If your birthday falls in the month of October or the astrological sign of Libra, you have the good fortune to have one of the most beautiful of gemstones associated with your birth. Available in shades from the palest pink to the scorchingly hottest pinks and everything in between: this gemstone has become a favorite of women everywhere. And with all the cuts to choose from - trillion, round, emerald, oval, square, pear and cushion - this fabulously colored stone is certainly ready to play its part at the center of any piece of pink tourmaline jewelry that you might choose.

Pink tourmaline is said to be a powerful influence on love and friendship, spirituality and creativity as well as granting wisdom and enhancing willpower. The prices and value of pink tourmaline vary tremendously, depending on the size and quality of the gemstone, and youll soon learn that no two stones are alike. When it comes to the gift of pink tourmaline jewelry, there are an abundance of wonderful styles to choose from…

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Long before Prince Charles gave Lady Diana that stunning sapphire engagement ring there were pieces of fine colored gemstone jewelry made to showcase this most precious of gems. September babies, those born under the zodiac sign Taurus (or those celebrating a 45th wedding anniversary) have long laid claim to blue sapphire as their own, prompting jewelry designers to create many distinctive styles that feature the full range of sapphire hues.

Still theres something about that blue that remains unmatched…

Todays sapphire earring styles run the gamut from casual to dazzling and drop dead gorgeous. Sapphire rings are an especially popular choice (even for engagement rings) since the gemstone is both beautiful and durable. Sapphire at the neckline continues to be popular, but the quality of the gemstone is king here: accent stones too must be a match to the quality of the center stone.

One of the most intriguing types of sapphire is the so called star sapphire. This type of sapphire is blessed with the rare characteristic of asterism caused by tiny quantities of rutile inclusions. These inclusions reflect light back in the form of a six-rayed star that looks as though it glides across the face of the gemstone. The effect is both striking and offers a special significance to the gift of these gemstones - shes your shining star.

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This is the Burma spinel I got from AJS Gems under darkroom illumination with my LED light source from my microscope, and a portable blacklight for a UV-A light source.

You can see how the stone appears naturally before turning the UV light on. Then you can see how it turns to a brown color as if it were absorbing the light. When the light goes off, it’s a dark brown color. However, it does gradually obtain its color back in time. There is no sign of phosfluorescence, and there is a total lack of fluorescence thus indicating it is a Burma spinel.

The orangey red variety from Mogok mine has a very high absorption rate within a window of the latter range of IUV to the lower end of VIS. I obtained a general graph of how spinels of different colors from Mogok behave under IR spectroscopy, and the graph shows the absorption rate of spectra within the lamp as being highest. A vivid red spinel is slightly less. There was no information available for spinels from Tanzania, but it’s a tell tale indicator of origin.

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Choosing a loose colored gemstone to be a part of your jewelry wardrobe is a smart move: and it gives you plenty of options in terms of colors, shapes and sizes. Of course stunning gemstone jewelry isnt the only way to enjoy fine quality gems. Often collectors purchase and display beautiful specimens as part of an extensive gem collection that can also be admired and appreciated.

Whether youd like to wear or just admire a gemstone, buying loose stones is an increasingly popular, and very smart, way to buy. Heres why:

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through the ages gemstones have been appreciated for their beauty and also credited with a variety of different properties. The metaphysical properties of some of the most beautiful natural colored gemstones are discussed in an earlier post, now its time to get more specific on how you get those benefits: the calming, the healing, the inner strength: whatever it is you seek from a particular gemstone.

Begin this process by thinking about the things you need in your life: the energy that you would like to attract. Next, review the list of gemstones to see what properties each brings to the wearer. Perhaps its the calming and wisdom of the rich red Burma Ruby: the healing, balancing energies of garnet and amethyst: the ability to attract wealth that comes from sparkling citrine: or the need for a bit of peace and joy that is the gift of rich, radiant sapphire: there are enough choices for every need and stage of life…

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Although diamonds have historically been the most cherished of gemstones for engagements and weddings some women are looking for something that is non-traditional and more personal. Colored gemstones give them a wider variety than diamonds and while diamonds generally look nearly identical to the eye, colored gemstones are much more unique.

The richness of the earth shows up in the many varied colors of precious colored gemstones. Whether you choose a rich green garnet or a bright pink tourmaline you will cherish these stones because of their beauty and the immense variety of different choices.

Diamonds have been more popular than gemstones because they have been advertised more and people are used to seeing them. However, in the last few years colored gemstones have become more popular because information tools such as the internet have been able to bring consumers more education about them than was ever possible in the past…

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