Les pierres
de couleur
Sapphire is one of the four precious stones. It comes in various colours, but takes its name from the Greek ‘sappheiros’, meaning ‘blue’. Traces of oxides give sapphire its colour, which ranges from blue to purple, pink and green. Sapphire was originally mined in Ceylon (Sri Lanka), but now comes from around the world, from Madagascar to China, Nigeria, Thailand and Australia.
Ruby is considered as the king of the four precious stones. It belongs to the mineralogical family of corundum. Its colour ranges from light pink through to blood red and purple. Its name comes from the Latin ‘ruber’, meaning ‘red’. It is found in Madagascar, Australia, Burma, Sri Lanka and Thailand.
Amethyst is a semiprecious stone. It is a purple variety of quartz and its colour is caused by traces of iron, varying from transparent pink to dark purple. The word ‘amethyst’ comes from the Greek ‘amethustos’ (‘not drunken’). Amethyst is found on all continents, but mainly in Brazil and Uruguay.
Rose de France is the name given to light amethysts. It is a semiprecious stone and comes in various shades of pale lilac. It is generally found in deposits in Brazil and Bolivia.
Emerald is one of the four precious stones. It is a mineral and a variety of beryl. Its green colour is caused by traces of chromium, vanadium and sometimes iron. The word ’emerald’ comes from the Greek ‘smaragdus’, meaning ‘a green precious stone’. Emerald is found primarily in deposits in Colombia and Zambia, but also in Afghanistan, Brazil, Pakistan, Russia and Zimbabwe.
Designated by Queen Elizabeth I in the 15th century, the Mother of Pearl comes from an organic natural phenomenon: it is the inner coating of certain shells such as oysters or abalone. Its color is very variable depending on the organic pigments present in its own composition. Thus, its initial shade can vary from yellow to purple. The main suppliers are pearl farms in the South Seas. Mother-of-pearl is extremely sensitive, so it should be kept from perfumes or any kind of fragrances. Symbol of tenderness and love, mother-of-pearl is the perfect gift for your 42nd wedding anniversary.
Citrine is a variety of quartz. Its yellow colour is caused by iron oxides. The word ‘citrine’ comes from the Latin ‘citrus’, meaning ‘citron tree’, in reference to its colour. Citrine is often found in the same deposits as amethyst. Citrine is mainly found in Brazil, Madagascar, Mozambique, Zambia, Tanzania, Bolivia and Uruguay.
Topaz is a mineral from the silicate group. Its etymology is uncertain and could come either from the Greek ‘topazos’, the name of Zabargad Island in the Red Sea, which was formerly known as Topazios, or from the Sanskrit ‘tapaz’, meaning ‘fire’. This gemstone can come in many different colours, from white to kiwi green, cherry red, sunlight yellow, sky blue and flamingo pink. The main topaz deposits are located in Brazil, but it is also found in Madagascar and the United States.
diamonds
At Mauboussin, a wide range of solitaire rings is offered at the Wedding Counter. Broad assortments of diamonds adorn our yellow, white and rose gold ring designs to make sure the desires of each client are met.
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