Wednesday, June 17, 2009

Blog Readers get 15% Discount on Landstroms Black Hills Gold jewelry!

From time to time we come across exceptional values in Black Hills Gold, and right now BlackHillsGoldSource.com is offering one.

Just use coupon code: blogsale during checkout and get an instant 15% discount on every piece of Landstroms Black Hills Gold jewelry, available only for our blog readers.

Just click the coupon or follow this link to www.BlackHillsGoldSource.com and select your favorite items at your special price. Discount ends Monday, April 22nd. Remember, just use the coupon code: blogsale on Line 5 during checkout and get your special Blog-Readers 15% discount.

Wednesday, June 10, 2009

Smokey Quartz - June’s Birthstone

Smokey Quartz
Today more than ever people tend to forgo tradition in favor of personal flair, and when it comes to choosing a birthstone, that trend is evident. Because there are various kinds of birthstones - modern birthstones, traditional birthstones, mystical birthstones, different birthstones for different cultures - people who do not like the looks of their birthstone certainly have a choice. This is clearly true for the month of June, for which a number of birthstones have been claimed. According to the American National Association of Jewelers, Alexandrite has been the regarded the official birthstone for June since 1912. But Pearl, Moonstone and even Opal have been named June birthstones as well. And more recently, Smokey Quartz has become a popular choice.

Alexandrite was named after the Russian czar Alexander II, it’s discovery supposedly occurring in the Ural Mountains of Russia on either the day of his birth, or his coming of age. Alexandrite is a variety of the mineral Chrysoberyl, a very hard and rare gemstone. So rare, in fact, that genuine Alexandrite is very scarce and hardly ever used in modern jewelry making.

Consequently, either synthetic Alexandrite or alternate genuine gemstones such as Smokey Quartz, which resemble Alexandrite, are typically used as the birthstone for the month of June.

Smokey Quartz is a translucent brown quartz that, because of its peculiar faceted cuts, is often found in rock shops and used in the creation of ornamental figurines and jewelry. One of the sources of natural Smokey Quartz happens to be nearby in the Pikes Peak area of Colorado’s Rocky Mountains.

Throughout history, the abundance of quartz has led to its use as alternate for more expensive gemstones. Because of its wide variety of colors and types, quartz has become a favorite of jewelry designers. Rose Quartz, Tiger Eye, Rock Crystal and Smokey Quartz are but a few of the varieties commonly selected for their affordable price. Bearing a Mohs’ Hardness of 7 and a unique trigonal crystal system, quartz is a spectacular stone. Alexandrite, and therefore Smokey Quartz is used to celebrate the 55th wedding anniversary and is used as an alternate for the 15th wedding anniversary, while Smokey Quartz itself is used as an alternate for the 70th wedding anniversary.

If your birthday is in June, consider a Black Hills Gold Birthstone Ring with Smokey Quartz for the month of June, from Landstroms!

Friday, May 1, 2009

Emerald - May’s Birthstone

Emerald
One of the most intense of all the gemstones is the Emerald. Like Aquamarine, the Emerald is a variety of the mineral beryl. However, it’s the trace amounts of chromium when combined with iron that give the Emerald its fantastic, radiant green color.

As is the case with most crystalline gemstones, Emeralds are formed by intense heat and pressure beneath the Earth over millions of years. Though Emeralds are believed to be among the oldest gemstones in the world, it’s only in the last 4000 years that they have become valued.

HISTORY

Most of the world’s emeralds have typically come from Egypt. The Pharaohs of Egypt are the first people that exploited the use of Emeralds. For thousands of years Emeralds were mined in the desert south of Cairo at the famous Cleopatra mines, which got their name from Cleopatra’s intense love of the gems.

However, the name Emerald actually comes from an ancient Persian word, translated to Latin as “smaragdus” which eventually over time was corrupted to “emerald.”

It wasn’t until the 1600’s when Spanish Conquistadors conquered the Muzo Indians of Columbia in South America that Egypt’s control over the Emerald trade was challenged. The Spaniards had seen breathtaking Emeralds like none before and quickly forced the Indians into slavery mining the gems for the royalty of Europe. Today, Columbia dominates the Emerald trade, setting the standards for color and size against which all others are compared.

Emeralds have been prized as a symbol of love and eternal youth and have been said to provide the ability to tell the future and bring goodness into one’s life. Aristotle claimed that an Emerald amulet would prevent epilepsy. But throughout history, Emeralds have been valued simply for the beauty of their intense green color.

MODERN TIMES

Throughout history, Emeralds have been prized by the famous as well as infamous. Cleopatra, Alexander the Great, Charlemagne and Queen Elizabeth II all coveted the green stone. And in more recent years, celebrities such as Marlene Dietrich, Grace Kelly and Elizabeth Taylor all had prized collections.

Bearing a Mohs’ Hardness rating of 7.5 to 8, the Emerald is quite hard and thus resists scratches. Unlike other beryls however, Emeralds commonly contain flaws, called inclusions. These flaws are mostly overlooked because there is a large trade in imitation emeralds and such inclusions are evidence that the stone is natural. The Emerald is also the birthstone for the month of May and is used to celebrate both the twentieth and thirty-fifth wedding anniversaries. Many consider an Emerald Mothers Birthstone Ring, as Mother’s Day is also in May.

Wednesday, April 8, 2009

Diamond - April's Birthstone

Diamond
Everyone is familiar with April’s birthstone, the Diamond, so where do we begin? Well, how are they formed? Diamonds are formed by intense heat and pressure acting on carbon atoms over millions of years. These carbon atoms come from either trapped carbon dioxide gas or from the melting of pre-existing rocks deep (at least 75 miles) beneath the earth’s crust. Over time volcanic forces push the diamonds to the earth’s surface revealing the intensely clear cubic crystal structure. Scientists believe that the oldest diamonds are somewhere around 3 billion years old.

But not all diamonds are clear. In fact some of the most valuable diamonds have colors ranging from pink to blue, and most colors in between. During formation, intrusion of atoms of nitrogen, boron and phosphorous creates colored diamonds; nitrogen and boron causing the yellow and blue color, respectively. However, given that the diamond is the most transparent of all known solid and liquid substances, it’s not a surprise that clear diamonds are the most popular and sought after.

HISTORY

It is believed that the first diamonds were discovered in India some 3000 years ago and were initially used for simple decoration because of their clear, crystalline beauty. They would soon come to be worshiped by the Greeks for being indestructible.

In fact, the word diamond comes from the Greek word, “Adamas” which means “unconquerable”.

In medieval day Kings would wear breast plates studded with diamonds because warriors feared the magical powers they believed the diamonds possessed. Diamonds were thus associated with strength, courage and invincibility, often being used as amulets and medical aids to ward off or even cure illness or injury.

However, over the centuries, the interest in diamonds began to shift from their magical properties back to their simple beauty and their timeless association with romance. It was in 1477 that the first diamond engagement ring was introduced when Archduke Maximillian of Austria gave a diamond ring to Mary of Burgundy.

MODERN TIMES

Throughout the years, famous diamonds have added to the legend surrounding this brilliant gemstone. The largest cut diamond in the world, The Star of Africa, 530.20 carats, was found in South Africa in 1095 but was eventually cut into 96 smaller stones. The Hope Diamond, when found, was originally 116.18 carats, but was cut to 45.52 carats for King Louis XIV of France in 1668. After being stolen in 1792, then somehow acquired by King George IV of England, it mysteriously showed up as part of Henry Thomas Hope’s gem collection in 1839. Changing hands numerous times since, it was donated to the Smithsonian Institution in 1958, where it has been ever since, leaving on only four occasions for exhibits and cleaning.

Bearing a Mohs’ Hardness rating of a perfect 10, the Diamond is four times harder than the next hardest gemstone. The ultimate gemstone is also believed to have the strongest tensile strength and best heat conductivity of any element. The “4 C’s” refers to a diamonds “cut”, “clarity”, “color” and “carat”, each contributing to the value of any particular stone. Diamonds have found their way into every kind of jewelry imaginable. Consider owning this "ultimate gemstone" with a beautiful, Landstroms Black Hills Gold Diamond Ring, made only in America in the Black Hills of South Dakota.

Friday, March 27, 2009

Blog Readers get 15% Discount on Landstroms jewelry


From time to time we come across exceptional values in Black Hills Gold, and right now BlackHillsGoldSource.com is offering one.

You can use coupon code: blogsale at checkout to get an instant 15% discount on every piece of Landstroms Black Hills Gold jewelry, only available only to our blog readers.

You can click the coupon or follow this link to Black Hills Gold to select your favorite Black Hills Gold items at your special price. Discount ends Monday, March 30th. Remember to use the coupon code: blogsale on Line 5 during checkout to get your special Blog-Readers 15% discount.

Thursday, March 5, 2009

Aquamarine – March’s Birthstone

Aquamarine
APPEARANCE

Aquamarine is actually a bluish-green variety of the mineral beryl. Pure beryl is a transparent mineral consisting of aluminum and beryllium. But when iron finds its way into beryl’s crystal structure, the resulting range of colors equals that of the sea. This is the gemstone we know as Aquamarine.

In fact, the name Aquamarine is derived from the word “seawater”: 'aqua' (Latin for water) and 'mare' (Latin for sea).

With colors ranging from a pale blue to a deep sea-blue, it is the clearest, most saturated blue color of Aquamarine that is the most desired and the most valuable.

HISTORY

In ancient times the Aquamarine was believed to have come from a mermaid’s treasure chest and was thus considered by both the Romans and the Greeks as a lucky stone for sailors. The Romans believed the stone brought about both cheerfulness and friendliness and was considered to ensure a happy marriage as well as to promise health, prosperity and clearness of mind.

MODERN TIMES

Because of its range of potentially intense colors, its scarcity of inclusions and its hardness, many jewelry designers regard the Aquamarine as their favorite gemstone. Bearing a Mohs’ Hardness rating of 7.5 to 8, Aquamarine is quite hard, and thus resists scratches and maintains an exceptional, transparent shine. It is also the birthstone for the month of March and is used to celebrate both the sixteenth and nineteenth wedding anniversaries. The most popular cuts are the brilliant cut and the emerald cut, though many modern artistic cuts are showing up in Aquamarine jewelry in recent times.

All Landstroms Gold and Silver Black Hills Mothers Rings are available with Aquamarine gemstones.

Tuesday, February 10, 2009

Amethyst – February’s Birthstone

AmethystAPPEARANCE

Amethyst is recognized by its alluring purple color that scientists believe comes from the stones natural radioactive properties and its long pyramidal crystals combined with its elemental iron makeup. However, though always purple, Amethyst exists in a wide variety of violet shades and is known to change color both when viewed in different lighting conditions as well as when heated.

HISTORY

Ancient Greeks believed that the Amethyst could avert the effects of alcohol, and crushed Amethyst would even be mixed in one’s drink to accomplish this cause. Amethyst has also been thought to protect its wearer from disease, violence and anger and the stone was believed to endow its wearer with intelligence, sobriety and clear thought.Being a widely available and brilliantly colorful variety of quartz, Amethyst has been used for sculpture and jewelry throughout history. According the Greek mythology, the origin of the amethyst resides with the Greek God of wine and celebration, Dionysus (Bacchus).

Dionysus had become drunk with red wine and wished to inflict his wrath on anyone who did not engage his gifts of intoxication. Infuriated, he decided to take his wrath out on a young virgin named Amethyst. When Amethyst cried out to the goddess Diana for help, Diana quickly turned the maiden into a white, glimmering stone (quartz) so that she could not be harmed. Feeling remorse for his actions, Dionysus began to weep with sorrow, his tears dripping into his goblet of wine. As the goblet tipped and overturned, the tear-laden wine spilled onto the white rock turning it into the purple quartz we now call Amethyst.


The name Amethyst is also of Greek origin, meaning “not drunken”, from a- "not" and methyskein- "make drunk" and from methys- "wine".


MODERN TIMES


In more recent times, Amethyst has served as a symbol for richness and royalty and is still believed to have soothing effects for those who suffer from addictions. It is also the birthstone for the month of February and is used to celebrate both the sixth and sometimes the fourth wedding anniversaries. Bearing a Mohs’ Hardness rating of 7, the Amethyst is fairly hard and remains an affordable and beautiful stone that is widely available in a variety of cuts and jewelry applications. Amethyst rings, pendants and earrings are all very popular and are also available in Black Hills Gold.