Apatite
The name apatite is derived from the Greek, "apatao," meaning "deceive" because it can be confused with other minerals such as beryl, topaz, zircon and tourmaline. It also is the mineral that makes up the teeth and bones in vertebrate animals.
Where it's Found: Around the world including Brazil, Canada, India, Madagascar, and Mexico.
Mohs Hardness Scale: 5
Aquamarine
Aquamarine is the March birthstone and is used to celebrate the 19th wedding anniversary. It is a variety of beryl, named for its likeness to the sea.
Where it's Found: Around the world including Brazil, Madagascar, USA, Australia, India, Namibia, Nigeria, and Russia.
Mohs Hardness Scale: 7.5-8
Azurite
Azurite is a copper carbonate mineral that is often found alongside malachite. It was historically used as a pigment in painting.
Where it's Found: Around the world including the US, France, Australia, Namibia, and Mexico.
Mohs Hardness Scale: 3.5-4
Chalcedony
There are many varieties of chalcedony with a wide range of colors and names. One of our favorites is the coveted "Holly Blue" which comes out of Oregon, USA and ranges in color from blues to lavender.
Where it's Found: Around the world including California, Oregon, Nevada, Iceland, India, Mexico, Namibia, and Russia.
Mohs Hardness Scale: 6.5-7
Chrysocolla
This blue to blue-green stone can vary greatly in hardness depending on how much silica is in it. It is often confused with turquoise.
Where it's Found: USA, Democratic Republic of Congo, Chile, Israel, Mexico, and Russia.
Mohs Hardness Scale: 2-7
Kyanite
Kyanite is an aluminum silicate mineral most commonly of a distinct blue color comparable to denim. In addition to adornment, it has industrial uses in ceramics, abrasives, and electronics.
Where it's Found: Around the world including USA, Brazil, Kenya, Mozambique, Switzerland, Austria, India, Italy, Namibia, Nepal, Tanzania, and Zimbabwe.
Mohs Hardness Scale: 4.5-7
Lapis Lazuli
Lapis is a rock composed of a number of minerals including lazurite, pyrite, and calcite. In addition to its significance in jewelry, lapis was ground up into a powder to create the pigment, "ultramarine" and was used in renaissance art.
Where it's Found: Afghanistan, Pakistan, USA, Mongolia, Chile, Italy, Canada, and Myanmar.
Mohs Hardness Scale: 5-6
Larimar
Larimar is a form of pectolite with a striking play of blues and whites that beautifully represents its origins. It is exclusively found in the Domincan Republic.
Where it's Found: The Domincan Republic
Mohs Hardness Scale: 4.5-5
Opal
This October birthstone is divided into two categories: common opals and precious opals. Whereas percious opals diffract light and display fire, common opals do not and are often opaque.
Opals grow within cavities in the earth, which means that they can sometimes form replacing organic material in things like wood, bones, or shells.
Where it's Found: Around the world, notably, Australia, Brazil, Czech Republic, Ethiopia, Honduras, Indonesia, Mexico, Poland, Tanzania, and the US.
Mohs Hardness Scale: 5.5-6.5
Sapphire
Sapphire is the September birthstone and symbolizes the 45th wedding anniversary. It is usually thought to be a blue stone, but it actually can come in a wide array of colors, including pink, orange, yellow, green, purple, black, and even colorless. The main color it can't be is red, because a red sapphire would be a ruby. The two are the same stone: corundum. It is the third hardest mineral behind moissanite and diamond.
Where it's Found: Around the world, notably, Sri Lanka, Kashmir, Australia, Myanmar, Thailand, and Montana in the US.
Mohs Hardness Scale: 9
Shattuckite
Shattuckite is a rare copper silicate mineral that was named after the Shattuck mine in Bisbee, Arizona, where it was discovered in 1915.
Where it's Found: Arizona (USA), Austria, Democratic Republic of Congo, Greece, and Namibia.
Mohs Hardness Scale: 3.5
Turquoise
Turquoise is a stone with a rich history having roots in Ancient Egypt, Persia, China, and Native American culture. It is one of the first gemstones ever to be mined, as early as 3000 BC on the Sinai Peninsula.
It is a December Birthstone and represents the 11th wedding anniversary.
Many turquoise mines have been or are nearly depleted.
Where it's Found: Around the world, including Nevada, Arizona, and New Mexico in the US, Iran, China, Egypt, Tibet, Australia, Chile, and Brazil.
Mohs Hardness Scale: 5-6