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Malachite is generally opaque and comes in a vivid bluish green to green color. It is usually banded in two or more tones of green and may have a subtle sheen. This gem is a secondary copper mineral and is commonly found in conjunction with azurite, a bold blue copper carbonate mineral. A mix of the two minerals is often called azurmalachite.

Mother Nature must have been in a whimsical, artistic mood when she created tourmalinated quartz. These crystals are usually colorless rock crystal with long, slender tourmaline inclusions, usually black in color. A relative unknown to the general public, this gem is truly a marvel! The inclusions are always one-of-a-kind, making a beautiful display in a gem collection or jewelry pieces.

Petrified wood is the fossilized remains of what once was wood. The material became petrified over time by the invasion of minerals into cavities between and within the cells of natural wood. Instead of decaying, the organic materials in the wood were replaced with minerals, primarily silicate of quartz, without changing the original structure of the wood.

Kunzite is the pink to violetish purple variety of spodumene. The stone gets its color from trace amounts of manganese. Kunzite is better known than other spodumene varieties like hiddenite (green) and triphane (yellow). To obtain the best color and saturation in a stone it must be faceted with the table perpendicular to the length of the rough crystal. Kunzite often forms in large crystals that are highly sought after by mineral collectors. Kunzite displays strong fluorescence and phosphorescence that also makes it attractive fluorescent mineral collectors.

The sole birthstone for July, ruby is the brightest and boldest of all birthstones. Called ratnaraj, meaning the "King of Gems" by ancient Hindus, ruby's association with the blood of life has earned it powerful praise and high esteem since antiquity. Ruby is mentioned at least four times in the Bible, always in reference to beauty and wisdom. Its passionate red color makes ruby an ideal choice for a romantic gift that comes with a rich legacy.

Sanidine is a potassium-rich feldspar which is related to amazonite (microcline) and orthoclase by its chemistry. Sanidine gems that display adularescence, a mystical internal glow, are called moonstone. Colorless to yellow and pale brown gems have been found in Germany, Mexico, and Madagascar.

Discovered in Greenland in the late 1890's, hackmanite is named for Finnish geologist Victor Hackman. It is a rare occurrence to find gem-grade hackmanite; at best, most crystals are translucent. Hackmanite is the light pink to pale violet variety of sodalite. It is a particularly unusual gem because it exhibits a special optical property known as "tenebrescence," a type of reversible photochromism. This feature allows the gems to temporarily change color when exposed to different light forms. While hackmanite gems are usually pink to violet, the color quickly fades to gray or greenish-white in sunlight, and will slowly return to the original color after changing the light. Its tenebrescent property makes hackmanite a prized mineral for collectors.

Quartzite is a metamorphic rock formed when sandstone, which is composed of tiny grains of quartz, is subjected to heat and pressure under Earth’s surface, fusing the sand grains together. The result is an extremely durable rock that can also be dyed to attractive colors.

Demantoid garnet is one of the most desirable of all colored gemstones and extremely rare. A color variety of andradite garnet, the name demantoid originates from the old German word demant meaning "diamond-like," because of a luster and dispersion that yields a fire even higher than diamonds.

While most members of the beryl family such as emerald or aquamarine are famous for their colors, goshenite is the highly collectible colorless variety that displays a diamond-like fiery brilliance. Interestingly, pure beryl is colorless, with traces of different metallic elements being responsible for this gem family's great color range. Always limited in availability, goshenite is named for the locale where it was first discovered--Goshen, Massachusetts.

Szaibelyite is a basic magnesium borate mineral named after Stephen Szaibely (Sjájbely). It is pale yellow to white and has a fibrous structure.

Ruby in zoisite is a translucent to opaque rock composed of ruby crystals, green zoisite and black hornblende. The official name for this gem is "anyolite," from the Masai word anyoli, meaning "green." This gem is usually used as an ornamental stone due to its stunning color contrasts.