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Gemstone Rings: The Rest Of The Story

Gemstone rings are often highly sought after for their brilliant colors and artistic designs. There is no denying that these rings are breathtaking, but the stories and beliefs behind them have made them priceless. Some of the most popular stones today such as opals, emeralds, and amethyst, have been used by ancient civilizations for thousands of years.

Emeralds in Gemstone Rings

The love affair with emeralds began in ancient South America with civilizations such as the Incas and the Aztecs. In these societies, these striking green gemstones were used as religious symbols. Across the sea in ancient Egypt, Cleopatra became so enthralled with them that she exhausted several mines in an attempt to satisfy her hunger for the gemstone. Rome also used emeralds for religious purposes as it represented Venus, the goddess of love and beauty. In more recent history, emeralds have been used to prevent epilepsy, improve brain function, and were thought to enhance romantic connections.

Opals in Gemstone Rings

Opals often contain a mix of brilliant colors that appear to dance right before your eyes. These unique stones were formed back in the days of the dinosaurs when naturally occurring silica gel became mixed with water before it hardened deep inside the earth. Ancient Australian cultures, however, have a more interesting story about the origins of opals. They believed that the stones on Earth took on the colors of the rainbow after the creator arrived on the planet to bring peace to the nations.

Although they did not become a popular stone until the rise of Art Deco design in the 1900s, opals held a wide variety of powers in ancient cultures. Ancient Greeks viewed the stone as a sign of purity, foresight, and hope while the Egyptians believed the stone was responsible for helping Cleopatra woo Marc Antony.

Amethyst in Gemstone Rings

Bacchus, the god of wine, is hailed as the creator of amethyst. In a rage, Bacchus sent tigers after a maiden named Amethyst and the goddess Diana saved her by turning her to quartz. Afterwards, Bacchus stained the stone body of the maiden purple with wine as a sign of regret. This, in turn, caused the stone to be thought of as a protection against poison, illness, and evil thoughts (drunkenness). Other cultures used the stone to safeguard their crops as well. Catholics and Christians used amethyst as a sign of divinity and power in many of their religious symbols such as the 15th Century Papal Ring.

Today, these stones represent a variety of different milestones in life. Opals are included in gemstone rings for their one-of-a-kind beauty as well as a symbol of a 13th wedding anniversary and the month of October. Emeralds are popular in gemstone rings to signify a 20th or 35th anniversaries, the month of May, as well as the Taurus and Cancer astrological signs. Amethysts are often used to symbolize the month of February as well as the 4th, 6th, and 17th wedding anniversaries.

Article Source: http://www.dummiesguideto.com

Christine O'Kelly is an author for The Trendz, the foremost online seller of top quality diamond and gemstone rings. The Trendz offers the latest styles at the lowest prices online, making it easy to find the perfect diamond and gemstone rings.

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