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Welcome to Timeless Treasures Antique Handcut Gemstones and their History.
Check out New Arrivals: Amethyst Jewelry
Amethyst was one of the first gemstones used by man. The name is derived from the Greek term "amethustos", meaning not drunk. Amethyst came to Greece from Egypt just after the death of Alexander the Great. Most ancient Mediterranean cultures believed that amethyst would protect against becoming intoxicated, and would protect soldiers from harm in battle. Throughout ancient and medieval history, the color purple was traditionally the color of royalty. Consequentially Amethyst has been used since the dawn of recorded history to adorn the wealthy, as well as royalty, and was extensively used since ancient times for carving intaglio gemstones and seals. Amethyst is also mentioned in the Bible (Exodus 28:19; 39:12) as one of the 12 stones adorning the breastplate (hoshen) of the high priests of Yahweh.
Amethyst is the most highly valued variety of quartz. The purple coloring is caused by the presence of compounds of iron or manganese. Aside from the gorgeous color, Amethyst is also very popular in the production of jewelry due to the fact it is very hard and durable. Some of the other popular varieties of quartz include rock crystal (colorless quartz), citrine (yellow quartz), and aventurine (green quartz). Amethyst, like all quartz crystals, produces an electric voltage, a property known as piezoelectric. Unable to understand the characteristic, ancient cultures attributed many mystical properties have been attributed to the various varieties of quartz gemstones. Quartz gemstones were believed to act as psychic purifiers, tuning one into their inner "vibrations". It was believed that quartz possessed the ability to amplify emotions, enhance concentration and intuition, and neutralize "negative energies".
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Gemstone of the Month - AUGUST: PERIDOT
The name is derived from the Arabic "faridat" meaning "gem". Peridot was mined on an island in the Red Sea off the coast of Egypt known to the Greeks as Topazios as early as 1500 B.C., and eventually during the Crusades peridot was brought to Europe. The barren little island was one of the best-guarded areas of the ancient world, as the Egyptians so valued peridot that guards stationed on the island were given orders to kill anyone approaching the shore without permission. To the ancient Egyptians, the golden glow of Peridot symbolized "Ra", their sun god. It is believed that peridot was Cleopatra's favorite gemstone, and that biblical references to "crysolite" in the Old Testament actually refer to peridot. In medieval Europe peridot was worn as a talisman, believed to give its wearer foresight and divine inspiration, and that it was capable of dissolving enchantments.
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More Interesting Things To Do:
Interested in the history of antique and ancient jewelry and gemstones? Want totally unique gemstone jewelry, unlike anyone else's? Everyone has gemstone jewelry! You can buy it at hundreds of chain jewelry stores. And as beautiful as it might be, they're all pretty much machine stamped, mass produced pieces with little character or personality. Kind of like Bic Lighters - lots of pretty colors, and pretty designs, but when you get right down to it, somehow all plastic. There is an alternative. Antique handcut gemstones from Russia...and India, Ceylon, Burma, and Siam. While most seem to be perfectly happy with today's machine cut gemstones the artisans of past centuries cut their gemstones by hand, exercising both tremendous craftsmanship and patience. Why buy an ordinary, just-like-the-others mass-produced gemstone? For less money you could purchase a piece of the past, a hand-cut precious or semi-precious gemstone produced by a real artisan. Here in Russia, fascinating precious and semi-precious gemstones have been produced for centuries. Gemstones such as color-change alexandrite, green demantoid garnet, mint green emeralds, and dazzling colors of sapphire as well as dozens of other species have been wrested free of the rocky Urals Mountains in Siberia. For centuries Russia has been famed for its production of the elaborate gemstone jewelry produced for the Czars. Gemstone cutting centers in Yekaterinburg and St. Petersburg have long been famous throughout Europe. And the hand cut gemstones of the eighteen and nineteen centuries are still available in the marketplaces of Siberia, such as in our home city of Chelyabinsk, just south of famed Yekaterinburg. As well, handcrafted antique gemstones can still be found in the marketplaces of India, Burma (Myanmar), Siam (Thailand), and Ceylon (Sri Lanka).
We have gathered together here antique, hand-crafted gemstones of centuries past. Gathered from around the world, inventoried in the USA, and available for shipment anywhere in the world. You may choose to purchase antique gemstones unset, and take them to your favorite jeweler and have them custom set. Or you might just want to buy them and appreciate them for their beauty - even unset. Or perhaps hold them as a tangible investment. Or if you prefer, we can have your purchases set for you by our order fulfillment center right there in the USA. We have a very wide variety of settings for you to choose from, in sterling silver, 14kt white gold, 14kt yellow gold, and in some cases affordable 14kt gold fill. Whether you purchase unset gemstones, choose to have them set by us, or simply wish to browse and learn more about the fascinating lore of ancient gemstones, please enjoy yourself. And be assured, any purchases you make here are fully guaranteed to be authentic, natural gemstones, and are guaranteed to please you. If for any reason you find yourself not entirely pleased by a purchase, you are welcome to return it for a full refund of its purchase price so long as it has not been materially altered.
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