Crystal and gemstone jewelry symbolizes love, healing, prosperity and other positive energies. Additionally, many crystal and gemstone pieces have spiritual and astrological ties which may assist your journey of personal development and transformation.
Although certain crystal structures such as amethyst can become gemstones, most don’t become real gems until they have been cut to become facetted gemstones by lapidarists (also known as gemcutters). Gemcutters use flat, symmetrical planes called facets to enhance a gem’s sparkle.
Birthstones
Birthstones hold special symbolic meaning and can reflect one’s personality, astrological influences and more. Many believe these stones possess healing powers which may help improve health, wealth or luck for its wearer. People also often wear their birthstone because it represents qualities they admire in others – sapphires for instance are often associated with wisdom and loyalty while emeralds symbolize fertility and love!
Selecting gemstones that represent your birth month can be an enjoyable way to express yourself and give gifts for loved ones. While the modern list was established in 1912, gems may have been added or taken off depending on availability, demand, and popularity over the centuries.
Modern August birthstones include peridot and spinel, both available in stunning hues that make them the ideal choices. These gemstones were added to the modern list in 1912 as an attractive alternative to sapphire and emerald stones, which had traditionally been celebrated.
Healing Properties
Crystal healing proponents believe gemstones can assist with physical health, emotional balance and spiritual expansion. To do this, they employ various approaches – meditation, visualization or even wearing jewelry with gemstones embedded into it – as methods.
Amethyst is one of the most commonly found gemstones in crystal traditions, popularly used to promote relaxation and spiritual growth. Additionally, amethyst stimulates the crown chakra, stimulating spiritual expansion into higher realms of awareness.
Many crystal traditions suggest specific healing properties for each stone, like lapis lazuli’s ability to instil courage or carnelian’s positive emotional attributes, when choosing stones for themselves. Experienced practitioners advise selecting stones based on their inherent energies rather than worrying about calendar or birthdate connections; crystal prayer beads such as mala beads may inspire hope, courage and peace by keeping them close by your heart or wrist throughout the day; others use them as counting repetitions during meditation sessions.
Symbolism
Gemstones can often be associated with specific qualities. Each gemstone holds significant meaning that goes far beyond mere beauty; for instance, sapphires signify loyalty and worth while being said to attract riches, benefits, and spiritual insights; rose quartz is often seen as a sign of unconditional love that promotes self-love while healing broken relationships.
Other crystals may provide life-enriching benefits as well, including peace and clarity. Iolite is a purple-blue stone associated with the third eye chakra that may assist individuals in seeing past illusions to reach their inner truth. Meanwhile, topaz represents vibrant rainbow energy while strengthening intuition and improving communication.
No matter your interest in astrology or gemstone healing powers, adding one of these stunning pieces to your collection is an effective way to harness their positive energies. From soothing amethyst to grounding black tourmaline, gemstones provide powerful tools for manifesting harmony and maintaining equilibrium.
Care
Crystal and gemstone jewelry holds more than just aesthetic appeal; they also possess powerful healing properties. To preserve both their beauty and longevity, proper storage and cleaning methods must be employed.
Hard, non-porous crystals should be cleaned using soap and water only; avoid submersion as this could damage or discolor them. When cleaning soft porous stones such as malachite and turquoise, soft cloth or brush cleaning is most suitable. In order to protect any stones containing metal components from harsh chemicals or heat sources that could react with them.
Different gemstones respond differently when exposed to heat, acid and scratching, so to prevent scratching it is recommended that soft and porous gems such as amethyst be kept separate from harder more abrasive gemstones and stored separately to avoid accidental chipping of pieces.