Beginners Guide to Getting Stoned... I mean Stones! (Ruby)

 Birthstone of July, Ruby is the red shinyite of the month.

Ruby Pendant

   With a Mohs hardness of 9 it is considered one of the hardest stones second only to diamonds! As durable gems, they are commonly used in jewelry settings, but they are also used in watchmaking, medical instruments, and lasers because of their incredible strength and red fluorescence. Who knew?

Ruby Ring

   While this gemstone can be made synthetically, it is not difficult to find natural stones as they are mined in a wide variety of locations around the world from Burma (Also referred to as the Myanmar Ruby) to Afghanistan, Australia, Cambodia, India, Madagascar, Malawi, Mozambique, Pakistan, Sri
Lanka, Tanzania, Thailand, the United States as well Vietnam. Mind you, the Burma Rubies are some of the most rare and fetch prices that are far above my purchasing capacity, but there are equally as beautiful and more affordable options for anyone looking to obtain this gemstone. They just might have a little more pink or purple coloring... and some might be considered more sapphire than ruby. Interestingly enough, rubies are part of the same gem family as sapphires, which is called a corundum. Both contain the chemical formula Al₂O₃. Pretty neat.

So what makes a ruby a ruby? 

That's actually a kind of hard question to answer.

(Get it? Hard? As in Mohs Hardness? - I crack myself up!) 😂😂😂

   Well, to answer my own question, rubies are inherently red - like Dorothy's slippers in the Wizard of Oz, while sapphires are any other color. However, this being said, rubies by definition can have pink, purple, or orange undertones. The dominance of the undertones is what determines whether the stone is a ruby or a sapphire.

   On a spiritual level, these versatile and colorful gems are associated with improved energy and concentration, joy, creativity, loyalty, honor and compassion. They are also thought to be protective of home, possessions and family. Ruby is said to stimulate the heart chakra and bring spiritual wisdom and emotional healing while shielding against psychic attacks, making them a lovely addition to any collection.

Want to learn more about this fascinating stone? Visit us in person or online at https://justwitchys.com. Just Witchys carries a number of books to increase your understanding of this and many other stones and crystals. They also carry a variety of products containing Ruby to pair with your favorite outfits, use in rituals, and adorn your home. Click on the links below to view a sample of the products available.

Ruby Kyanite Obelisk

Ruby Zoisite Pencil Pendant

That’s all for now from the Shinyite School of Stones

Shinyite School of Stones is an unregistered trademark of Duckwrites.com. Used by permission to Just Witchys. 😁

       

Beginners Guide to Getting Stoned... I mean Stones! (Opalite)

 

Opalite

   Ohhh, look at the pretty cloudy sky blue shinyite!

Like a summer sky with white puffy clouds,

it exudes a sense of peace and tranquility.

   As it should - Blue and white, the two primary colors often found in Opalite, are associated with peace, tranquility and purity. Natural Opalite is usually found in Africa and Brazil, although there are man made Opalites created by opalizing glass, creating stunning colors.

So how is natural Opal formed as opposed to man made Opal?

   Natural Opal is formed from a solution of silicon dioxide and water. As water runs down through the earth, it picks up silica from sandstone and carries the solution into cracks and voids caused by natural faults or decomposing fossils. When the water evaporates, the silica deposit is left behind. They are commonly formed by volcanic activity, but it's pretty darn rare.

   Most Opalite is man-made and made of glass. The glass is often composed of dolomite and metal to best replicate natural opal's volcanic conditions. As with any glass, the process starts melting raw materials down to a liquid, then allowing the mixture to cool and solidify. This process results in a beautiful more readily available stone.

Chakra Inscribed Opalite Obelisk

      Either way, Opalite is a pretty cool stone. For crystal healers, Opalite is steeped in profound symbolism. It is considered to be emblematic of youthful optimism, playfulness and resilience. In addition, this stone is believed to improve communication on all levels, especially the spiritual. It is used to remove energy blockages of the chakras and considered emotionally helpful in assisting in transitions of any kind, engendering persistence and strength.

Just don't leave it in water!

   Opalite is only a moderately hard mineral with a value of 5-6.5 on the Mohs Hardness Scale, which is just above the minimum value required for minerals to survive underwater. As a result, prolonged immersion in water will dull the appearance and damage the stone.

   Not to worry, this doesn't detract from it's luminous beauty and many intrinsic benefits of the crystal. It is after all the stone of love!

Want to learn more about this fascinating stone? Visit us in person or online at https://justwitchys.com. Just Witchys carries a number of books to increase your understanding of this and many other stones and crystals. They also carry a variety of products containing Opalite to pair with your favorite outfits, use in rituals, and adorn your home. Click on the links below to view a sample of the products available.

Opalite Chip Bracelet

 

Opalite Frog

That’s all for now from the Shinyite School of Stones

Shinyite School of Stones is an unregistered trademark of Duckwrites.com. Used by permission to Just Witchys. 😁