Tanzanite - The Magnificent Gemstone

Executive Summary by Gary Hocking

The cheapest stones are nice but you wonder what all the fuss is about until you see the violet/blue at its best. It is then you know what a magnificent stone this tanzanite is. It is simply superb and you want to just turn it around and gaze into it.

Discovered in 1967, tanzanite is a variety of zoisite and it looks a lot like sapphire and in fact when it was first found it was thought to be sapphire. In gem speak 1967 is yesterday! How could such a wonderful gemstone be found so recently?

The stone is a natural crystal which is yellow through to reddish brown in its natural state. But it needs heat and lots of it to make it a fantastic blue colour. Story has it that after a lightning strike some Massai herdsmen found this beautiful blue crystal stone in the foothills of Mount Kilimanjaro in Northern Tanzania.

True or not the fact is it isn’t found anywhere else on earth and since it was only found recently it is in short supply, or at least the best quality stones are.

Two years after it was discovered the New York jeweller Tiffany decided to put it on the world gem map. They promoted it heavily and now it is recognized as a prized gem.

Some gems around the world are involved in what is termed Conflict Gems or Blood Diamonds is another term. This is where the gems are mined under duress by the local population or slaves and often the money is used to promote terrorism. Tanzanite seems to be clear of any such problems.

There is an abundance of the light coloured stone and it is quite cheap and doesn’t look anything special. The larger and better coloured stones are rare and naturally are expensive. The better colours are the mid to dark blues with shifts of purple in them.

Tanzanite is a soft stone and this has some downside. It will scratch and chip easier than other top gemstones so it is wise to think about the type of jewellery that you have it set in and the way you treat it. For instance it is best worn in earrings where it is out of harm’s way. If you wear it in a ring then be careful as it may not last if it is constantly being knocked against furniture and other things. So as a wedding ring worn all the time it is almost certainly going to get damaged.

Tanzanite is an absolutely magnificent gemstone. It is right up there in quality and price at its highest level. It is stunning and rare. It is enhanced when alongside other gems such as opals and diamonds and it is breathtaking when set in platinum.

The Centre of Our Existence!

Executive Summary by Joseph Ghabi

Most of us have heard talk or have read something about the seven centers of energies that we refer to as Chakras. I do believe these are very important centers of our being in terms of our energy field, our aura, and most of all our own balance that can manifest into our physical body.

So what can we do about these energies and how can we balance these centers? You don’t need a high level of schooling but perhaps only a few small tips that can enhance your association with the different levels of these Chakras.

These Chakras are usually associated with colors. Not simply to distinguish them, or identify them from each other, but because colors on their own play on our emotional psyche. I personally work with nine chakras instead of seven. I will go through the nine charkas and explain their characteristics.

The characteristics of the Chakras, having worked with them for many years through my meditation and healing, are represented as follows: We will start from the bottom up.

The Root Chakra is the first Chakra located on the base of the spine, and its color is “Red” and its secondary color is “Black”. Its characteristics are grounding to the earth plane existence in a body. It holds the basic needs of stability, security, and survival. In our body, Root Chakra body parts include the hips, legs, rectum, kidneys, bones, colon, and lower back. Any red or black gemstones will help heal and balance this Chakra. Recommended gemstones: Garnet, Ruby as red, and smoky quartz and obsidian for black.

The Belly Chakra is the second Chakra located in the abdomen, and its color is “Orange”. Its characteristics are our sexuality, self-esteem, our own personal power, and power of the world. This Chakra accesses the lower level of the emotional body and houses one’s unhealed inner child. Inner child here are where the images of both this life, and past life traumas, are stored. The ability to let go of old emotions is based in this Chakra. This is a very powerful chakra. In our body, Belly Chakra body parts include the ovaries, vagina, genitals, uterus, lumbar spine, kidneys, bladder, and large intestine. Any orange gemstones will heal and balance this Chakra. Recommended gemstones: Carnelian (help in pregnancy), and Coral.

The Solar Plexus Chakra is the third Chakra located in the stomach, and its color is “Yellow”. Its characteristics are the conscious and rational mind. Our self-confidence, personal power, and intuition is manifested here. Business, math sense, and material learning ability are focused here as well as self-empowerment and our will. Our inner child as part of our Soul is housed there and that can help to bring us our survival tools. Solar Plexus body parts include the stomach, bladder, pancreas, small intestine, liver, and gall bladder. Any yellow gemstones will heal and balance this Chakra. Recommended gemstones: Citrine or Yellow Sapphire.

The Heart Chakra is the fourth Chakra located in the heart, and its color is either “Green” and as secondary color “Pink” pending on the persona state of mind. Pink will represent earthly love and that the person is looking for love. Green is more universal and unconditional love for self and for humanity as a mean of compassion. Its characteristics are that it is very important to give and receive love. It is about the ability to love yourself and others. Heart Chakra body parts are the heart, circulatory system, lungs, shoulder and the upper back. Any color of pink or green gemstones will heal and balance this Chakra. Recommended gemstones: Modalvite and Malachite for the Green, and Pink Crystal Quartz and Kunzite for the Pink color.

The Throat Chakra is the fifth Chakra located in the throat, and its color is “Light Blue”. Its characteristics are expression, hearing (include psychic hearing), receiving others, communication, and creativity. It holds the blueprint of the physical body. Possibility for change, transformation and healing are located here, including healing one’s future verses the past, through karmic release. The throat can store our anger, and what we need to let go of. Throat Chakra body parts include the throat, neck, jaw, teeth, ears, hearing, and the thyroid gland. Any light blue gemstones will heal and balance this Chakra. Recommended gemstones: Aquamarine, Blue Tourmaline or Turquoise.

The Third Eye Chakra is the sixth Chakra located between our brows, and its color is “Indigo”. Its characteristics are where we see beyond physical realities into the psychic realm, for understanding of the non-physical truth. It is defined as the place of the Goddess Within. Third eye Chakra body parts include the eyes, face, and brain. Any indigo gemstones will heal and balance this Chakra. Recommended gemstones: Azurite and Sapphire.

The Crown Chakra is the seventh Chakra located on top of our head, and its color is “Violet”. Its characteristics are that it is the first point where the Soul enters into the body at birth through its return journey into this plane. It is defined as the place of the Goddess herself. Crown Chakra body parts include the spine and nervous systems. Any violet gemstones will heal and balance this Chakra. Recommended gemstones: Amethyst and Serenite.

The Connection Point Chakra as I call it is the eighth Chakra located few inches from the crown Chakra and its color is “Clear or White”. This is where communication with your guides and loved ones will take place and bring clarity to your link to guidance and peace. It is beyond our physical body and rarely has any effect on us. Any white or clear stone will heal and balance this Chakra. Recommended gemstones: White and Clear Quartz.

Oneness with the source Chakra as I call it, is the ninth Chakra located a few feet higher than the Connection Point Chakra and its color is “Gold”. This is the level on which the soul works. The experience on meditating on this will differ for each of us as individuals because our experiences on a soul level are unique to each, every one of us for our own evolution at a soul level. It is a very high and strong Chakra, and it may be uncomfortable for some people. It will take some practice to get use to its energy. I never used any Gemstone for this Chakra but it is essential to have balanced the complete Chakra for it to work properly. You can use a mixture of the eight Gemstones from the different Chakra’s to heal and balance it.

I personally use the last two Chakras, but they are not necessary when first starting to use your Chakras when you start meditating. Once you become familiar with your centre points and try to tap into their energies then those Chakras can offer you some benefit and they will have their effect on you.

Chakras are a very important part of our life and we may accept this or not. It is a personal choice. Whatever your preference is on the subject, you will feels its effect in your daily life.

Things To Know About Citrine

Executive Summary about Citrine by Dr. Mark Clayson

Citrine is a variety of a quartz stone which is usually yellowish to brownish in color. Jewelers find use for this type of quartz as a gem setting on a ring or necklace. Citrine happens to be the most valuable quartz gemstone.

How it is formed

Under natural conditions, citrine is colored yellow to orange and is generally of a lighter shade compared to the heat-treated stones which usually turn reddish-brown or orange brown. In some cases, the crystals in amethyst deposits can be changed partially or fully to a citrine mineral of the brown variety mainly by natural means of heating. In other cases, treating smoky quartz with heat can also produce citrine.

Citrine is naturally an amber-colored stone. It is a combination of ferric iron and quartz and is rarely found naturally but can be manufactured artificially from other gem stones.

Citrine in History

Citrine was also used in ancient times as an amulet to protect the bearer or the wearer from a snake’s venom and even evil thoughts. It is also one of two birthstones for the month of November.

Naturally Occurring Citrines

To the untrained eye, it is easy to mistake a topaz for a citrine. Some unscrupulous individuals have begun to hype up the market with citrine as a more valuable variety of topaz. In general, all topazes with a prefix are considered heat-treated citrine such as Madeira topaz, gold topaz, Brazilian topaz, false topaz and citrine topaz. The only three exceptions to this rule are oriental topaz, precious topaz and imperial topaz, which are incidentally the most-sought after topaz varieties.

The experts in the jewelry industry have come up with ingenious ways of producing more expensive specimens of amethyst and smoky quartz. In nature, citrines are usually pale yellow but the heat treated specimens come out as orange or reddish shades. Under natural conditions citrine starts out as amethyst then changes to citrine due to heat emitted by magnetic bodies. Citrine from amethyst can be changed back to a purple shade through the process of beta radiation

A popular gemstone, ametrine, is in fact a combination of amethyst and citrine.