Howlite is the soft white stone with gray veins that is often dyed blue to pass as turquoise. Learn what it is, where it comes from, traditional meanings, care and how to tell natural howlite from dyed look-alikes.
Peridot is the olive-green August birthstone found in lava, deep in the Earth and even in meteorites. Learn the science, history, traditional meanings, care and how to spot glass and look-alike fakes.
Smoky quartz is the brown-to-gray quartz colored by natural radiation. Learn how it forms, where cairngorm and morion come from, its traditional meanings, care and how to spot irradiated or glass imitations.
Fluorite is the rainbow stone: soft, glassy and available in almost every color. Learn what it is, why it glows under UV light, its history, traditional meanings, care and how to spot glass and dyed fakes.
Garnet is a family of minerals, not one stone, and its deep red is the best known. Learn the main types, history, traditional meanings, January birthstone facts, care and how to spot glass and doublet fakes.
Amazonite is the soft blue-green feldspar that looks like tropical water. Learn why it gets its color, where it is found, its ancient history, traditional meanings, care tips and how to spot dyed lookalikes.
Obsidian is natural volcanic glass with razor-sharp edges and a long history as tools and mirrors. Learn what it is, the main varieties, traditional meanings, care and how to spot glass fakes.
Lapis lazuli is the deep blue rock flecked with gold that ancient rulers and Renaissance painters prized. Learn what it is made of, its history, traditional meanings, care and how to spot dyed fakes.
Carnelian is the glowing orange-red chalcedony people have carved, traded and worn for over four thousand years. Learn the science, history, traditional meanings, care and how to spot dyed fakes.
Tiger's eye is the golden-brown stone with a moving band of light. Learn how it forms, where it comes from, what people traditionally associate with it, how to care for it and how to spot dyed or glass fakes.