Gemstones have been an object of fascination for humans for centuries, featured heavily in the folklore and legends of countries and cultures throughout the world. Today, they are widely revered for their beauty and are heavily sought after as ornaments and as stunning additions to jewelry. For thousands of years, people have believed that gemstones are not only beautiful, but have special powers and properties.


You may choose your preferred gemstone on behalf of its uniquely striking color, or because you have a particular interest in the myths and legends surrounding your favorite gem.

However, without even realizing it, you could be drawn to one gem because its unique properties have a positive effect on you. Many believe gemstones have powerful healing, spiritual and protective properties, as they do in the ancient folklore, and seek their many benefits as a means of improving their wellbeing.

Different gemstones are thought to have different properties and may be used to promote healing and tranquility, alleviate symptoms of anxiety, promote good fortune or boost intuition. Your preferred stone could reveal a lot about your desires, strengths and weaknesses, and about what type of person you are.

Amethyst


As the world’s most popular purple gemstone, amethyst has been prized for its rich and vibrant color for centuries and is included in royal collections all over the world. This stone has many protective and healing qualities and is still widely sought after today as a stunning addition to jewelry.

Properties


Many believe the amethyst has healing properties, useful for alleviating headaches and focusing energy. It also has a soothing effect, and an amethyst placed under the pillow is used by some to treat insomnia and to promote peaceful and pleasant dreams.

Amethyst also has protective properties and was traditionally worn to protect against drunkenness. In fact, the name of this gemstone derives from the Greek word amethustos, meaning sobriety.

 

What It Says About You


A symbol of peace and serenity, amethyst promotes calmness and forgiveness in those who wear it. Often worn by healers, amethysts focus positive energy and exercise protective properties. Those who are drawn to amethysts may be prone to anxiety and stress, as they seek the soothing powers of the purple gem.

Black Obsidian


Black Obsidian is formed because of the rapid cooling of lava following a volcanic eruption, creating a beautiful volcanic glass that is widely sought after. Obsidian is most commonly a uniform black, but can also be found in brown, blue, green, red or gold. Historically prized for its use in creating a razor-sharp edge for tools and weapons, today it is most commonly used to create obsidian beads and jewelry.

Properties


Black Obsidian has many healing properties, as well as the ability to dispel negativity and selfish thoughts. It can be used to protect against depression, boosts self-control and resilience, and is commonly used in meditation to help ground spiritual energies within the body.

 

What It Says About You


Those who favor Black Obsidian are usually of a sensitive nature, prone to being negatively influenced by life’s injustices. If you have difficulty letting go of past disappointments, lost relationships or prior mistakes, you may be drawn to the protective properties of obsidian. In affording courage and strength to the wearer, Obsidian helps the gentlest among us to avoid negativity and find contentment and peace.

Rose Quartz


Found in various shades of pink, rose quartz is by far the most popular type of quartz. Trace amounts of impurities produce its unique hue, such as manganese, titanium or iron, and can range in color from dark to pale pink. The rarest variety of this quartz gem is very pale pink and transparent, but most are opaque with a glassy sheen. For this reason, it is most commonly used to make rounded beads.

Properties


Rose quartz is the stone of love and peace and can inspire compassion and magnanimity in the wearer, therefore promoting positivity in all relationships. When incorporated into jewelry, rose quartz can impart a keen sense of self-worth on the wearer. Rose quartz is also thought to rejuvenate the skin and can promote a youthful appearance in those who sleep with a piece beneath their pillow or wash their faces with water containing pieces of the gemstone.

 

What It Says About You


You often pour your heart and soul into relationships and invest a lot of thought and effort into making them the very best that they can be. You may be a little impatient at times, but rose quartz helps you achieve forgiveness and understanding of others.

If you are drawn to rose quartz, you may be seeking the confidence boost people feel when they wear the crystal, which could mean you are seeking assurance that you are worthy of the love of others.

Malachite


The stunning and unusual appearance of malachite is marked by its striking green bands mottled with deep, glossy black. This gemstone has been prized since ancient times for its unique beauty and was commonly used by the Ancient Egyptians, both in jewelry and carved ornaments. A copper-based stone, malachite has been crushed and used as a pigment by cultures throughout the world for thousands of years.

Properties


Malachite reflects the feelings and desire of the soul, emitting positive or negative energies depending on the mood of the wearer. This emission can help to release painful emotions, and therefore has a cleansing and clarifying effect.

Malachite beads are a strong protector against evil and can help to prevent accidents and mishaps. Cultures throughout the world believe this stone is a particularly strong protector of children.

 

What It Says About You


You are a highly reflective person, and you dedicate a lot of thought to all aspects of your life, including family, romance, friends and work. You tend to dwell on misfortunes for far longer than you should, which can cause discontentment and prevent you from moving on. You seek malachite for its ability to help you confront and dispel negativity, helping you to process painful emotions quickly and embrace your naturally positive personality.

Tourmaline


Tourmaline is the alternative birthstone for October and is found in a variety of colors ranging from red, pink, blue, black, brown and green. This gemstone’s beauty has entranced people across the world for centuries and is a popular component of Chinese engravings and carvings.

Properties


This gemstone boosts creativity, bringing prosperity and success to those in the fields of art, literature and theater. Tourmaline radiates kindness and tolerance and is commonly worn to promote sympathy and understanding towards others. It can balance emotions and disperse disruptive feelings, which can assist the wearer in exercising love and consideration to those around them.

What It Says About You


Tourmaline is particularly useful for those suffering from anxiety, and it can help to soothe inner turmoil and help the wearer to achieve a state of serenity and acceptance. If tourmaline is your gem of choice, it could be a sign you struggle to deal with the chaos of day-to-day life and are naturally drawn to the soothing properties of this stone.

Agate


Agate is typically found in varying shades of blue and is highly regarded for the unusual patterns that form because of the tiny, interlocking crystals of quartz that make up this gemstone. This unique beauty has made agate a highly popular choice for inclusion in jewelry items throughout the ages, particularly in pendants and amulets that protect the bearer.

Properties


Many regard agate as the most powerfully protective stone, shielding the wearer from stress, lethargy, misfortune, depression and bad dreams. Historically, people have used the healing powers of agate to combat insomnia, alleviate stomach upsets and prevent skin ailments. Agate draws strength and energy to the wearer, helping to dispel negative emotions and boost motivation and positivity.

 

What It Says About You


Life can be overwhelming at times, and you take comfort from the idea there is a protective influence by your side as you muddle on through. You value agate for the boost it gives to your resilience, which helps you to navigate the difficulties of everyday life with confidence. This positive influence makes you feel invincible, as you absorb power from the strengthening properties of agate.

Jade


Jade has been revered by cultures throughout the world for thousands of years and is featured heavily in ancient carvings, weaponry and jewelry. This beautiful gemstone is highly durable—so much so, the Chinese believed it to be linked to immortality, and so jade amulets were often buried with the dead.

Jade ranges in color from dark to pale green, blue, yellow, red, white, purple and black. Its vibrancy and sheen make Jade a highly popular gemstone to this very day.

Properties


Many people believe jade has powerful healing and protective properties, guarding the wearer against diseases or the eyes, organs and central nervous system. Jade is also thought to promote enhanced intelligence and good fortune, bringing wisdom, decisiveness and prosperity to those in possession of the gem.

 

What It Says About You


Individuals who favor Jade are typically highly ambitious, with an intense desire for success that drives everything they do. Wearers of jade seek clarity of mind when making important decisions, and value wisdom and intelligence more than anything else. Jade can help to focus a strong mind, assisting the wearer in making sound decisions and achieving goals in life.

Turquoise


The birthstone of December, turquoise derives its intensely vibrant color from the minerals that comprise it. It can be deep to pale blue or green, depending on the quantities of copper and iron within the gemstone, and is often veined with threads of deep black. This stone has been in high demand for thousands of years, and has been used in jewelry by the Ancient Egyptians, the Aztecs and, continuing into the present day, the Native Americans.

Properties


Turquoise was used as a symbol of wealth, friendship and wisdom in many ancient cultures, and is thought to bring good fortune to the wearer. Throughout time, people have held strong beliefs in the protective powers of turquoise, using them to ward off evil and promote connections to the spiritual world. This gemstone also has healing properties and has historically been used to alleviate pain, muscle cramps and stomach problems.

 

What It Says About You


If turquoise is your favorite stone, chances are you’re someone who feels a strong connection to nature. You are a grounded and calm individual, as the protective properties of turquoise help to keep negative influences from your life, leaving you to focus on the things most important to you like loyalty, friendship and peace.

Final Thoughts


Each gemstone has its own unique appearance and set of properties, which feature heavily in the folklore, myths and legends of cultures throughout the world. These beautiful gems have been coveted by humans since ancient times, and confer a wide range of benefits to the wearer, depending on their powers. Their inclusion in jewelry, carvings and ornaments throughout history is well documented, where they were believed to bring good fortune, ward off evil, promote positive actions and emotions and prevent illness.

Our love of gemstones has persevered into the present day and is only growing in popularity as more people are drawn to their beauty and understand the power of the gemstone. The striking colors and patterns of gemstones make them a popular choice for jewelry for men, women and children. They are also commonly used decoratively and as ornaments.

For most of us, there will be one gemstone we find the most appealing, and while some scientists might debate this, gemstones can reveal a lot about your personality. Each stone radiates energy, and the energy you choose to surround yourself with is often indicative of what you are seeking in life, be it confidence, love or prosperity. Wearing your gemstones will allow you to carry their positive influence with you wherever you go, making you look beautiful, too!
July 26, 2017 — Arun Yadav