Briolette & Drop Gemstones

Strawberry vs. Cherry quartz: Sometimes cherry "quartz" (a pretty pink imitation gemstone) is erroneously called strawberry quartz. You can see the difference between the two gemstones if you look closely (you may need a loupe or magnifier). Cherry...

Peach Moonstone: With its ghostly glow, this feldspar stone almost seems magical. High-quality rainbow moonstone is usually chatoyant and sometimes displays a strong cat's eye. The floating-light phenomenon and sheen of moonstone are called adularescence...

Amethyst is the most highly prized variety of quartz, and if not for its widespread availability, would be very expensive. With its luscious purple color, it is the official birthstone for February and one of our best-selling gemstones. The stone's name...

A shimmery stone with unusual properties, kyanite can become the sparkle in a necklace or the spark plug in an engine. This aluminum silicate is a polymorph with andalusite and sillimanite, meaning it shares the same chemistry, but has a different...

Eagle Eye (Jasper?): It's difficult to find reliable information on Eagle Eye. We were told it's jasper, but it has hints of shimmer and translucence that don't normally occur in jaspers. Is it feldspar (like moonstone and labradorite)? Is it a gray form...

Iolite: This silicate mineral (cordierite) can occur as crystals or grains in igneous rocks, as a result of aluminous sediment in magma. Also known as water sapphires, dichroite, Spanish lazulite, and Vikings' compass, the transparent purple-blue variety...

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Turquoise has been revered for thousands of years. Its name means "Turkish stone" in French, a reference to where Persian material passed on its way to Europe. Turquoise is considerably softer than quartz, and is usually treated for stability. Chinese...

Add elegance to a wide variety of jewelry designs -- pearls are perfect for formal occasions such as bridal jewelry, weddings and proms, and are equally at home in light-hearted beach-inspired jewelry. Pearls are organic gemstones, formed when a foreign...