Amethyst Jade Alexandrite Necklaces in 14K White Gold

Amethyst has been a prized gem for centuries. It is the birthstone for Pisces and the month of February, and the gemstone for the 6th anniversary of marriage. The stone is included in royal collections all over the world, from ancient Egypt to the British crown jewels. The Smithsonian has an amethyst that weighs 400 pounds! Ancient civilizations prized the stone more than many gems, which today, enjoy more recognition and value, including the sapphire and the ruby. In olden times, Amethyst saw its place in the Christian church, worn on Bishops' rings. The royal purple color used to symbolize Christ. Saint Valentine was thought to wear a ring set with an antique Amethyst carved with an image of Cupid. The stone is also a symbol of Saint Matthias. There are a number of Biblical references to the amethyst. It was also one of the twelve precious stones in the high priest Aaron's breastplate. The twelfth foundation of the Holy City was built of amethyst. For some time, true amethyst was val... learn more

Jade is the stone given in celebration of the 12th, 30th, and 35th anniversaries of marriage. For thousands of years, the stone has been revered in China and other countries throughout the world. The Chinese, Mayas, Aztecs, and the Maoris of New Zealand have long prized the stone for its use in jewelry, and in carvings of sacred religious figures. Before there were written records of jade, it was used for axe heads, spear points, daggers, and sacred knives in pagan religious ceremonies. From the earliest days of jade's history, it has been the most favored gem among the Chinese. There are collections of jade with Chinese carvings, dating back to 2000 BC in museums throughout the world. These include carvings of meaningful shapes such as fish, birds, bats and dragons. Jade was used extensively in daily and ceremonial objects of Chinese nobility and represented high rank and authority. Jade amulets were actually buried with the dead in China. The Spanish conquistadores adopted the use of... learn more

Alexandrite is the birthstone for June (along with the pearl) and the Anniversary stone for the 55th year of marriage. It is also considered Friday's stone, or the stone of "Friday's Child." It is an extremely rare gemstone and a reasonably modern one to boot. It does not share the ancient history and lore of most other gems because it was first discovered in the 19th Century. The name Alexandrite comes from the fact that the gemstone was first found in the emerald mines near the Tokovaya River in Russia's Ural Mountains in 1830, on the day of Prince Alexander II of Russia's birthday. The story of the stone's discovery goes like this: Miners were working alone in the mountains one day, collecting emeralds. One miner gathered some stones, which looked like emeralds, and took them back to the camp at the end of the day. But in the campfire's light, the stones shone a brilliant shade of red! The miners were perplexed. When morning came, and they saw that the stones were green again in the... learn more

Many different gemstones can be bought in today's market. There are sapphires, opals, rubies, emeralds and more. What you may not know, however, is that all of these gemstones may not be what they appear. Some gemstones on the market are not natural gemstones, and should be marked by the seller as either "lab-created" or "simulated". You may find that some of these so-called "fake" gemstones may be almost as expensive as their natural counterpoints! This may seem suspicious to you, but actually, it is an accepted practice in the jewelry trade, that is, if the "fake" is actually grown in a laboratory, which makes it quite real in fact.... learn more