One of the most prized gems of antiquity, the dark reddish-purple garnet was often set into gold jewelry during the Hellenistic Age in Greece and throughout the Roman Imperial era. It was also favored in the jewelry of the European Medieval times: the famous Sutton Hoo treasure found in England contains over 4000 cut and faceted garnets. Garnet denotes an entire family of silicate minerals found in numerous varieties and colors ranging from pink, to red, purple, and brown to almost black. The most preferred hues are red (for which the garnet as often confused in Antiquity with the ruby) and purple. As with many gems, the finest varieties come from India booth in the Ancient world and the Modern. According to Talmudic legend, the only source of light in Noah’s Ark was a single garnet. The therapeutic value of the stone is that it keeps the wearer free from wounds and promotes good health in general. It is particularly useful for preventing skin diseases and giving a glowing complexion.

Beautiful as the moonlit sky shot through with golden stars, lapis lazuli has been treasured since the dawn of civilization. Its sources are few, mostly in eastern mines of what is now Afghanistan, and its rarity made it the favored jewel of ancient royalty. The kings and queens of Mesopotamia had their cylinder seals carved of lapis; the Egyptians made their most precious amulets from it. So eager were the Egyptians for objects made from lapis that they created an imitation paste from the ground stone. During the Renaissance, the rich ultramarine of the great master paintings was also made from powdered lapis, brought overland on arduous journeys that took years. Poets from ancient Sumer through the modern age have used it as metaphor of beauty and rarity. Besides its appealing loveliness, the gem is thought to have curative powers and is used as a remedy for fever, gall-stones, sleeplessness and above all, melancholy. Who, looking upon this splendid stone could feel anything but happiness?