The hunt for the perfect presents has officially began and we are only several weeks away from Christmas. The mood in our home can not be anymore festive, set by the reds, greens and whites of the season, working together in glorious harmony. The powerful ability of these colours, to be traditional and contemporary at the same time, has inspired this years Christmas campaign. If you are as intrigued as we are with the power of naturally coloured jewels, and would love to know a little bit more about the red and green once, simplyread on.
Gemstones are surrounded by mystery, their exquisite colours and their ability to cause ‘light to dance ‘ would have been enough to make them precious, but their beauty, rarity and durability makes them even more desirable. Gemstones have inspired beliefs in their supernatural origins and magical powers, with stones which have survived over the centuries gaining a wealth of history and romance.Gemstones can be of two natural origins:
1) Mineral Origin: found in rocks, pebbles and gravels. these have fixed chemical composition and regular internal structure
2) Organic Origin: these come from animals and plants such amber, pearls and coral
Ruby is a form of Corundum family of minerals. However unlike sapphire which comes in different colours, the ruby is the only found in shades of red , from pale rose through to a deep brownish red even some tinged blue. The most sought after colour is pure red. However we all know a good thing when we see it, so you don’t need too much expertise to establish the difference between a really nice ruby and one is too pale.
The ruby is birthstone for July, possibly the hottest month of the year. The Hindus believe ruby to be like an enduring fire, and they believe that if ruby was placed in water , its inner heat could make the water boil. It also an excellent choice for the everyday wear because is extremely durable and has a hardness of 9 on the MOH’s scale.
Emerald is a gemstone from Beryl family. The finest emeralds are a gorgeous clean rich green. Most emeralds you will see in jewellery have quite few inclusions. However they are still beautiful and they are rated very highly. Many emeralds on the market have been lightly oiled or immersed in a type of colours resin which fills surface fissures and makes the stone look clear and brighter. Emeralds are slightly more delicate with MOH’s hardiness of 7, which means that they scratch more easily than some other gemstones, so caution should be taken in wear .
What colours would you be wearing this festive season?
Source used : The National Association of Goldsmiths 27/02/2013
