Chemically Diamond is the purest form of “Carbon ”. The Diamond is the hardest of all the gems. Only a Diamond abrasive can cut and polish a Diamond. This exceptional hardness is because of the extremely strong chemical bonds between the carbon atoms.

We usually think of Diamonds as colourless gems, but most are slightly to noticeably Yellowish/Brownish. Intense attractive colours like Canary Yellow, Pink, Green, Blue, Purplish and the rare Red are also in the Diamonds’ colour basket.

The Ruby is red, as everyone knows and belongs to the Corundum species. The ruby derives its intense red colour from the presence of Chromium in the crystals.

Corundum has a tightly bonded structure that results in high density and great hardness, second only to the Diamond.

The powers that have been ascribed to Ruby over the centuries are innumerable. Early Burmese thought the stone would bestow invulnerability when it was actually inserted into the owners flesh. Another belief was that Ruby could warn its owner of impending misfortune or calamity by becoming dull and dark.

The term Sapphire without any colour prefix signifies the colour “Blue.” Belonging to the Corundum species it exhibits the same physical properties as the Ruby. The blue colour is the result of Iron and Titanium present in the crystal.

The history shows that the Etruscans belonging to the 7th century BC have used Sapphires. The powers of Sapphires are also equally sweeping as Rubies. Sapphires are believed to have protected Kings from harm and envy. Its powers included the capacities of banishing fraud and preventing terror. It has even been stated that a Sapphire makes a stupid man wise and an irritable man good tempered.

As the name suggests, this is a yellow colour Sapphire variety of the corundum species and again exhibiting the same physical properties as the Ruby and Sapphire. This yellow colour is the result of Ferric Iron present in the crystal.

The Emerald is the green colour variety of the Beryl species. This green is the result of Chromium and or Vanadium in the crystal.
Emeralds are typically heavily flawed with cracks and inclusions of fluids and minerals from rocks in which they grow.

The earliest Emeralds, extracted by Egyptians, date from the Ptolemaic Era (323-30 BC). Prior to the Spanish invasions in South America, Emeralds from Columbia were traded and prized from Mexico to Chile. Finding no source in Peru, the Spaniards looked farther North and in 1537 discovered “Chivor,” the present day Columbia. Columbia to this day produces the most beautiful and valuable Emeralds.

The largest gem quality crystal on record from the Columbian “Chivor” mine, The “Patricia Emerald” was discovered in 1920 and weighed 126 grams or 630 carats. Only a few large and fine crystals have been preserved thanks to the museums and bank Vaults. Emeralds are so valuable as gems that crystals rarely escape being cut.

Anselmus de Boot (1609) recommended Emerald as the most powerful amulet to prevent epilepsy, to stop bleeding, to cure dysentery and fever and avert panic. In addition an Emerald was thought to give its owner the ability to foretell the future.

This is the phenomenal variety of the Chrysoberyl species. The Cat’s Eye, when spotlighted, exhibits a band of light that opens and closes as the stone is tilted. This is amongst the most brilliant gemstones and surpassed in hardness by only the Diamond and Corundum.

The Cat’s Eye effect, called technically as “Chatoyancy” is caused by fine needle like inclusions of Rutile (TiO2) aligned in one direction. Yellow, Brownish and Green Cat’s Eye are the most common. The best would be a rich honey yellow colour.

According to the natives of Sri Lanka, the Cat’s Eye protected its wearer from the evil spirits. An Oriental belief was that if the stone was pressed against the forehead at a point between the eyes, the gem would endow foresight.

Garnets are not just Red but come in all colours except Blue. Many new varieties of gem Garnets have been discovered in the past few decades.

The most commonly used variety in India belongs to the Pyrope-Almandine species. The colours in these species ranges from Pink to Red to Orange to Purplish Red.

According to the Talmud, a single Garnet provided the only light on Noah’s Ark. During the Middle Ages the Garnet was regarded as a gem of faith, truth and constancy.

Pearls, unlike other minerals, have an organic origin. Pearls are a product of oyster type molluscs. They are finished gems when found.

The size of Pearls varies between a pinhead and a pigeons egg. The largest Pearl ever found, The Hope Pearl, is 2in(5cm) long and weighs 90.80grams. This is said to be in the South Kensington Museum in London.

Natural or Genuine Pearls are those that are formed in the oyster without any human interferance. Lustrous Pearls are produced by the molluscs having nacreous (Mother of Pearl) lining, in response to foreign irritants such as parasites or sand grains, layers upon layers of nacre are deposited on that object, forming the onion like structure of the Pearls.When there is human interferance in this natural process, in the form of insertion of an irritant into the molluscs, the Pearls formed are called as “Cultured Pearls.”

In Indian mythology, Pearls were considered to be the heavenly dewdrops that fell into the sea and were caught by shellfish under the first rays of the rising Sun during a period of full Moon.

The orange to red gem was long thought to be a sea plant with flowers but no leaves or roots. In 1723 a French biologist by the name of G.A.Peyssonel, identified Coral as the exo-skeleton of Colonial Polyps, small animals in the sea. Although Coral is a potentially renewable resource, reckless exploitation has jeopardised their existence. Conservation efforts initiated in the 1970’s aim at selective harvesting to preserve the gem Corals. Corals, in Greek mythology originated with Medusa’s death at the hands of Perseus; the drops of her blood became red Coral. During roman times, Coral amulets were thought to protect children from danger.