Lapis lazuli

Lapis lazuli, with its millennia-long history, represents a tangible testimony of ancient civilizations and their cultural riches. Used since the dawn of human civilization, this precious mineral has adorned the courts of great rulers and played a significant role in the daily life of elites throughout every era.

Through the ages, lapis lazuli has been admired not only for its visual beauty but also for its complex mineral composition. With its unique blend of lazurite, calcite, and pyrite, lapis lazuli has fascinated artists and craftsmen worldwide, who have transformed this stone into breathtaking works of art, luxury jewelry, and sacred cult objects.

Onyx

Onyx is an intriguing gemstone that carries with it a fascinating geological history. It forms through a natural process involving microcrystalline quartz, which means it is made up of crystals so small that they cannot be distinguished by the naked eye. This formation process occurs in cavities or fissures of sedimentary rocks, often of volcanic origin.

What makes onyx so distinctive is its banded structure, also known as a zebra structure. These bands can vary in colors and thicknesses, but the most common bands are black and white. However, it is possible to find varieties of onyx with bands of other colors, such as brown, red, gray, or even green. This variation in color adds depth and versatility to the stone, allowing jewelers and artists to create unique and distinctive pieces.

Tiger's eye

Tiger's Eye is a variety of quartz that owes its name to its resemblance to a feline's eye. This gemstone owes its particular iridescence to the presence of asbestos fibers that intertwine within the quartz. These fibers give the stone a golden sheen and reflections reminiscent of the stripes of a tiger's eye.

One of the most fascinating characteristics of Tiger's Eye is its ability to change color and reflect light differently depending on the viewing angle. This optical effect creates an illusion of movement within the stone, making it extremely attractive to gem lovers.

Historically, Tiger's Eye has been considered a stone of protection and strength. Many ancient cultures believed that wearing this stone could protect the wearer from negative energies and harmful influences. It is also associated with mental clarity, concentration, and self-confidence.

Other Quartz

Origin and Composition of Quartz: Quartz represents a vast family of minerals consisting mainly of silicon dioxide (SiO2). These minerals form through a complex geological process involving the crystallization of silicon in environments of high pressure and temperature. They are commonly found in igneous, sedimentary, and metamorphic rocks worldwide, making them one of the most widespread minerals on Earth.

Varieties of Quartz: The quartz family offers a wide range of varieties, each with its own distinctive characteristics. Among the most well-known varieties are clear or transparent quartz, which is the purest and most common form of quartz. Amethyst, characterized by purple hues due to traces of iron, is one of the most prized varieties. Citrine, with its golden color, is often used as a gemstone. Agate is a multicolored variety of quartz with bands or streaks, while obsidian is a black or dark brown volcanic quartz, characterized by its glassy luster.

Physical Properties of Quartz: Quartz exhibits a wide range of physical properties that make it unique. Their hardness varies from variety to variety, with clear quartz reaching the highest on the Mohs hardness scale, making it durable and suitable for multiple uses. The transparency of quartz ranges from transparent to opaque, depending on the inclusions and impurities present. Their luster can be vitreous or opaque, influenced by the crystal structure and the presence of defects or inclusions.

In addition to these characteristics, quartz is known for its ability to bend light through phenomena such as refraction and dispersion, giving them a unique brilliance.

Mother of Pearl or Nacre

Mother-of-pearl, also known as nacre, is an organic material produced inside the shells of certain mollusks, such as oysters, mussels, and nautiluses. It forms in response to foreign or irritating objects that penetrate the mollusk's mantle. To protect the mollusk from these intruders, mantle cells secrete a layer of nacre around the irritant, thus creating mother-of-pearl.

From a chemical standpoint, mother-of-pearl is mainly composed of calcium carbonate (CaCO3) in the form of aragonite, arranged in concentric layers. This layered structure gives mother-of-pearl its characteristic luster and iridescence.

White Mother-of-Pearl: White mother-of-pearl, with its brightness and delicacy, forms inside the shells of mollusks such as oysters and mussels. This occurs through a natural process of depositing layers of calcium carbonate. Admired for its velvety luster and tones of bright white, white mother-of-pearl has been used for centuries in the creation of high-quality jewelry, buttons, inlays, and artworks. Its purity and luminosity make it a popular choice among artists and designers who wish to add a touch of sophistication and elegance to their works.

Gray Mother-of-Pearl: Gray mother-of-pearl, on the other hand, is known for its sophisticated palette of gray and silvery tones. It forms when mollusks produce layers of calcium carbonate of varying thicknesses and light reflections. The result is mother-of-pearl with a silvery luster and a range of gray shades, from light to dark, including black. Appreciated for its elegance and distinctive character, gray mother-of-pearl is often used in the creation of luxury jewelry, watches, fashion accessories, and artworks. Its versatility makes it suitable for a wide range of styles and designs, from elegant to modern.