Last time I wrote about the agate family. Today I'd like to discuss amazonite. According to Wikipedia, "Amazonite (sometimes called "Amazon stone") is a green variety of microcline feldspar.
The name is taken from that of the Amazon River, from which certain green stones were formerly obtained, but it is doubtful whether green feldspar occurs in the Amazon area.
Amazonite is a mineral of limited occurrence. Formerly it was obtained almost exclusively from the area of Miass in the Ilmen mountains, 50 miles southwest of Chelyabinsk, Russia, where it occurs in granitic rocks. More recently, high-quality crystals have been obtained from Pike's Peak, Colorado, where it is found associated with smoky quartz, orthoclase, and albite in a coarse granite or pegmatite. Crystals of amazonite can also be found in Crystal Park, El Paso County, Colorado. Some other localities in the United States yield amazonite, and it is also found in pegmatite in Madagascar and in Brazil.
Because of its bright green colour when polished, amazonite is sometimes cut and used as a gemstone, although it is easily fractured.
For many years, the source of amazonite's color was a mystery. Naturally, many people assumed the color was due to copper because copper compounds often have blue and green colors. More recent studies suggest that the blue-green color results from small quantities of lead and water in the feldspar. (Hoffmeister and Rossman, 1985)."
I don't particularly know or care what gives amazonite it's color but I will tell you that I think it is a beautiful stone- the shades of blue and green often reminding me of the sky or water, and in that it is very inspiring to work with to create a design that paints a picture in one's mind eye. I often find myself feeling calmer when I work with it or wear it.
According to BJ's research, amazonite is very useful for centering oneself, getting back to balance, refocus and stabilization. She states it is a zodiac stone for Virgo.
I have also read that amazonite can help to enhance creative expression, perhaps that goes back to my earlier comment about it being inspiring to work with because of it's beauty? It is said to help improve one's self worth. Amazonite is considered a soothing stone that offers confidence. I have seen it called the "hope stone" because it inspires confidence and hope and also heard it called the stone of courage. It was used by the ancient Egyptians. Artifacts have been found including strings of beads of gold, lapis lazuli and amazonite. It was also used in ancient Rome and India for adornment. I would imagine that any people coming across the beauty of this stone in nature would see the potential it holds for use as a bead or talisman to enhance the beauty of the wearer. Here are some examples of my own use of the stone in my work.
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| Skies Above earrings by greygirldesigns |
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| Heavenly necklace by greygirldesigns |
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| Fly Like An Eagle necklace by greygirldesigns |
Whatever properties it possesses, this beautiful stone is a delight to behold, and I hope you find my creations featuring it as mystical and lovely as I intended them to be. If they help you find some balance or even hope in your life then that could be an added benefit to wearing them! All three of the designs above are one of a kind pieces that are currently available in my Etsy store. Have you personally had any experiences with a particular gemstone that made you feel a certain way whenever you wore it? I would love for you to share your story with me and others here!
Very interesting and very very very prety jewellery.
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