September Birthstone Sapphire....

In folklore, sapphires are the gem of 'soul and autumn' which makes the the stone appropriate for September. Sapphire is said to preserve the wearer from envy and to attract divine favor which gave them the power to influence spirits. It is believed that "fraud was banished from its presence" and the stone enabled the ancient sages to hear and understand the most obscure of oracles. This may be the reason why the Bishop of Rennes used sapphires in ecclesiastical rings as late as the twelfth century. The star sapphire was called the 'stone of destiny' because the three crossed lines (which are small beams of light reflected from the stone) represented faith, hope and destiny. Some also refrence the star sapphire as referring to the lights from the Star of Bethlehem.
The oldest sapphire jewelry found dates back to the 7th century worn by the Etruscans. The Greeks, Egyptians and Romans later adopted the stone in jewelry. The mining of sapphires themselves in Sri Lanka is known to have been before the time of Buddha in 544 B.C. Marco Polo's travels took him to the 'Island of Serendb', or known as Sri Lanka, where he describes the beautiful stones. In the writings of DeBoot in 1609, the Germans revered the sapphire as a 'victory stone'.
The Hindus, Burmese and Sinhalese recognized that ruby and sapphire were of the same mineral long before the Europeans did. It wasn't until 1800 it was documented that ruby and sapphire are both gem varieties of the mineral corundum. This mineral is found in many different colors which are due to the traces of different metallic oxides incorporated in the stone as impurities. Sapphires can be yellow, pink, violet, green, brown and orange in addition to the classic varieties of blues. Padparadscha, a true orange sapphire, is named from the Sinhalese word for 'lotus flower' and are incredibly vibrant and rare.
Derived from the Greek word sapphirus, the word sapphire actually means blue. In the Middle Ages this term was applied to the blue stone lapis lazuli, which caused confusion between the two stones. It is said that the Ten Commandments were written on a sapphirus stone, which refers to the lapis lazuli.
The American Museum of Natural History houses one of the largest finest quality star sapphires including a 536 carat. example called the Star of India. One of the largest known rough sapphires is a 2,302 carat which Norman Maness spent 1800 hours carving the form of the head of Abraham Lincoln.
The most valuable blue sapphires have the color of an intense blue without color zoning and internal flaws. Color zoning refers to variation of intensity within the stone, exhibiting deeper blue hues while other areas in the stone may appear lighter. Many sapphires are too dark in color, especially those from Thailand and Australia. These are generally the least expensive. Sapphires which are too light in color are also inexpensive. The most valuable sapphires are well cut, intense but even color blue stones. A blue sapphire can often be confused with stones similar in color such as benitoite, iolite, kyanite, spinel, tanzanite, tourmaline, and irradiated blue topaz (originally white).
Since the early 1900's synthetic sapphires have been produced with properties identical to the natural mineral corundum and in 1947 synthetic star sapphires became all the rage and very popular especially for men's rings. Please refer to my earlier post on synthetic gems
Sapphires are formed in a syenite and pegmatite secondary deposits such as in the alluvial deposits from the weathering of the parent rocks which is called byon. Sapphire grows in the form of a hexagonal bi-pyramid of twelve triangular faces. With a hardness on the Mohs scale of a 9, the sapphire is quite durable. However, a sapphire should be handled with care because they are slightly brittle and if dropped on a hard surface they will develop internal cracks.
The most famous locality for fine sapphires is the district around Mogok in upper Myanmar. Other important sources for the stone have been Thailand and Cambodia. Gem deposits in this area are derived from basalt, an iron rich rock. Recently in 1980, gold miners found gem quality rubies and sapphires northwest of Hanoi in Vietnam. Sapphires of the magnificent fine 'cornflower blue' color come from India near the district of Kashmir. Sometimes this blue color is referred to as 'Ceylon Sapphire', but that may not be the source of the stone, rather a term used to identify the specific light violet blue color. Sapphires of many colors ranging from blue, violet, purple, yellow, orange, white, pink are found in Sir Lanka no other mine to date produces a greater variety of colorful hues. Sources of sapphires are found practically around the globe including: China, Afghanistan and Pakistan, Australia, United States, Kenya, Tanzania, Nigeria, Malawi and Zimbabwe, Brazil, Colombia, Norway, Finland, Czechoslovakia, Russia, Romania and Borneo.
Mining sapphires in Mogok, Myanmar
Sapphires may be faceted cut in many different styles. For fine stones the step cut, oval and round is mostly used. Flawed, poorer quality sapphires are often cut into beads or used for carving. An ancient practice originally from Sri Lanka, is setting the stone in a closed setting with the back of the stone covered with the blue part of a peacock's feather to make the pale blue sapphire stones look more even and intense
In 1894 sapphire deposits were discovered in Yogo Gulch Montana, USA. This soon became an important source until the end of the 1920's. The color of the Montana sapphires vary from pale blue, steel blue to a pale violet blue. Tiffany Jewelers was one of the first jewelers to use Montana Sapphires. The mixture of the blue hues is striking when used together in a monochromatic design. An example of this is the incredible butterfly pin created by JAR which was exhibited in the French Masters Jewelry exhibit.
Jean Toussaint, nicknamed 'The Panther', worked with Peter Lemarchand at Cartier in the design department and created the collection called 'Great Cat Jewels.' In 1949 the Duchess of Windsor acquired one of the most famous diamond and sapphire panther pins which she frequently wore. Envy from other famous jewelry collectors, Barbara Hutton being one of the first, prompted orders for the magnificent panthers in varying poses from Cartier. The panther is crouched in a life like pose on a large perfect round cabochon star sapphire weighing 152.35 carats. The Panther image has since become one of Cartier's most iconic designs and has been incorportated into jewelry and watches ever since.
One of the most famous art deco sapphire and diamond necklaces was owned and worn frequently by the owner of Palm Beach's Mar-A-Lago, Marjorie Merriweather Post. Called the "Blue Necklace", this Art Deco style piece was created by Cartier in 1936 and made with hundreds of square, round, and baguette cut sapphires and diamonds. The large and perfectly blue cushion shape central sapphire is set in a diamond deco motif. The necklace can be unclipped to two seperate bracelets and the center sapphire deco motif can be worn separately as a brooch. Mrs. Merriweather Post was known to have worn at least one of these pieces or the entire necklace everyday.
One of the most creative cabochon necklaces mixed with an interesting design and color combination was by Bulgari. Created to commemorate the exhibition of Tutankhamen treasures in 1972, this Egyptian style necklace is unlike any other sapphire jewelry. Using large cabochon cut blue sapphires, black onyx and salmon pink coral with sprinkles of diamonds this necklace is designed using the lotus flower motifs. I think it represents Egyptian art form both in colors and in the mantle style jewelry worn by the royalty. This is a fitting piece, with the Tutankhamen exhibit once again on display in 2009 at the de Young museum in San Francisco.
An interesting jeweled sapphire necklace was designed in 2005 by Bulgari for the movie
"My Super Ex-Girlfriend" Set with 169 natural different colored sapphires weighing a total
of 395.89 carats and small bars paved in diamonds at different angles.
Image credits:
Daisy ring: Alex Deleuse 2009
Cut sapphires: Gems and Crystals, From the American Museum of Natural History, Anna S. Sofianides and George E. Harlow. Photographs by Erica and Harold Van Pelt
Simon and Schuster, 1990 New York
Mogok mine: Mogok, Myanmar. Ein Reise durch Burma zu den schonsten Rubinen und Saphiren der Welt
Roland Schlussel. Photographs by Roland Schlussel. Germany 2002.
Sapphire Butterfly: Masterpieces of French Jewelry, Judith Price. Running Press 2006
Cartier Panther: The Jewels of The Duchess of Windsor, Johne Culme and Nicholas Rayner, Vendome Press 1987
Art Deco Necklace: Masterpieces of French Jewelry, Judith Price. Running Press 2006
Egyptian and jeweled sapphire necklaces: Bulgari, Amanda Triossi and Daniela Mascetti, Mondadori Electa 2007
Sapphire Briollet necklace: Alex Deleuse 2009
Additional Information Credit:
Gems, Their Sources, Descriptions and Identification, R. Webster 1962 Oxford
The National Gem Collection, Jeffry E. Post, Smithsonian Institution 1997
Famous Jewelry Collectors, Stefano Papi and Alexandra Rhodes, 1999 Thames & Hudson, London

What Is A Sapphire Gemstone?

What are Sapphire Gemstones?
Sapphires are the second hardest gemstone, after diamonds, and are very similar to, if not exactly the same as, rubies. Both sapphires and rubies are from the mineral corundum, but their colors are what separate them. Rubies are the red colored corundum, where all other colors of the mineral are the gemstone sapphire.
Sapphire Colors
Although all colors of the mineral corundum are sapphire, with the exception of red, the most common color of sapphires is a light blue tint. Other colors include dark blue, purple, pink, yellow, orange, and even green. Some are common, others rare, and some almost impossible to find.
The green and yellow colored sapphires are a result of iron that is mixed in with the stone. Most of the rough sapphires that are yellow are extremely light, but when treated with heat or beryllium become a much darker shade or yellow that is more brilliant. The green colors are a mix of the yellow and blue combined, and although it may appear green to the naked eye, up close there are bands of the two colors.
When the mineral in combined with iron and titanium it turns into a rare purple sapphire. When the stone is a padparadscha sapphire is a mixture of pink and orange giving it just a hint of pink in the light. This rarity is normally purchased for $5,000 per carat. Both of these colors are rare, but can be found in a few countries, especially in parts of Sri Lanka.
The rarest of all the sapphires are the darkest and lightest colors. The rich dark blue gemstones are referred to as the Kashmir and Burmese sapphires, and although some dark sapphires can be found, none of them display the same richness that theses sapphires do. Clear or colorless sapphires are the rarest of them all, and are almost impossible to find. In most cases there is a small hint of yellow or blue in them, but if they truly have no color, they are almost priceless. Colorless sapphires that you will find are generally synthetic and hold a much lower value than if you were to own a rough sapphire with no color or tint.

Where the Best Sapphires are Found
Sapphires can be found in several countries around the world including, Sri Lanka, Madagascar, Kenya, and even in some parts of the United States, but not all sapphires are normal gemstones, but instead have become famous due to their impeccable beauty.
The largest sapphire ever found was 536 carats and discovered in Sri Lanka over 300 years ago. This gemstone is named the Star of India and in the recent years was donated to the American Museum of Natural History where it was stolen and then recovered only a few months later. Another large and incredible sapphire can be found at the Smithsonian Museum. This gemstone has been cut into 423 carats and made into a brooch.
If you are looking to mine a rough sapphire, you will find the most deposits in Asia. Here is where almost all the different shades of sapphires are found and where they are the most abundant. The top leading countries for deposits of rough sapphires are Thailand, Sri Lanka, and Madagascar, but the majority of all sapphires are shipped to Thailand to be polished and cut.
History of Sapphires
Sapphires have been associated with truth and peace for centuries, some myths have even developed about them that are still present in our society. It is believed that sapphires were once worn as shield of protection by travelers to protect themselves from dangerous creatures that lurked in the darkness of night. The sapphire was also believed to have powers to affect a person brain by licking the stone.
Although these beliefs are not around today, they are still present in our everyday life. The sapphire is the birthstone of a Taurus (someone born in the month of May) because it will bring the person protection and not allow the brain to lose its sharpness.
Sapphires have also been associated with wealth and power for even longer. Although diamonds are viewed as the most prized gemstone that can be worn, it was not always that way.
Diamonds must be treated, cut, and polished before it becomes the brilliance that you know, but sapphires are amazing straight from the ground. Before technology, unpolished or rough sapphires were some of the most valuable gemstones because they shined so beautifully in the light. Some sapphires even change colors slightly when place in different lights. This is apparent with the Stuart Sapphire that is found on the British Imperial State Crown. This rough sapphire once sat on the crown worn by Queen Victoria after being handed down from kings to cardinals.
Treatment of Rough Sapphires
Although rough sapphires that are mined are amazing gemstones that shine, they are usually treated to enhance their beauty, just as any other gemstone would be. Heat treatment is most commonly used, but sometimes beryllium is used. The treatment does change the color and clarity slightly, but sometime to make the color even more brilliant, lattice fusion is used. This adds natural chemicals such as iron and titanium into the gemstone to further enhance the beauty. It is often argued that any treatment for a rough sapphire makes it a synthetic sapphire, but some treatment must be used to polish and cut the stone.
Sapphires are brilliant and rare gemstones that have been worn for ages and still hold great value and meaning in our world today.

The Beauty Of Pearls

Pearls are different from other gemstones which are produced inside the Earth's deeps. Pearls are created naturally by living creatures which are mollusks. Mollusks have soft whole body inside and a hard outside shell. Mollusks live as freshwater habitats or main land. History about pearls dated back from 530 million years ago. An average of 100,000 living mollusks abound our world today.
Every mollusk which produces shell can make pearls. However, natural pearls are uncommon and perhaps can be found for one in every ten thousand animals. The pearl industry has begun since 20th century and has developed certain methods to induce pearl production.
Generally, pearls can be classified into two categories the natural and cultured pearls. Natural pearls are those produced when an intruder enters into the shell of any mollusks enabling it to grow into nacre around the shells' particles. Natural Pearls are very rare and thus quite expensive.
Cultured Pearls are pearls also growing inside the mollusk but with interference from human. An object is inserted inside the shell and will be coated with nacre layers. The thicker the nacre coating the more durable the pearl will be. The coating of nacre and its depth will depend on the mollusk type, the water and how long a thing lives in the mollusks.
It is quite evident that many pearls are produced these days. Men have learned how to culture these gems. One process is putting shells beads inside oysters and returning it to the water to let it produced more. Cultured pearls are produced mostly in Japan. In South Pacific where there are warmer waters, larger oysters are
These gems are cherished and symbolize perfection and purity. Pearls have occurred naturally in various shapes, colors and sizes. Pearls' classification with regards to its shapes is as follows:
1.Spherical - pearls that are round and the most pleasing shape; rounder pearls are more expensive.
2.Baroque - pearls which have irregular shapes. These pearls are the cheapest of all kinds but also beautiful and unique.
3.Symmetrical - pearls which can be pear in shape and those shapes with symmetry but not necessarily round.
Pearls can further be classified to different types which are generally from the country where they are produced. Some of the types are:
1.Black pearls which are produced from black oysters. Found in South Sea. Some pearls can be made black by using dyes but the natural colors are dark gray or dark green.
2.Akoya pearls are those representing the most common pearls. When you heard of pearl, Akoya pearl is the image which you are trying to describe. These kinds of pearls are mostly cultured in Japan and the oysters producing them are palm sized thus pearls in them are not those large. Only about 2mm to 10mm.
3.South sea pearls are those from white oysters and which is the largest. They are silvery grey in color and measures 15mm. These pearls are very expensive and very rare.
4.South sea half pearls are hemispherical in shape. They are also silvery grey in color and are quite similar to the Mabe Pearls.
5.Mabe pearls are also hemispherical with a rainbow colored luster. Mabe pearls just differ from south sea pearls in color. These pearls are cultivated and cultured nowadays.
6.Seed pearls are very small and resemble a poppy seed. The shape is oval or distorted.
7.Freshwater pearls are cultured mostly in Lake Biwa Japan; others are imports from China. These pearls are oval in shape and white in color. There can also be orange and wine colored freshwater pearls.
8.Keshi pearls are cultured in Akoya and South Sea also. They are small with white silver and silver grey color.
9.Kasumiga pearls are new types of pearls coming from Tokyo lakes in the northeast. The mollusks producing them are Japan and China crossbreeds. These pearls are rosy, light or dark pink in colors.
Pearls whether cultured or natural are fragile and should be taken cared of. Here are some tips on how to handle your pearls:
*Take off the pearls when applying any body creams; put them on when you have applied your make up already.
*Clean the pearls by wiping it with soft cloth regularly. You can also wet the cloth with water or mild soap in case the pearls are dirty.
*Do not use harsh soaps and detergents and ammonia in cleaning your pearls
*In storing your pearls, do not put it together with other pieces of jewelry that can scratched it easily.
*Wear the pearls often. The natural body oil can make pearls lustrous.
All pearls carry with them the class and charm any gemstones can have. It is a gift that we have bountiful pearls available in our planet. But with man's given talent, cultured pearls are also made within our reach. We should take care of these stones because their beauty doesn't fade away but lasts a lifetime.

The History Of Jewelry Boxes..

The history of jewel box can be traced back to time immemorial because it is bound to be as old as the history of woman. Jewelry has been a part and parcel of a woman's life. During ancient times woman use to decorate herself with flowers, then slowly she learned to make necklace and earrings of beads and stones. This is what created the need of jewelry boxes where she could store and keep her precious belongings safely without damaging them.
As time passed man discovered various metals and precious stones. Naturally, this was reflected in the woman using it for ornaments, from beads and stones she started wearing gold and silver jewelry studded with precious stones. She now felt the need of jewelry boxes where she could not only protect her jewelry from damage but also keep it safe from thieves and robbers.
The history of the jewelry box also changed with time in the olden days when jewelry were not very expensive, the need for the jewelry boxes were also inexpensive, Hence they were either made of wood or ivory. They were beautifully designed and looked attractive. Later, the jewelry were made of precious metals like gold, silver, and platinum and studded with precious stones like diamonds, ruby, sapphires etc. these needed to be kept in safe custody, so, they were made of heavy metals and kept under lock and key to avoid being robbed. They were designed such that the jewelry sets viz. bangles, necklaces, earrings, finger rings all could be kept neatly and systematically they opened like the vanity case, wherein all the jewelry could seen at once thus making it easier to select the appropriate jewelry at a time. As time passed the collection of jewelry increased and so also the need of bigger jewelry boxes and so the small boxes were replaced by jewelry armoires. These are small cupboards which can be kept in your bedroom as part of your furniture. In the armoires there is a specific place for each jewelry, e.g. necklaces can be hung in the hooks provided in the doors, bangles and other ornaments can be kept in the drawers separately so that they do not get entangled with one another.
Nowadays, the risk of theft and burglary is increasing day by day, and most people are keeping their valued jewelry in bank lockers and so the jewelry armoire can be conveniently attached with the dressing table such that in today's fast and busy life a working women does no have to go hunting for her matching jewelry but finds it under the same roof , as she dresses up for her work. Moreover, it is easier for to keep her regular jewelry in it too, so that it is easier for her locate the same as and when she requires it.

A Few Top Vintage Jewelry Designers..

Brooches are an art in themselves, but vintage brooches are a unique art. Modern day manufacturing can process out brooches and pins by the thousands, one after another all just alike. Problem is that they lack the character and unique individual attention given by a real artist to create these vintage brooches and pins. Perhaps this is why so many people today are looking for these old pieces. Two of the most popular brooch and pin designers were Marcel Boucher and Christian Dior. Who were these designers of old times and why did they stand out?
One of the more popular artists was Marcel Boucher. Marcel Boucher was born in Paris in 1898. He joined Cartier as an apprentice jeweler, probably in 1920. Some time around 1923, Marcel was transferred by Cartier from Paris to their New York workshop. After the 1929 Wall Street Crash, fine jewelry fell into a deep recession and Cartier's business was severely cut back. Marcel found employment with another precious jeweler, and was fortunate enough to be relatively unaffected by the Depression. He also did freelance work, mainly in fine jewelry, and designed show buckles and costume jewelry for Mazer Brothers, which enthused him with the possibilities. By spring 1937 he was ready to start his costume jewelry firm with his partner Halberstadt. The new designs were launched for the 1937 Fall/Winter Collection. The first collection consisted of six different designs. They gave Saks Fifth Avenue an exclusive to sell the collection for the first few weeks, before making it available to other top department stores. The three-dimensional naturalistic themes with their unusual enameling were so original after years of "art deco" designs and were such a success that they immediately put him on the map and made his reputation. For the next four years, until America entered World War II, Marcel produced a range of costume jewelry, which can be described as "very stylized, very elegant and very chic." They are considered to be innovative, bold, and fashionable. Perhaps best described as "couture" jewelry, and certainly based little on the imitation of fine jewelry. Marcel was prolific and was responsible for all the designs produced by his firm.
Christian Dior is another awesomely impressive designer that had no real formal training in the area of design and came into this profession later in his life. His design career started with an apprenticeship with the respected French designer, Robert Piguet. Dior opened the House of Dior which became immensely popular for its clothing line. Bolstered by this success the House of Dior then branched out into designing extravagant, gorgeous costume jewelry, which included brooches and pins, for such movie star icons as Betty Davis and Lucille Ball and that eternal symbol of haute couture fashion - the late Jacqueline Kennedy. The House of Dior was the first to use 'aurora borealis' rhinestones in their costume jewelry. The aurora borealis is a naturally occurring weather phenomenon and the rhinestones are treated to reflect those flashes of color. In a way the play of color and light is very similar to that found in opals.
In the world of vintage brooches and pins today the pieces designed by these two designers stand out. If a vintage piece is attached to one of their names it is sure to signify quality and artistic design. The art and design skills that made them so popular is still passed on today in the products they left behind. It is no wonder that costume jewelry that carry the Dior or Boucher name are in still in high demand. The unique artistic characteristics found in their beautifully designed products are transferred into the look of the people who wear them, and perhaps that is why they have such an everlasting lure to women all around the world yesterday, today, and perhaps in the future as well.

A Look At Trifari Costume Jewelry~Part 1

Vintage Trifari jewelry is a good choice for beginning collectors. The jewelry is beautifully made, was plentiful over a long period of time, and vintage pieces are still very affordable.
The company started to produce costume jewelry in 1910, and production continues to the present day. The most affordable and available vintage Trifari jewelry dates from the 1950s and '60s. Trifari produced so many different styles, that the beginning collector can be choosy and select only those pieces that she truly likes.
For investment purposes, Trifari rhinestone jewelry from the 1950s is affordable and a good long-term investment. And, as always, the piece should be in excellent condition. Keep that loupe or magnifying glass with you every time you shop, and look for flaws, chipped stones, deterioration of the metal, and of course the designer's signature.
This brings us to identifying marks, or signatures as they are called in the jewelry biz.
Recognizing the various signatures will help to date the piece. Early Trifari pieces are signed "KTF" and are highly collectible. "KTF" was first used in 1935. "KTF" with a crown above the "T" dates from 1954, and "Trifari", with no crown or with a thin crown dates from 1937. "Trifari Pat. Pend" is from the 1940s, and Trifari Sterling is from 1942-1947. The copyright symbol - © - appears after 1954. "Trifari" with the © and a small crown in a rectangle is a modern mark, but the date it was first used is unclear.
Any Trifari jewelry that has original paper tags, was featured in vintage advertising, or jewelry that is in its original box make the piece more interesting and more valuable.
Collectors prize jewelry with carved or molded stones. In the 1960s and 1970s beautiful molded stones became available. Some pieces are designed with irregular molded glass stones combined with aurora borealis and other colored stones to give a sense of movement in the piece.
An easily recognizable style of Trifari jewelry is the use of both silver-tone and gold-tone metals in the same piece. Another Trifari creation was the "Jelly Belly", usually figures of birds or fish, with a clear Lucite "belly". These were created during WWII.
Whatever your taste, and whatever your budget, do seek out vintage Trifari jewelry - you'll find some gorgeous pieces at very reasonable prices.