Earthly Gems News and Views

Recent Popular Crystals

2012-01-20T17:16:00.000Z

black tourmaline formationFrom the start of this year we've been selling a lot more black tourmaline than normal.
Maybe something to do with the start of 2012!

Black tourmaline can be found in many locations around the world but notable pieces originate from Brazil and Madagascar.
Here's a couple of chunkier pieces from Madagascar lovely quality and a lot bigger than normal.
It's properties include being used to repel, filter and protect against negativity and ill wishes directed from another, carried to keep one above the gloominess that can lurk.Used with quartz it can energise the holder whilst being protective.
Also known as schorl black tourmaline can anchor and ground you whilst improving focus. The striations are said to help when working with engery flows.
It's not as pretty as it close relatives, watermelon, rubellite, indicolite but definately one to have within reach.
Some yogic breathing with a couple of tourmaline pebbles at the end of a taxing day can work wonders!

black tourmaline

We've carefully chosen a universal size guide to avoid any (brand endorsements and confusion), please note no chocolate biscuits were consumed during this photographic session!

Have a handy tumblestone or pebble in your pocket!

black tourmaline pebble

Wear a black tourmaline necklace pendant

Still Time - Thursday is Royal Mails last day for Special Delivery by Christmas

2011-12-21T11:06:00.000Z

Forgotten or can't find the right gift?
There's still time order by 3pm Thursday select Special Delivery and you'll get it in time for Christmas!
Perhaps some of our recent additions would be a great stocking filler:

uruguayan amethyst

epidote in prehnite

...high quality tumblestones
...rare Greenland nuummit
...rutile smokey quartz
...brown blue tiger eye pebbles

brown/blue tiger eye pebble

We wish you all a great Christmas!

Uruguayan Amethyst

Are you a collector?

2011-12-06T14:58:00.001Z

Are you a collector but havn't realised it yet?
We all know crystals are available in different qualities? - sometimes we wonder why the price can differ a lot.
No doubt every now and then we see a deep coloured, particularly clear example which finds it's way home with us to join it's smaller, paler, less shapely family member!

eg. why is that tiny piece of rose quartz costing more than the chunk I purchased last week?

Rose Quartz Crystal Sceptre

Well it's a natural crystal formation and rose quartz crystal formations are fairly hard to find. This one has sceptre like points as well!

Amethyst SceptreHere's a lovely deep colour amethyst sceptre, small but lovely colour from Madagascar, have you seen the ones from 'Crystal Park' Montana or Brazil, so you can see how you can find yourself on the lookout for a nice display case!

Other unusual crystals appearing this month include:

Phenakite

yellow tourmaline

Crystals not your thing how about a nice large ruby pendant or peridot cabochon to make your own!

Ruby pendant Peridot cabochon

Earthly Gems Ventures to the Munich Show for a 2nd Year!

2011-10-29T20:01:00.000+01:00

Currently exhibiting at the Munich Mineral show with our selection of gemstones!
To see a range of custones available you only have to visit the gemstone section of our website!

York RocknGem Show

2011-10-01T10:02:00.001+01:00

Extra show at the York Racecourse!

At the Newark RocknGem show

2011-09-25T11:02:00.001+01:00

At the Newark showground, fo
r this weeks RocknGem show have you visited yet?
Next week York!

Must be time for a tea break!

2011-08-02T14:30:00.002+01:00

For a mineral mug!

I'm sure I'm...

For fossil fans!

all this work I'm feeling like an...

2011-07-02T11:16:00.000+01:00

Earthly gems at the Newcastle rockngem show!

Eartlhy Gems Heads North

2011-06-30T16:46:00.002+01:00

Earthly Gems is heading north to the Newcastle Rock ‘n’ Gem show at the racecourse Gosforth Park.

We’re hoping it’ll be a busy show and look forward to ‘talking stone’ to all the fellow crystal fans!

What do you do at the weekend?

2011-05-20T17:04:00.003+01:00

Hand carved crystal angels

Crystal carved angels from small to large with lots of details

When we're not busy wrapping and packing orders you can find us around the UK and at a couple of shows in Europe. It's hard work when there's 2 or more shows in a row. Always when events are booked you seem to overlook the work involved. There's only so many weekends in a year!

Our gemstone and crystal jewellery

our lovely crystal, mineral and gemstone jewellery

Sometimes you're not sure of the layout and location of the stand, so our display is always different, small steps, large steps, rotating carousel with crystal and gem set jewellery, shelves...then sometimes you forget to pack the display steps, carousel, or you've taken the stand cover out to clean. The biggest blunder would probably be leaving the display lighting behind.

Of course what's on display also depends on the type of show and the exhibitors around you, is your neighbor doing a demonstration, probably best to keep your selection of fossils under the table if your neighbour has a huge display and just sells fossils. However you could be in the situation that an exhibitor thinks he should be the only one to sell a certain product. Then there's the things you can't plan for - a group of long lost friends decided the front of your stand is where they'll spend the next hour catching up...A large handbag crushes the delicate Okenite crystal while your customer searches for their money, you had thought it was in a safe place.

A selection of crystal balls, amethyst geodes, aqua aura, symbol tumblestones

crystal balls, geodes, aqua aura, selenite lights

Nowadays we mostly just exhibit at mineral, crystal and gem shows and the odd craft event where we take our own jewellery creations and polished stone and carvings.

But there was a time when you didn't know who would be next to you, either a clairvoyant doing a psychic reading, massage therapist, chi machine, crystal bowl person, herb seller, spa mat bath insert distributor, magnetic product vendor...which did bring a few issues as you could imagine keen to draw peoples attention bowl playing would get louder, herbs set alight, samples thrust under the noses of visitors and if you were interested you might find yourself being demonstrated upon.

Quartz crystal balls, quartz geodes, double terminated points

Quartz crystal balls, quartz geodes, lasers and wands

Mostly we just say you're welcome to pick anything up to examine further and enjoy pointing out new or rarer pieces. Often when you're searching for something it can hide so sometimes it's best to ask!

So now it's Friday the diary is empty - what am I going to do this weekend...

Earthly Gems at a show

Earthly Gems on the road at a show hopefully near you!

Shows

2011-02-14T16:56:00.001Z

Ok so we've been away spending some time at the Tucson Gem shows, in fact at 80'F we're still loitering around for some sunshine. We've even been down a couple of mines, more on those trips to come.

For crystal skull fans have a look at this emerald and schist carving

A 'log' of black tourmaline, seeing a hand on the tourmaline gives you an impression of the size.

Our next show in the UK is the Kempton Park Rock n Gem show 12th - 13th March.
Don't worry all Earthly Gems orders are still being picked and posted in our absence!

Angels Flying In!

2010-12-05T22:28:00.001Z

We've just had our last batch of Angels arrive for 2010, carved from Peruvian minerals by a talented craftsmen, the detail is stunning. Carved in selenite, opal, calcite, angelite, obsidian, fluorite, rhodocrosite, turquoise.

This large white aragonite angel certainly makes an impressive centrepiece for any meditation area or therapy room.

Whilst many of the angel carvings from workshops in Brazil don't normally have as much detail, we managed to acquire a couple of lovely angels in Rose and Clear Quartz which have incredible wings.

Brazilian clear quartz carved angel, look at the amazing detail on the wings!

Nice Rose Quartz angel carving!

There's lots of other news crystals appearing online everyday!

Including the final batch of Rose Quartz Goddess statues, ideal with a place for an offerering, herb or stone.

The Giant Crystal Ball Move

2010-11-21T22:50:00.000Z

Here's the ball in it's new home, we had to use a pallet truck which luckily was just a matter of rolling the ball from the van onto the forks, then back on the custom stand.

Unfortunatley trying to take a picture enroute might have considerably lengthened our 'official risk assessment' because someone had to stop the ball rolling off the forks!

Busy Month

2010-11-19T00:14:00.001Z

October has been such a busy month no only with shows in the UK, Germany but also meeting up with our friends from Brazil and relocating, now how do you suppose we moved the 120Kg quartz crystal ball?

Events

2010-10-26T10:53:00.000+01:00

This weekend 30th 31st of October before you celebrate Halloween you might like to visit us either at the Rock n Gem Show at Kempton Park Sunbury on Thames where Hannah and team will be manning the stall or at the Mineralientage Munchen or Munich Mineral Show Hall B5 stand 549.
Where Steve will be representing Earthly Gems with cutstones and the RocknGem Magazine also doing a show report and practising his German!

Sorting Stones - No unfortunately!

2010-09-15T07:15:00.001+01:00

an aisle - not our notmal bright and shiny mineral pics!

Having to overseer the racking within our new Earthly Gems HQ unit not particularly exciting however it does mean that we should be able to process and dispatch all your orders even more efficiently. We even have a post room!

Oh dear someones filled this aisle before we've moved anything !

Lets hope the new labelling system works!

Phew! back to what we like best - stones!

We've managed to stock some large pieces of natural kunzite, some with varying colours and shades, normally very difficult to acquire such large crystal pieces.

Jewellery Designing!

2010-08-11T12:17:00.002+01:00

Might have been a little quiet of late, but there's always something going on, after being hidden in the workshop for a while, I have produced a few organic style silver settings for some gemstones lying around.

Here's a favourite, gorgeous ammolite from Canada, now in a chunky organic style silver pendant.

Another one on my current popular list of crystals is velvert sheen obsidian, you have to catch it in the light for the 'stone' to reveal it's true beauty, different colours and swirls. Notice the setting less random with a satin finish. This is a natural volcanic glass, each one unique.

Another obsidian here with more subtle setting.

So do you like them, or should I retreat to the workshop and meditate for more inspiration?

What Do Yo Do With A Sack Full Of Boulder Opal

2010-07-05T10:22:00.000+01:00

Well apart from working on your 'beach art' skills you might think that you've lost quite a bit of money and gain a pile of iron stone. That's probably what passed through my mind years ago when I acquired my first shipment of boulder opal.

However perhaps being a little wiser I know that unless we're really unlucky there will be some hidden gems. I do mean hidden and they won't show themselves without a bit of hard work.

As you can see there's some mineral wonders hidden below the surface of dust, mud and grim!
Some of these amazing pieces will lend themselve to being carved for unique pendants but that's another story and a few more hours of hard work with some gem carving tools, however I'd say have a go because the results are amazing and the satisfaction of producing your own unique pendant is well worthwhile!

Chrysocolla Art

2010-06-23T09:48:00.004+01:00

This is what happens when you really want to go to the beach but you've been stuck stock taking for far too long, being a fan of the pebble and rock 'statues' on the beach that someone else is always better at balancing than you are!

This is some lovely natural Peruvian chrysocolla before it's been carved and polished. You can already see the rich deep colours.

The Workshop

2010-06-01T10:35:00.004+01:00

Ever wondered how a chunk of rock ends up as a polished stone or cabochon perhaps set into a sparkling piece of jewellery?
Well there's an awful lot of equipment and work involved. We're going to give you a regular insight into what happens in the workshop!
Recently we managed to purchase a saw, not just any old saw but one used for cutting small slabs of stone. These things are fairly rare in the UK, sometimes difficult to find and can be an investment. Ours is a preloved model and we're still waiting for this one to arrive.
We have other saws but they're just not up to the job, perhaps that's a little unfair, sometimes you have to have the exact tool for the job.
But waking up the 'inner craftsman' what if you could find the stone, cut it and create that jewellery masterpiece you've always wanted!
The Rock n Gem Magazine always has an article or two on the art of Lapidary, reading up, watching, joining a local club are highly recommended for any budding stone cutter.

Quartz Chandelier

2010-05-18T17:13:00.006+01:00

Thought you might like to see this, rummaging through the shelves in order to satisfy the 'authorities' with the current stock figures and keep the accountants happy, I re-discovered this lovely piece of quartz which had been faceted for a demonstration chandelier. I though it would make an excellent hanging quartz because of it's clarity and quality!
Or if you fancy a heavy centrepiece for a jewellery design, only found 1 of these unique quartz designs so far!

Incense Delivery

2010-05-05T17:05:00.004+01:00

For all those incense fan we've just replenished our stocks!
You might know that we take great care in sourcing our goods, the incense we stock are traditionally made with herbs, spices, plant extracts, natural resins and gums. All are vegetable based and have a long burning time. There's NO animal fats here!
View our hande made massala incense ranges

Buying Tips:
Check it's lumpy then you'll know it's probably hand blended with quality ingredients.
Quality incense is always wrapped to prevent drying out.
You can't smell the wonderful fragrance until it's alight!
Watch out for scented packaging...

Check Out our new Delivery of Minerals and Carving from Peru

2010-05-01T16:21:00.007+01:00

We've had a delivery from Peru, including a host of angels, wands, crystal balls, palmstones and natural formations including chrysocolla, andean opal, pink rose opal, aragonite and pyrite to name a few!

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2010-04-30T18:29:00.001+01:00

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Rock n Gem Magazine issue 47

2010-03-01T16:13:00.001Z

In this issue we have a guide to the many types of meteorites available to collectors, in depth report on Botswanan agate, articles submitted by Gemology School students, the penultimate in a series on the use of stones within Vedic Astrology, jewellery making hints and techniques along with market reports for gemstones and fossils, there's more including an article entiled 'the Healing Power of Crystals by Michael Gienger.

Buy the latest Rock n Gem Magazine here!