Stone Necklace

Birthstones are used to represent your birth month, a tradition that been practiced for many years and honoured through birthstone jewellery today.

Like star signs, birthstones offer a personal way to express yourself, with each stone believed to embody personality qualities. For example, the garnet is assigned to those born in January and associated with determination.

Wearing a birthstone necklace is a lovely way to reflect personal identity while sporting a beautiful gemstone at the same time.

Birthstone necklaces also make for perfect gifts. They are personal while versatile for everyday wear and are suitable for romantic, platonic, or familial relationship gifts.

It depends on which stone you wear, but it is common belief that like crystals, gemstones have the ability to affect your mood, physical condition, and even the world around you.

Now, we must preface that the power of stone jewellery closely relies on your belief. If you are a sceptic, the chances are you won't feel any different, but with an open mind, who knows!

Aside from stone jewellery being nice to look at and complementing various outfits, the benefits go much deeper.

Rose quarts are said to bring a sense of calm and boost positive energy. You may also feel an overall stronger connection to the Earth's energy, bringing harmony to everyday life.

In terms of physical benefits, amethyst relieves stress which does wonders for sleep and cortisol levels. Jade on the other hand is believed to detoxify the body and boost the immune system.

Each gemstone is believed to bring healing energies (depending on the type) by channelling vibrations from the Earth's natural energy into the body.

These vibrations connect with the body's chakras and bring balance and clarity. Clear quarts for example helps you focus wheras black tourmaline absorbs negative energy.

However, some stones require extra steps before you wear them in order to activate them. This may include first cleansing them in a natural stream of water or burying them under a full moon.

If you're a firm believer in the spiritual power of gemstones but aren't feeling anything from your new piece, it may be because it isn't genuine.

Here are some of the obvious telltale signs that your gemstone necklace isn't genuine:

• It looks too perfect: If there are no visible signs fo flaws like inclusions or variations, then it's likely a synthetic stone.
• Price is surprisingly low: Due to their natural beauty and acquisition method, real gemstones should not be suspiciously cheap.
• Feels very light: Real gemstones are quite dense and should not feel especially lightweight.

Finally, if your're still hesitant whether or not you have a real stone necklace on your hands (or neck), take the piece to a professional NZ jeweller for an expert opinion.

Yes and no.

The price of crystal stone necklaces varies quite extensively, so it's hard to say for certain whether they are expensive or not. In NZ, as in other parts of the world, the cost depends on several factors.

For example, emeralds are very valuable crystals due to their rarity and characteristics, so naturally, they will cost more than topaz or garnet.

Putting the crystal itself aside, the metal in which the stone is set in plays a big part in the necklace's value. Hypoallergenic metals such as gold and sterling silver are more valuable than brass and can easily increase the price.

Overall, since crystal stone necklaces vary widely in terms of materials used, design, and market demand, some can be extremely affordable while others stretch the budget.