Pearls, Moonstones, Alexandrite
Pearl attracted Julius Caesar to the Britain. Pearls from Britain are freshwater from mussels. Pearling was banned in the UK in 1998 due to the endangered status of river mussels. Discovery about the sale for a substantial sum of the Abernathy pearl in the river Tay had resulted in heavy exploitation of mussel colonies during the 1970 – 1980 by weekend warriors. When it was permitted it was carried on mainly by Scottish Travelers, who found pearls varied from river to river with the Rover Oykel in the Highlands being noted for the finest rose pink pearls.
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Pearl
In the United States, freshwater pearls can be found in mussels pulled from lakes and rivers in regions such as Ohio, Tennessee, and Mississippi.
Did you know that the only freshwater pearl-culturing farm in the United States, even the entire continent of North America, is located in Camden, Tennessee? Located on the Birdsong Creek off of the Tennessee River's Kentucky Lake is the Tennessee River Freshwater Pearl Farm
The beautiful pearls come from the indigenous Washboard mussel, which grows in the West Tennessee waters. Located at the halfway point between Memphis and Nashville the Freshwater Pearl Museum at the farm should definitely earn a place on your bucket list. Stop by the Birdsong Resort for a tour of the grounds and the Pearl Jewelry Showroom. Purchase your own gemstones at the onsite gift shop. Prices for your own pearls will range anywhere between $35 to $1,500.
The farm was first founded by John R. Latendresse and his wife Chessie back in 1979. The couple created eight pilot farms in the area while attempting to master the Japanese technique of raising mussels to create cultured pearls. They got their first successful harvest in 1984 and the farm has been operational ever since.
https://www.wideopencountry.com/tennessee-freshwater-pearl-farm/
https://www.americanpearlcompany.com/our_company/
Pearls
Form & Structure –
How do we create fresh and salt water pearls – No dredging. The oysters or mussels cannot live in polluted waters. If there is pollution they die off. The water has to be fresh or generations can be wiped out.
First the mother mussels or oysters are harvested and placed in nets or cages away from the floor of the water source. The younger muscles are left to continue breeding.
The cultured pearl begins with a mother of pearl bead or nucleus. 95% of the worlds round cultured pearls were nucleated with a bead carved from an American mussel.
Surgery is performed on the mussel or oyster, implanting the bead. The bead is seen as an irritant, as a defense the mollusk secretes a fluid called nacre to coat the irritant or bead. A pearl is composed of calcium carbonate – mainly aragonite and calcite in minute crystallin form.
If you want to know if you have natural pearls or cultured pearls you can have them x-rayed – you will see the bead in the center of the pearl if cultured. No bead they are natural and very valuable and are usually handed down through generations.
Pearl in history were harvested so much it took many decades for the mollusks to recover and start producing again. It takes 3-5 years to produce one 8-10mm pearl.
Color
White – cream, yellow, green, blue-gray, purple, brown, black
Geography – Australia, Fiji, Indonesia, Japan, Persian Gulf, Tahiti (saltwater), China, United States – freshwater
Rarity – rare as mineral samples, mostly used in jewelry
Moh’s – 2-2.5 (soft, scrates very easily, keep wrapped in a sof cloth.
Physical/ Emotional
Pearls energy helps to improve hormones balance and bring the feminine cycle in line with the moon, making it helpful for fertility purposes.
Harmonizes the emptions and eases mood swings.
Balances water within the body, easing fluid retention
Brings emotional peace and spiritual tranquility
Healing effect
Place over the sacral chakra(influencing the reproductive organs, the throat chakra (influencing the thyroid). The brow or 3rd eye chakra (influencing the pineal or pituitary glands, which control hormones, to balance hormonal activity.
Personal uses
Wear as jewelry to experience peace and tranquility.
Moonstones
Moonstone is a lovely stone that boasts many healing powers. The meaning of moonstones has its roots in history. Moonstone signifies balance, relaxation, feminine energy, love, and fertility. Wear moonstone as jewelry to keep your life stress-free and balanced.
The story begins in ancient Rome, where it was believed moonstone was formed from solidified beams of moonlight. They also held that the Roman goddess Diana, goddess of the moon, could be seen within the stone, and that it would bestow love, wisdom and good fortune upon those who possessed it.
The moonstones absorb light during the day and glow for up to three hours into the night.
https://www.gia.edu/moonstone-history-lore
Form & Structure
Feldspar - oligoclase & albeit – potassium aluminum silicate
Found in large masses
Color
White, cream, yellow base with white, blue, gold or gray sheens
Geography
Australia, India, Myammar, Sri Lanka, USA
Rarity –
Easily obtained, lower grade tumbled stones, do not show much sheen
Moh’s 6.5
Physical emotional –
Helps balance hormones – menopause, adolescence, fertility, female and male
Increases creativity and enhances intuition
Healing Effects
Healing layouts – place over the heart, third eye and root chakras to balance hormones and ease emotional stress
Personal uses
Wear over the heart to sooth emption, balance hormones.
Alexandrite
Alexandrite was initially discovered in the 1830s, in the emerald mines of the Ural Mountains of Russia. The bright green stone was at first mistaken for emerald, until the sun went down. In the light of candles, its greenish hue vanished and a bright purplish-red took its place.
According to legend, this gemstone was named for Alexander II because it was discovered on the future czar's birthday in 1834. Because alexandrite's red and green hues matched Russia's military colors, it became the official gemstone of Imperial Russia's Tsardom.
George Fredrick Kinz the master gemologist at Tiffany and Co. was also fond of Alexandrite. He produces a series of alexandrite ring between the late 19th and early 20 century .
https://www.americangemsociety.org/birthstones/june-birthstones/history-of-alexandrite/
Form and structure –
Twin crystals that form a rosette
Alexandrite is a form of chrysoberyl, which is a silicate, beryllium aluminum oxide. It is a color change stone because of the chromium.
Emerald by day and Ruby by night because of its chatoyancy – sheen
Natural Alexandrite stones are now rarer than diamonds. It is practically unaffordable to the public.
Labs have been growing synthetic alexandrite since the 1960’s , they also are very expensive.
Color – green in ultra violet light and red in artificial light
Not all Alexandrite has the same color shift
Geography – Russia, Brazil, Africa
Rarity – not common, available from a specialist
Mohs 8.5
Personal Use
Wear over the heart in a pendant, carry it with you or meditate with a stone to stay focused to your purpose
Thank you for another insightful article. Where else might someone obtain that kind of knowledge written in such a professional manner? I have a presentation coming up next week, and I'm looking for relevant information. Alexandrite Stone Ring
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