Ah, it’s that time of year again – your annual anniversary has rolled around and you’re clueless as to what to get your mate. Believe us, you aren’t the only inept ones among us.

Conversely, for those of us that are clue in, we know that each anniversary is accompanied by a specified stone and/or metal which tells us just what we should and what we should not buy (just yet anyway) for our significant other. The stones start off slow, with traditional gold jewelry for the 1st anniversary and pick up the pace the higher your numbers get. Following this simple guide year by year will allow you to seek out just what your mate deserves after all of these years and what may be a bit too over the top for your 1st anniversary together!

Please note the first listed is the accepted anniversary stone while the following styles are simply alternates.

1st Anniversary: Gold or Peridot

2nd Anniversary: Garnet

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Colored stones – pink, blue, canary, black and red among others – can certainly suit any gem lovers fancy. You can choose a stone that aligns with your personality. You might also seek its energy properties for good fortune or peace mind. You may simply want one that is your favorite hue.

Regardless of your reasons why, a Colorful Masterpiece can certainly do wonders in making our world a more beautiful, sparkling place.

As reported in the most recent issue of Geology, shining a white light on a blue diamond will result in blue brilliance but shine an ultraviolet light on the Hope diamond and you’ve got… red-orange? Strange but true. And researchers say that this new detail can hold the key to finding the mysterious relative stone of the famed blue diamond.

The Hope Diamond is one the most treasured and popular jewels in the world but it didn’t always start out so ‘small’. The original parent stone was a whopping 112 carats of blue diamond, taken from an Indian mine in the 17th century. The twinkling twilight colored gem was cut down to 67 carats, dubbed the French Blue and became part of the French Crown Jewels until its disappearance during the French Revolution. No fear; the Blue resurfaced in 1812, cut down to a significantly smaller size and, at its new 45 carat stature, was renamed the Hope Diamond.

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As we’ve all heard before, our favorite colors reflect our personalities but hues do more than tell us about ourselves. Colors can also influence our emotions and evoke unconscious responses. Some even believe that colored stones hold special powers and energies that follow their related meanings. No matter what color does for you, we can all say that different tints, tones and shades certainly make our world a more beautiful place.
Here we look information that tells us just how stone colors speak to us, what they symbolize and what type of personality they bring to the world.

Red
Red can speak to people in many ways. It is the warmest color and can evoke a sense of warmth, fieriness or danger. In China, red means prosperity and joy. Red roses symbolize fiery passion and love. Red is also the color of Mars, the planet also known as the God of War.
No matter what red means to you, there is no doubt that it has a certain vivacious energy about it. Case in point, it is the color of blood which allows it to stand for life. Red stones can increase enthusiasm, energy and interest. It also enhances self-assurance; what woman in a fiery red dress doesn’t exude confidence?! It also gives a sense of security, an emphasis on survival in life and protects us from fear; ie: a burning fire keeping wild animals at bay. On the negative side it can also mean a furious temper, bad attitude or anger.
Energy Properties: Red stones can strengthen the body, promote courage and confidence, enhance vigor and can help people over come sexual dysfunction with its passionate energy.

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Diamonds have been known to mankind for thousands of years due to their beauty as well as their hardy qualities. Even the smallest of diamonds have beautiful, sparkling qualities that are rarely found in other gemstones. Here we take a look at some of the most extraordinary and famous diamonds that are known to modern times.

1. The Cullinan Diamond or Great Star of Africa - The Largest Polished Diamond

Named after mine owner Sir Thomas Cullinan, The Cullinan Diamond, also known as the Great Star of Africa, is undeniably the largest rough gem-quality diamond that has ever been found. Brought to the surface by Premiere Diamond Mining Company in Cullinan, South Africa, this astounding gem weighed in at a whopping 3,106.75 carats precut!

An analysis was taken and the original diamond had the most excellent clarity Sir William Crookes (the man behind the analysis) had ever seen. The stone was transported to the Transvaal government and presented to King Edward VII. From there, it was taken to the Asscher Brothers of Amsterdam who proceeded to cut the large stone into smaller, useable quantities.

The largest stone from the slice was dubbed Cullinan I or the Star of Africa and still remains the largest clear polished diamond in the world. It is only beat out by the bold, brown Golden Jubilee. The second largest gemstone and third largest polished diamond in the world is the Cullinan II or the Lesser Star of Africa. Both are displayed in the Tower of London and are part of the elusive Crown Jewels of the United Kingdom.

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