Nature's gems

Clear quartz over a pyrite cube on the bottom encrusted with either amethyst or tiny purple fluorite octahedrons then sprinkled with pyrite.

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In the Middle Ages and the Renaissance, every ring set with a precious stone was not considered as much a piece of jewelry, but more as an amulet that bestowed magical powers upon its wearer.

Antique Italian Renaissance Sapphire, Pearl and Gold Necklace 19century

An 18kt gold with natural sapphires and natural pearls, centered with a gold cameo plaque on which the beautiful form of a woman is engraved. Her cape is flowing as she walks, as is her lengthly hair. She is courtly and aristocratic. On the reverse the words in Italian "today and always, oggi e sempre". Golden curved shells and flowers surround her boundaries as do sapphire gems and natural pearls. Garlands form double strands around the central medallion. Sapphires are linked in long suspension from these strands. To fasten this around the neck, a mesh neckband, flexible and light. This appears to be a unique jewel made for a person of high position. Was it given to a woman by her lover, as a wedding gift, a promise? It is exceptional. Condition is superlative. Lore: Sapphire, one of the most precious world gems, is considered the gem of gems. It was always connected to royalty. In medieval days, Sapphire was considered the height of hope and faith. Buddhists believe it brings devotion. Today is is the stone of royal wisdom.

Jewellery masterpieces

Orchid ring set with sapphire, amethyst, green garnet and white diamond on 18K yellow gold by Andre Marcha

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The son of the Turkish Sultan Bajazet (1447-1513) was said to have murdered his father pouring a large quantity of powdered diamond in his father's food. In l532, Pope Clement VII’s doctors dosed him with fourteen spoonfuls of pulverized gems, including diamond, which resulted in death for the patient. In the same century, Catherine de Medici was famous for dealing out death by diamond powder, and Benvenuto Cellini, the famous Italian goldsmith, described an attempt on his life by an enemy who ordered diamond powder to be mixed in his salad.

Diamond powder

Monday motivation

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Early Victorian jewelers fancied gems like topaz, amethyst, citrine and garnets. Diamonds were considered to be matronly while young women often preferred turquoise which was popular throughout the era.

Victorian 19th century turquoise and gold snake necklace. Fully articulated snake with hundreds of bezel set cabochon turquoise beads mounted in 18 karat gold. Finely detailed snake head completely encrusted with turquoise beads crowned with larger cabochon turquoise stone. Cabochon ruby eyes crown the head, which is accented with diamonds around the eyes and the mouth. From the original Fred Leighton

Nature's gems

Golden Selenite

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Under the normal pressures and temperatures we experience on the Earth’s surface, diamonds are actually thermodynamically unstable, slowly transforming into graphite. Yes, you read that correctly, diamonds are indeed turning into graphite, but thankfully for all those diamond owners out there it’s a process that is far too slow for humans to notice.

Diamond graphite phase diagram

Craft day

WHat I knitted while taking a break from blogging...

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Pyrite enjoyed brief popularity in the 16th and 17th centuries as a source of ignition in early firearms.

The 16th century marked the first time a plan such as Balthazar’s had become technologically feasible. Until then, the only firearms were matchlocks – heavy, unwieldy affairs which could neither be concealed from view nor fired without a smoldering fuse, a fuse which burned at the mercy of the elements and which gave off a tell-tale whiff of smoke to any nearby sentient target. [source]