Shanghai Rongzhen Bronze Artworks Co., Ltd.

Title: Jasper
Introduction:Jasper is an opaque quartz semiprecious stone found in red, brown, and black varieties. Very rare specimens are blue or have bands of blue through other colors.

Crushed jasper is a universal substitute ingredient in the making of potions, antidotes, and magic items that protect against or neutralize poison. Drinks store in vessels of carved jasper for at least a day are leeched of any poisonous, tainted, or corrosive elements they might contain.

It is used mostly for inexpensive ornamental objects such as sculptures.

Title: Diopside
Introduction:Diopside stone is a calcium magnesium silicate mineral of the group pyroxene. It is available in a chromium-rich gem variety and is called as chrome diopside in bright color. The stone is relatively soft. It is also common to many high-temperature assemblages of the calcium-silicate units.

Diopside is vitreous or greasy from transparent to translucent. It is doubly refractive. The finer specimens fit for gem purposes. When it is cut brilliantly, it makes a very attractive stone and resembles green tourmaline.

Diopside is used for the mental body. It encourages the intellect, helps to grow one in academic, and it also encourages creativity, particularly in pursuits of writing. This is the perfect stone for fresh authors as it enables them to get the thoughts in black and white and in a timely fashion. Some even say that it is a good stone when learning mathematics or other intellectual pursuits. Physically, diopside is used for psychological disorders.

Diopside is found near Dekalb, St. Lawrence County, New York. The specific gravity of the stone is 3.3 - 3.6 and hardness is 5 to 6 on Mohs scale. It is suitable for making earrings and pendants. Since it is very soft, making rings is a bad choice.

Title: Hemimorphite
Introduction:Hemimorphite is the commonly known sorosilicates which forms in oxidized zinc deposits and always occurs in clusters of radiating, acicular crystals. Originally, it was named Calamine, but since calamine is used for some other mineral, the word hemimorphit is widely in use. 'Hemi' means half and 'morph' means shape.

Hemimorphite is in the form of bladed crystal, the botryoidal form is very common. The crystals are generally elongated and flat. When heated, the stone readily becomes frosted. When hot, the coating is yellow but after cooling it turns white. It even fluoresces a bright orange in long-wave ultraviolet and white in short-wave ultraviolet.

Some of the best hemimorphite are found in Leadville, Colorado, Elkhorn and Montana in the United States. It is also found in Mapimi, Durango and Santa, Eulalia, Mexico. Few other nice specimens of the stone are also found in New Mexico and New Jersey.

It is a wide believe of Hemimorphite being a help for one to attain a positive self-image including self-esteem and self-respect. It also assists in the personal growth of a person on all levels. The stone brings joy and creativity. For healing, it is an excellent stone. It relieves pain, cures ulcers, blood diseases and cellular disease or disorder. Sometimes it is also used as protection stone from malice and poisoning.

Title: Charoite
Introduction:Charoite is known for its primal power. It is a mineral, an unusual of rare occurrence, in the monoclinic crystal system. An opaque gemstone having a wild and swirling pattern of interlocking crystals. The colors, ranges from bright lavender, violet and lilac to that of dark purple, with white, gray and black veining.

It is believed that it is an all-round healer and works through, mainly, the immune system. Putting charoite under the pillow is said to release the fears that surface in dreams. The yoga guru claims this stone fosters a synthesis between the heart and the crown chakra. It helps to walk on spiritual path with awareness and manifests soul's wisdom and light in daily life.

Charoite occur only in the Chara River area of Siberia. It is said that it might have been named after the Russian word Chary, which means "charms" or "magic." Charoite was first discovered in the year 1947 by Russian and the West came to know by 1978. The safest cleanser for Charoite is warm soapy water and is used for making exquisite jewelry items.

Title: Chrysoprase
Introduction:Chrysoprase is the most valuable stone in the chalcedony group. The microscopic fine quartz fibers in it have a radial structure. Its green color is the result of staining by nickel oxide compounds of the stone.

The name chrysoprase has been derived from a Greek word "chrysos prason," which mean gold leek. It is said to be a "Victory Stone." In the 18th century, as said, thieves used to become invisible by keeping the stone in their mouth.

Chrysoprase gemstone is of very fine translucent green color and texture. It is sometimes mistaken for green Imperial jadeite. With many similarities with jadeite, chrysoprase is sometimes marketed as "Australian Imperial Jade."

The hardness of the stone is 6 1/2 to 7 and is known for its specific metaphysical characteristics. It sooths headache and loneliness, promotes emotional balance and grants inner strength and peace. It also lead a person to greater confidence and give relief to gout, eye problems and mental illness.

The stone occurs in serpentine rocks and in weathered materials of nickel ore deposits as nodules or fillings of clefts. Australia (New South Wales region), Brazil, India, Kazakhstan, Madagascar, Russia (the Urals region), Zimbabwe, South Africa, Tanzania, and California has a good deposit of Chrysoprase.

Title: Jade
Introduction:The definition "jade" is used to define two minerals of similar appearance but different chemical composition: nephrite, a calcium- magnesium silicate, and jadeite, a silicate of sodium and aluminum.

Both minerals are found in a wide range of shades of green, brown, yellow, grey and pink and may be either translucent or opaque. They may be milky or cloudy in appearance and sometimes speckled with tiny black spots.

The most prized of the jades, the so-called "Chinese jade" (jadeite) is emerald green and so beautiful and rare that it has become exorbitantly expensive. In fact, jade is a good investment only if purchased at a reasonable price. A sound policy is never pay more for Chinese jade than you would for an emerald.

Title: Tiger's Eye
Introduction:Tiger's Eye, much like the eyes of a female cat, glitters with a small ray of light on the surface. This property of stone is known as chatoyancy. It is a brown quartz silicon dioxide having lustrous yellow and brown parallel fibers. The presence of iron oxides gives the stone the color of yellow-gold.

Tiger's Eye is very popular in jewelry making. It has the grounding energy of the earth, but embellished with glowing warmth. This stone is perfect for people in need of more confidence to accomplish their goals. It helps people to recognize self resources and use it for the attainment of their dreams apart from making them judge situations and determine the best possible way to approach it. Roman soldiers wore it, engraved with symbols, to protect them during battle.

Tiger's Eye is the anniversary stone for the ninth year of marriage and astrological sign for capricorn. It is found in the regions of South Africa, but the best stones is acquired from West Griqualand.

Title: Druzy Quartz
Introduction:Druzy Quartz (also spelt as Drusy or Druse) is a thin layer of quartz crystals covering the surface of a host stone. One good example of Druzy is the crystals filled inside the cavity of a geode. It is well known that amethyst or citrine get the source of their color from this quartz crystal but usually Druzy Quartz takes the host stone's color which is seen through it as in chrysocolla or uvarovite garnet.

The term "Druzy" refers to the tiny crystal which is formed within of on another stone in a large number. When the ground water that carries dissolved silica is forced to to get filled into a porous area of rock, rapid cooling occurs and it causes the formation of minute crystals. As in Druzy Chrysocolla, the rock is composed of agatized chysocolla with crusts of small sparkling quartz crystals in tiny cavities.

Druzy Quarts is said to aid in balancing and increasing energy. Since ages it has been used to diagnose disease and is believed to enhance natural extrasensory perception abilities.

Title: Cinnabar
Introduction:Cinnabar is a red crystalline form of mercuric sulphide. In its natural state, it is a red crystalline solid. Sometimes, its red color is so bright that it is not found in any mineral, plant and animal on earth. It occurs in brilliant red or in red or brown amorphous masses.

The Chinese and the Arabian alchemists used to extract mercury from it. Today, it is the only source of mercury and is found in rare localities. Since of its red color, it was also used as a dye. The word 'Cinnabar' has been taken from the Persian for 'dragon's blood.'

The cinnabar in the chicken blood stone is believed to be protecting people from evil and to bring good luck and fortune. Psychologically, it represents the hardened habits and terrestrial marriages of the soul and spirit. Cinnabar is also a stone of repute in giving wearer long life.

The hardness of cinnabar is 2 to 2.5 and is usually used for making beautiful jewelry. It is found in the regions of Spain, Serbia, China, and California and Arkansas in the US.

Title: Alabaster
Introduction:This substance is sulphate of lime or gypsum of a white or delicately tinted colour. It is one of the softest minerals known to nature and is therefore used as an ornamental stone in sculpture, though only for internal work as it weathers easily. It is especially popular in Italy, its country of origin (Volterra, Tuscany).

It is very porous and easy to colour, but too fragile to be a worth- while investment.

Title: Hematite
Introduction:A widely-distributed iron ore occurring in crystalline, massive or granular forms. It is opaque and generally dark grey (almost black) in colour. It is cut en cabochon or as beads, though in Germany it is also used for intaglios. It is similar to steel in appearance, but much darker.

Set with gold, it makes a very attractive colour contrast. It may be confused with black pearl, for which it is sometimes used as an imitation, but which has a less metallic sheen.

It is found in Italy, Germany, France, England, Switzerland and Madagascar.

Title: Aventurine Quartz
Introduction:A variety of quartz spangled with inclusions giving a schiller, an unusual and attractive lustre characteristic of certain minerals. It may be green, blue, red or yellow in colour.

In the Far East it is used for elaborately decorated statuettes in the West for small items of jewelry, necklaces and bracelets.

It is widely found in India, Russia, South Africa and China.

Care should be taken not to confuse blue aventurine with lapis lazuli and green aventurine with jade.

Title: Agate
Introduction:This is a semi-pellucid variety of quartz. The colours are arraigned in strips or bands or blended in clouds and classified accordingly as moss, ribbon, dendrite, etc. The stone, widely distributed but not very popular, is generally brown. When used for ornamental purposes it has usually been dyed artificially as the porous nature of this mineral allows it to absorb material from solution. Brownish- orange agate is known as cornelian, the green variety chrysoprase, the blue variety chalcedony and the brownish-red variety carnelian. Black agate is onyx.

Agate is used for inexpensive jewelry, ornaments and even ash- trays and precision instruments.

It is found mainly in India, Brazil, Madagascar, China, Russia and Australia.

Title: Coral
Introduction:Coral is not a mineral but a hard calcareous substance consisting of the continuous skeleton secreted by many tribes of marine coelenterate polyps for their support and habitation. It is found growing plant-like on the sea-bottom. With pollution on the rise everywhere it is becoming increasingly rare, to the extent that even the most prized, the Mediterranean coral, is threatened with extinction.

Coral was very popular until a few years ago, but has now become too expensive for most pockets. Its increasing rarity does. however, make it a good long-term investment. You would be wise to buy Italian coral rather than specimens from the Far East, which have often been adulterated.

The best corals are generally considered to be those of a deep rose red colour, though some jewelers would tend to disagree. Understandably so, when it is almost impossible to find more than one or two necklaces of this shade in a hundred ! As regards white and pink varieties, choose without hesitation the colour known as "angel's skin".

Weight-wise, coral is worth more on today's market than gold, which is why it is such a sound investment provided, and I stress this, it is of the best quality. The finest specimens come from Sardinia and Tunisia; larger, less fine ones from Japan and China.

Coral is cut en cabochon or used for beads and sometimes small carvings. Beware of imitations, such as coloured shell or bone.

Title: Amazonite
Introduction:Amazonite, also known as 'Amazone stone,' is a light, aqua-green stone with white mottled flecks. The name, Amazonite, has been taken from the Amazon River, where formerly certain green stones were obtained, but it is found in Brazil. The origin of the stone is the New England States and Colorado. The composition is basically of potassium feldspar, and it is a green variety of microline.

Amazonite is a mineral, but because of its lively green color, it is cut and polished as a gemstone. The green color of the stone has been attributed to the presence of copper. It can also be due to some organic pigment, probably an organic salt of iron, as it is removed by heat from the source.

Modern amazonite has a limited occurrence. Previously it was obtained exclusively in organic rocks from Miyask in the Ilmen mountains, 50 miles south-west of Chehabinsk (Russia). Recently high quality crystals were obtained from Pike's Peak, Colorado. It was found associated with the quartz, orthoclase, and albite. Few other locations in the US yield amazonite. It is also found in pegmatite in Madagascar.

Amazonite is believed to be a sacred stone of high value. It was extensively used by the ancient Egyptians. It gives a cooling and soothing effect to the mental state. It is used for healing and spiritual growth. It is applied to align the heart and solar plexus chakras and also the etheric and mental bodies. The body energy currents are strengthened by the use of amazonite.

Title: Fluorite
Introduction:Fluorite, a transparent and translucent stone which mean 'to flow' in Latin. The term 'florescent' also has been derived from fluorite. It is an attractive stone with a wide range of colors ranging from pink, purple, magenta, blue, yellow, green, red, brown and white.

The usual availability of fluorite stones are Europe, Mexico, Argentina, USA, Thailand and China. In Europe, it is most abundant in England, France, Austria, and Germany. Ancient Egyptians used the stone to carve statues and scarabs. The deposits are formed under a wide variety of conditions like veins produced by hydrothermal alteration, beds and cavities in sedimentary rocks, hot spring and in pegmatites.

The Chinese used it in carvings for hundreds of years. The Romans used in drinking vessels in order to ward off drunkenness, along with the amethyst.

According to believes, the stone opens pathways in the brain to the higher dimensions of light. It increases alertness and mental activity and also helps in grasping complex and abstract concepts. The stone is also a favorite to therapists and counselors. The power of fluorite brings in objectivity and concise, orderly thoughts, actions and behavior. It encourages truth, understanding and wisdom.

Title: Chrysocolla
Introduction:Chrysocolla, the gemstone which provides unique color, blue-green, in the mineral world. It is, in fact, an appropriate mineraloid than a true mineral. Mostly, it is amorphous, not having a coherent crystalline structure.

Chrysocolla in its pure form is soft and fragile and therefore not suitable for use in jewelry. It is "agatized" in chalcedony quartz and this quartz provides the stone its durability. Druzy Chrysocolla rock is an example of agatized chysocolla with a crust of tiny sparkling quartz crystals in small cavities.

These, colored swirls of chrysocolla and sparkles of druzy quartz, if undergoes the talent of skilled craftsman, can be produced into a lovely and valuable piece of jewelry. Chrysocolla can sometime also have a turquoise color which makes it the substitute for many precious stones.

Chrysocolla is very light. It is found in Arizona, Utah, New Mexico and Pennsylvania, USA; Israel; Zaire and England. It has a variable hardness from 2 to 4.

Title: Emerald
Introduction:Emerald is a beryl, like aquamarine. One is green, the other blue, the difference between them being of a chemical nature. Emerald is a silicate of beryllium and aluminum occurring in nature as crystals of a hexagonal pyramidal shape. The dichroism of the stone is conspicuous, varying from pale green to grass green and dark green according to the chromium content. Hardness is 7.5 on the Mohs scale, and the substance is brittle; so great care is needed during cutting and setting and in preserving the stone.

Emerald was known in ancient times. It was initially mined in the Ural Mountains, Siberia and Egypt. Following Spanish colonization of South America, a number of old Inca mines were discovered, and these have since yielded some of the world's finest specimens. The Muzo, Cosquez, Chivor and Gachaia mines in Colombia are still worked today.

More recently, veins have been found in Brazil, South Africa, Zambia, Pakistan, Afghanistan and India, but none of these stones can equal the beauty of the Colombian specimens.

A flawless emerald is very rare. Indeed, identification of a stone is greatly facilitated by the presence of inclusions or even slight fractures. Most emeralds on the market today contain inclusions that diminish their transparency. Often the colour is irregular, the stone being darker on one side than on the other.

Emerald is without doubt the most imitated beryl. Synthetic stones are produced in Germany (Zerfass), United States (Chatham) and France (Gilson), and it would be extremely difficult for a layman to distinguish a natural from a synthetic emerald. Even expert jewelers can make mistakes, and the Chelsea colour filter which was originally designed to identify emeralds, has proved its limitations in certain dubious cases. In similar circumstances an entire series of scientific tests is called for. In simple terms, verification of an emerald could prove a very costly operation, so I strongly advise you to seek the assistance of a reliable jeweler with a reputation to defend.

Title: Azurite
Introduction:Azurite is a blue carbonate mineral, chemically composed of copper carbonate hydroxide. It is found associated with green mineral malachite as an aftermath of weathering and oxidation of copper sulfide minerals. The name of the stone is derived from the Arabic word for blue.

Azurite is also commonly called 'Blue Bice' and 'Blue Verditer.' Formerly it was known as Azurro Della Magna, taken from Italian words. The stone turns slightly green when mixed with oil and green-grey, when mixed with egg yolk.

Azurite in beautiful crystals form are found in the United States in the Arizona and New Mexico. In France it is found at Chessy and is sometimes called chessylite. It is used for ornamental purposes, as a dye for paints and fabrics for eons.

The stone is a powerful healing stone which invokes spiritual guidance and opens psychic eye. It is also good for dreams and improving psychic ability. The magnificent color is considered to be unique in the mineral world.

Title: Desert Glass
Introduction:Desert Glass is a naturally formed glass composed of nearly pure silica. It was discovered in 1932 when Egyptian Desert Survey expedition led by P.A. Clayton was sent to study southwest unexplored regions from Cairo. The expedition discovered, scattered on the desert, transparent to translucent pieces of pale yellow-green vitreous substance. Since then it also came to be known as Libyan Desert glass.

It is great stone for spiritual work and for the group healing. It aligns the energy centers and removes blocks. The Egyptian Pharaoh Tutankhamun used to have a scarab craved from Desert Glass on his breast plate.

Libyan Desert Glass is the most unusual natural glasses ever seen or described. It is completely made of silica and is dispersed over a large area of the Great Sand Sea in the Egypt.

Title: Druzy Titanium
Introduction:Druzy Titanium or Druzy plated with Titanium is a regular Druzy. The colors of Druzy Titanium are very hot and intensely bright. It shifts from a bright hot purple to that of a neon deep blue with some shade of red. The colors of Druzy Titanium differ with the change in the viewing angles.

Druzy Titanium is used artistically in jewelry making. The favorites are necklaces, bracelets, rings, earrings and pendants. It has an outstanding luster and is believed to have originated in the US. The usual available color of Druzy Titanium is of golden shade.