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I am ornamental gemstones. I am Jade, Lapis Lazuli, Chalcedony and Turquoise.
It is believed I possess the essence of life, and I am considered to be
God's given gift to man.
JADE Jade, stone of heaven, is not just one gemstone but two.
One, called Nephrite, has been found throughout the world but was especially
prized by the ancient Chiness who called it Yu, which means "precious
stone of great beauty."
The other Jade, a relative newcomer when compared to Nephrite, is called
Jadeite. It has been mined in Myanmar (Burma) since the late 18th Century
and is highly sought after for its intense green color although it, like
Nephrite, comes in a range of colors.
LAPIS LAZULI, TURQUOISE Lapis, with its deep, azure blue, often
flecked with golden pyrite inclusions, was treasured by ancient Babylonian
and Egyptian civilizations. Persian legend says that the heavens owed
their blue color to a massive slab of Lapis upon which the earth rested.
Turquoise, with its robin's egg blue hue, is among the oldest known gemstones.
It graced the necks of Egyptian Pharaohs and adorned the ceremonial dress
of early native Americans and has been attributed with healing powers
as well as promoting the wearer's status and wealth.
CHALCEDONY Agates, Jaspers, Bloodstone, Carnelian and black Onyx,
all make up the Chalcedony gemstones. A form of Quartz, the Romans prized
them as seals, and the Victorians carved them into an endless array of
cameos and intaglios. To this day, the elegant appeal of black Onyx makes
it the choice of those who prefer basic black.
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