March - Spring in with Green

March is a month of change. It usually starts with cold and wind. Over four weeks, this turns to longer and warmer days and the anticipation of new and fresh growth. Green is everywhere by the end of the month as it is about mid-month with St. Patrick's Day.

So I will focus on green stones for this month. The first to come to mind is the emerald. Some of the best stones still come from Columbia as they have done for the last three hundred years. These are the stones one sees in many antiques Spanish jewels. They have a rich blue green color and usually have some inclusions. In the last forty years, there have been new sources of emeralds discovered in Zambia which have a very fine color and as the mines are newer many new larger stones have been extracted.

Whether you are looking for faceted or cabochon stones (square, rectangular, oval or round shapes); we have a plentiful supply of stones and manufactured items in stock. At the moment, there is a necklace of emerald beads which would flatter most people.

Peridot, a yellow green rather than blue green stone, flatters many complexions and hair tones. There are a number of rings for wear in both casual and formal styles available in our stock at the moment. Other stones are available for custom made rings, earrings or pendants as you, the client may desire.

Another green stone, generally available in sizes smaller than a quarter carat, is the green garnet. This stone, popular in the last twenty years of the 19^th century, has a great hardness and maintains a good polish with regular wear. The brilliance of this garnet is unsurpassed by other green stones. We are fortunate to have some rings and pendants in stock which contain fine examples of these stones.

Yet another green stone, of which we have a number, is the green tourmaline which makes very attractive cabochons and are often seen but not limited to men’s jewellery. Faceted stones of this material provide a more reasonable priced alternative for green color when a quantity of stones is required in a jewel.

The stone for those born in March is the aquamarine which based on its name suggests its color. This stone is a blue variety of the mineral, beryl. This stone is chemically the same as emerald but without the chromium element which causes the strong green of emerald as well as the internal fracturing of emerald. Stones of this material can be larger in size without internal flaws and are frequently cut as large rectangles. They are very hard wearing and are seen in rings in sizes of between five and eight carats. Recently there has been a greater variety of shaped stones in this material which have appeared on the market. We are fortunate to have a set of three aquamarines, cut as flower blossoms in stock together with complementary peridots which would form an attractive necklace or earrings and pendant.

We are here to help you see possibilities in all your jewellery requirements based on the custom work we have provided to the community over the past forty years and with a new generation of designers on site, to ensure your style choices in the future.

Until next time, signing off,

- Richard MacDonald