 | "Precious Pearls and treasured Iolite and Sterling complete this set. Earwires are non-tarnish Sterling Silver.
Stone Wisdom: The traditional birthstone for June is the pearl. Of course, pearl is not a "stone" in the sense of being a rock formed in the crust of the earth, but rather a hardened secretion produced by shelled water animals called mollusks. When a small irritant, usually a piece of sand, becomes trapped in the mollusk's soft tissues, the animal secretes a substance called nacre (also called "mother of pearl") which surrounds the irritant. The nacre builds up, layer by layer, producing a smooth, hardened pearl. Iolite is a generally blue-violet stone, but shows extreme pleochroism, which means it looks different colors when viewed from different angles. Iolite has a very important place in history as the world's first polarizing filter. Viking mariners would use it in their journeys as a rough compass. The stone's pleochroism enabled them to determine the sun's location on overcast days. Looking through an Iolite lens, they could tell the position of the sun (the lens would look bluest at 90 degrees from the sun).
** Iolite is also known as "Water Sapphire," a reference both to its color and to its ancient usefulness at sea. Today, it is thought to protect the wearer on marine journeys.
** The name "Iolite" comes from the Greek ios, meaning "violet," and lithos, meaning "stone." The scientific name is Cordierite. ** Iolite is also thought to enhance curiosity, and to help in building relationships.
** Iolite is used as a gemstone for the 21st anniversary." Location: Hand-Crafted
Size: Approx. 1 1/2"
Weight: 1.0 lbs.
Quantity Available: 1 Price:
$18.00 |