Magic in the Heavens, Magic in the Gems...

Have You Viewed the Solstice SuperMoon?

On June 23, the moon will be at its closest distance to Earth for 2013 while in its full phase. As a result, it will appear 8 percent larger and 17 percent brighter than usual—an event widely known as a supermoon.

And making it a bit more special, thanks to coincidental timing, this supermoon will be coming on the heels of the June solstice, which takes place only two days before.

"This kind of celestial geometry repeats roughly every 14 years," said (Adler Planetarium astronomer Mark) Hammergen.

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Magic of the Moonstone

The moonstone is one of the most magical looking gemstones. With its many changing colors and the glow from it that resembles the moon makes it look like it has enchanting powers. The Romans believed that the stone was formed from the frozen moonlight because of the beautiful shimmer that it gives off. The moonstone is quickly related to goddesses; those goddesses include Diana, Hecate, Artemis, Hera, and Selene, the moon goddess herself. In fact, ancient Greeks called the moonstone “Aphroselene” after both Aphrodite, the goddess of love, and Selene, the goddess of the moon and it was thought that the best time to use the moonstone was during a full moon to make this gemstone its most powerful. Because of its association to the water, moonstone also has said to have the power to protect those at sea. It was given the name “Traveler’s Stone” due to this and then was also said to protect those who traveled during the night, especially during a new moon. Both Indian and European legends thought that the moonstone would make two people fall passionately in love with each other when the moon is high in the sky and they were both wearing the stone. They also thought that it would bring bitter lovers back together. During the middle ages people believed that if you looked into a moonstone you were able to see the future.

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Full Moon, New Moon, Grey Moon, Blue Moon

Just as the Moon has a range of many phases, Moonstone has a stunning spectrum of several ethereal hues...

Mysterious Colors of the Moon

The ancient Romans theorized that moonstone, with its unearthly shimmer, was formed from frozen moonlight. This appealing gem variety does shine with a cool lunar light but it is the mineral feldspar, quite terrestrial in origin. The shimmer, which is called schiller or adularescence, is caused by the intergrowth of two different types of feldspar, with different refractive indexes.

Moonstones come in a variety of colors. The body color can range from colorless to gray, brown, yellow, green, or pink. The clarity ranges from transparent to translucent. The best moonstone has a blue sheen, perfect clarity, and a colorless body color. Another related feldspar variety is known as rainbow moonstone. In this variety, the sheen is a variety of rainbow hues, from pink to yellow, to peach, purple, and blue.

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Row 1:
Who: Madelynn Cassin of Vyoleto and Garnet Girl Designs
What: Rainbow Moonstone Halo Ring in Sterling Silver
Where: Manchester, NH
Web: http://www.etsy.com/listing/153382804/rainbow-moonstone-halo-ring-6mm

Who: Madelynn Cassin of Vyoleto and Garnet Girl Designs
What: White Moonstone and Green Sapphire 14K Gold Necklace
Where: Manchester, NH
Web: http://www.etsy.com/listing/97595480/green-sapphire-white-moonstone-and-14k

Who: Madelynn Cassin of Vyoleto and Garnet Girl Designs
What: Black "Man in the Moon" Moonstone 14K Rose Gold Ring
Where: Manchester, NH
Web: http://www.etsy.com/listing/56448769/man-in-the-moon-14k-rose-gold-and-black

Row 2:
Who: Mimi Favre of Favre Bijoux
What: Peach Moonstone Oval Cabochon Minimal Earrings
Where: Philadelphia, PA
Web: http://www.etsy.com/listing/129478793/peach-moonstone-oval-cabochon-minimal

Who: Cheryl Van Dyck of Lavender Cottage
What: "Once in a Blue Moon" Hammered 14K Gold Stack Rings with Blue Moonstone
Where: Greeneville, TN
Web: http://www.etsy.com/listing/53818558/hammered-14kt-solid-gold-stack-rings

Who:  Jodi Brownstein of Jodi Rae Designs
What: Sterling Silver Bola Earrings with Rainbow Moonstone Briolettes
Where: Austin, TX
Web: http://www.etsy.com/listing/151053050/sterling-silver-bola-earrings-with

Row 3:
Who: Mimi Favre of Favre Bijoux
What: Greenish Moonstone Minimal Pendant in Sterling Silver
Where: Philadelphia, PA
Web: http://www.etsy.com/listing/154089164/moonstone-cabochon-minimal-pendant

Who: Madelynn Cassin of Vyoleto and Garnet Girl Designs
What: White "Man in the Moon" Moonstone 14K Yellow Gold Ring
Where: Manchester, NH
Web: http://www.etsy.com/listing/58244370/white-moonstone-face-in-recycled-14k

Who: Shannon Crain of Selicias
What: 14K Gold Peach Moonstone Hoop Earrings
Where: Portland, OR
Web: http://www.etsy.com/listing/153337309/14k-gold-peach-moonstone-earrings-real

Moonstone Cabochon Photos courtesy of Roger Weller and Cochise College
http://skywalker.cochise.edu/wellerr/mingem/gemtl/moonstone/moonstoneL.htm

Shimmering in the Moonlight

Who: Julia Kay Taylor
What: Handcrafted Artisan Jewelry
Where: Tucson, AZ
Web: http://www.juliakaytaylor.com/index.html
Why: Julia's exceptional craftsmanship is well-matched with her impressive sense of design. Lush gems include Tsavorite Garnet, Chrysoberyl, Peach Tourmaline and my current crush Moonstone...that Blue Moonstone choker is truly a stunner!

Here's a little more about June's beguiling birthstone...

Moonstone

The moonstone is characterised by an enchanting play of light. Indeed it owes its name to that mysterious shimmer which always looks different when the stone is moved and is known in the trade as 'adularescence'. In earlier times, people believed they could recognise in it the crescent and waning phases of the moon.

Moonstones from Sri Lanka, the classical country of origin of the moonstone, shimmer in pale blue on an almost transparent background. Specimens from India feature a nebulous interplay of light and shadow on a background of beige-brown, green, orange or brown. These discreet colours, in connection with the fine shimmer, make the moonstone an ideal gemstone for jewellery with a sensual, feminine aura. This gemstone was very popular once before, about a hundred years ago at the time of Art Nouveau. It adorns a noticeably large number of the jewellery creations of the French master goldsmith René Lalique and his contemporaries, mainly to be found in museums and collections today.

This gemstone is surrounded by a good deal of mystique and magic. In many cultures, for example in India, it is regarded as a holy, magical gemstone. In India, moonstones are also regarded as 'dream stones' which bring the wearer beautiful visions at night. In Arabic countries, women often wear moonstones sewn out of sight into their garments, for in their cultures the moonstone is a symbol of fertility.

The moonstone symbolises our being in its entirety. With its soft shimmer, it strengthens our emotional and subconscious aspects. The associations connected with that make it a "lovers' stone", evoking tender feelings and safeguarding the true joys of love. It is also said that wearing a moonstone strengthens our intuition and our capacity to understand.

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Elegance Emerges

Who: Elaine Hyde
What: Objects in Blown Glass and Precious Metals
Where: Los Osos, CA
Web: http://www.elainehyde.com/
Why: So excited to find this exuberantly creative hybrid of glass and jewels! Treasure jars that partially dismantle into gemmy beads and pendants. Perfume bottles with dramatically elegant gold, silver and gemstone stoppers. Teapots tipped with precious stones. All in full mind-blowing color!

Stone Whisperer

Who: Kevin Lane Smith
What: Gem Carver
Where: In the field
Web: Not available
Why: Kevin is an old friend and a phenomenal gem carver. He's widely recognized as an expert in the mining and carving of American Opal, especially super rare Oregon Opal. He also works with Opal from other locations, as well as rare and unusual gems of collector caliber. He can coax heart-jolting color out of his pieces because he has years of experience in cutting a gem precisely to take advantage of its crystal orientation, and also because he just has a gift, an intuitive sense of what's going on inside an otherwise sleepy stone. I've met hundreds of cutters through the years and very few of them have this "soul of a stone whisperer". Kevin's gems reflect his wise and gentle nature too...lots of positive vibes and always a joy to wear!

Column 1
Fire Opal Carved Pendant
Ajoite Phantom Quartz Carved Pendant
Oregon Opal Carved Pendant
Column 2
Oregon Opal Carvings and Pendant
Cat's-eye Blue Apatite Carved Pendant
Dragon's Eye Ethiopian Chocolate Opal
Column 3
"Chamber" -- White gold and sterling silver neckpiece featuring one of Kevin's Oregon Opal Carvings, along with Meteorite and Fire Opal, designed and made by your friendly neighborhood blogger...that would be me.  :)
Fire Agate Carved Pendant
Oregon Opal Carving

Two on Tuesdays...Tribal Energies

Who: Owen Mapp and Hanne Eriksen Mapp
What: Handcrafted Jewellery, Carvings and Knives
Where: Paraparaumu, New Zealand
Web: http://www.art-jewelery.com/index.html
Why: Working in separate studios, collaborating on special projects, Hanne's striking jewelry work and Owen's renowned carvings reflect their world travels and appreciation of diverse tribal cultures. Earthy, lush and primitive yet elegantly well done.

Last Chance to See the Light!

Gems! Colors of Light and Stone
Bowers Museum--Santa Ana, CA
Through August 24, 2008

A rare opportunity to enjoy a glimpse into the acclaimed Michael Scott Collection, among one of the most important gem collections in the world. Scott, a former president of Apple with a keen eye for truly magnificent gems, will be showing about one fifth of his collection, including the "Queen of Kilimanjaro," a tiara with a 242ct Tanzanite accented by one thousand brilliant Diamonds. The exhibition also highlights a gorgeous parrot head brooch with an incredibly rare sea blue Paraiba Tourmaline surrounded by over 31ct of Paraiba Tourmaline accents, Diamonds, platinum and white gold, as well as a necklace of rare Benitoites and a 400ct+ Golden Sapphire.
This is an event not to be missed!

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