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Pyromorphite is a member of the apatite family of minerals. Faceted stones are very rare and its colors are usually brown, green, orange, yellow, colorless, gray and white. Pyromorphite was named in 1813 from the Greek words for "fire" and "form" because, after being melted, the mineral will take on a crystalline shape upon cooling.

Tantalite’s name alludes to the tantalum that makes up a large part of its chemical formula. Tantalite has numerous industrial uses but is only of interest for its mineral specimens and for exotic gemstone collectors. The color ranges from brownish to black sometimes with a red component.

Named from Arabic and Persian words for "dragon's blood," cinnabar comes in a remarkable brick-red color and has been used as a pigment in China as far back as prehistoric times. Gem crystals are rare collector's pieces, but opaque material is often cut into cabochons. Natural cinnabar is a major mercury ore and is not used in jewelry making, but a resin product that closely resembles it, is used in jewelry. The red color is so fresh and vibrant that, in China, many people call it "China Red."

Phosphosiderite is a vibrant purple orchid color and is a relative newcomer to the world of gemstones as it was only discovered in the late 19th century. Fine quality phosphosiderite is hard to come by and this opaque gemstone may contain veins of yellow. In addition to purple, phosphosiderite occurs in colors ranging from white, pink, red, violet red and colorless.

Agate is the banded form of chalcedony, a cryptocrystalline variety of quartz. Rather than a single crystal, it is composed of a myriad of miniature crystals that can only be seen with extreme magnification. Agate's name is derived from the site of its discovery, the river Achates (now Dirillo) in southwest Sicily. You will often find striking curved or angular banded patterns of color flowing within agate, which are caused by the presence of various minerals, often iron and manganese. One of the oldest known gemstones, agate is a favored material of lapidaries and artisans around the world.

Serpentine is well known to the world's mineralogists and gemologists, but is much less familiar to the general public. The marbled look of this green stone makes it ideal as an ornamental material, and it has been carved into a wide array of decorative objects throughout history. Although serpentine has a similar appearance to jade, it is a different, unrelated series of minerals.

Moldavite is a silica rich tektite found near the Moldau River in Czechia. Moldavite is a natural glass formed as a result of a meteorite impact with the earth. It was first discovered in the late 1700’s in what was then known as western Moravia. The colors of moldavite range from yellowish green to green and brownish green.

Bytownite is a rare variety of feldspar named for deposits found in Bytown, Canada (now Ottawa). Some forms of this gem distinctly resemble the gemstone andalusite, another member of the feldspar group.

Chrome diopside has several origins, but most of the finest material, and the only commercially viable deposit, is in the Republic of Sakha in Siberia, Russia. As you can imagine, production of this Siberian treasure is sporadic due to extreme winters that last more than eight months. The vivid greens of chrome diopside are a welcome alternative to rare and pricey emerald or tsavorite garnet, but it has yet to gain mainstream recognition due to its limited availability. Minor sources of chrome diopside include Australia, Austria, Canada, Finland, Italy, Madagascar, South Africa, and the United States.

Ilvaite is name after the “Ilva” the Latin name for the island of Elba, Italy. It is black and forms in prismatic columns or large masses of indistinguishable crystals.

Naturally dazzling spinel has graced the pages of history and many royal crowns due to its resemblance to ruby. Today, however, spinel stands on its own as a remarkable gem. Spinel comes in a wide range of stunning hues and can also exhibit optical phenomena like asterism and color-change. It is generally underappreciated compared to other colored stones, lending itself to more affordable prices, but this gem, said in Burma to be polished by the spirits, has a beauty that is difficult to ignore.

The birthstone for March, aquamarine is one of the most popular members of the beryl family, a sibling to emerald, morganite, bixbite, heliodor, and goshenite. The color ranges, depending on the relative concentrations and location of iron within the beryl crystal structure. Aquamarine's tranquil color and crystalline clarity capture the beauty of the sea, which is fitting as its name is formed from the Latin words "aqua," meaning water, and "mare," meaning sea. A favorite among gemstone lapidaries, rough aquamarine is relatively easy to fashion, so lapidaries often create imaginative aquamarine cuts and shapes.