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A Brief History of Gemstones

Since the days before history were recorded, we have been adorning ourselves with the most beautiful things we could find. At first, perhaps it was stones and feathers. Today, we have some of the most beautiful gemstones at our disposal for making into fashion jewellery.

Author: Mark Lancashire

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Fashion jewellery has been popular ever since we gained the knowledge needed to cut and polish beautiful stones. While precious stones have almost always been very rare and expensive, gemstones are semi-precious stones. Gemstones are also very beautiful, but they are less rare and certainly less expensive than precious stones.

Such is our love affair with gemstones that we have even assigned specific gemstones as "birthstones" that correspond with the month of birth. The concept of birthstones may be based on a certain passage in the Bible, where a Hebrew high priest wears a breastplate with twelve stones set in it. Each stone represented one Israeli tribe.

Eventually, certain gemstones were associated with certain signs of the zodiac. From the fifteenth century, people have worn gemstones which corresponded with the current month in order to maximise the healing power of each stone. Although not many of us would now wear a different gemstone for each month of the year, many of us do possess and wear birthstone jewellery.

Even more fascinating than the zodiac connection is the healing powers that gemstones are said to have. Certain stones have been said to cure diseases and conditions, while others have purely mental, psychic, or spiritual benefits. Kings and queens, common people, and even some modern politicians have all held beliefs in the healing power of gemstones.

For those who simply love the look of gemstone jewellery, there are plenty of lovely choices. Gemstone jewellery can be found in just about any incarnation these days. From rings and bracelets to necklaces, anklets, and earrings, gemstone jewellery is just as popular as it always has been.

A recent resurgence in the "New Age" movement h as subsequently led to a rise in the sale of gemstone jewellery. As a new generation of gemstone lovers learns more about the healing properties of gemstones, they are wearing their new knowledge proudly.

These days, it's not uncommon to find natural health practitioners using gemstones as part of their healing ritual. Although not officially sanctioned by any medical authority, gemstone healing is popular amongst a surprising number of people. According to them, the gemstone therapy really works.

Massage therapists have been using gemstone therapy along with their more conventional massages for many years. They use gemstones in a variety of ways to stimulate the immune system, relieve stress, or for any number of other goals.

Most of us are content to simply look wonderful in our gemstone jewellery. And with so many choices available today, it's no wonder that gemstones are enjoying the attention they so rightly deserve. Whether or not the purported healing powers of gemstones can be proven, almost everyone can agree that gemstone jewellery is beautiful and appropriate for anyone.

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We aim to bring you some of the finest contemporary jewellery pieces available. As well as sourcing jewellery from Asia, we hope in the near future to move into areas of our own design work. We do not make our own jewellery, but we work closely with the people who do, to ensure that each individual handcrafted piece is of the highest standard.

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A Brief History of Gemstones