The Hawaiian state gemstone, black coral (‘ēkaha kū moana), is in reality a skeleton from the living organism and is almost exclusively used, commercially, in jewelry. Live coral is considerably rarer and almost never used in jewelry, although I’m picturing a perfect Lady Ga Ga ensemble. Black coral is a tree-like coral that is mostly found in the deep warm waters of the south Pacific and the Caribbean. I personally prefer the vibrant reds and coral color versions but I’m warming up to the shiny luster of the black coral.
Coral has so many healing and protective properties associated with it that it’s not surprising that it plays a significant role in the talisman, amulets and sacred jewelry of so many cultures. It is often seen in spiritual jewelry and adornment from the ancient Romans, who believed it protected children from harm and cured snake and scorpion bites. And have you ever seen an Egyptian antiquity that doesn’t incorporate coral? This gemstone was also thought to be magical since it was a favorite of and frequently visited by the mermaids.
All corals are linked to soothing and the release of stress while black coral is also thought to increase creativity. It is told that black coral will absorb the surrounding negative energy. I think I need a door made out of black coral for my office.
The addition of a black coral bead to my necklace will bring peace, stimulate creativity, relieve stress, and assist in curing blood-related ailments. (Although I’m told that it works better if it is rimmed in silver and worn on the ring finger.)
Black coral was designated as Hawaii’s official state gemstone in 1987.
A Gem of a Country
Sunday, March 20, 2011
Saturday, March 19, 2011
Texas – PETRIFIED PALMWOOD / BLUE TOPAZ
As we move from Louisiana to Texas, Petrified palmwood goes from being a state fossil to the state stone. This quartz-like stone comes from the fossilization of palm trees from between 20 - 40 million years ago, when the area from western Louisiana through eastern Texas was a lush tropical forest. Over time the trees that fell into the mineral-rich mud decayed into petrified wood. Petrified wood is called the most beautiful of fossils.
A bead of petrified palmwood added to my necklace will increase stamina and endurance while relieving melancholy, fever, gallstones, and eye problems. Petrified wood is also known as the stone of patience.
The blue Topaz is the official Texas state gemstone. Blue topaz, often treated by irradiation to produce vibrant blues, is one of the most popular and widely used of all gemstones.
The topaz is said to dispel sadness, anger and nocturnal fears. The Greeks believed it had power to increase strength and the Egyptians wore it as an amulet to protect them from injury.
A bead of blue topaz will promote artistic inspiration and encourage weight loss. (Forget the bead; I want a 10 carat lavaliere.)
Blue topaz was adopted as the state gemstone on March 26, 1969. The same legislation named petrified palmwood as the state stone.
A bead of petrified palmwood added to my necklace will increase stamina and endurance while relieving melancholy, fever, gallstones, and eye problems. Petrified wood is also known as the stone of patience.
The blue Topaz is the official Texas state gemstone. Blue topaz, often treated by irradiation to produce vibrant blues, is one of the most popular and widely used of all gemstones.
The topaz is said to dispel sadness, anger and nocturnal fears. The Greeks believed it had power to increase strength and the Egyptians wore it as an amulet to protect them from injury.
A bead of blue topaz will promote artistic inspiration and encourage weight loss. (Forget the bead; I want a 10 carat lavaliere.)
Blue topaz was adopted as the state gemstone on March 26, 1969. The same legislation named petrified palmwood as the state stone.
Sunday, March 6, 2011
Louisiana – AGATE
The agate is the state gem of at least 5 other states beside Louisiana, and that’s not including the Fairburn Agate, making it the most popular state gemstone. You’ve got your fire agates and your moss agates, your Mexican, Greek and Lake Superior agates. You’ve got your lace agate and your banded agate, your pink, blue, purple or black agate. But as far as I can find out the Louisiana state gem is just your plain old agate.
Rumor has it that there is some major rock hound agate collecting done around the Baton Rouge parishes. But heck, once you’ve been mining for diamonds what’s an agate going to do for you?
Even though the agate doesn’t quite sparkle like the diamond its use in the making of jewelry, decorative vessels and ornamental objects goes back as far as the Stone Age. Early civilizations used the agate to create talismans to ward off evil and bring good luck. I guess I can’t get enough of these for my necklace.
Let’s see how else I will benefit by the addition of a lovely agate bead. The agate is said to guard against dangers, to encourage pleasant dreams, and to remove curses and eliminate bad luck. It is believed to have a calming effect during times of stress. (Agate body suit anyone?) It was believed to stimulate fertility, so why it was used to make one of earliest children’s toys, the marble, is anyone’s guess. (Hence the name “aggie” for a marble made out of agate.) Forget the aspirin and antacids, use an agate to cure arthritis, headaches, aid digestion and heal ulcers.
In 1976, the agate, found in abundance in the Louisiana gravel, became the state gem. (Petrified palmwood became the official state fossil at the same time.)
Rumor has it that there is some major rock hound agate collecting done around the Baton Rouge parishes. But heck, once you’ve been mining for diamonds what’s an agate going to do for you?
Even though the agate doesn’t quite sparkle like the diamond its use in the making of jewelry, decorative vessels and ornamental objects goes back as far as the Stone Age. Early civilizations used the agate to create talismans to ward off evil and bring good luck. I guess I can’t get enough of these for my necklace.
Let’s see how else I will benefit by the addition of a lovely agate bead. The agate is said to guard against dangers, to encourage pleasant dreams, and to remove curses and eliminate bad luck. It is believed to have a calming effect during times of stress. (Agate body suit anyone?) It was believed to stimulate fertility, so why it was used to make one of earliest children’s toys, the marble, is anyone’s guess. (Hence the name “aggie” for a marble made out of agate.) Forget the aspirin and antacids, use an agate to cure arthritis, headaches, aid digestion and heal ulcers.
In 1976, the agate, found in abundance in the Louisiana gravel, became the state gem. (Petrified palmwood became the official state fossil at the same time.)
Sunday, February 27, 2011
Arkansas - DIAMOND
In your best Marilyn Monroe, sing it with me, “Diamonds are a girl’s best friend”. And who would have guessed that the mother lode was 1 state away. Well, not really the mother lode but Arkansas is host to the only diamond-producing site in the world that’s open to the public. So grab your shovel we’re going to the Crater of Diamonds State Park in southwest Arkansas and prospect for white, yellow and brown diamonds. The great thing is that, unlike most state parks where collecting the “rocks” is frowned upon, here they actually let you keep what you find.
Now we’re not talking diamonds of the highest quality when it comes to the four Cs (cut, color, clarity, and carat) but it still sounds like a hoot and I bet they have one helluva gift shop.
Now let’s see what happens when I add a diamond bead to my necklace. First of all, I didn’t even know that you could get diamond beads but I was able to find some raw diamond beads in yours and my favorite store, how fun is that. As a symbol of purity, the diamond is said to help bring love and clarity into our relationships. (Anyone still wonder why a traditional engagement ring is a diamond.) To the brilliant woman who originally started that rumor, the women of the world salute you. The diamond also represents commitment, fidelity, and trust.
The diamond is believed to stimulate creativity, inventiveness, imagination and ingenuity. Sing it John - “Lucy in the Skies with Diamonds”, okay, different diamond. It’s also known to treat dizziness and vertigo, and fight severe depression. But I think that’s only the really big rocks. So the next time your husband accuses you of being “a dizzy broad” you can tell him what he can get you to solve the problem. He might not “go to Jared’s” but it will certainly cure him of making these wild accusations.
Arkansas designated the diamond as the official state gem in 1967. (Interestingly enough, that was the same year that “Lucy in the Skies with Diamonds” was released by the Beatles, ponder that one a little.) At the same time, quartz crystal was recognized as the state mineral. So just for fun, we’ll include a quartz crystal to the necklace to add balance and positive energy.
Now we’re not talking diamonds of the highest quality when it comes to the four Cs (cut, color, clarity, and carat) but it still sounds like a hoot and I bet they have one helluva gift shop.
Now let’s see what happens when I add a diamond bead to my necklace. First of all, I didn’t even know that you could get diamond beads but I was able to find some raw diamond beads in yours and my favorite store, how fun is that. As a symbol of purity, the diamond is said to help bring love and clarity into our relationships. (Anyone still wonder why a traditional engagement ring is a diamond.) To the brilliant woman who originally started that rumor, the women of the world salute you. The diamond also represents commitment, fidelity, and trust.
The diamond is believed to stimulate creativity, inventiveness, imagination and ingenuity. Sing it John - “Lucy in the Skies with Diamonds”, okay, different diamond. It’s also known to treat dizziness and vertigo, and fight severe depression. But I think that’s only the really big rocks. So the next time your husband accuses you of being “a dizzy broad” you can tell him what he can get you to solve the problem. He might not “go to Jared’s” but it will certainly cure him of making these wild accusations.
Arkansas designated the diamond as the official state gem in 1967. (Interestingly enough, that was the same year that “Lucy in the Skies with Diamonds” was released by the Beatles, ponder that one a little.) At the same time, quartz crystal was recognized as the state mineral. So just for fun, we’ll include a quartz crystal to the necklace to add balance and positive energy.
Saturday, February 26, 2011
South Dakota - FAIRBURN AGATE
If you followed my 50Plus2in52 blog, you’ll know that the Fairburn Agate is the culprit behind this blog concept. And I have my work cut out for me to best the Fairburn sunset behind Mount Rushmore on that map.
The Fairburn Agate is distinguished by its sunset color bands in patterns that appear to suggest that an artist’s paintbrush was used during its creation. Although these banded agates can be found in other areas of the states, the “mother lode” has been found near Fairburn, South Dakota in the southern Black Hills area. The search for a perfect specimen of this striated agate brings amateur and professional “rock hounds” from all over the globe to the badlands. Interestingly enough, that’s one of the reasons that Fairburn enthusiasts lobbied to make the Fairburn Agate the state gemstone of South Dakota, hoping that it would bring the treasure hunting tourists to the area.
The Fairburn Agate, like most other agates can be used to ease stress and anxiety and since it’s a mellow stone can be helpful to heal and improve relationships.
When I add the Fairburn Agate to my necklace, as well as easing stress, it will reduce tooth and stomach issues and help cure insomnia.
The Fairburn agate was nominated as South Dakota's state gemstone on February 11, 1966.
The Fairburn Agate is distinguished by its sunset color bands in patterns that appear to suggest that an artist’s paintbrush was used during its creation. Although these banded agates can be found in other areas of the states, the “mother lode” has been found near Fairburn, South Dakota in the southern Black Hills area. The search for a perfect specimen of this striated agate brings amateur and professional “rock hounds” from all over the globe to the badlands. Interestingly enough, that’s one of the reasons that Fairburn enthusiasts lobbied to make the Fairburn Agate the state gemstone of South Dakota, hoping that it would bring the treasure hunting tourists to the area.
The Fairburn Agate, like most other agates can be used to ease stress and anxiety and since it’s a mellow stone can be helpful to heal and improve relationships.
When I add the Fairburn Agate to my necklace, as well as easing stress, it will reduce tooth and stomach issues and help cure insomnia.
The Fairburn agate was nominated as South Dakota's state gemstone on February 11, 1966.
Saturday, February 19, 2011
Illinois – FLUORITE
Fluorite can be found in a rainbow of colors; white, yellow, blue, green and purple, it’s literally a Mardi Gras in a stone. The term fluorescence is derived from the word fluorite, which is understandable when you see a truly vibrant specimen. With yellow, green and purple all wrapped into one gem, who needs beads?
But as pretty as Fluorite is, it’s lacking in personality. Most of the domestically mined fluorite is used in making steel, enamels, aluminum, and glass. Gemstone quality is typically mined outside of the States in Austria, Switzerland and Mexico. And, of course, Illinois is the largest producer of Fluorite in the United States. By the way, Fluorite is actually Illinois’ official mineral, with no state gemstone designated.
Now let’s see what ailments I’ll reduce, eliminate or cure by adding a fluorite bead to my necklace. Fluorite is called the "Genius Stone" as it’s said to increase your ability to concentrate, helps in decision-making and dissolves mental blocks. As a member of the over 50 club, I’m ordering a bib of fluorite. It also uncovers your free spirit. Too late.
A bill was passed in 1965 that declared Fluorite to be the Official State mineral of Illinois.
But as pretty as Fluorite is, it’s lacking in personality. Most of the domestically mined fluorite is used in making steel, enamels, aluminum, and glass. Gemstone quality is typically mined outside of the States in Austria, Switzerland and Mexico. And, of course, Illinois is the largest producer of Fluorite in the United States. By the way, Fluorite is actually Illinois’ official mineral, with no state gemstone designated.
Now let’s see what ailments I’ll reduce, eliminate or cure by adding a fluorite bead to my necklace. Fluorite is called the "Genius Stone" as it’s said to increase your ability to concentrate, helps in decision-making and dissolves mental blocks. As a member of the over 50 club, I’m ordering a bib of fluorite. It also uncovers your free spirit. Too late.
A bill was passed in 1965 that declared Fluorite to be the Official State mineral of Illinois.
Saturday, February 5, 2011
Nebraska – BLUE AGATE (CHALCEDONY)
Oh boy, off with a bang. Blue chalcedony is a marvelous vision of striations from light blue (almost periwinkle) to royal blue but what I didn’t know was that it contained such strong spiritual properties. If all the gems that we explore have such powerful healing traits and I make a necklace with one bead of each stone (now that’s an idea), I’ll live forever.
It is said that Blue Chalcedony supports the immune system, lowers blood pressure and has an anti-inflammatory effect. It can even heal the lungs and respiratory system of the effects of smoking and cures the eyes, gallbladder, blood and circulatory system of whatever ails them. This beautiful agate also promotes a sense of peace and joy. Placed as a decoration in a child’s room and the youngster will be free of nightmares. WOW!
The artistic striations are formed by layers of quartz. In the US the blue agate is found in northwestern Nebraska which adopted it as its state gem in 1967.
I think I forgot to mention in the opening that I would, once again, “color in” the map with my interpretation of the state gem image. And Blue Chalcedony was a good place to start. We’re rocking now!
It is said that Blue Chalcedony supports the immune system, lowers blood pressure and has an anti-inflammatory effect. It can even heal the lungs and respiratory system of the effects of smoking and cures the eyes, gallbladder, blood and circulatory system of whatever ails them. This beautiful agate also promotes a sense of peace and joy. Placed as a decoration in a child’s room and the youngster will be free of nightmares. WOW!
The artistic striations are formed by layers of quartz. In the US the blue agate is found in northwestern Nebraska which adopted it as its state gem in 1967.
I think I forgot to mention in the opening that I would, once again, “color in” the map with my interpretation of the state gem image. And Blue Chalcedony was a good place to start. We’re rocking now!
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)