September Birthstone: Sapphire

A new month is upon us, and with it brings a new birthstone to explore. (Click here if you missed my article about peridot last month.) Though traditionally people think of sapphires being blue, the fact is that they come in every color but red. Why not red? I learned that a ruby is technically a blue sapphire. What?! They are both made of the corundum mineral, but when it’s true red, it’s a ruby. There seems to be a blurry line between sapphires that are pinkish-red or reddish-orange and a ruby, so be aware. I’m going to have to investigate this more.

But on to the meaning of sapphires. Known as a symbol of faith, goodness, wisdom and purity, sapphires also provide protection of loved ones and from evil. Here are some of the other qualities associated with sapphires:

-mental clarity
-creativity
-inspiration
-prosperity
-fulfillment of dreams
-aid in meditation

Given that sapphires come in so many colors, I’m including some non-blue pieces that really pique my interest.

Jemma Wynne bangle with geometric purple sapphires

jemma wynne closed bangle with geometric purple sapphires
Clare Ullman lariat from Manika Jewelry

Clare Ullman Lariat
Finn blue sapphire thread earrings

finn blue sapphire thread earrings
Ileana Makri “wisdom eye” ring

ileana makri diamond, sapphire & white gold wisdom eye ring
Rina Limor wavy sapphire drop earrings

rina limor wavy sapphire drop earrings
Armenta sapphire and diamond open cluster ring

armenta old world open clster diamond & sapphire ring
Ela Rae Noa necklace

ela rae noa necklace
Deanna Hamro sapphire, boulder opal and diamond cuff

deanna hamro sapphire slice and boulder opal cuff with diamonds
Ileana Makri sapphire deco column ring

ileana makri deco coumn ring
And not to ignore the birthday boys out there….

Todd Reed sterling belt buckle with sapphire cabochons

todd reed sterling belt buckle with sapphire cabochons
Stephen Webster sterling silver and sapphire cufflinks

stephen webster sterling silver blue sapphire cuff links
So how many of you reading this have September birthdays? I hope you have a wonderful celebration and treat yourself to a new sapphire piece of jewelry!

Green Gems: My Top 20 Picks

I try not to discriminate in the world of gemstones, but I must admit that emeralds have never been one of my favorite stones. (I guess it’s lucky I wasn’t born in May.) So I thought I’d give myself a challenge this St. Patrick’s Day and delve into the world of green stones, from emeralds to green diamonds to tourmalines and beyond. I decided to send myself on a virtual shopping spree, with no budget constraints and see what gorgeous green gems I could come up with. Folks, I was definitely NOT disappointed, and I now have a completely new appreciation for lovely baubles in all shades of green. So here goes, my top 20 picks.

Earrings

First up is this amaze-balls pair of earrings by Sutra.

sutra emerald drop earrings

Next I started drooling over these oval cravellit earrings by Armenta.

armenta oval cravellit earrings

With the bar necklace trend still fresh in my mind, I expanded further by adoring these bar earrings by Jennifer Meyer. Though they are made of opals, they definitely read “green,” don’t you think?

jennifer meyer opal bar studs

For a classic tear-drop with a twist, take a look at these chrysoprase earrings by Irene Neuwirth.

irene neuwirth earrings

And taking a more yellow-green approach, I think Anne Sportun has a lovely design in green garnets and diamonds!

anne sportun green garnet earring

Necklaces

Moving down the body, I started looking for green ways to adorn my neck. And oh, what lovelies did I find! First, I fell in lust with this tourmaline and diamond necklace by LFrank.

l frank tourmaline & diamond pendant

For a truly dramatic look, Irene Neuwirth nailed it with this emerald necklace.

irene neuwirth columbian emerald necklace

I also explored the world of vintage jewelry, and I fell in love with this antique “Mogul” emerald and diamond pendant. The emerald was carved 1695 — so pretty!

antique amogul emerald & diamond pendant

Back to a simpler design, I think this green diamond paisley by Sethi Couture is beautiful.

sethi couture

And finally, this pendant necklace by Emily Amey would be great in creative layers.

emily amey

Bracelets

Taking us to the wrist, I was loving the array of choices in which you can adorn yourself in green gemstones. This ombre look in chrysoprase and green quartz by Mary Esses is phenomenal.

mary esses bracelet

Since I am a fan of stacking bracelets, I thought this bangle by Nak Armstrong would be a fab addition to my jewelry box. I love how the emeralds are such an unusual hue — veering more toward the aqua-green side.

nak armstrong bangle

I am often seen wearing my Hermes click-clack bracelet, and perhaps one in green would be just the right way to add a punch of color to my oft-neutral ensembles.

hermes H bracelet

This delicate cuff by Jemma Wynne made of Zambian emeralds, gold and diamonds is perfection.

jemma wynne bracelet

And given that this exercise gave me an unlimited budget, why not go for this tourmaline and diamond bracelet via Sotheby’s?

sotheby's  tourmaline and diamond bracelet

Rings

Lest we forget our fingers, I kept on the search. The first ring to catch my eye was this emerald slice and diamond stunner by Monique Pean. The stone has such a smoky quality to it — love it!

monique pean

For a much more organic, boho look, I’d opt for something like this adventurine and sterling silver ring from Circle & Square.

circle & square adventurine ring

Given my penchant for stacking rings, I know that I could incorporate some of these skinnies by Suzy Landa into my collection.

suzy landa green tourmaline rings

I think this opaque green diamond ring by Sethi Couture would look amazing with my skin tone.

sethi couture green diamond ring

And to end with another vintage piece, I think this emerald and diamond ring from the late 1800’s/early 1900’s via Bonhams is exquisite. I’m actually shocked that it sold for under $3K.

emerald & diamond ring late 18th century

So what do you think of my virtual shopping spree? Do you see some pieces that you’d like as well? Wishing you a fabulous St. Patrick’s Day!