Citrine……known as the "Success Stone"

 

Citrine is the yellow to gold to orange color of quartz. Its name comes from the French word “citron”meaning lemon.  Citrine draws its distinctive color from traces of iron. It’s color pallet includes orange-brown, orange-gold and orange to yellow to clear. There is a variety of citrine found in Madiera, Spain that has a deep golden color, and resembles the costly imperial topaz.  Citrine crystals can also form together with amethyst or smoky quartz to form a bi-colored quartz called Ametrine.

The varieties of Citrine include:

• Golden Citrine  -   Citrine with a golden yellow color.
• Lemon Quartz  -  Lemon Quartz is naturally colored light yellow Citrine, distinguished from most Citrine by lacking orange, brown, or reddish tints. More often though it is clear Quartz that is irradiated to produce an intensely colored yellow gemstone. Lemon Quartz has recently experienced a popularity increase in the gemstone market.
• Madeira Citrine  -   Brownish-red to orange-red Citrine.
• Palmeria Citrine  -  Citrine with a bright orange color. 
• Yellow Citrine  -   Citrine with a lemon yellow color. May also be called "Lemon Citrine" or "Lemon Quartz".  

Citrines deposits discovered in Minas Geras (Brazil), in Salamanca Province (Spain), in Dauphine (France), in the Ural Mountains (Russia), in Kazakhst, in Burma, Namibia , USA (Colorado, North Carolina) and Madagascar.

Citrine's sunny color has made it a gem thought to radiate positive energy. Citrine is known as the "success stone" because it is thought to promote success, prosperity, and abundance, especially in business. The practice of placing a citrine in the cash register of a shop earned it the nickname "merchant's stone." According to gemstone lore, citrine not only radiates positive energy, but it also dissipates negative energy of all kinds.

Citrine is believed to be of value in healing the spiritual self as well, as it is a powerful cleanser and regenerator. It carries the virtues of self-healing, inspiration and self-improvement. Carrying the power of the sun, it is excellent for overcoming depression, fears and phobias.

Chrysoprase has been called a "Victory Stone"

The gemstone Chrysoprase is an opalescent apple green colored variety of chalcedony (quartz). Most green stones owe their color to chromium or vanadium, but chrysoprase derives its color from the nickel content.  Chrysoprase is so rare is due to the fact that it is a cryptocrystalline, this means that instead of being formed by large six sided crystals, the size of the crystals are extremely small and invisible to the naked eye. This attribute is much rarer in nature, as well as more beautiful making Chrysoprase one of the rarest form of the chalcedony group.

It is found in Australia, Brazil, the Ural Mountains, and the U.S., specifically Arizona and California.  Usually Chrysoprase is formed by deterioration or lateritization of nickeliferous serpentinites, which means that quartz stone with nickel deposits gently corrode and deteriorate causing this exotic gemstone. Usually, Chrysoprase can be found in deep veins that contain magnesite or iron and silica rocks.

 

Chrysoprase has been known to man since ancient times. The word Chrysoprase comes from Greek, “chrsyo” means gold and “prase” means leek. During ancient times it was valued and formed into cameos and intaglios by the Greeks and Romans.  Ancient Egyptians also saw the value of this fine gemstone and it was part of decorations that adorned the pharaohs.  It was used by the Greeks, Romans, and the Egyptians in jewelry and other ornamental objects and because of its semi-opaque green color, it is often mistaken for Imperial jadeite.

 

The Book of Revelations (21:20) describes the holy city of Jerusalem with its 12 foundation walls, each decorated with precious gemstones, including the tenth, being chrysoprase.  According to Alburtus Magnus: The always victorious Alexander the Great wore a chrysoprase stone in his girdle. One day a snake bit the stone off the girdle and dropped it in the river. From that time forward, Alexander never won another battle.  Chrysoprase was said to be a "Victory Stone."  It encourages fidelity in business and personal affairs.  Chrysoprase is a stone that can help us to peacefully absorb spiritual energies, and to make transformation a natural part of our daily lives. 

A favored stone of musicians and singers….

 

Chrysocolla is often confused with turquoise. It is a copper bearing mineral found wherever copper deposits occur. The gem itself can range from a bluish green shade similar to turquoise all the way to a Robin’s egg blue.  Chrysocolla is one of a small group of copper-bearing gems.  By composition, chrysocolla is a hydrous copper silicate, often with traces of oxides of copper, iron and manganese.  One of the interesting features of chrysocolla is that it is often found mixed with other secondary copper minerals such as malachite, azurite and turquoise or with quartz.

The name comes from the Greek words “chrysos” for gold, and “kola” for glue and was first used by Greek philosopher Theophrastus. It is a name that the Greeks applied to minerals used for soldering gold, but the term came to be used to refer to various green copper-bearing minerals. It can be found in many parts of the world including the Czech Republic, the Congo, Israel, Chili, Cornwall England and even in many states in the USA including Pennsylvania, Arizona, Utah, and New Mexico.

 

Chrysocolla is a stone of peace, increased wisdom, discretion, creativity, and communication.  Traditionally, Chrysocolla is said to alleviate fear, guilt, and nervous tension.  It is thought to crystallize feelings of spiritually centered love, acceptance and tolerance toward others. It makes it possible to forgive others for their wrong doings and be more loving and understanding, thus fostering goodwill. It also aids in the activation of the feminine qualities that we all possess. Chrysocolla is known to be favored by musicians and singers all over the world.

It is said to enhance one’s spiritual path......

This rare mineral, Charoite, was discovered in Russia in 1947 by a Russian and the West came to know by 1978. The name Charoite is derived from the Chara River which is near where it was found.  The name of this gemstone means “charm” or “magic”. It forms when limestone is infused with a unique composition of an alkali rich nephline syenite intrustion, this mixed with the right combination of heat, pressure and times, only occurs in one place the Murun Mountains.

 

Charoite has a silky shine; its colors range from bright lavender, violet and lilac to dark purple with swirling patterns of black, oranges and greens.  The blacks are inclusions of Augite, the greens are from the Feldspars and the oranges are from the Tinaksite. 

Charoite is said to enhance self-esteem, accelerate spiritual growth, and improve the ability to love.  It helps to walk on spiritual path with awareness and manifests soul's wisdom and light in daily life.  Charoite helps seeing old patterns with new possibilities. It is believed to open the heart, allow inspiration, encourage service, and grants us the ability for seeing more clearly (mentally, physically, and psychically).

Known as a sacred stone in Native American culture

Chalcedony, which is found worldwide, is the name for a group of stones made of a microcrystalline or cryptocrystalline variety of quartz, which means the quartz crystals are too small to be seen without high magnification.  It occurs in many different forms, colors, patterns, and many varieties have been used as gemstones since antiquity.  Its name comes from the name of a Greek town, Chalkedon.

Chalcedony is found in almost every color including: white, gray, black, brown, brownish red, orange, yellow, light to dark green, blue, lavender or, in the case of agates and jaspers, combinations of those colors. The classic Chalcedony varieties include: Agate - The multicolored banded variety, which is the most well-known and unique form of Chalcedony; Aventurine - An opaque, compact form, most often green in color, containing small Mica, Hematite, or Goethite scales which cause a glistening effect; Bloodstone - Dark green to greenish blue variety speckled with red or brown spots; Carnelian - Red to amber-red translucent variety; Chrysoprase - Apple green variety; one of the more popular gemstone forms of Chalcedony; Jasper - Opaque form of brown, yellow, or reddish Chalcedony; often multicolored, spotted, or speckled; Onyx - May refer to either solid black Chalcedony; Sard - Brownish to brownish-red, transparent to translucent form; and Tiger's Eye - Pseudomorph of compact Quartz after the fibrous mineral Crocidolite.

Chalcedony is found worldwide, and the countries listed are some well-known sources: Agate comes from Mexico, Brazil, Uruguay, Australia, and in the U.S. from Arizona, Oregon, and Michigan; Chrysoprase comes from Australia and Poland, and blue Chalcedony from the African countries of Malawi and Namibia; White and gray Chalcedony comes from California and Nevada; Bloodstone comes from India, Brazil, Australia, and Madagascar; Carnelian, Sard and Sardonyx come from Brazil, Uruguay, India and Madagascar; The significant occurrence of Tiger's Eye, is South Africa.

Chalcedony is known as a sacred stone in Native American culture. It is believed to encourage brotherhood, good will, and instill generosity. Many believe in its metaphysical powers in removing depression, mental illness, fear hysteria and touchiness.  It is also believed to encourage the mothering instinct, and harmonize mind, body and spirit.

The ancient Egyptians described it as a "sunset enclosed in stone"

Carnelian is a member of the quartz family; it is an orange-red variety of Chalcedony.  Also called cornelian, it is translucent and owes its red to reddish brown color to dispersed iron oxide.  Most Carnelians is heat treated today to enhance the reddish brown color. The word carnelian is derived from the Latin word caro, carnis meaning flesh, in reference to the flesh color sometimes exhibited.  The colors range from orange-yellow to reddish-brown; however the most favorable pieces are a deep red to red-orange hue.

Carnelian is found around the world but mainly in Australia, Brazil, Madagascar, India, Russia, parts of Africa and the United States in California, Oregon, Washington, Nevada and Idaho.

Carnelian has a long and storied past, people holding high social statuses were often buried with this gem stone. In Ancient Egypt, carnelian was believed to work against anger, envy and hatred. It was a favorite gemstone among ancient Egyptian royalty.  Folklore states that carnelian is a stone of ambition and drive and is known as a Power Stone.  It is said to be an excellent career stone, being very helpful in making choices and decisions.  Carnelian is believed to be the most powerful ACTION stone for focusing, realization and self-actualization.  It reminds one to be "in the moment".