Garnet Fire Opal Pink Tourmaline Necklaces in 14K Gold

Garnet is the birthstone for January and the stone that celebrates the 2nd anniversary of marriage. The name "garnet" comes from the Latin word "Garanatus," meaning 'seedlike', in reference to a pomegranate. This reference makes sense as small garnets look like the bright red seeds you find inside in a pomegranate. The garnet has been a popular gem throughout history. Garnets were found as beads in a necklace worn by a young man in a grave that dates back to 3000 B.C. This is proof of the hardness and durability of the stone.... learn more

Mexican fire opals are named for their uniform flaming orange or cherry red body color. They are always very brightly colored, and can be a little bit cloudy to almost perfectly transparent. Transparent specimens have a good luster. Like the traditional opal, fire opals can occasionally display signs of iridescence in very bright light. Fire opals have a very low density, lower than that of glass, with which it is sometimes confused. Fire opals, like other opals, are relatively hard, rating a 5.5 to 6.5 on the hardness scale.... learn more

Tourmaline is the alternate birthstone for October, along with the opal. The stone was first discovered by Dutch traders off the West Coast of Italy in the late 1600's or early 1700's. The name tourmaline comes from the Sinhalese term "turmali,"" which was the name given to all colored crystals on the island of Sri Lanka at that time. This all inclusive name indicates the inability of ancient gem dealers to differentiate tourmaline from other stones. In fact, at one time in history, pink and red tourmaline were thought to be rubies. Pink tourmaline tends to be pinker in color than ruby. However, their similarities in appearance are so strong that the stones in the Russian crown jewels believed to be rubies for centuries, are now thought to be tourmalines"... learn more