Week 1: Gems

[Zili]

Gems/Gemstones/Precious or Semi-precious gemstones are stones typically made from minerals, they are hard and are usually used to create jewelry. Other rocks such as lapis lazuli, amber, and jet are not created from minerals but other materials but can be used in jewelry as well and have their own properties; because they are used in this manner they are commonly considered “gemstones” as well.

Not all gemstones are hard, but are used in jewelry for their luster, such as the opal. An opal is so soft that if it is not securely fitted in the setting it can fall out and when it meets the floor, it will shatter.

The stones can be left in their natural state as crystals, but generally in jewelry making they are cut in one of two ways. The first cut is to have a flat back and a dome top also known as a cabochon (or cab for short) these are set into jewelry using metal to form a smooth ring around the stone which is then smoothed over the edge. The second cut is most popular in rings, especially engagement rings; this cut would be the faceted cut. The stones can be cut in a square, rectangle, triangle or even have a rounded shape on top and a pointed bottom. The faceted cut stones when sold in professional jewelry stores typically come in prong settings, lately though many people have taken up wire wrapping and have set their stones in wire wrapped settings, lots of artist have played with the designs to give their customers something more than just your average bent piece of silver to create a prong and have added swirls and bends. With the right artist and the right vision these settings can enhance the natural beauty of the stone.

The most common use of gems in magick today is in amulets (we will learn more about making our own in the final lesson) Every stone has its own magical property, quartz is great for charging with your own energy, amethyst is used for divination, diamonds were chosen for engagement rings because they help us in matters of love, sodalite helps to ward of depression or calm the mind when depression runs rampant in our heads.

Gemstones can also help us feel more connected with our Gods and Goddesses. The myth behind the amethyst stone involves both Dionysus and Artemis. To sum up the story, Dionysus had been insulted so he took a walk to clear his head, as usual he had been drinking wine made from purple grapes, because he had been insulted by a mortal he swore he’d kill the next mortal he came upon to get even. This mortal was a woman on her way to worship Artemis, she called to her goddess for help and protection from Dionysus and so Artemis turned her follower into quartz. Dionysus sobered up and wept for the woman and his actions spilling his wine which was soaked up by the quartz and so the statue of the woman turned purple creating the amethyst stone. There is a bit of scientific truth hidden in this story, the amethyst is a member of the quartz family.

Some stones when introduced to heat can change color and become a “different” stone all together one of these stones is citrine, before it is heated citrine starts off as amethyst, the heat turns the stone a yellow color. Many of the commercially made stones are made this way. Others are dyed with other means, such as emeralds, many stones have small fissures when they are cut, or even before the cutting process begins, once the stone is cut, oil or wax mixed with color or other chemicals are applied to the stone to hide these small cracks and to enhance the colors.

Some people believe gemstones created in labs are fakes and should not be used in magick, however this idea is false. Lab created gemstones are not fakes, they are made using the same chemicals and minerals the natural stones are created from, they are only done in a lab setting to reduce cost, control the growth, size, and shape of the stone. These lab created stones are no less powerful than the natural stones. The differences between lab created and natural stones are the lab created stones are more vivid and they don’t contain impurities such as chips or fissures. The magick is in the minerals and actual makeup of the stones, however stones found in the earth may be more charged by the earth's energy being poured into the stone and protecting it for however long the stone was buried.

Homework:
Answer the following questions.
1) Name 10 gemstones that are not listed in this lesson
2) State their magickal properties
3) Tell us which God or Goddess they are connected to.