Romancing The Stone

By Victor Epand

The age old adage that Diamonds are a girl's best friend holds true even today and there is hardly anyone who does not want to bring home those beautiful sparkling stones. Since ancient times, men have been wooing the love of their life with exquisite diamond rings and the tradition is on even today.

The mystery and magic of diamonds remains untouched as women across the world die to own the majestic diamonds in the form of wedding rings at least if not bracelets, and necklaces. This undying fascination for diamonds is evident from the number of branded companies that produce the finest diamond jewelry in the world. Diamond pendants are also in vogue and along with tiny studs they make the perfect accessories for working women.

Also popular are the pristine emeralds, royal sapphires, and the fiery rubies that are all very expensive and truly classic. From ancient times and even today, gemstones are popular for their innate magical powers. Thus, emeralds are known to improve eyesight, yellow stones for treating jaundice, and red stones enhance the blood flow.

In the past, these gemstones were also associated with particular qualities and had a different meaning for men and women. A ruby indicated command, nobility, vengeance, and lordship when worn by a man, while it suggested pride, obstinacy, and haughtiness when worn by a woman.

The blue sapphire was synonymous with wisdom and noble thoughts when worn by men, on the other hand it signified vigilance, jealousy in love, and politeness when used by women. Likewise, the emerald also has entirely different connotations for men and women and for a man it signifies hope, joy, while for women it indicates change, and ambition.

Organic gems like pearls, amber, and coral are also very popular and exude sheer elegance and style. Pearls are relatively less expensive as compared to precious stones. However, natural pearls can cost a fortune as they are very rare.

Gemstone jewelry comes in different styles and prices and it is not very difficult to find one that fits in your budget. Birthstones are the new fashion mantra, as teenagers find them very trendy. Some of the opaque gemstones including lapis lazuli, turquoise, and malachite are also gaining popularity and making unique style statements.

Although all gemstones are as hard as a rock, they require special care so that their radiance remains intact for years. Being hard does not mean that they are invulnerable to damage, as gemstones having inclusions have a weak crystal structure. Make sure that you store the gemstone jewelry items in different pouches so that softer stones do not get scratched by the harder gemstones.

Also, you need to clean rings and pendants, as soap and dust gets accumulated behind the gem. A touch of gentle dish soap can do wonders for your gemstone jewelry pieces. Pearls, coral, and amber should be kept away from chemicals in hairspray, perfumes and cosmetics that can spoil their surface.

Opaque gemstones like turquoise can be wiped clean using a moist cloth and must be kept away from ammonia, ultrasonic cleaner, or other cleansing solutions. You may use ammonia to add extra sparkle to your diamond, sapphire, or ruby jewelry. However, ammonia solution must not be used if the jewelry is made of silver. A little care can go a long way in adding life, and luster to your priceless gemstones cherished for generations.

Victor Epand is an expert consultant about jewelry and diamonds. When looking for jewelry, we recommend you shop only at the best online jewelry stores for diamond gems, loose diamonds, diamond rings, fashion jewelry, fashion earrings, fashion pendants, engagement rings, wedding rings, and wedding bands.