J'antiques & Collectibles

January Garnet -Stones of high refraction and durability that can be found in many pretty colors. Most common color is a deep red, although the most valuable are a bright green.

February Amethyst -Purple quartz stone that comes in a variety of shades. It was once believed that Amethysts would protect against drunkenness.

March Aquamarine - Mineral Beryl of a blue, blue-green or aqua color.
OR
Bloodstone - Stone of green jasper dotted with bright red spots of iron oxide.

April Diamond - The hardest substance found in nature. It has a broad color range, high refraction, lots of "fire".

May Emerald - Type of Beryl, the green color is caused by chromium & iron. Emeralds often contain inclusions and other flaws which are not necessarily considered defects as would be the case for most gems. These are attributes that can guarantee it as a natural stone.

June Pearl - Gem produced when nacre surrounds an irritant within an oyster shell to produce a luminous bead. These can be natural or man-made, round or different shapes. (See "Pearls" in the dictionary section for information on the various types.)
OR
Alexandrite - Gemstone discovered in the Ural Mountains and named for Alexander II, tsar of Russia. The natural stones are very rare and very expensive. Both natural and synthetic Alexandrite changes colors. When the light is natural sunlight or fluorescent light, the natural stone will appear to be green - in incandescent light the stone will appear red. Synthetic Alexandrite, in incandescent light, has a purple color similar to Amethysts in daylight it changes to a blue-violet color.

July Ruby - A corundum stone, which can range in colors from pink to deep red. The most desirable color is a deep shade of red, often called "pigeon blood red".

August Peridot - A mineral of a yellow-green color usually. Colors can vary in the depth of green and historically were often mistaken for Emeralds.
OR
Sardonyx - A type of Onyx which is reddish brown and white.

September Sapphire - Stones usually thought of as deep blue color. Sapphires can be nearly any color, from orange-pink, golden, white, and even black. Star Sapphires have rutile crystal inclusions that cause a six-pointed-star effect.

October Opal - "Opal" comes from Latin and means "precious stone". They are made of layers of silica that have been deposited making the stone multicolored. Black Opals are the most precious and have the most fiery colors. Care must be taken so that Opals are in a protected setting - they can break or shatter if struck.
OR
Tourmaline - A Mineral that can be almost any color, as well as colorless. Some are striated to show bands of different colors in one stone.

November Topaz - Gemstone usually in golden brown to yellow colors Blue topaz is very rarely natural and is produced by irradiating.
OR
Citrine - A quartz crystal yellow or orange in color.

December Turquoise - A mineral that has been mined for centuries by civilizations from all over the world. The finest "Robin's Egg Blue" color turquoise comes from Iran but good samples can also be found in the Southwestern United States.
OR
Zircon - Zircon is NOT the same material as the artificial gem material Cubic Zirconia (CZ). The natural stone resembles diamonds in luster and fire and are usually colorless. But Zircons can also be found in colors of browns and greens. Heat treated, the stones can be made blue or golden colors.

Home Bracelets Brooches Brooch/Pendants Cufflinks Earrings Jewelry Sets Misc. Necklaces Pendants Rings $50 or Less Sales Items

---I'd welcome your comments, suggestions, and any knowledge you'd care to share, as well. Is there a subject you'd like to have added to these pages? Please feel free to email me at: