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 The name amethyst is from the Greek word "amethystos" meaning "not intoxicated." The Greeks and Romans drank from goblets made of amethyst believing that the gem would offer protection against drunkenness. The ancient Egyptians, Hebrews, and Christian church also valued the regal purple gem. Amethyst is the most expensive variety of the quartz family, but is still a very affordable gemstone of remarkable beauty. It is occasionally heated to lighten the color or to remove "smoky" overtones. Amethyst is a very durable gem, appropriate for any kind of setting.
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 Fine aquamarines are valued for their pure tone of color, crisp transparency and brilliant internal reflections. Aquamarine is often heated to remove the yellow color components and leave a pure blue, but it is the intensity and clarity of color that establishes value, not the specific hue. American consumers tend to prefer bluer gems that have likely been heated, while Europeans tend to prefer greenish-blue (seafoam) varieties that have likely not been heated. Both are equally valuable. Aquamarines are a durable gem and are appropriate for any kind of setting.
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 Citrine's name comes from the French word for lemon - "citron" - obviously referring to its color. It was valued as a gem during the Hellenistic period in Greece (323 - 250 B.C.) and has been found in rings from the 1st and 2nd century A.D. in Greece and Rome. It is valued today for its clarity and depth of color. Most citrine on the market today has been heated to enhance its color. Citrine is perfect for any kind of jewelry setting.
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 The Latin name for Garnet is "malum granatum" which refers to red (pomegranate) seeds. The name can be applied to multiple similar species including, but not limited to, almandine, pyrope, spessartine, grossular, andradite, demantoid, and uvarovite. Many garnets are actually a combination of these minerals. In general, garnets are not enhanced. With the exception of rhodolite which can be found in larger sizes, gems above 5 carats in size are rare and anything over 20 carats is extremely rare. Purity of color, clarity and size are the most important considerations in Garnets.
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 The ancient Latin name for Opal was "opalus" which is from the Sanskrit "upala" meaning "precious gem." Australian opal with play of color is the most widely recognized of all the opals. Transparent opal with or without play of color comes from Oregon, Mexico, Brazil and other locations, and is classified here as either crystal opal or fire opal. Opal is often found as flat lenses, or thin layers, so bigger pieces, usable for carving, are rare and valuable. Opals are a fairly fragile gem and care should be taken when considering the appropriate setting.
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 The name peridot is from the Greek "peridona" which means roughly "to give richness," and the vivid "grass green" color is the most prized. The best quality gems available today come from Pakistan or Afghanistan, although there are fine gems available from the USA, China, Myanmar, Australia and Africa as well. Large, transparent peridots with intense color are rare and highly valued. Peridot is perfect for any kind of setting.
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Tanzanite is the rare, precious gemstone variety of zoisite that occurs only in the foothills of Mt. Kilimanjaro in northern Tanzania, East Africa. It was discovered in 1967 and experts maintain that the chance of tanzanite occurring elsewhere in the world is one in a million. The supply of tanzanite is a finite one, making the gemstones of today, precious heirlooms of tomorrow.
Tanzanite is a polychromatic gem, meaning that depending on the angle from which you look at it, the stone may appear blue, purple or brownish-yellow. The first gems found were close to the surface and naturally heated in the ground, so they exhibited the characteristic blue-purple color. Currently the rough material found has not been heated in the earth and while on occasion there is a hint of the bluish color, it is mostly found as a brownish-yellow color. Today tanzanite is universally heat treated and produces a range of hues between bluish-purple to purplish-blue. Since heat treatment is universal, it has no effect on price, and finished gems are assumed to be heat treated. There is no structural or chemical change to the gem during heating which means that a tanzanite's color is natural and permanent.
The many hues of color that are found in tanzanites are all popular, as different hues appeal to different tastes. However gems with more intense color are considered more valuable. Larger stones tend to exhibit more intense color, fire and brilliance, and richly colored tanzanite typically commands the highest prices.
It is recommended that tanzanite should not be worn during activities that inflict excessive wear. It is ideally set as a dress ring, necklace or earrings. It should never placed in an ultrasonic bath for cleaning or brought into contact with acids.
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