Heart of Stone Studio Blog

Sonoran Sunrise Jasper

Sonoran Sunrise Jasper is a beautiful stone that contains aqua blues, reds, and blacks, that are reminiscent of sunrises in the desert, where in the clear air the colors can be quite vivid and intense.

The stone is a mixture of chrysocolla and cuprite. The chrysocolla provides the blue and aqua colors, and the cuprite provides the red colors. The black color comes from either iron or the mineral tenorite.

Sonoran Sunrise Jasper comes from the Milpillas Mine in Sonora, Mexico. Unlike most copper mines which are open pit mines, this particular mine produces material that is covered by hundreds of feet of gravel.

The mine opened in 2006, and so Sonoran Sunrise Jasper is a relatively new material on the market. However, it is said that by 2011 most of the material in this mine has been extracted, and the stone has been harder to get in recent times, particularly stones showing the richness of the blues and reds.

From a metaphysical standpoint, the stone is said to combine the healing properties of both chrysocolla and cuprite. Chrysocolla is said to provide feelings of peace, calmness, and tranquility. Cuprite is said to provide relief from anxiety.

We have a number of wonderful specimens of Sonoran Sunrise Jasper on our website, at www.heartofstonestudio.com.

Star Stones: Star Ruby and Black Star Diopside

I would like to tell you about a couple of Star stones, both of which we offer on our website. The stones are the Star Ruby and the Black Star Diopside.

Let's take a look at Star Rubies first.

Rubies are a red form of corundum, made up of aluminum oxide crystals that contain the element chromium. They are hard stones, with a hardness of 9 on the Mohs scale, which gives them a hardness approaching that of diamonds. For that reason they have been valued as stones to be placed in jewelry.

Traditionally, most rubies have been mined in Asia, in places such as Thailand, Myanmar and Sri Lanka. However, rubies have also been found in a variety of other places around the world.

Star Rubies are distinctive because under a bright light they have a six pointed star on their surface. The stars are produced by titanium dioxide impurities in the form of needlelike fibers known as rutiles. Light reflects from these rutiles, producing the star effect.

In the metaphysical sense, rubies are said to help increase vitality and life force energy. Historically, they have been associated with love and commitment.

 

 

Now let's take a look at Black Star Diopside.

Diopside is a mineral made up of magnesium calcium silicon oxide. It is a relatively soft stone with the Mohs hardness of around 6. At the present time, most black Star Diopside comes from India, although other deposits have been found in various places around the world.

Under a bright light, Black Star Diopside has a four-pointed white star, instead of the six-pointed star found in Star Rubies. The star is produced by needle-thin rutiles made up magnetite inclusions.

Because of the way the rutiles are arranged and the way that they reflect light, two of the lines in the star appear to be straight while the other two appear to be crooked or wavy.

In the metaphysical sense, Black Star Diopside is said to revitalize the mind and to cleanse the emotions. Some say that it also helps stimulate creativity.

We have some Star Rubies and Black Star Diopside on our website, Heart of Stone Studio.

Rhodonite

This is a very pretty mineral that is either pink or red.  Unlike some minerals, it does not have any industrial uses. Instead, it is used primarily in jewelry and as mineral specimens.  Stones used for jewelry often have inclusions of black manganese oxide along with the red of the rhodonite.

The name comes from the Greek word for “rose” or “rosy.”  It was formally named in 1819 by Christoph Friedrich Jasche.

Technically, it is a manganese inosilicate, with a Mohs hardness of 5.5 to 6.5.  It is a relatively uncommon mineral, found in metamorphic rocks in a few deposits in different places in the world, including Australia, Brazil, Russia, Sweden, Peru, England, and the United States.  Rhodonite is the state gem of Massachusetts.

Metaphysically, it is said to have a strong energy of love, altruism, and generosity. It is said to be associated with the root (1^st) and heart (4^th) chakras, and is said to help people fulfill their destiny.

It is one of the birthstones associated with the Taurus astrological sign.

We have a number of fabulous rhodonite cabochons suitable for jewelry designs on our website, http://www.heartofstonestudio.com.

Sources:

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Rhodonite, http://www.healing-crystals-for-you.com/rhodonite.html, http://www.mindat.org/min-3407.html, http://geology.com/minerals/rhodonite.shtml, Robert Simmons, 2015, The Pocket Book of Stones.

Azurite

This is a gorgeous mineral  that comes in shades of blue, deep blue, or purple.  It is found primarily in copper ore deposits, and is often associated with the mineral malachite.

Azurite has been used as a pigment since ancient times, and was mentioned in Pliny the Elder’s Natural History (Pliny wrote most of his Natural History in 77 A.D. in Latin, and died in 79 A.D. watching the eruption of Mount Vesuvius in what is now central Italy).  Many of the vivid blues in paintings from the Middle Ages have now been shown to be made from azurite.

Azurite as a mineral is a copper carbonate, and is relatively soft, with a Mohs hardness of 3.5 to 4.0. It is destroyed by high levels of heat, and the color can fade over time if it is left out in bright sunlight. When it is used in jewelry or if it is used as a specimen in a collection, it should be stored, like any blue or purple stone, in a cool dark place to prevent it from fading.

When azurite is cut as cabochons for jewelry, it is not soft, particularly if it is cut within a quartz matrix.

The mineral is found in the United States, Russia, Australia, China, Chile, and several parts of Europe.

Metaphysically, azurite is said to be good for meditation, promoting an opening of the third eye, an enhancement of psychic and intuitive abilities, and a clearing of the throat chakra. It is also said to provide insight into emotions and helps emotional growth.

We have a limited supply of azurite on our website, www.heartofstonestudio.com.

Sources:

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Azurite, http://www.mindat.org/min-447.html, http://www.crystalvaults.com/crystal-encyclopedia/azurite, Robert Simmons, 2015, The Pocket Book of Stones.

Fossil Orthoceras

These fossils have a stunning symmetry of repeating elements within a black or brown matrix. The name comes from combining the Greek words for “straight” and for “horn”, because these fossils with their tapering ends look like straight horns.  

Orthoceras were cephalopods related to the modern nautilus (modern cephalopods are the octopus and squid). However, while the nautilus has a shell that curves into a spiral, Orthoceras had shells that were straight.

The body of Orthoceras consisted of a number of chambers, with the smallest at one end and the largest at the other end. As the animal grew, it made larger and large chambers, living in the largest chamber at one end.

The Orthoceras were thought to be predators, catching a variety of small prey with a series of tentacles sticking out of the biggest chamber. They had eyes, jaws, ink sacs like modern squid, and a complex nervous system.

Running down the length of the chambers is a black line, called the sipuncule.  This tube had a couple of functions. One was that the animal could force water out of the end of the tube, propelling itself forward. The other was that the animal could adjust its buoyancy in the water by filling the tube with either more air or more water.

These animals lived during the Ordovician period, 488 to 443 million years ago, and finally went extinct in the Devonian period, 416 to 359 million years ago. When they would die, they died in large numbers, probably immediately after reproducing, leaving a huge number of fossils in limestone sediments.

The fossils are found world-wide. Some of the best fossils come from the Atlas Mountains of Morocco, which once were the floor of a seabed and now are tall mountains rising above the desert floor of the Sahara.

Metaphysically, these fossils are said to produce a sense of confidence, and promote a sense of pride and success in business.

We have a number of Orthoceras fossils on our website, www.heartofstonestudio.com.

Sources:

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Orthoceras, http://www.fossils-facts-and-finds.com/orthoceras.html, https://www.paleodirect.com/strceph1.htm, http://www.crystalsrocksandgems.com/Healing_Crystals/Orthoceras.html, http://www.crystalcaves.com.au/wp-content/uploads/2011/06/2.1-Orthoceras-Cephalopod-Fossil.pdf

 

Cinnabar In Quartz

By itself, cinnabar is a mercury sulfide mineral with a hardness of around 2.5 on the Mohs scale, that typically forms around volcanic vents and hot springs. When it is encased in quartz, the resulting combination takes on the hardness of quartz and can be used for jewelry pieces.

Cinnabar is found in a variety of places, including China, Spain, Mexico, and the United States.  The name is derived from the Greek word “kinnebari,” although some sources suggest that the name comes from the Persian language word for “Dragon’s Blood,” which is a poetic portrayal of the blood-red appearance of cinnabar.

When cinnabar is inside quartz, the contrast is startling: bright red splotches against a white background.

Metaphysical theorists say that Cinnabar in Quartz is a stone of transformation.  It is said to stimulate the first two charkras, and for that reason it is said to be a stone that can create prosperity. It is also said to stimulate the third eye, leading to visions of the future which can be grounded in reality through the first two chakras.

We have a very limited supply of pieces of Cinnabar in Quartz from Maricopa County, Arizona, on our Heart of Stone Studio website.

Pietersite

In 1962, a miner named Sid Pieters  found a large stone near a farm in Outjo in north-central Namibia. The stone was covered with limestone and quite heavy, so he took it back to Windhoek, the largest city in Namibia, where he cut it open. Inside he found something that he had never seen before. He described his find in the mineral records of Britain in 1964, and named the mineral “Pietersite.” 

Namibian Pietersite is found inside river cobbles or large stones buried in the sand. No one knows where the mineral actually comes from, but it has been mined by digging down into river sand, sometimes more than 2 meters (6 feet) below the surface, to excavate the cobbles.

One of the amazing features of Pietersite is its chatoyance, which means that it changes colors and brightness when you change your angle of viewing. Dull browns can become bright yellows, reds, or blues, sometimes looking like an abstract painting with bands and swirls of different colors.

This chatoyance is a result of the mineral structure of Pietersite. It is brecciated, which means that there are broken fragments of other minerals jumbled up and folded inside a matrix of some kind of material, in this case quartz. Think of a lot of chocolate chips inside a matrix of dough, and you will have the concept of brecciated.

This brecciated structure can contain the minerals crocidolite, dolomite, barite, and pyrite as microcrystalline fibers and inclusions in the Namibian Pietersite.

It is a relatively hard mineral, with a Mohs hardness of 6.5-7.0.

Other than the source in Namibia, Pietersite has also been found in China, and Chinese Pietersite has been on the market since 1997. However, the Chinese Pietersite is different from the Namibian, in that it contains more hematite and has more reds and blues than the Namibian one.

In either location, Pietersite is quite scarce. The Namibian mining operation is said to cover just 10 acres, and the Chinese mine is rumored to have been shut down.  As a result, Pietersite prices continue to skyrocket as the demand often exceeds the supply.

From a metaphysical standpoint, Pietersite is said to have a lot of properties.  It is said to encourage clarity of thought and intuition. It is also said to stimulate the third eye, leading to an awareness of the future, and it is said that its use in meditation can sometimes lead to blissful enlightenment.  Some metaphysical theoreticians call Pietersite the “Tempest Stone,” because like a storm, it is said to bring cleansing energy to create change.

We have a selection of top-quality Pietersite on our website, Heart of Stone Studio.

Make Your Camera Your PVA!

As a jewelry artist, you have a personal virtual assistant standing by no farther away than your smart phone: Your camera. As you design and build your piece, your camera should always be at hand to help you out and keep a digital record of your work.

Here are some ideas of how your camera can help you:

*When selecting and arranging gemstones for a piece, photograph each of your possible combinations against a neutral background. Then load them to your computer and see how they look. You can use many viewing programs to view images side by side and pick your favorite.

*Not sure which way should be "up" in a stone you're using, or whether you want an accent component added on the side, the top, or at the bottom? Take a picture, then rotate it. Strangely enough, looking at an image on a screen sometimes can be helpful even if you can see the components in person.

*If you know how to use photo editing software, you can photograph a drawing of your future piece,
load it onto your computer, and play with changing colors or adding/subtracting design components. It's always easier to edit your design with the stroke of a computer command, as opposed to building several actual models.

*If you're building a new design, be sure to grab your camera at critical moments to record
how your piece looks at each stage of construction. If you're using a special tool at a certain stage, put that tool right in the picture as a visual reminder of what you used to get that effect.

*Whenever you're experimenting, stop and take pictures, whether or not the results are successful.
And if you like a certain outcome, draw a big star next to it before you snap your camera, so that it will stand out whenever your peruse your photo library.

*Most important, NEVER sell or give away any piece that you haven't already photographed with good, even lighting and an uncluttered background. Those photos might someday be your entry into art galleries or contests. At the very least, they will comprise your professional portfolio and remind you of how much you've accomplished!

Next month....How to take good, quick photos.

 

 

Parrot Wing Jasper

Parrot Wing Jasper is a mixture of chrysocolla, jasper, azurite, and quartz.

It typically has blue and green colors that sometimes include red, and probably got the name Parrot Wing because the colors of the stone resemble those of a parrot's wings.

Most Parrot Wing Jasper is mined in Mexico. It is a very rare stone, and is particularly sought by jewelers for its stunning colors and properties.

Metaphysically, it is said to promote calm and emotional balance. It is also said to be a stone of feminine power that connects with Goddess energies.

We have a selection of Parrot Wing Jasper cabochons at Heart of Stone Studio.

 

References:

http://www.jewels-gems-clocks-watches.com/gemdict_en/index.php?le=P&la=E&entry=116030
http://www.storenvy.com/products/11087370-beautifully-handwoven-parrot-wing-jasper-necklace
http://www.gemstonebuzz.com/chrysocolla

Meteorites

Meteorites are stones from space, that had been highly regarded in ancient times as sources of power. The Temple of Artemis at Ephesus (in Turkey) had a sacred stone that was probably a meteorite. Beads made out of meteorites were found in Egypt, dated to 3200 BC.

Their fate took a downturn in the 18th century when scientists from the prestigious French Academy pronounced that it was impossible for rocks to fall from the air, and ascribed meteorites to things like lightning strikes that partially melted iron and pyrite deposits.

Scientists in other countries did not want to seem backward and be mocked by the prestigious French authorities and followed suit in declaring that meteorites were only earth-bound stones.

Some museums threw away their meteorite collections, declaring the material worthless.

A few scientists around the beginning of the 1800s tried to express the view that meteorites came from outer space, but their views were met with scorn.

However, not too long after museums threw out their collections, some 3,000 stones fell in broad daylight near L'Aigle, France, forcing a reconsideration of where those stones came from.

Although there are many names for different kinds of meteorites, most fall into three general groups:

• stony meteorites that are rocks made up of silicates,
• iron meteorites that are made up of nickel-iron,
• stony-iron meteorites that that are rocks containing some metal.

Most meteorites are the stony kind. Only 6 percent are the nickel-iron kind, and only 1 percent are the stony-iron kind.

Many meteorites date back to a time when our solar system was being formed, and are some of the oldest stones on our planet.

Metaphysically, nickel-iron meteorites are said to activate a number of the chakras. They are said help open the third eye and crown chakras, leading to a spiritual awakening. They are also
said to stimulate the root chakra and open a channel for Kundalini awakening.

We have a selection of meteorites that can be used for jewelry at Heart of Stone Studio.

References:

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Meteorite

Simmons, Robert.2015. The pocket book of stones: Who they are and what they teach. North Atlantic Books, Berkeley CA.