Louella Jewellery Blog

It’s June! And what a month...this month our second baby will be born, hopefully very soon indeed. It’s so beautiful in the garden, our flowers are erupting everywhere and the sun is finally shining (a little). June is the month for pearls and alexandrite and a more modern addition to June’s birthstone collection is moonstone. I’ll write a little bit about each birthstone in a different blog post, this time I’ll look at alexandrite. Alexandrite is a uniquely special stone for several reasons, firstly in its natural form, it is incredibly rare and expensive. Owning the tiniest piece will set...

Larimar is a beautiful stone of the palest blue, to me it often looks like lace or a water colour painting. I always want to work with larimar more, but it’s not the easiest stone to source. This is largely because it is only found in the Dominican Republic. Pectolite, the mineral that actually forms the stone is found worldwide but the copper traces that create the beautiful blue colours alongside this mineral only in the Dominican Republic. Just as the blue of the ocean is often used to symbolize tranquility, many believe that Larimar brings peace and serenity to those who...

The word Ruby comes to us from the Latin 'ruber' and 'rubeus' meaning red. However the word in Sanskrit translates to be “The King of gemstones”. Rubies are typically mined from Madagascar, Nepal, Thailand and Australia. They require special subterranean conditions, unlike diamonds which can be found almost anywhere. The formation of rubies requires a lot of Earth’s natural elements and many years of pressure and natural growth. This growth process incorporates many of the earth's elements, which can affect the clarity of the stone. During their growth process, rubies will develop fractures and inclusions that affect the colour and...

Emeralds were the favourite gemstone of Cleopatra and who can blame her? The Egyptians used emeralds both in jewellery and in their elaborate burials, often burying emerald stones with monarchs as symbols of protection. On the other side of the world, the Muzo Indians of Colombia had well-hidden and prized emerald mines. These mines were so hidden, it took the Spanish conquistadors nearly twenty years to find them. It is the birthstone of the month of May and what a logical one it is with it’s lush greenness hinting at spring so perfectly. Emerald was long thought to help the...

May is a busy old time in our family with three birthdays, it’s lots of parties, cake and gifts all round. I really love May, I’m not a fan of scorching sun but May is usually warm not hot and blissful. The flowers all start to pop open in the garden and the beaches are usually quiet too. This year May will look so different for everyone. For us, there won’t be parties but I’m sure we will all make cake (if we can find the flour!). Celebrations will feel different of course but celebrating quietly and from afar is...