Welcome today’s guest blogger, Jane Rhodes.
How to Accessorize with Semi-Precious Gems
Diamonds may be a girl’s best friend, but the variety of rich colors and styles that you could have with semi-precious gems can often be a better choice for fashion-minded women. Gems like turquoise, amethyst, and onyx can provide different shades of color to complement your wardrobe. Accessorizing can be a challenge, but here’s a handy guide to help you enhance your look with some of the most popular semi-precious gems available.
Turquoise (Blue/Green/Black)
One of the oldest known gems, turquoise is also one of the most unique and versatile gems because of the many different color and shade combinations of blue, green, and black. It is completely opaque and consists of hydrated phosphate of copper and aluminum. The Navajo Indians believed that turquoise was part of the sky that broke off and fell to the ground and would bring good fortune.
Each piece is so unique that you may have trouble deciding which gemstone you love more for your own personal style. You could lean toward more dominance of one shade or another, depending on your preferences and outfit for the day. Or you can get a variety of color shades to match or blend with specific pieces of clothing.
The wisest and most exciting choice may well be to mix different shades of turquoise semi-precious gems in various accessories and wear them at the same time. Choose a pair of earrings, a necklace, or a pendant that complements each other, but are distinctly different shades. You can do the same thing with turquoise rings, watches, and bracelets since they are also worn near each other, so the contrast is obvious and stunning.
Amethyst (Purple)
With striking purple color, the popular amethyst quartz gemstone can be cut and made into larger jewelry pieces if you want to make a striking statement. It is known for being very hard and durable, so it is a perfect choice for cocktail rings and bracelets.
Coral (White, Pink, Orange, Red, and Black)
Another ancient gemstone with unique color variations, coral is one of the few organic gems available for jewelry use. Metaphysic scholars believe that Corals have the ability to calm emotions and permit flow and transformation into your life. The many colors and styles of coral semi-precious gems make it a valuable gem to use to accent your wardrobe and other accessories. Get a coral piece that has prominent shades of red or a combination of red and black for more formal evening wear. Think about choosing a white and pink or orange mixed hue that can look just right with less formal wear or pastel colors.
Lapis Lazuli (Deep Blue, Silver, Gold, White)
Highly valued in the Ancient Egyptian and Babylonian age, Lapis Lazuli is a beautiful deep blue opaque stone that sometimes contains hints of small white veins and sparkling silver and gold specs within the gem. This comes from the pyrite that gets formed inside. It’s intense, the brilliant color was the reason it was used long ago to make dyes for various purposes. It is sometimes referred to as the “sapphire of the ancients” because of its resemblance to the valuable blue sapphire precious gemstone.
The most popular Lapis’ semi-precious gems are the ones that have the most intense deep blues, devoid of any white veins, and contain the pyrite gold or silver flecks. This gives it a luxurious, more visually appealing, and interesting appearance. This blue gem will coordinate well with many different styles and colors of clothing and can be made into all types of accessories. It also coordinates well with many other gems since blue is always an easy color to mix and match with.
Onyx (Black)
The rumored powers of the onyx gemstone would make any woman want to rush and buy it for their health and security. The mysterious deep black onyx gem is said to have many healing and protective properties, including for the mind, spirit, heart, skin, neurological, kidney, and much more. Let’s face it: black goes with just about everything, so virtually anything goes when it comes to your accessory choices with onyx.
This semi-precious gem is widely utilized to make fashionable bracelets and pendants, but rings and other fashion pieces are just as suitable since it is a fairly tough stone. It is often combined with gold or silver accents or other colored stones, which makes it shine and stand out as a fashion statement.
Whether you’re looking for a subtle piece of jewelry to serve as an accent to your outfit, or bright, bold statement piece that will undoubtedly draw attention, there are endless options and boundless variety within the world of semi-precious gems.
Author Bio:
Jane Rhodes is a blogger based out of Las Vegas with over 10 years of experience reporting on the fashion industry. When she’s not investigating the latest trends in clothes and jewelry, she can be found in her art studio, where she paints landscapes of the Nevada desert.
