|
Authentic cow bone has been exquisitely carved, polished and hand finished to make this beautiful piece. Deep red garnet is derived from a number of minerals, including pyrope and almandine. Popularized in Bohemia in the Czech Republic, garnet has been used in decoration and jewelry across Europe for many years. Its color is generally a dark burgundy, sometimes with a hint of orange, pink, or purple. Jasper is opaque chalcedony quartz that comes in a wide variety of colors and patterns, depending on the trace minerals present in the stone. Landscape jasper, which seems to show miniature earth scenes, and ocean jasper with its characteristic green swirls are both popular. Jasper was used for decorative and medicinal in many ancient cultures and the Babylonians believed it was beneficial to women's health. Opals form when silica gel hardens in the cracks of other rocks. Most of the world's precious opal comes from Australia, where opal is the national gem. A boulder opal is an opal that has been sliced together with its surrounding ironstone for a varied look. Fire opal from Mexico comes in shades of orange and Peruvian opal is an opaque blue-green stone. An opal doublet has polished precious opal on the top with an ironstone backing added for strength, making the slice of opal less prone to chipping.
|
