Everything You Ever Wanted to Know About Crystal Jewelry

Everything You Want to Know About Crystal Jewelry

Crystal jewelry never goes out of fashion. Find out more about these interesting baubles, where they come from and how you can get your hands on some.

Keyword(s): crystal jewelry

If you love gemstones as much as we do, you'd probably find it interesting that the oldest gem ever found is 4.4 billion years old!

With gems having been around since the dawn of man, it's no surprise that we are drawn to the beauty of these tiny little things.

So with that in mind, we thought it would be fun to talk about some of the details you may not know about these beautiful "rocks" we all love so much.

Let's dive on in.

Is There a History Behind Our Love of Crystal Jewelry?

In short, yes.

Interestingly, the word 'crystal' comes from the Greek 'Krystallos.'

It refers to a mythical ice palace where the Olympian gods resided. Not even the sun could melt this wonderous creation. This is probably why we associate crystals with being so precious - fun fact!

Plus, for as long as humans have lived we've sought to wear and use crystal jewelry.

For example, architects found beads carved out of mammoth's ivory. There were over 60,000 years old in graves located in Sungir, Russia.

Clearly, our love of crystal jewelry spans across the globe as well as the millenniums.

Fun Facts You Probably Didn't Know About Your Favorite Crystals

Virtually all crystals and gemstones have interesting backstories. This isn't surprising when you consider how old most of them are!

Check out the below examples, and you'll get the gist of what we mean:

Swarovski

Did you know Swarovski crystals aren't natural gems? Instead, they're carefully crafted by humans in Austria.

In the late 1800's Daniel Swarovski created the first Swarovski diamond (lead glass crystal).
He invented the machine that creates these sparkly, precision-cut, premium-quality lead glass crystals and the Swarovski Crystal company has been producing them as the industry standard ever since.

The composition of these gems is as follows: sand, quartz, and other minerals. Yet, no one knows what these exact proportions are. This has remained a company secret for centuries!

Over the last five generations, the Swarovski family continues to craft these crystals. (With the help of their factories and employees).

Garnet

For those of you who don't know, here are a few fun facts about Garnet.

Garnet is the birthstone for babies born in January.
It's also the stone used to represent the 2nd year anniversary of a married couple.
The word 'garnet' stems from the Latin word 'Garanatus.' This means 'seedlike' in reference to pomegranate seeds!

Just like many of the other gems listed in this article, the garnet's been around for centuries. Its uses date back as far as 3000 B.C!

Architects found beads made of garnet in the tomb of a young man. Not only is this a fascinating find (historically) but it also proves the durability of this precious stone.

Marcasite

Marcasite has been used for centuries, and dates as far back as the ancient Incas!
Historians state they've found items of marcasite in several Incan tombs, including jewelry.

Apparently, the Incas created reflective plate-shaped surfaces out of this gem. They used these pieces as part of a worship ritual to the Sun Gods.

Additionally, Native American shamen also used marcasite. They believed the gem to possess healing powers. They utilized this crystal to dig deeper into the patient's soul.

Moonstone

Hindu mythology states that moonstone's crafted from solidified moonbeams.
In addition to Hinduism, many other cultures associate this gemstone with moonlight.

Let's face it; it's plain to see why.

The internal structure of this stone shatters any light that hits it. This creates a phenomenon called 'adularescence.'

Consequently, an interesting visual effect occurs. This mimics the texture of a shining moon through scattered clouds- how awesome is that?!

Mystic Quartz

This is one of the more modern gemstones; it first appeared in the late 90's.
However, we're quick to point out that this gem is technically coated white quartz.

Therefore, it's not an official gem type. Rather, this stone is an enhanced clear quartz.

This quartz has attracted its jazzy name because of its changing colors. These look both mystical and unusual.

Typically, mystic quartz displays rainbow-themed aesthetics. However, greens, blues, and purples tend to be the most prominent.

Amethyst

Here are a few little trivia points about the fabulous gemstone called Amethyst.

It's the birthstone for babies born during February.
This gemstone marks the celebration of a sixth year wedding anniversary.
This stone has royal overtones. It's part of royal jewelry collections that span both the globe and through time.

By this we mean, the amethyst features in royal jewelry as early as ancient Egypt!

It's clearly still popular because it also forms part the British crown jewels!

In addition to this, the Amethyst holds plenty of religious significance. For example, this stone is typically worn by bishops. This is because the purple symbolizes Jesus.

How to Care for Raw Stone Jewelry

It's no surprise that raw stones need cleaning. However, if you store your jewelry away correctly, it'll reduce the amount of dust that'll build upon your precious gems.

Despite this, you'll eventually need to give your crystals a proper clean. Needless to say the rougher the surface, the more difficult it'll be to wash.

This is our advice to you if you're thinking about cleaning your jewelry:

First, place your precious gems under a weak stream of compressed air.
Then, if your crystal isn't water-soluble or porous, allow your jewelry to soak in warm water. You should add a dash of mild detergent.
Then, you can use a soft brush to remove any remaining dirt.

Then voila, your sparkling crystal jewelry should be shinier and brighter than ever!