An appealing ring, made of 925 Sterling Silver with 7.63cts of alluring Larimar from the Dominican Republic and 0.15cts of White Topaz from Brazil.
Precious Metal: 925 Sterling Silver
Average Weight: 3.30g
Number of Gemstones: 13
Shape: Round and Cushion
Total Caret Weight: 7.78cts
Birthstone Month:
Larimar is not designated as a birthstone.
History & Lore:
Larimar has currently only been discovered on the island of the Dominican Republic. Larimar (also known as Lorimar) is a pale blue gemstone with an appearance similar to that of Turquoise.
Folklore suggests the locals used to find "blue rock" on the beach and after a barren period, they decided to follow a stream up into the mountain and found the original source of the rock. However, no one was able to obtain mining rights and in the early 1900's the stones disappeared in the history books.
Miguel Mendez rediscovered the gem in 1974, in the province of Barahona. Miguel decided to name his discovery by combining his daughter's name 'Larissa' with the Spanish word for sea, 'mar'. Today, the Los Chupaderos Mine is the only source of the gem on the planet. It is located 6.21 miles from the city of Barahona and in the rain forest mountainside where hundreds of small vertical mining shafts have been created.
The gem is a variety of pectolite and it receives its blue coloring from the presence of cobalt. While other pale colors are also found, the original blue Larimar is the most highly prized and set into jewelry. As a fairly new gemstone there is very little folklore or legend surrounding it. The gemis also known by locals as the Atlantis Stone, as it was once claimed by a wise prophet that the Dominican Republic was part of the lost continent of Atlantis.
Topaz
Birthstone Month:
Yellow Topaz is associated with the birthstone month of November and Blue Topaz is associated with the birthstone month of December.
History & Lore:
Topaz has long been related to desire and the name is believed to have been derived from the Sanskrit word 'tapas' meaning heat, fire and passion. It is also said to have been derived from the Greek word 'topazos' or 'topazion', meaning “to search.” Topazion was also the name of an island in the Red Sea which today is commonly known as Zebirget or St. John's Island in Egypt.
The Egyptians believed that Topaz would protect them from harm because they believed it was colored by the sun god Ra's golden arms. The Romans believed in a similar theory and associated Topaz with their sun god, Jupiter.
Topaz has also been biblically referenced as one of the gemstones used to make the 'Breastplate of Judgement' worn by Aaron.
Topaz is said to increase the wearer’s intelligence, creativity and wisdom, and can enhance one's spiritual potential. It is also known to aid in meditation and in the divine manifestation of desired objects.
Topaz is said to bring physical and intellectual vigor, good health, and is said to offer protection against infectious diseases.
Topaz comes in a variety of shapes, colors and sizes. Its brilliance and clarity are its chief attractions. A hard stone, Topaz is very difficult to scratch, although it can be brittle. Imperial Topaz occurs naturally in colors ranging from a light golden yellow to deep reddish orange. Red and intense pink are the rarest and desirable colors for Topaz. A gem with these colors will command a relatively high price. Bright orange colored Topaz, also known as Imperial Topaz, falls into the moderate price range and is easier to find. Blue Topaz, having a low to moderate price range, is very popular, primarily because of moderate pricing and the availability of a wide variety of shades, sizes and shapes.