Jewels and the six magical stones

Beauty, brightness, color, transparency and shinny are some of the qualities of precious and semiprecious stones that have always attracted mankind.
A jewel is a meeting between a specific stone, some metal, and one particular woman.
Besides flowers, minerals are the most beautiful creations of nature. Both are found in a variety of shapes, colors and the perfection of line is the same for both. Deep blue gentian of the Alps is found in lapis-lazuli from Iran, and algae of Madagascar has the same unbelievable transparence of rock crystals. Gems represents, in the gray world mineral matter, what flower’s corolla means for a dull green field: a divine delight to the eyes and soul.
But beauty and rarity of these stones and their sustainability has determined people to gather them, process them and hoarded them, to make of them a meaning of domination of the world. Are those who started and led wars, have been offered or exchanged between kingdoms, they have aroused passions and urged the crimes.
Legends and superstitions related to precious stones are found, of all times, in most civilizations. In all these, people had hopes and trust in these miraculous bits of rock, suspecting possible links between them and their own lives, giving crystals religious or spiritual significance. Initially considered to be carrying occult powers (calming the winds, pain, influencing invisible forces, kindle the fire, illness protecting), the history of using crystals followed closely the evolution of human civilization, being considered with “properties” or most unexpected uses: bringing victory, ease childbirth, bringing the rain. Crystals have been even accorded with a metaphysical relationship between the mineral world, plant and the starts nearby.
With time, certain rare very beautiful crystals, have been conferred special and absolute values  and were passed in the category of magical stones, precious, given their rarity and beauty. Therefore, in time of crises, when money lost their value, precious stones were often the escape and the support for the owners. Their value has steadily increased along with the loss of security of property rights: real estate for example, could not survive a revolution, while a gem treasure well hidden may lost longer than any political system.
Six of these gems have accompanied mankind throughout its tumultuous developments: diamond, ruby, sapphire, emerald, opal and topaz. They were always accompanied by another natural formation, this time from organic origins, the beauty least equal to the gems: the pearl.
Ruby, the Orient stone
Ruby is the red variety of corundum, ranging from carmine to dark red, even purple. It’s name comes from Latin where ruber, rubens, rubellus means red. Ruby remains the great Orient stone, having an important place in the maharajah and the pagodas treasures. Exceeding 10 carat rubies are the world’s most rarest and  the most beautiful rubies came from mines in Burma and Thailand. In ancient times was considered the stone of divine power, life, powerful love, healing diseases, giving strength, intelligence and bringing luck to those born in July of Tuesday. Was considered as the most valuable of the 12 stones made by God. Same value is given in Sanskrit (ratnaraj=king of precious stones and gems and ratnanayaka=the first of the gems).
Diamond, the magic stone
Diamond is a natural variety of carbon, pure, crystallized. It’s name come from the greek “adamas” – invincible and “anthos” – flower. It’s not only “the best friend of women” but the best friend of jewelers also. It’s beauty and rarity are legendary. It is usually colorless but also can be absolutely fantastic variety of yellow diamonds, blue, purple, green, pink, black or variety of blue, the famous “blue-blank”. The first known diamonds in history come from India in 1728. The fantastic Cullinan diamond ever discovered was found in a mine in South Africa and had 620 grams (3106 carats) before being cut. Has a slightly bluish color, was cut and divided into nine larger pieces (two of which, diamond “Star of Africa” of 530,2 carats, the largest faceted diamond in the world today decorating royal scepter of England, and another of 317,4 carats, which – along with another fantastic diamond “Koh-i-noor” of 108, 9 carats – decorating the crown of kings of England) and other 96, smaller ones.
Diamond has been considered a magical stone in the ancient world, being reserved for the gods and kings only. It was the stone of the judges, of hell, of power, protective amulet for fighters. The diamond gives kindness and inner purity. Many people believe that diamonds protect from lightning, ghosts, heals melancholy and sleepwalking. Was considered an antidote against poisons and a protector of pregnant women. Diamond symbolizes the Sun and patronize April and Sunday.
Sapphire, “the most beautiful thing”
Sapphire is mostly known as blue corundum variety ranging from dark blue, almost indigo (male sapphire) to transparent blue (female sapphire). It’s name comes from Hebrew where sappir means “the most beautiful thing”. Even though sapphire was almost always associated with blue color, all corundum varieties are called sapphires, except the red one which is ruby. Rarely encountered are transparent variety of corundum which are called white sapphires.  But often is contaminated with iron, chromium, titanium and other minerals that give the blue, yellow or golden color. Greeks greatly appreciated this stone, diamonds being offered to the cult of Zeus.
The most beautiful sapphires come from Kashmir and symbolizes faith, hope, wisdom; they attract good spirits for those born on Thursdays or in April. In India sapphire was considered as a fertility stone and help pregnant women during childbirth. Buddhists assign mental qualities and thought about the deep blue one that cause sleepwalking. In Romania, there are names inspired by sapphire as Zamfira or Zamfir, meaning the one with blue eyes.
Emerald, the rock of goddess Aphrodite
Emerald is a variety of beryl, having a special green color, known as emerald green. The name is taken from latin smaragdus, original from samoraf which mean “stone heart”.
It is the most used stone in jewelry since ancient times, considering that 3500 years ago, in Aswan, Egypt, large amounts of emeralds were extracted from the mines for Cleopatra. It’s value lies especially in it’s color, a very rare and absolute green color which brought its fame. King Solomon offered to the queen of Sheba an emerald to protect her from the snakes, thoughts and bad dreams. Doctors were recommend it to enlarge images, so it is said that emperor Nero was using a huge emerald as lens. The finest emeralds are found now in the mines in Colombia, where emeralds were extracted even before the Spanish conquest. The ancient Greeks considered it as the rock of goddess Aphrodite and it was considered as a good luck stone, being a symbol of immortality and faith, that ensures a good life and kindness. In ancient times the emerald used to patronize the Moon, Tuesdays and Fridays. In Spanish language gave the name Esmeralda (the girl with green eyes) and in Romania the name Smaranda.
Opal, the “fires of colors” stone
Opal is compound of silicon and oxygen, with a very high percentage of water, which is making it very fragile. It’s name comes from Sanskrit upala, which means stone. Opal have a waxy luster, matte or pearl and due to fine cracks filled with sedimentary material or water, its shows water and fire colors, even its not transparent.  There are many varieties of opal: white, black, water or fire, milky or honey.  The fines opal comes from mines in Australia and Mexico. Especially romans valued opal, using it since ancient times. It seems that sending into exile of the senator Nonus by the emperor Marc Antoniu  was determined by the opal which senator had in his possession, just because emperor Marc Antoniu wanted to offer that beautiful opal as gift to Cleopatra. Although it was considered a stone of bad luck (probably because its fragility which make almost impossible to process the stone), it was believed that it can protect of poisoning. An absolute beauty, opal recently returned to fashion, being the protector of those born in October.
Topaz, the friendship stone
Topaz is a colorless or colored variety (blue, light blue, smoky, light green, light pink, dark red, yellow)of aluminum silicate, which can be found in very large crystals, most in the mines in Ukrainne and weighing not less than 117kg. The most famous noble topaz, polished, of 1680 carats is part of  the beautiful Spain crown.
It’s name comes from Topazos islands from the Red Sea. Yellow variety of topaz from Brazil, if heated turns into pink. Topaz was considered a stone of friendship since ancient times and its thought to have the gift to stop the bleeding, dementia or anger, being protective and bringing good luck for those born in November or Sundays.
Pearl, the symbol of femininity