Ole Lynggaard – Special features of gemstones & pearls

Guide to Colored Stones & Pearls by Ole Lynggaard

Gemstones impress with their colors and shine. Ole Lynggaard's wonderful jewelry is characterized by a varied palette of gemstones and pearls. Every stone and every pearl has its own character. In the following gemstone advisor you will find out interesting facts about the gemstones and pearls in Ole Lynggaard's collections. Here you will find information about the history and mythology of colored stones as well as some facts about gemology.

Gemstones – unique pieces of nature, skillfully presented

Gemstones are natural products from caves, mountains or deep blue seas, with each stone being absolutely unique. The gemstones may have similar color nuances, but each stone is unique. Thanks to the high quality standards of their gemstones and pearls, every piece of Ole Lynggaard jewelry is a gem of incredible perfection. Nature produces a variety of colored stones. Gemstones embody immortality, with their shine and sparkle they served rulers as a sign of power and prosperity and brought joy to the gods.

Aquamarine

The word “aquamarine” comes from Latin and means sea water. The popular mineral gemstone is reminiscent of the colors of the sea, with shades ranging from a light, translucent blue to a dark, opaque green.

The gemstone belongs to the iron-containing silicate mineral beryl. It owes its different shimmering blue tones to the varying iron concentration.

Aquamarines are prone to inclusions, so finding a very large, high quality aquamarine is sparkling. If the inclusions are inside the stone, this does not mean a defect, only scratches on the surface are considered a flaw.

Ole Lynggaard pendant Dew Drops yellow gold green aquamarine

The most important mining area for aquamarines is Nigeria in West Africa. Other places where the beautiful stones are found are Brazil, China, India and the United States. In 1910, mineral hunters found what was probably the largest flawless aquamarine on the Marambaia River in Brazil. It weighs 110.5 kg, which is equivalent to 520,000 carats.

Even in ancient times, aquamarines were considered protective stones for sailors and travelers. The sailors believed that they could appease the sea god Poseidon with the stones when the waves were stormy and threw them into the sea. Today, aquamarine symbolizes eternal youth and happiness.

Tourmaline

Tourmalines were already used as decorative stones in ancient times. A seal stone with the image of Alexander the Great is probably the oldest piece of green tourmaline jewelry. The Romans attributed secret powers to tourmalines and carved them into animal-shaped brooches.

The “Brazilian Emerald,” which the Portuguese found in the gem fields of Minas Gerais in the 16th century, turned out to be green tourmaline three hundred years later. The Ceylonese referred to all colored crystals of Sri Lanka as Thuramali. They recovered the first stones around 1600 AD. During the colonial period, the Dutch practically had a monopoly on the tourmaline trade. The name tourmaline has been documented in Germany since 1707, but it was not until the middle of the 18th century that large quantities of it reached Europe from Sri Lanka.

Ole Lynggaard Nature bangle yellow gold polished tourmalines

Tourmalines come in all colors of the rainbow, but the most popular are pink, red, green, blue and multi-colored varieties. The rubellite shimmers from light pink to deep dark red, while the chrome tourmaline has an intense green color. By the way, the Bundesliga championship trophy is decorated with 21 tourmalines. Tourmalines are soft gemstones and inclusions can hardly be avoided. The gemstones are quite common in nature and are mined in several countries such as Afghanistan, Russia, Sri Lanka, the USA and several African countries.

The stone has a pyroelectric effect. In the Middle Ages, black tourmalines were particularly popular and sought after by alchemists because they suspected a connection to the legendary philosopher's stone. As early as the 19th century, photographers used polished tourmaline discs as polarization filters.

Rutilated quartz

Rutile quartz is a variant of the mineral quartz with enclosed rutile needles. The name rutile comes from the mineralogist Abraham Gottlob Werner, who described the stone in 1803, with rutilus being the Latin word for red or reddish.

The color of rutile quartz varies from almost transparent, through brown to red and golden yellow. The surfaces of the crystals shine similarly to diamonds. “Venus hair” or “angel hair” are other names for rutile. The size and structure of the rutile needles inside the stone range from tufts of delicate threads to a few needle-wide crystals. In contrast to other gemstones, it is the inclusions that make this quartz so desirable.

Ole Lynggaard ring lotus with rutilated quartz

Rutile quartz can be found in numerous places around the world - from Switzerland to Sierra Leone, from Madagascar to Brazil.

Rutilated quartz is considered a stone of protection and truth, although it was previously called the Venus stone. The inclusions represented the hair of Venus and therefore love. The clearer the inclusions, the stronger the effects of the rutile quartz are said to be. As a healing stone, it is said to have a positive effect; it is said to cheer up, give balance and vitality, and realize new life concepts or goals.

Smoky quartz

Smoky quartz belongs to the quartz family. The mineral gets its color from natural or artificial gamma rays. The shades of smoky quartz vary from pale, smoky gray to deep gray-brown and black. The stone ranges in clarity from almost transparent to almost opaque, with brown smoky quartz usually appearing translucent.

Ole Lynggaard charm pendant Dew Drops yellow gold smoky quartz

Brazil is the world's largest supplier of smoky quartz, but the stone is also found in the Swiss Alps, Africa and the United States. Although they are less common to find than comparable rock crystals, they still exist frequently. The mineral is therefore one of the cheaper gemstones, but its dark color makes it attractive as a gemstone.

The dark stone has been sought after for centuries because of its supposed healing and protective effects. Smoky quartz is considered a stone of power that is said to absorb and neutralize negative energies.

onyx

Onyx has been a sought-after gemstone since ancient times, but is now rare. The colors for this gemstone range from white to almost every color imaginable. Black Onyx is considered the most famous variety, but is not the most common variety.

The name of the stone comes from the Greek word “Onux”, which means fingernail. According to Greek mythology, Eros cut Aphrodite's fingernail with an arrowhead as a joke while he was sleeping, and the gods turned the nail into a gemstone.

Ole Lynggaard earrings Dew Drops yellow gold

Onyxes are mined in various places around the world, including China, Nigeria and Brazil. When it comes to onyx, however, you have to be careful, because there are counterfeits due to the high demand that cannot be met through natural sources. Sometimes porous agate is colored or shiny black obsidian is polished. However, if the stone is streaked with white color, it is genuine. Buying onyx jewelry is a matter of trust.

The stone, which was already known in ancient times, is said to promote self-confidence and assertiveness, protect against negative environmental influences and help to increase energy.

amethyst

Amethyst was already one of the most sought-after gemstones in ancient Greece. The delicate hues range from pink lavender to deep purple. The most exclusive color today is a medium violet with red secondary tones and dark violet stones. Popular cuts for amethysts are the facet shapes brilliant, navette and briolette or smooth as a cabochon.

The gemstone is the purple version of the mineral quartz, but it also occurs in shades of green, then the gemmological name is prasiolite. The Rio Grande Green Amethyst with deep green shades is mined in the Brazilian state of Rio Grande do Sul and is considered to be of higher quality than the lighter green amethyst from the state of Minas Gerais.

Ole Lynggaard Charm Pendant Sweet Drops Amethyst

The stone is found in numerous locations around the world. It can not only be promoted in Brazil, but also in Uruguay, Africa or South Korea.

Amethyst is said to give the wearer balance, calm, patience and peace. It was once more valuable than diamonds and symbolized the power of royalty. The Pharaohs already loved the color purple and Cleopatra's seal was an amethyst with an engraved figure of Bacchus.

The ancient Romans believed that the stone protected against drunkenness, so in the Middle Ages many wine goblets were decorated with amethysts. Leonardo da Vinci believed that the stone was able to dispel evil thoughts and sharpen the mind. In the Middle Ages, the Catholic clergy referred to amethyst as a pope's stone, which was said to promote chastity - bishops still wear amethyst rings to this day.

Thanks to the great color and shine, amethyst is not only suitable for clerics, the royal stone looks glamorous at any party.

Moonstone

Moonstone is sought after worldwide for its luminous appearance and gentle beauty. Moonstones come in a variety of colors, from silvery white to slightly peachy red to shades of gray. The silvery to bluish-white shimmer is semi-transparent to transparent and often very pure. The most valuable moonstones have a blue shimmer that glides across the surface depending on the viewing angle. This almost unearthly glow of the moonlight gave the stone its name.

Ole Lynggaard ring lotus with Mabé pearl

Moonstone is mined in various countries such as Tanzania, Madagascar, India, Sri Lanka, Brazil, Myanmar, the European Alps and the USA. However, gemstone quality moonstones are becoming rare.

As an amulet, the moonstone is said to bring luck, protect travelers, reunite quarreling lovers and show its wearer the path to inner strength and wisdom. Legend has it that people can see their future by putting a moonstone in their mouth during a full moon. The ancient Indians and Romans believed that moonstone came from the rays of moonlight.

At the turn of the millennium, Florida named moonstone the official stone of the US state - in memory of the moon landing in 1969.

Rose quartz

Rose quartz owes its name to its color. This ranges from pale to medium pink and is slightly transparent, with some rose quartz appearing milkier and less transparent.

Ole Lynggaard charm pendant Sweet Drops with rose quartz

The quartz variety is found in Brazil, Madagascar, South Africa, Mozambique, Kenya, Namibia, India, Sri Lanka and the United States.

In ancient Rome, rose quartz was used as a seal. In Greek and Roman mythology, Eros and Cupid respectively brought the love stone to earth. The God of love gave people love and reconciliation. Rose quartz continues to be a popular gemstone for jewelry to express love for a special person or family. Rose quartz is said to bring harmony, love and peace to the person who wears it.

Blue topaz

The origin of the name is not clearly clarified; the origin could be the Sanskrit word “tapaz” for “fire” or the mythological island of Topazios in the Red Sea, a supposed site of topazes. However, this is not entirely true, because olivines, stones that are confusingly similar to topazes, were mined.

Topazes are already mentioned in the Bible as “fiery stones”. They are considered one of the twelve apocalyptic gems of the city wall of the Heavenly Jerusalem in the Revelation of John.

Ole Lynggaard ring lotus yellow gold rose gold with topaz

The variety of colors for topaz ranges from white, yellow, orange to red, pink, blue, green and violet. Topazes are pure and have a wonderful shine. Some even show two colors depending on the viewing angle. The popular blue topaz is a very rare natural product. Topazes are often found in nature, but almost all blue topazes have undergone a color treatment.

The popular London Blue Topaz varies from steel blue to a petrol blue, and some London Blue Topaz species even appear slightly greenish depending on the viewing angle. The most modern technology in gemstone treatment enables topaz colors from diamond white to mysterious color mixtures. Cherry and flamingo topazes shine in red and pink tones, kiwi topazes are green. Imperial topazes come in shades of yellow to orange and white topazes are very simple.

Topaz deposits are found on several continents - from Afghanistan to Sri Lanka, Germany, Norway and Italy to Australia and the United States. Brazil remains the world's largest supplier of topazes.

Topazes are said to bring success and luck. In ancient Greece and Rome, topazes served the light god Apollo and stood for moral purity, embodying the arts and oracles. In the Middle Ages, topazes became valuable pieces of jewelry.

Lapis

Early jewelry made with lapis dates back more than 6,000 years. Although there are color variations such as greenish-blue and bluish-purple, the gemstone's name literally translates to blue stone.

Most people associate lapis lazuli with the strong and almost saturated shade of blue. The stone is always opaque and forms an impressive contrast to diamonds and other gemstones of high purity.

Lapis is one of the medium-hard stones, but it is still durable and can withstand a lot of pressure. Perhaps this is why the stone is said to ensure truth and friendship and promote harmony in relationships. At the end of the 1920s, archaeologists discovered the Egyptian pharaohs' tombs in the Valley of the Kings. These contained objects, jewelry and seals made of lapis lazuli of excellent quality.

World religions attributed mysterious, cleansing and healing properties to the blue stone. Greeks, Romans and the ancient alchemists valued lapis as medicine and dye. The color “Ultramarine” originally comes from the ground gemstone.

The oldest gemstone mines in the world are located in northern Afghanistan. This stone has been mined there for over 7,000 years. Lapides from this country are of high quality.

Turquoise

The oldest turquoise beads date back to 5,000 BC. The name is derived from the French term “pierre turquois”, Turkish stone. The colored stone probably has this name because the Turks were the first to bring turquoise from mines in Persia to Europe. Today “turquoise” stands for the gemstone and its unique color.

Ole Lynggaard Lotus stud earrings yellow gold with turquoise

With its opaque appearance, it has neither sparkle nor a special shine, but it still has a natural touch of nonchalant beauty. The color of turquoise varies from a classic azure blue to dark green, grass green to a light sky blue. Turquoises are relatively soft, so they are often used for carvings.

The stones often have inclusions. Therefore, it is often difficult to source top-quality turquoise. The occurrence of turquoise is limited to the dry and barren regions of Mexico, the USA, China, Iran and Egypt.

Turquoises appear to bring health and luck - a person who owns a turquoise stone will never lack a friend.

malachite

Malachite is a green copper carbonate mineral. The name malachite probably comes from the Greek term malakos, meaning “soft.” Despite the soft nature of the malachite, it retains a beautiful shine on the surface. Distinctive stripes in different shades of green run through malachite, which makes the stone particularly beautiful and attractive.

Ole Lynggaard earrings small yellow gold with malachite

In nature, the stone typically occurs in large grape-shaped formations. In ancient Egypt, Rome and Greece, the color green represented vegetation and life. Malachite was used for jewelry, amulets, scarabs and, when ground into powder, as eye shadow.

Today malachites are mined in Egypt, Argentina and in some countries in Africa. The stones for the Ole Lynggaard factory come primarily from Namibia.

Malachite is said to eliminate negative energies and environmentally harmful elements and reduce fear of flying and jet lag.

serpentine

The name of this gemstone comes from Latin and is synonymous with snake in the modern world. Serpentine gets its name from its green color, patterned appearance and smooth surface, which resembles the color and skin of a snake.

Opaque or translucent, serpentine can vary from a deep olive green to a clear yellow-green to a dark and brownish green. Some serpentines are covered with spots, while others have a uniform surface with a waxy sheen without any pattern. The stone is not too hard and is therefore ideal as a decorative stone.

Ole Lynggaard pendant lotus yellow gold serpentine

The serpentine is said to help with heart and lung problems and stimulate cell regeneration.

Serpentinite rocks are found in Germany, France, Italy, Austria, Switzerland and the USA. There are deposits outside of Europe in China, Guatemala, India, South Africa, Taiwan, Turkey and Zimbabwe.

Amber

The name “Gold of the North” comes from ancient Greek and means radiant sun. Amber is fossilized tree resin and has been sought after since ancient times for its amazing hues and exotic beauty. The colored stone developed over a period of at least a million years, so inclusions of plants or small animals can often be found.

Ole Lynggaard ring lotus with amber

The stone is transparent or opaque and exists in a wide range of different colors, from pale yellow, golden honey to orange and reddish brown. Amber is mainly found along the Baltic Sea coast on the border with Germany, Poland and Russia.

The gemstone has been used in natural medicine for centuries because of its supposed healing properties and is considered a popular ingredient in perfume. It also serves as a healing stone, with the ability to relieve stress, release all negative energies and clear the mind of phobias and fears.

Pearls

Pearls are among the most sought-after gemstones in world history. Pearls come in a variety of shapes and sizes and are formed under very different conditions. Ole Lynggaard embellishes his exquisite jewelry with South Sea pearls, Mabé pearls or freshwater pearls.

South Sea pearls

South Sea pearls are among the largest pearls in the world compared to other types of pearls. The beautiful variants are bred in the “Pinctada Maxima” oyster. The natural habitat of this oyster species is the waters from the southern coast of China to the northern coast of Australia.

The Pinctada Maxima oyster is significantly larger than other members of the mollusc family, allowing the pearls to grow larger. For South Sea pearls, the growth period lasts much longer than for smaller pearls, usually at least two years, and for special pearls up to four years.

Mabé pearls

The term Mabé, pronounced mar-bay, is derived from “mabe-gai”. This is the Japanese name for the Pteria penguin species of mussel that often serves as a host for Mabés. A Mabé pearl is a cultured bubble pearl that is usually quite large, 12 to 20 millimeters in diameter.

The beads grow by attaching a tiny hemispherical nucleus to the inner wall of a mollusk. The growth process takes six months to two years, depending on the oyster.

Ole Lynggaard Ring Lotus Mabé Pearl

Once the pearls have reached their desired size, growers use a diamond-tipped saw to cut the pearls from the oyster shells, remove the core, and scrape the pearl's interior to remove organic stains. They then fill the empty pearl with a mixture of resin and crushed pearls. Finally, glue a round disc made from the remains of the nourishing shell to the back of the pearl to complete the mother-of-pearl exterior.

The Pteria penguin oyster produces iridescent hemispherical pearls in tones of pale pink, blue and green. Mabé pearls from French Polynesia are found in shades of gray similar to Tahitian pearls. Mabés, farmed from the South Sea pearl oyster Pinctada Maxima, are white or silver, but there are also shades of gold.

Mabé pearls are special cultured pearls; the cultivation process for Mabé pearls in China dates back to the 13th century. In international trade, this species is also called “Black Winged Oyster” or “Black Butterfly”.

Freshwater pearls

Freshwater pearls are cultured pearls that are mainly cultivated by the Chinese in fresh water - in lakes, rivers and ponds. Freshwater pearls are naturally smaller. This allows multiple nuclei to be implanted into a single cultured pearl oyster. More than two dozen beads can be created in one step.

Ole Lynggaard gold ring circus diamonds and pearl

Waiting for freshwater pearls requires patience as the process is slow. It can take two to seven years before the pearls are ready to harvest. Freshwater pearls come in a wide range of pastel colors, sizes and shapes. Most of the time they are attractively irregular; perfectly round freshwater pearls are rare.

Copyright photos: Ole Lynggaard