Stone Specs: Basic copper carbonate with a hardness rating of 3.5 - 4.
Color: Emerald/grass/dark greens with either a silky or dull sheen and concentric color banding lines.
Finds/Mines: Found in copper mines in Arizona, California, Nevada, Utah, Pennsylvania and Tennessee.
Ancient Lore: The name malachite is from the Greek word “moloche” or mallow referring to the leaf green coloring. Malachite was attributed to the Goddess Venus - and thought to have great magical powers when worn with copper jewelry. In Rome, it was dedicated to the Goddess Juno whose symbol was the peacock...malachite was referred to as the peacock stone. It was also cut into triangular shapes which was another symbol of Juno. Legend says that if you drank from a malachite cup, you could understand the language of animals.
Metaphysical: Receptive stone associated with the planet Venus and the element earth. It promotes power, protection, business success, love, peace & tranquility. Malachite is worn to detect impending danger - and is believed to break into many pieces to warn the wearer.
Malachite lends extra energy to magical rites. It is also a protection stone for children and travelers. It guards against negativity. Malachite is considered the salesperson's stone - and is worn to increase ones ability to obtain good deals and sales.
We use malachite chips in our “New Moon - New Beginnings” necklace and a large malachite cabachon in our Oval Pendant Necklaces.
Color: Primarily white with a blue/white tint, but also dark grey, peach, tan, greenish and yellow.
Finds/Mines: North Carolina, Virginia (Allen's Mica Mine), Ceylon, Colorado
Metaphysical: Receptive stone. Aligned with the element of water and associated with the astrological sign Cancer. Moonstone is the Goddess's energy stone, representing the energy of the moon. Promotes healing, abundant harvests, psychism, divination, emotional peace & harmony, compassion and reconciliation, enhances the feminine powers found in all individuals. When worn at the waning moon, moonstone is said to enable the wearer to see into the future. As a magical aid, it assists in successful dieting, protection, sleep and love. Complements/balances the energies of solar stones like the sunstone.
Traditional: In India, moonstone is used to promote harmony and good fortune in marriage. Generally, moonstone is thought to bring good fortune and protect travelers.
Ancient lore: Because they resemble the moonlight, in Roman times, moonstones were attributed to the lunar goddess Diana. Greeks associated it with the goddesses Aphrodite and Selene and it was worn to reconcile lovers and bring good fortune in love.
*Look for Silver Birds' Goddess
necklaces in moonstone or black onyx in our February product update.
Color: Black, green, red
Finds/Mines: India, South America
Metaphysical: Projective stone (energizing/bringer of luck & success/healing). Associated with the element of fire. Also associated with the planets Mars and Saturn, and the astrological sign Capricorn. Promotes courage, healing after surgery, physical strength, political strength, and sexual energy. Provides magical aid in protection against negativity and in defensive magic.
Ancient lore: A diamond surrounded by onyx was thought to symbolize control over the sexual self.
*At Silver Birds Jewelry, we use black onyx in many of our creations...as a projective stone, its energizing capabilities seem to complement any stone with which it's paired. See our Oval Pendant and Sun, Moon & Stars Necklaces.
Color: Pink to flesh red with distinctive black veining. Also brownish red. Sometimes found with colorless streaks. Can be transparent to translucent.
Finds/Mines: Rhodonite is found in many locations with the best quality crystal forms coming from Sussex County, New Jersey.
Ancient Lore: From the Greek word “rhodon” meaning “rose”.
Metaphysical: Projective stone associated with the element of fire and the planet Mars. Worn to maintain calm, cast off confusion, doubt and incoherent speech. Promotes physical/mental balance.
You can find rhodonite in our "Valentine
Night" necklace and earrings set.
Color: Shades of pale to rose pink that vary from clear to opaque
Finds/Mines: California, Maine, Montana, South Dakota, Brazil, India and Madagascar
Ancient Lore: The Egyptians believed that rose quartz prevented aging. Facial masks were made out of rose quartz. The Romans considered it a healing stone. Rose quartz was thought to make the wearer loved.
Traditional Lore: Rose quartz opens the mind to beauty - and assists in the creation of beautiful things.
Metaphysical: Receptive (energy) stone associated with both the Sun and the Moon and the elements of fire and water. Rose quartz is the stone of the Great Mother. It is used to stimulate love and open the “heart” chakra. It is a soothing, calming stone. Wearing a heart shaped rose quartz charm is thought to attract love. Rose quartz promotes peace, happiness and fidelity.
Look for our “Love & Friendship” necklace and earrings set.
Color: Tree agate is milky white with dark to medium green tree-like markings (referred to as "inclusions").
Finds/Mines: USA, Brazil, Uruguay, Mexico
Metaphysical: Receptive stone (soothing/de-stressing). Of the four elements (earth, water, fire, air), it is associated with the earth. Considered a powerful good talisman for gardeners. Tree agate is also a healing stone. It aids in making new friends, promotes peace, grounding and centering of energies, growth (of gardens, money, personal goals), business success, stability.
Ancient Lore: In Greece, the power of agate was considered so strong that Orpheus is depicted as carrying agate on his descent into Hades. Agate was thought to assist in finding hidden treasures, increase happiness, build confidence and bring victory. In Persia, agate was worn to confer eloquence.
*Silver Birds Jewelry uses tree agate in our "Forest in Winter" necklace and earrings with the lovely red stone carnelian.
Stone Specs: Hydrous basic phosphate or copper and aluminum...may contain some iron. Hardness rating of 5 to 6. A large proportion of turquoise is very porous and is treated with plastic (impregnation) to improve its strength for shaping and carving.
Color: Sky blue, bluish green, apple green. Frequently with black or gray veins where it is called turquoise with matrix. Waxy, dull luster with some streaks of white. The more copper in the stone, the more blue the color. Likewise, more iron means the color is green. Gem quality stones are considered the pale blue to bright blue.
Finds/Mines: The highest quality turquoise comes from Khurasan in Iran. Other sources are Colorado, California, Arizona, New Mexico, Nevada, and Utah in the US. Also found in Argentina, Brazil, China, Israel, Mexico, Tanzania, and Australia.
Ancient Lore: Turquoise has been found in Egyptian burial sites dating back 5000 plus years. It's been discovered in burial site in Chaco Canyon (from 1100 AD). In the 13th/14th century, turquoise was considered to protect travelers, horses, protecting both from falls when riding or walking. Up until the 20th century, it was considered the birthstone for June and July.
Traditional Lore: Now considered the birthstone for December. Turquoise is French name meaning “Turkish” because even though the stone was originally mined in Persia (now Iran), it came through the Turkish trade routes to Europe and was mistakenly thought to be from Turkey.
Metaphysical: Receptive stone associated with Venus and Neptune and the element of earth.
Turquoise is a stone of protection and is used to guard against negative energy. In a ring, it guards against disease, poison, violence, accidents and dangers. It also promotes courage when worn. It is attached to bridles and saddles to protect horses. Turquoise is a valuable amulet for travelers.
It is also worn to protect health, prevent migraines, attract friends, increase beauty and balance, promote marital harmony, and with its blue/green color, it attracts good luck and fortune.
Color: Multi-color stone with combinations of greens, reds/corals, browns, and sometimes gray. It is a densely opaque stone.
Finds/Mines: Place of discovery -- South Carolina.
Metaphysical: Receptive stone -- its green coloring associates it with gardens and fertility, protection, and healing.
Look for our Heart
of the Earth necklace and earrings with Unikite, Red Jasper and Black
Onyx.