In last week’s blog, I gave you A-J of the catalogue of gemstones used in our bio jewellery here at Treasures of Brazil.
This week, we’ll cover the rest of our stunning gemstone collection.
Let's go...
Moonstone
Moonstone comes in a variety of hues - it can be transparent with a strong blue hue, or it can be milky with what looks like a light shining from the inside which is where it gets its name from. This unique appearance of light and colour is known as ‘adularescence’.
You’ll find moonstone in our earrings and bracelets.
Onyx / Black Agate
You’ll find onyx, or black agate is a black in our phone pop sockets, bracelets and earrings. It is one of the old gemstones to be used in jewellery, dating back around 2,000 years!
The great thing about agate stone is that it is extremely durable, meaning it is pretty difficult to damage it, so it is great for use in jewellery.
Whatever piece of agate stone jewellery you choose, you’ll be in good company - designers such as Chanel and Yves Saint Laurent often use agate in their designs.
For more information about black agate stone jewellery, click here.
Pearl (and Mother of Pearl)
Pearl and Mother of Pearl are not the same. There is one fundamental difference between the two - the way they are formed.
Mother of Pearl is an organic gem which comes from an iridescent material composed of calcium carbonate, known as nacre, and is most commonly found in pearl oysters, freshwater mussels, and abalone.
Pearls, on the other hand, are formed when a foreign object, like a parasite or a grain of sand, enters the shell. As a defence mechanism, the mollusc coats the invading object in nacre over and over again often for up to 5 years. This coated invader is what forms the pearl.
Mother of Pearl is much less rare as only a very small proportion of molluscs produce pearls, but many produce Mother of Pearl.
Quartz
One of the most common minerals on earth and produces lots of different gemstone types. We love green quartz here at Treasures of Brazil but this pink quartz heart stone bracelet is pretty cute too!
Brazil is actually one of the only places in the world where you can find pink, or rose quartz so it is very special to us.
The pink colour you find in rose quartz is due to microscopic inclusions of a pink variety of the mineral dumortierite. We love its delicate femininity.
So, there you have it - our complete A-Z guide of gemstones.
Which is your favourite?
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Until next time,
Daiane x