Rings & Things Jewelry Blog

This olivine variety is composed of magnesium iron silicate. Peridot (pronounced PEAR-ih-doh or PEAR-ih-dot) is created under great temperatures and pressures deep within the Earth, and sometimes is extruded in basaltic lavas. Its yellow-green color is mainly dependent on the amount of ferrous iron present. The traditional birthstone of August, peridot's name origin is uncertain, but several theories exist. Some attribute it to the French peritot, meaning "unclear" (probably due to the inclusion …

Carnelian is an A-grade agate. What a lot of people call "true carnelian" is the fiery red/orange color, and in theory, carnelian is naturally that color. However, most of that fiery red/orange "true" carnelian is heat-treated in secret before it reaches the gemstone-cutting factory. This apparently has been a secret for thousands of years; each part of the world thought everyone else's carnelian was naturally red, but they were heating theirs, too. When held against the light, the color-treated …

Discover the Story Behind Each Bead!From geology to metaphysics, this gemstone guide gives insight into the origins and uses of many gemstones that are used as beads. Most entries include:  • Origin of the stone's name  • "Also known as" (aka) names  • Chemical composition  • Where it is found  • Details about industry practices, enhancements, & synthetics  • Metaphysical properties  • History and fun trivia facts  • Care recommendationsA   Agate& …

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 or schiller. The light is scattered by alternating layers of two kinds of feldspar and produces a misty luster of white, dull yellow, yellow-gray or greenish-gray. The stone's main color also comes in shades of peach and gray. Incipient cleavage cracks often are …

Black Lava Stone Beads: Black lava stone beads are cut from basalt, a type of igneous rock formed during volcanic eruptions. Due to their holes and bubbles, lava stone beads add great texture, but not a lot of weight, to jewelry designs. Lava stone is naturally rough in texture, and our beads appear to be treated with a paraffin wax to make them smooth to the touch - plain basalt would be rather abrasive! Lava stone beads are a great base for Art Clay Silver paste and other Metal Clay pastes - j …