Beads From Gems in Cool Colors
Here's a trio of gemstones that are cut or carved into beads.
These three gemstones are all cool colors, representing shades of purple, blue, and green.
These cool-colored stones all pair well with the cool blues of denim, along with other cool colors.
Use them for a pop of color when wearing the classic black and white.
Amethyst:A variety of quartz, amethyst comes in a wide range of shades of lavender, from light to smokey, transparent to translucent.
Its darkest colors are shades of dark purple.
These darker, more intense shades are generally more valuable and have been coveted by royalty for centuries.
Amethyst beads can be either carved, faceted, chips, or nuggets.
Their finishes are either smooth and glossy, or rough and unpolished.
Ancients believed that a cup made of amethyst would protect the user from becoming drunk when drinking wine.
Amethyst means "not drunken" in Greek.
It is also believed that it protected soldiers in battle, helped hunters capture animals, and controlled evil thoughts.
Aquamarine:Ancient legend says that aquamarine was created when the sea monsterLeviathan encircled the world as he slept, which compressed the sea water so much it turned to a delicately-colored, light-blue stone.
Its name in Latin means, literally, "water of the sea.
" Aquamarine was said to be a luck charm for ancient fisherman.
It occurs naturally in shades of nearly colorless pale blue to deep blue-green or teal.
The deepest blue-aqua shades are the most coveted for gemstones and beads alike.
Although aquamarine is usually thought of as a cut and faceted gemstone set into traditional jewelry settings, it is frequently carved into rounded, faceted, or barrel-shaped beads.
Sometimes aquamarine beads are made into natural, nugget shapes.
Peridot:Known as the "stone of the sun," peridot was known as olivine by the Romans, a name that is descriptive of its color.
It comes in only one color, green, but in a range of shades from delicate yellow-green to olive-green to brownish-green, depending on the amount of iron contained in its crystal structure.
It is often referred to as "poor man's emerald.
" Peridot was mined and worn by ancient peoples.
It is mentioned in Egyptian history as well as the bible, where it is referred to as "chrysolite.
" Peridot was worn by priests, kings, and pharaohs.
It is associated with health and protection, as well as mysticism and visions.
Peridot calms anger, soothes nerves, mitigates jealousy, and dissolves negative emotions.
Copyright Sharon Shares, 2011
These three gemstones are all cool colors, representing shades of purple, blue, and green.
These cool-colored stones all pair well with the cool blues of denim, along with other cool colors.
Use them for a pop of color when wearing the classic black and white.
Amethyst:A variety of quartz, amethyst comes in a wide range of shades of lavender, from light to smokey, transparent to translucent.
Its darkest colors are shades of dark purple.
These darker, more intense shades are generally more valuable and have been coveted by royalty for centuries.
Amethyst beads can be either carved, faceted, chips, or nuggets.
Their finishes are either smooth and glossy, or rough and unpolished.
Ancients believed that a cup made of amethyst would protect the user from becoming drunk when drinking wine.
Amethyst means "not drunken" in Greek.
It is also believed that it protected soldiers in battle, helped hunters capture animals, and controlled evil thoughts.
Aquamarine:Ancient legend says that aquamarine was created when the sea monsterLeviathan encircled the world as he slept, which compressed the sea water so much it turned to a delicately-colored, light-blue stone.
Its name in Latin means, literally, "water of the sea.
" Aquamarine was said to be a luck charm for ancient fisherman.
It occurs naturally in shades of nearly colorless pale blue to deep blue-green or teal.
The deepest blue-aqua shades are the most coveted for gemstones and beads alike.
Although aquamarine is usually thought of as a cut and faceted gemstone set into traditional jewelry settings, it is frequently carved into rounded, faceted, or barrel-shaped beads.
Sometimes aquamarine beads are made into natural, nugget shapes.
Peridot:Known as the "stone of the sun," peridot was known as olivine by the Romans, a name that is descriptive of its color.
It comes in only one color, green, but in a range of shades from delicate yellow-green to olive-green to brownish-green, depending on the amount of iron contained in its crystal structure.
It is often referred to as "poor man's emerald.
" Peridot was mined and worn by ancient peoples.
It is mentioned in Egyptian history as well as the bible, where it is referred to as "chrysolite.
" Peridot was worn by priests, kings, and pharaohs.
It is associated with health and protection, as well as mysticism and visions.
Peridot calms anger, soothes nerves, mitigates jealousy, and dissolves negative emotions.
Copyright Sharon Shares, 2011
