From: mbuch@gulfaero.com (Mel Buchheit)
Subject: Re: stones
Date: 7 Jul 1993 09:25:58 -0400

I sold Jewelry for over 5 years and was a gemologist in everything but
the $700 fee to the GAM.  I hope I can remember my folklore :)

Opals - the "old wives tale" dates only to the late 1800's to a
popular book in Vicorian England wherein the heroine purchases a
cursed opal and later commits suicide. Current folklore says someone
not born in October (Birthstone is opal), wearing it has bad luck. My
mother gave me an opal last year for my birthday in March and I
haven't had any bad runs of luck :) However, opals are very very soft
and tend to crack and scratch easily.

Saphires - Are said to dull if your lover is cheating on your and are
more intense in color when given by your true love.

Rubies - Usually associated with "Christ's Blood" folklore. Maybe
innapropriate for Pagans :)

Aquamarines - Said to be made from Sea water by Faires. Worn for good
luck by sailors.

Its been 4 years since I had to stand behind a color and hawk stones
for a living, so I can't remember much of the other stones and their
folklore.  IMHO a very nice color Sahpire (Celonnes are the prettiest)
makes a very nice ring, with its legends wrapped around love, and its
also the 2nd hardest stone compared to diamonds.

From: mbuch@gulfaero.com (Mel Buchheit)
Subject: Stones and Folklore
Date: 12 Jul 1993 11:26:35 -0400

	Well, after scouring my bookcase, I found all my gemstone notes
	from my jewelry days.  I'm posting here due to a large numbers
	of requests via email.

[...]

	Alexandrite - Supposidly discovered on the coronation  day of
	Alexander II. A very expensive and rare stone, it changes color
	with different light sources, most dramatice change can be seen
	under black light as it goes from a purple-grey to a light green.
	Suposed to bring good fortune during the day, and increase amourous
	feelings at night.

	Amber - Greek legend holds that two sisters convinced their brother,
	a greek god, to race in a chariot ride that proved fatal. As 
	punishment they were turned to trees and amber is their tears,
	hardened by the sun.  Thought to bring cure to soar throats, and
	save the wearer from being poisoned.

	Amethyst - Greeks believed drinking out of a cup with amethysts
	on it would keep you from getting drunk.  Also said to protect
	you from overeatting.  Used to symbolize protection of the family,
	as well as humility and sincerity.  It protects the wearer from
	treason and lies, prevents baldness, and keeps away nightmares.

	Aquamarines - Greeks thought it was made from sea water and water
	nymph tears.  Sailors kept them to keep the seas calm during
	travels.  Romans thought aquamarines aided in ending wars, and
	carved frogs out of the stone, believing the talisman would make
	their enemies friends.  Christian myth has it that it gives you
	power over the devil, and if you put the stone in your mouth,
	you cannot be lied to.  Said to keep marriage happy, and if you
	break up with your mate, will help to reconcile you.  Used to
	be put in a crib to keep babies safe.

	Citrine - Protects the bearer from plague, acne, and wards of
	snakes.

	Coral - Egyptians believed it warded off the "Evil Eye", and was
	(snicker snicker :) ) kept men safe from falling to the ways of
	witches, and women free from the evils of warlocks. (Oh My! Hope
	my SO doesn't hear abou this... Oh.. I forgot - he's Wiccan too.
	Better toss out my coral earrings then.) Romans made their
	children wear coral necklaces to keep them safe from evil.
	Believed to aid women wanting to get pregnant.

	Emeralds - Christian myth says that when Lucifer was cast from heaven
	an emerald fell from his crown and was later carved into the
	Holy Grail. (Which makes me wonder what Druid legends there are
	about it.)  Believed to aid vision, people with eye problems were
	advised to stare into emeralds to rest their eyesight and improve
	vision.  Believed to improve memory and prevent diabetes.  If
	kept under a pillow, you would dream about the future.  Makes
	the wearer more honest

	Garnet - In my first post, I said that Ruby was usually associated
	with "Christ's Blood" legends, but I was mistaken :O  Its the red
	garnet that is associated with them, since its brownish hue makes
	it look like dried blood.  Hebrew legends said Aaron's breastplate
	was made from garnets and the Koran says that garnets are used
	to illuminate the Forth Heaven.  Garnet was believed to let travelers
	at night see and ward off nightmares and poison.

	Jade - Used by religions all over the world for carving religious
	statues and figures, and ceremonial items like knives were carved
	from it by pagans. (My notes don't say which pagans or sects.)
	Bearer is gifted with pure thoughs and long life.

	Opal -  The story about opals that gave it the bad rep is Sir
	Walter Scott's "Ann of Geirstein" where the heroine buys a cursed
	opal and later dies.  Before that, blond women used to buy the
	opal since it was believed to keep their hair from getting dark.
	Also believed to allow the wearer to be invisible.

	Peridot - Said to ward off evil, terrors of the night, and bad dreams.
	The best way to ward off evil though, was to string peridot on
	the hair of a mule and wear it on your right sleeve.  Said to 
	cure sinus infections.

	Ruby - (Just a side note, a Ruby is a red sapphire. Sapphires
	come in all colors.)  Believed to be magical if flawless.  In 
	India it was believed that offering flawless rubies to Krishan
	garunteed the person to be reincarnated as an emperor.  Rubies
	should always be admired when seen, because it was believed that
	if you ignored a ruby, it dulled in color. Russians believed it
	cured diseases of the blood.

	Sapphire - Legend is that the Ten commandments were engraved on 
	Sapphire.  Wearing a sapphire acted as an antidote against poisoning
	and if rubbed on a wound would stop bleeding.  If given to a mate
	it would dull if you were ever unfaithful.  If a wicked person
	wore it, it wouldn't shine and would crack.

	Spinel - It was used in the 18th century to find out if someone
	had "supernatural" powers.  If you approach a witch with it, she
	would start to shake - thereby revealing her.

	Topaz - Egyptians thought they were made by Ra the sun god.
	St. Hidegard prescribed putting topaz in wine and then drinkig
	the wine to cure eye problems.  

	Zircon - protects travelers from harm and stops wounds from getting
	infected.  Gave wisdom in financial matters to make you richer.
	If you wanted to counter a spell cast on you, you were to bake
	bread, then rub the zircon on the top of the bread and eat it.

	Oh my! What a refresher.  Although its been a couple of years since
	I worked with jewelry, I had forgotten most of the myths :)
	I find most of them much more humorous than I did a few years ago,
	before I became pagan :)


	Hope this helps some!  If you have any questions, please email me.

	Bright Blessings!

	Mel