The Story Behind the Stone: Not really from the Rainforest
by Diana Jarrett GG, RMV
March 31, 2022
18KYG Amazonite and diamond accent pendant. Photo courtesy Doves by Doron Paloma.
"We assume beauty and rarity drive popularity and value in gemstones, correct? So, here’s one for you. What’s truly beautiful, quite rare, not very well known and yet is not expensive? Let’s take this one more step. Its name points to an exotic region of the world, but the stone is not found there . . . at all.
Exotic Provenance
It’s not to say however, that this stone can’t claim exotic roots. It does. Years ago, its only known occurrence was a remote mountainous range some 50 miles southwest of Chelyabinsk, Russia where it was found in granite rocks. It’s a wonder it was ever discovered at all. The pretty but opaque stone, is a tectosilicate, usually produced in an enticing blue green hue displaying a prismatic crystal habit.
Its limited occurrence notwithstanding, the attractive turquoise-y stone had been used for adornment thousands of years ago in Mesopotamia and Egypt. Where did they get the pretty rocks? No record of it appears in ancient records, however. How odd.
The elusive stone is called Amazonite, albeit there have been times it was identified as Amazon Stone. It likely took its label from the lush verdigris coloration of green stones found at one time in the Amazon River. We have no proof of exactly what those stones were, however.
Finding the Stone in Parts Unknown
As time went on, other areas of world were found to have Amazonite in them. Remote areas in China, Mongolia, South Africa all turned up the material. Several US locales have also been known to produce lovely Amazonite too.
Double Trillion Amazonite Ring with accent diamonds in 14KYG. Photo courtesy Sofia by Design.
We know that one sweet spot with modern jewelry collectors is their drive to acquire the rare stone. These give the wearer a feeling of exclusivity, plus if the collector takes the time to learn about the material, they can feel proud of having knowledge plus good taste. Someone is always going to say, “What are you wearing?” when the wearer adorns herself with a beautiful accessory made from Amazonite.
It’s Time to go Center Stage
Striking Amazonite mineral crystal. Photo courtesy Gems Dynasty.
Since the stone is opaque, it makes a perfect stone for pairing with colorful transparent gemstones. The contrast can be striking, and imaginative designers have been known to exploit this when creating original jewelry.
The beauty and versatility of Amazonite makes one wonder why we don’t see it more frequently in fine jewelry. The stone’s delicate white veining throughout adds another layer of interest to any piece of jewelry.
As designers begin to warm up to Amazonite, we start to see pricier ... "
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