Semi-precious stones have a very mixed including value and are much easier to get large semiprecious stones and purity (clean) than precious stones such features.
Let’s look at the most important and used in jewelry.
AGATE
Variety of chalcedony. You can have multiple shades and colors-depending on training their micro silica (quartz) – and be transparent, semi-transparent or opaque.
The formation of agates is due to the movement of groundwater are in position close to saturation silicon filling of cavities or hollow interiors of rocks and dissolution of the materials found there: shells, bones, etc. This process should be concentric bands characteristic of agates, reminiscent of the knots of tree trunks.
The word Agate comes from the Greek “Achates,” which is the designation of the river with the same name.
AQUA
It belongs to the family of beryl such as the emerald. It’s actually a variant thereof, but pale greenish blue. As the name suggests its color and brightness reminiscent of sea water.
Its name comes from the Latin aqua marina, and was formerly also known as the Stone Fisherman.
ALEJANDRITA
Extremely rare chrysoberyl soft green or greenish-yellow variety. The most important feature is its ability to change colors and color when subjected to variations in brightness; it can pass from light green to a red soft when subjected to these changes.
It was discovered in the time of Tsar Alexander in Russia; hence its name, also coinciding with the colors of the flag of Russia at the time.
AMATISTA
As we know, amethyst gemstone was considered, but after the discovery of mines in Brazil, its rarity lost integers and became part of the group of semi-precious stones.
It is the most valued variety of quartz on the market. His most prized color is a lilac violated but can be yellow or even transparent, depending on the amount of iron it contains.
Despite having downloaded a roster and be a semi-precious stone, because of its beauty and popularity it deserves, later, we draw up an exclusive article for it.
AMBER
Also called succino (Latin succinum ). Amber comes from Arabic meaning “floating in the sea” because the amber floats in water.
His best-known or common color is yellow, but may have other colors: orange or brandy or cherry red, white, coffee and caramel, bluish green and finally black or moss, which covers all dark shades of amber. One of the most valued and sought after is the cherry red or originating in Chiapas, Mexico.
There is a mineral, is fossilized plant resin from coniferous, mostly in Europe. It was formed from the residual plant resin from certain trees, and may have originated twenty, sixty million years or more ago. During that time, this resin may suffer a process of fossilization, forming large irregular masses within strata of sandstone and shale’s of Tertiary age.
In Europe, amber was formed from the resin of Pinus succinifera , whereas in America comes from the legume Hymenaea Courbaril , known in Mexico as Guapinol and Nicaragua and Dominican Republic as Algarrobo .
AVENTURINA
Although it would be correct to call it Quartz fling. Includes several shades of green, although can have red, brownish yellow and brownish due to inclusions of other minerals.
Its feature is appreciated scintillation inside when subjected to a light source and turned simultaneously.
Please note that often, buyers are subject to attempted deception being offered as aventurine jade. Jade is much more valuable and rare aventurine.
ZIRCON
O zircon, belonging to the family of silicates. Its name comes from the Arabic zarqun, meaning cinnabar.
It is one of the oldest known mineral and also the most abundant. From the crystallization of magmatic rocks, is transparent, but can acquire different shades; the yellow is called hiacinta.
CITRINO
Also called citrine. It is another variant of quartz but lemon yellow with the same hardness scale, 7 Mohs.
Its name comes from the French citron . Formerly, he had come to be called “topaz quartz” for its resemblance to the Topaz, but we make it clear that they are two completely different stones.
Chrysoberyl
Semiprecious stone of greenish yellow color, also known in the past as chrysotile, name now in disuse. It has far more harshly than beryl and is widely used in jewelry.
There is a stone of about 50 carats in the British Museum of Natural History.
Its name comes from Greek, meaning golden beryl, and has a hardness of 8.5 on the Mohs scale.
Chrysoprase
Also known as crisopras or lacewings . A variety of agate (chalcedony) intense green bottle. It is the most valued of all belonging to the family of chalcedony agate. Its attractive green color is due to nickel.
Very popular in ancient Greece. As a curiosity, say that Alexander always wore a top before going into battle.
JASPER
Belonging to the family of quartz (chalcedony) but mixed with iron oxide. It is an opaque stone that can be found in various colors, but the most prized is red, called blood stone. We also find in dark, yellow, green and brown, sometimes with color mixtures thereof.
LAPIS LAZULI
Family silicates, mixed with sulphate of lime and soda and small inlaid iron pyrite veining that give it so distinctive.
Intense blue color widely used especially accounts for necklace and bracelet.
His name is a composition of two words, one Latin root, lapis, meaning stone, and allazjard, which comes from Arabic and means sky or what is the same, blue.
This stone has been highly valued since ancient times; we have data on them for more than nine thousand years ago.
Until the nineteenth century, this semi-precious stone used for the intense blue color used for oil painting.
TIGER EYE
Belonging to the family of quartz (chalcedony). Color varied from gray, yellow, brown and gold; with a characteristic, shimmering reflections. This effect is due to the inclusion of micro crystals of quartz which occur inside the silky luster. If size cabochon, we can get the feel of having a front our eyes.
A variant of blue, due to lack of crocidolite. It is called Hawkeye.
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