Sinhalite-WS 1070

Any gemstones that is not a diamond, ruby, emerald or sapphire is a semi-precious gemstone.Those four are considered precious because of the time it takes to create them, their rarity, and their quality or chemical makeup. Semi-precious does not mean it is less valuable than precious gemstones. Semi-precious gemstones are just usually more abundant, except some verities.This is a commercial based classification and was a distinction that marketers created years ago which gives the false impression that precious stones are more valuable than semi-precious stones.For example, a Tsavorite (green) garnet is more valuable than a mid-quality sapphire, many of them can be just as precious or rare as diamonds and rubies. There are so many semi precious gemstones in the world of gems but some of the more common ones are: alexandrite, agate, amethyst, aquamarine, garnet, lapis lazuli, moonstone, opal, pearl, peridot, rose quartz, spinel, tanzanite, tourmaline, turquoise and zircon.There are approximately 200 varieties of natural gemstone known in the world today.The name sinhalite derives from the Sanskrit word for Lion Island, as Sri Lanka was called in the past. The largest example of faceted sinhalite so far weighs a stunning 252 carats. Sinhalite varies in brown colors, from pale yellowish brown to a darker, greenish brown. Pleochrism is the stone’s best attribute, displaying greenish brown and light brown, to dark brown when viewed from different angles. Sinhalite is mostly found in the gem gravel beds of Ratnapura, Sri Lanka.Large specimens are rare, but do exist. Crystals however, are very rare, although some can be found in Burma in Myanmar. Other sources for sinhalite include the Eastern Siberia region of Russia, the Warwickite occurrence in Ontario, Canada, and the Mogok mines in Mandalay, Burma. There are also unconfirmed reports of non-gem quality sinhalite occurrences in the United StatesSinhalite is a stone that represents joy in everyday life, urging the wearer to try new things. It is an ideal stone for people who are trying to open up to others.to get to know each other better, or in business, for groups that are working together on a project. It has also said to be a beneficial stone for people who have large spiritual tasks to fulfill.Sinhalite is a vitreous and transparent to translucent stone. It rates a 6.5 on the hardness scale. It is suitable for jewelry.