Rainbow Rocks

This month I am taking inspiration from rainbows with their beautiful displays of jewelled colours in the sky which can also be found in the spectrum of tantalizingly different gemstones.

Red is the first arc of the rainbow and it’s a colour that grabs attention. One of the most popular red gemstones is the glorious ruby which features in both antique and contemporary jewellery. Colours vary from red to pink, but the most prized is the Burmese ruby which has a rich crimson hue. It’s wonderful velvety softness known as silk gives a hazy shimmer on the surface.

Another lovely red gemstone to look out for is the garnet which is found in several colours. The red varieties which you see most frequently, one of which is the Pyrope, named after the Greek words for ‘fire’ and ‘eye’.

Orange is a warm and inviting colour and make me think of Fire Opal. The Mexican Fire opal which is a glorious vivid deep orange is the most prized of all but you can find it in other parts of the world including Ethiopia and Australia, some which have yellow, orange and brown tones.

The colour yellow reminds me of the sunshine, bright, cheerful and uplifting. In the gemstone world, you can find yellows in citrine, topaz and lemon quartz but do look out for yellow sapphires as well. The Sri Lankan sapphire in particular is known for its lemon yellow and intense golden tones.

In the middle of the rainbow is green, the colour of nature, life and abundance. I have picked three entirely separate shades of green. Peridot is one of the few gemstones that exist in one colour only, with its unique trademark punchy lime green. The intensity of this colour entirely depends on the amount of iron in the crystal.

Tourmalines come in a kaleidoscope of colours but my favourite is the green variety varying from pale mint to leafy emerald.
Emerald is the most well-known green gemstone, as its colour suggests, it represents the new growth of spring. Apart from being known for its vibrant shade, it is also normal to have inclusions some resembling foliage known as ‘jardin’ French for garden.

I often connect to the calming blue colour of the sky and ocean. The Aquamarine aptly lives up to its name as the ‘sea water’ gemstone with its sparkling light blue tones.

If you are looking for more variety of blue why not try topaz? There are several shades, a pale ‘sky’, a rich electric ‘Swiss’ and deep metallic ‘London’. I can’t decide which ones my favourite!

The indigo colour on the rainbow is a deep rich colour associated with the night sky. The lapis lazuli gemstone is reminiscent of this with its vivid dark blue and golden star like flecks.

Lastly, violet ‘s colour is celebrated with the amethyst gemstone. Historically, these were one of the most valuable gemstones worn exclusively by royalty and nobility until vast deposits were discovered in the18th century. Be enchanted by its lavender, pink and purple hues.

Which one can you connect with? Sally x