Amber (succinite) is organic and is a fossilized resin of coniferous trees. The hardness of 2-2.5 on the Mohs scale, density from 1.08 to 1.3 g/cm3. Color varies widely from almost colorless to black prebladaet golden yellow and reddish coloration of varying intensity.
History dating man with amber has about 9000 years - even in the Neolithic Baltic amber has been the object of desire and commerce, first raw and then in the form of beads, amulets, ritual figures of people and animals ... Actually, a number of peoples amber itself was analogue of the monetary unit. Amber decorated crown of Egyptian pharaoh Tutankhamun, it is mentioned in Homer's famous "Odyssey." In ancient Rome, with its love of glitter decorative and ornamental stone dominated Amber Fashion - merchants specifically went for the amber to the North. Amber grinds figurines, bowls and vessels, furnishings, bas-reliefs and, of course, numerous decorations. Stone
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Spinel - Mineralogical name dinitrogen dialyuminiya magnesium. Hardness of 8.0 on the Mohs scale, density 3.6 g/cm3, the brilliance of glass. Other names: Lal shpinar, bale-ruby.
For a long time confused with spinel rubies - this gem at all for a long time did not put in a separate form, calling the general collective word carbuncle with ruby and crimson-pyrope garnet. Can not find mention of the spinel in Pliny, Marboda, Epiphany is no mention of spinel in the Bible or the Koran, there is none in the ancient classical tradition. Separate from ruby spinel began only in IX-X centuries, and then called her Lal. The "new" mineral valued higher pyrope and almandine, but slightly lower than rubies. Spinel and gained popularity in Russia along with amethysts, sapphires and emeralds, and in Europe - for example, a beautiful pink spinel size of a ripe plum belonged to Francis Drake, "Pirates of her Majesty 'scout Queen Elizabeth
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Charoite - Russian native stone. In 1949 the mine was first discovered the stone, but then it was kind of coil - these minerals are similar in terms of hardness, density and glass shine. All the more so in the landscape also occur charoite green, black and gold inclusions and serpentine rich in variety - and it rarely happens that kind of stone are very unusual color, found a bright green garnet or pink sapphires. It was only in 1964 Charoite finally assessed as a separate mineral, unique in the world does not exist. However, widespread charoite to disturb the Republic of Sakha-Yakutia limit the quarrying of 100 tonnes per year - is a necessary measure that protects against rapid drying out of the deposit. Statistics calculated that one person on Earth is no more than 0.0016 g charoite. That's why every year Charoite uncontrollably rising in price and becoming more rare. Value of similar size and frame ornaments from, say, malachite or jade below
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Citrine - the yellow variety of quartz. Hardness of 7.0 on the Mohs scale, density 2.6 g/cm3, shiny glass, completely transparent. Other names: golden topaz, western topaz, Spanish topaz, false topaz, Bohemian topaz, Madeira.
First he was sincerely believed topaz - for its bright lemon-yellow or light orange shade so resembled the color of one of the varieties of this mineral, known since ancient times! And despite the fact that the jewelry with citrine in ancient Rome and Greece were scientists and philosophers as talismans to ensure eloquence and recognition, self-titled yellow quartz had. Only in the mid-18 th century researcher Valerius isolated golden variety of quartz as a species - and it was not easy, as topaz and citrine often make a difference in appearance, and the difference lies only in hardness, density and weight, which have a large size topaz. Here was born the term "Madeira citrine" - so the most rare and b
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Zircon - zirconium silicate. The hardness of 7.0-8.0 on the Mohs scale, density 3,9-4,7 t/sm3, shiny diamond. Other names - Hyacinth, yakint, steel, hyacinth, jargon, slang Ceylon.
Zircon - stone, which at first glance, everything is known to all, because it is found in jewelry with great frequency. With a comprehensive range of colors (there are zircons and colorless, and green, and red, and golden yellow, and blue, and even black) and the ability to change color from brown to blue, yellow or transparent when heated, Zircon is often used as a satellite of the other precious stones, and is used as an imitation of the more expensive gems such as emeralds or rubies. There was even a misconception that the zircon is not a gem, and cultured crystals, almost a piece of colored glass, when in fact the zircons are known to mankind since ancient times, and the probability of finding artificial zircon is extremely low - this mineral
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Chrysoprase - the most valuable variety of chalcedony, contains nickel compounds. The hardness of 6.5-7.0 on the Mohs scale, density 2.6 g/cm3, translucent, shiny glass. Other names: emerald.
If you choose a gem that is most appropriate to be the "apple" that comes to mind chrysoprase - a translucent mineral with subtle green apple, grassy or onion shades. His color is very gentle, non-intrusive, as if touched by the drops of morning dew, and at the same time, dense and "tasty": it is you want to watch and watch without getting tired. And even the very nature of his "live" - for example, after lying for a long time under the scorching sun, chrysoprase may fade a bit, but quickly recovered, is only to hold it a couple of days in water or moist soil.
It is known from ancient times - the chrysoprase, as in other chalcedony, cameos and intaglios carved with images of mythological scenes, portraits
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Jasper - siliceous, sedimentary or metamorphic sedimentary rock with various inclusions. The hardness of 6.5-7.0 on the Mohs scale, density 2.6 g/cm3, shiny silky glass. Other names: jasper agate, agate meat, bloody jasper, lapis Swiss, German Lapis, heliotrope, tiger stone, prase, basanite, and the jasper, the plasma.
Jasper - a true friend of man, with the experience, not much is not enough, a hundred thousand years. Jade deposits are not always hidden in the interior of the mountains - it often comes to the surface in the form of boulders and rocks, which will use it to create weapons - that was the first way to use this gem, but soon enough, with the emergence of life in metal ores, jasper gradually moved into the category of decorative materials. From it, the benefit is met in many, cut figures of gods and magic press in Egypt, produced gems and amulets for the seriously ill in Rome, laying in bed births in Greece ... j
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