The Summer Solstice has come to represent the beginning of Summer and a care-free time for us in our modern time. Ancient cultures have celebrated the Solstice as a way to honor death and rebirth as natural cycles of our lives. Since the Summer Solstice is upon us, I wanted to talk about a gemstone you may or may not have heard of, Sunstone!
Sunstone is part of the Feldspar group of minerals that interestingly enough, include Moonstone. Sunstone is generally an orange to red color gemstone with the most sought after being a deep red. Sunstone got its name because it can display adventurescence which is bits of highly reflective minerals, most commonly metals, giving the stone a sparkling look.
Native American tribes in Oregon used Sunstone in their art and hunting tools. They thought that Sunstone held drops of blood of their warriors which when worn would give them great skill and protection. Tiffany & Company purchased the mining rights in the early 1900’s and by 1987, Oregon Sunstone had become the state’s gemstone. Oregon produces enough Sunstone for the jewelry and carving marketplace in Lake County and Harney County which is a great option if you are looking for American-made!
In India, Sunstone has a red-brown color with sparkly adventurescence. Tibetan Sunstone came on the market in the early 2000’s, but gemological experts found it to be a different member of the feldspar family, Andesine, that was infused with copper platelets. Sunstone has been found in Australia, China, Mexico, Ethiopia, Congo, Canada, Tanzania, and Russia.
While I couldn’t find any evidence of the ancient Druids and Celtics using Sunstone in their Summer Solstice rituals, I think they would have if given the chance. Jewelry is a great way to celebrate all the seasons of our lives, and I would love to help you with your special purchase or custom design! Angela Cisneros Jewelry Concierge brings back the joy and confidence of jewelry shopping, so that you can celebrate with ease! My by-appointment approach means:
One-on-one appointments (personal attention and no crowds!)
Discretion and privacy (surprises remain surprises!)
Expert help from a Graduate Gemologist with 24 years of experience (yep, that’s me!)
Book your FREE appointment with me today! www.angelacisneros.com/book-appointment
Photo Credit: @giagrams
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