1970 to $400,000.00 a carat today. That is an amazing return on investment and Fancy Colored Diamonds have NEVER decreased in price on a wholesale level in 35 years. Today, colored diamonds are so rare that prices keep escalating.

Color Color Color

Simply, the most important factor when evaluating a Colored Diamond is the intensity of the color. The more intense the color, the more valuable the diamond is. The grading scale for Fancy Colored Diamonds is: "Faint", "Very Light", "Light", "Fancy Light", "Fancy", "Fancy Intense", "Fancy Deep", "Fancy Vivid". In a white diamond clarity is very important, and An “SI”, "VS" or "VVS" is what you would look for. However, in a colored diamond clarity is not the most important factor. A Fancy Colored Diamond that is graded SI is still considered "eye clean", meaning that the inclusions cannot be seen with the naked eye. Also, small pinpoints or feathers do not usually affect Fancy Colors due to the deep coloring of the diamond. Fancy Colored Diamonds that are graded  VVS or FLAWLESS are uncommon in nature and command greater prices.

Cut and Shape 

Fancy Colored Diamonds achieve maximum brilliance when cut to the most ideal and accurate proportions. A good cut gives a Fancy Colored Diamond sparkle and brings out the most intense color possible. The Cutter considers its inclusions, which can enhance the diamond's color. Facets and angles also give color to the diamond, so the Master Cutter must consider which shape would best bring out the diamond's color. The most popular shapes are round/brilliant, oval, radiant, cushion, princess, and the heart.

Pink Diamonds

Natural Pink Diamonds are very rare and extremely valuable. They account for less than 1% of the mines overall production. No wonder Pink Diamonds have increased from $10,000.00 a carat to over $400,000.00 a carat. Pink Diamonds are divided into 5 color catagories: Pink, Purplish Pink, Brownish Pink, Orangey Pink, and Pink Champagne. Fancy Intense Pinks are very rare and one of the most beautiful diamonds in existance today. Pink Diamonds with no secondary coloring are the rarest and most expensive of all Pink Diamonds. The color pink ranges from "Faint" to "Fancy Intense and Vivid Pink", by far the rarest and most valuable.

Yellows

The Tiffany Diamond is one of the largest Fancy Yellow Diamonds ever discovered. It weighed 287.42 carats in the rough when it was discovered in 1878 in the Kimberly mines in South Africa, and was cut to a cushion shape of 128.54 carats. It is rumored to be valued at $250,000,000.00. The Kimberly Octahedron is the largest diamond in the world at 616 carats, and is also a yellow diamond.
Natural Intense Fancy Yellow Diamonds are so rare that most jewelers have never seen one and will never own one. Among the 100 largest diamonds in the world about 30 are yellow, and just one is a Fancy Yellow.
Fancy Yellow, Fancy Intense Yellow and Fancy Vivid Yellows are becoming very difficult to find. Yellow diamonds will increase in price much more than any other colored diamond percentage wise. While Pinks and Blues have made huge price increases over the past 30 years and have increased from $10,000.00 a carat to $400,000.00 a carat, Yellow diamonds are still affordable and prices should increase substantially as high quality Yellow diamonds become more and more scarce.

July Birthstone - Ruby

Ruby colors
Rubies range in color from pinkish to orangey and purplish and brownish red, depending on the chromium and iron content of the stone. The most desirable color is the so-called "pigeon's blood", a pure red with a hint of blue.

Buying Ruby
Color is the most important consideration, with clarity a distant second. Large rubies are rare.

Color
The most desirable color is the so-called "pigeon's blood", a pure red with a hint of blue. Color saturation makes all the difference.

Lighting
Ruby shows pleochroism which means that the color varies with the direction of viewing. Stones displaying the cat's eye or star effect effect are best viewed in daylight.
Many rubies will fluoresce in long or short wave UV and this property can often be used to help identify a stone's geographic origin. Burmese rubies often fluoresce so strongly that the effect is noticeable even in sunlight; such stones seem literally to glow. Thai rubies generally lack this property.

Clarity
Inclusions are common in ruby and not always an indication of lower quality. Included rutile needles cause the "silky shine". If such a stone is cut en cabochon it exposes the rare cat's eye effect. Oriented rutile crystal inclusions cause a six-rayed-star light effect (called asterism) to form the popular star ruby.

Cut
Transparent rubies are cut in step and brilliant cut. Less transparent rubies are cut en cabochon.

Ruby location and deposits
Myanmar: For centuries the most important deposits are in upper Myanmar (Burma) near Mogok. Only one percent of the production is of gem quality. Some of the rubies are of pigeon's blood color and considered to be the most valuable rubies of all. In the early 1990's large new deposits were discovered at Mong Hsu.

Thailand: Rubies found in Thailand (Chanthaburi district) often have a brown or violet tint. The Thai ruby production is declining, and Chanthaburi is now mainly a center for processing and trading gems.

Sri Lanka: The deposits are located in the southwest of the island in the Ratnapura district. Rubies from that deposits are usually light red to raspberry red.

Madagascar: in the 1990's major ruby deposits were discovered in this huge island off the coast of Mozambique. Madagascar is now one of the world's leading ruby producers.

Tanzania: On the upper Umba River in northwest Tanzania are deposits for gemstone quality rubies that are violet to brown-red. A few opaque rubies are mined as well.

Other deposits of some importance are found in: Afghanistan, Cambodia, Kenya and Vietnam. Less significant deposits are in: Australia, Brazil, India, Malawi, Nepal, Pakistan, United States and Zimbabwe.

The gemstone ruby is the red variety of the mineral Corundum, the second hardest natural mineral known to mankind. Ruby is the July birthstone, and the Capricorn Zodiac stone. Ruby has been associated with the values of love, success, integrity, passion, and promise.
All colors of corundum other than red or white are called Sapphire The red color in ruby is caused by trace amounts of the element chromium. The best shade of red for ruby is often given the name "pigeon blood red", but ruby can be any shade of red up to almost pink.