#Gemstone Color Spectrum

[singletapyash]

Do you ever feel much burden in your life?  Or perhaps find yourself desiring to be much closer to yourself? If this is the case, you would do well to explore joining the world of crystals. Of those myriad gemstones out there, Chalcedony stone holds a special place, with its unique properties and rich history.

Chalcedony crystal often gets lost in the shuffle of flashier stones, like aquamarine but that's what makes this stone literally and figuratively a hidden gem. This versatile stone comes in a rainbow of colors, from serene blues from the green chalcedony to mysterious depths of black chalcedony. 

Every color possesses a self-contained, special energy, but all of them share a common thread: tranquility and balance.

[literaryvein-reblogs]

Some Gemology Vocabulary

for your next poem/story (pt. 2)

Gemology—the scientific study of gemstones

Clarity - The grading of a gemstone is based on the presence or absence of inclusions. The fewer inclusions, the better a gemstone’s clarity grade.

Crown - Located above the girdle or at the top of a cut stone, the crown faces up and is in plain view when the gem is arranged in a setting.

Culet - The bottom quadrant or point on a stone with a pavilion that ends in a single point; a bottom facet cut parallel to the girdle on a stone with an otherwise pointed bottom, initially intended to prevent chipping.

Diaphaneity - The general term to describe the transmittance of light through an object. The 3 typical classifications are transparency, translucency, and opacity.

Diffusion treatment - A treatment used to alter the color of a gemstone (mostly sapphires).

Dispersion - The separation of white light into the component colors of the visible spectrum.

Facet - A flat surface on a stone or other media.

Girdle - The line created where the crown and pavilion facets meet, or the series of facets that separate the crown and pavilion facets.

Pavilion - The part of the stone below the girdle, otherwise the bottom portion of the stone.

Sectile - Capable of being cut as into slices or shavings.

Table - A facet on the crown, usually parallel to the girdle. In cases when the girdle isn't a straight line, the table is typically at 90° to the stone's center axis.

Tavernier rule - A method of gemvalue calculation. Price increases by the square of weight of stones. Now obsolete.

Veinstone - Any mineral other than metal which occurs in a vein (i.e., a crack, crevice, or fissure, filled, or practically filled, with mineral matter).

Wisps - Whitish wisp-like fractures resembling thin wind-blown clouds. Occur in some synthetic emerald but never in the genuine.

Youstone - An old English term for jade.

Sources: 1 2 3

More: On Gemology ⚜ Word Lists

[xoxorealitygalore]

Look What You Did 7

Jey Uso x Black OC

Summary: After meeting Joshua, Jalisa embarks on an emotional journey, navigating the vulnerability and joy of an unexpected connection.

Tag: @theusotwinzcom @baybehkay @purplementalitybluebird

Today was not supposed to be a day of stress. It was the one exception Jalisa allowed herself to the strict rules of bed rest, the one day she permitted herself to breathe outside the confines of soft sheets and medical warnings. Her baby shower had arrived, and though her obstetrician had reluctantly agreed, the warning still echoed in her ears: no drama, no stress. She promised. But inside, her nerves rattled like spoons in an empty drawer.

Jalisa sat in the cushioned wicker chair beneath the grand tent in her backyard, a vision draped in lavender lace and tulle. Her belly, round and glowing under the soft fabric, cradled two tiny lives who kicked gently every now and then, as if sensing the celebration. Around her, everything sparkled with the pastel vision she’d dreamed of for months had bloomed into a fairytale.

The backyard had transformed into a wonderland of color and calm. A massive blush-toned tent with flowing curtains swayed in the breeze. Suspended parasols in pink and lilac hovered above the crowd like gentle floating blooms. Hundreds of roses flowed across the long white tables in an ombre spectrum from icy mauve to soft petal pink to rich fuchsia. Glass baby bottles filled with pastel candies sat beside name cards written in elegant gold calligraphy. Crystal candle holders flickered under the light of the afternoon sun, and at the very center of it all stood a towering five-tier cake adorned with sugar flowers and shimmering iridescent details.

Guests laughed over mimosas and pastel macaroons. Children darted through bubbles from a rented machine that spilled them endlessly into the air. A cereal bar stood beside the dessert table, and bowls of Fruit Loops and Lucky Charms shimmered like gemstones beneath glass domes. It was ridiculous. It was excessive. It was perfect. Jalisa wanted to remember this glow, this gathering, this moment of joy in a year that had almost broken her.

She hadn’t wanted Joshua there. Not after everything. Not after the betrayal, the lies, the weeks of confusion that followed the hospital scare. But his sister-in-law, Trinity, had become someone Jalisa trusted, someone who checked in daily, who brought lavender-scented foot soaks and herbal teas when the rest of the world kept its distance. Jalisa couldn’t find it in her heart to exclude her. And that meant Joshua came too.

His two sons came along, whom she hadn’t spent much time with before, but who now chased her younger kids around the yard as if they’d known each other forever. Her two youngest shrieked with laughter, their cheeks sticky with popsicle juice and their hands full of party favors. Her eldest, Kamira, home from the University of Miami for the weekend, never left her side. She wore a tight expression, her lips pressed thin whenever someone from Joshua’s side approached. When Joshua himself arrived, Kamira stiffened.

Jalisa noticed the moment he crossed the lawn. Every woman in her family did. Her sisters, lined up like lionesses, moved instantly to close the gap between Jalisa and Joshua. Tanya, the baby and most outspoken, stood dead center, arms folded like a gate. Joshua slowed, trying to smile, unsure of the reception. He knew better than to push.

Talisua, Joshua’s mother, was more warmly received. She hugged Jalisa gently and rubbed her belly like it was sacred ground. Trinity brought matching baby onesies and sat beside Jalisa during the games. They all laughed during the “Guess the Baby Food” game, and when someone shouted out “Watermelon!” for mashed peas, Jalisa nearly fell out of her chair with laughter.

But every moment was underscored with tension. The kind that hums under silk and smiles, waiting for its chance to scream.

Later, when the crowd thinned and the air cooled with the dusk, Joshua found a moment alone with her. Jalisa didn’t push him away this time. They stood at the edge of the rose-lined fence, the sky painted in lavender and gold, like her theme had bled upward into the clouds.

They spoke quietly. About names. About cravings. About how one twin kicked every night just after midnight without fail. Jalisa watched him press his large hand against her belly, fingers splayed wide, as if anchoring himself to something he feared drifting away.

He whispered something to them. His lips pressed to the space just above her navel.

It made her heart twist in a way she wasn’t prepared for.

Later that night, long after the music died and the last balloon deflated, Jalisa returned to her room. Her ankles ached. Her lower back throbbed. She peeled off the dress, exhaled, and spotted something new on her nightstand.

A journal. Leather-bound. Cream pages.

She opened it.

Inside were entries. Short ones. Little messages, each dated. Some were about his fears, the fear that he wouldn’t be a good father, that he’d mess this up like everything else. Others were tender hopes. That one twin would have her smile. That the other would love the ocean. Between entries were doodles, terrible drawings of babies with huge eyes and mohawks and tiny little fists.

Jalisa sat on the edge of the bed and wept. Quietly. Fiercely.

She wasn’t sure if she loved him. Not anymore. But maybe, just maybe she was beginning to trust again. And maybe those two things weren’t all that different. Not today. Not in this softness.

Four days later, the fluorescent lights in the baby section buzzed quietly. Jalisa ran her hand over a tiny onesie with “Born to Sparkle” stitched in gold thread. Her cart was filled with organic snacks and a few postpartum must-haves. She had come straight from her OB appointment. Everything was fine. The twins were healthy. She needed fresh air.

She sensed it before she saw it.

The gaze.

Someone was staring.

At first, she dismissed it. But then she saw the woman. Petite, polished. Eyes locked onto her belly like it had personally offended her.

“Can I help you?” Jalisa asked flatly.

The woman stepped forward.

“I’m Mia,” she said, like that should mean something.

Jalisa blinked slowly. Then sighed. Of course.

“Look, I don’t have time for this,” she said, already turning her cart.

“I didn’t know Charles was married,” Mia said quickly. “And I’m sorry that Joshua used you to get back at Charles and me.”

Jalisa stopped cold. Her grip tightened on the cart handle.

“Listen,” she said slowly. “I don’t need your apologies. You and Joshua deserve a nice ride straight to hell for the crap y’all put me through.”

Mia’s eyes widened.

“I’m trying to be cordial, our kids are going to be siblings.”

Jalisa rolled her eyes.

“This is me being cordial,” she snapped. “I know Charles told you what I would’ve done if I had found out who you were back then. And I know you heard what I did to Joshua’s car.”

Mia swallowed hard.

“These babies,” Jalisa said, pointing to her stomach, “are saving you. I don’t owe you a damn thing but the sight of my back.”

She turned away.

“I’m still going to try to be civil,” Mia called after her.

“Whatever,” Jalisa muttered, walking off.

Mia watched her disappear. Then, without thinking, she pulled out her phone and dialed Joshua.

“She cursed me out,” she said when he answered. “You really had to get the rudest woman on the planet pregnant?”

Joshua laughed on the other end.

“She cursed you out? I didn’t even know she could curse like that when I met her.”

“She said she would’ve whooped my ass if she wasn’t pregnant.”

“She would’ve,” Joshua replied. “Her family told me all about her. We got off easy.”

Mia scoffed. “There are kids involved. She should be more mature.”

“You weren’t thinking about that when you were sleeping with her husband,” Joshua said coolly.

“You know what? I’m hanging up.”

“Good. Stay away from her, Mia. She doesn’t owe you a thing.”

Click.

Silence.

After Mia hung up, her reflection lingered in the screen of her phone longer than she intended. The problem wasn’t just Jalisa, it was the mirror Mia didn’t want held up to her own actions. She sighed, placing her phone in her purse, and walked away from the baby aisle, heels clicking against the polished tile like the echo of all the doors she’d helped slam shut in someone else’s life.

Back at home, Jalisa sat at her kitchen counter with a bowl of cereal, slowly chewing through her emotions. Cinnamon Toast Crunch had become her comfort lately, the one familiar flavor that calmed her nerves. The confrontation at Target played on a loop in her mind. Not because Mia had said anything she hadn’t already guessed but because her body had gone cold the second she’d heard the name. Her body remembered even before her brain caught up.

She turned her head and glanced at the journal Joshua left behind on her nightstand. It was now on the counter next to her cereal bowl, like a silent witness. She opened it again. The last entry was from the night of the baby shower.

“I don’t know if you’ll ever forgive me. I’m not asking you to. But every night I put my hand on your stomach and talk to them like they can hear me and maybe they can. Maybe they know the truth about me before they even open their eyes. Maybe they’ll be the reason I learn how to become better.”

The words didn’t absolve him. But they cracked something in her that had hardened.

When Kamira entered the kitchen, Jalisa snapped the journal shut.

“Everything okay, Ma?” her daughter asked.

Jalisa offered a soft smile. “Yeah. Just thinking.”

Kamira hesitated before speaking again. “I know it’s none of my business, but… if he’s gonna be in the twins’ lives, you gotta set boundaries. Don’t let feelings cloud it. He hurt you.”

“I know he did,” Jalisa said, placing her spoon down. “But I also know what it’s like to raise kids with someone who doesn’t show up. I don’t want that for the twins.”

“Then make him prove it,” Kamira said simply. “Don’t just let him back in.”

Jalisa nodded. “You sound like Tanya.”

Kamira smirked. “Tanya sounds like me.”

They laughed. The sound felt good in the house again. Lately, the only thing filling the silence had been worry and fetal monitor readings. Now, laughter was a balm.

The next day, Jalisa received a delivery of a carefully arranged bouquet of pink peonies and pale lavender orchids with a note tucked beneath the petals. It was from Joshua.

I’ll stay in the background if that’s what you need. But I’ll still be here. For the twins. For you. Always.
—J.

She placed the flowers on the dining table. She didn’t reply. She didn’t have to. Not yet.

Instead, she opened her baby registry app and added a few more things, some swaddle wraps, more pacifiers, a double stroller she’d been eyeing for weeks. These were the tasks that made her feel in control. That grounded her in the here and now.

Later that week, Trinity stopped by with a lavender onesie that read “Mommy’s Twin Angels.”

“You’re not gonna believe who texted me,” she said, sitting on the edge of Jalisa’s bed. “Mia.”

Jalisa arched a brow. “She texted you?”

“She wanted to know what kind of baby gift to buy,” Trinity said. “I told her to buy a clue instead.”

Jalisa snorted. “Thanks.”

Trinity grew serious. “Can I ask you something? Not as Joshua’s sister-in-law. Just as your friend.”

“Go ahead.”

“Do you think… you and him are done?”

Jalisa stared at the ceiling for a moment. “I don’t know. Some days I want to scream at him. Other days I miss him so bad it hurts. I’m scared to love him again. But I’m more scared of raising these babies in hate.”

Trinity reached for her hand. “Then don’t decide today. Just let each day tell you what it is. That’s what healing looks like. Not knowing, but showing up anyway.”

A week later, another false alarm contraction had landed Jalisa back in the hospital. The twins were fine, still safe inside, but the scare reminded her how fragile everything still was.

When she opened her eyes in the dim room, the first face she saw was Joshua’s. He was asleep in the chair beside her bed, arms crossed, chin to his chest. A small coloring book lay on the table beside him with a few crayon drawings of cartoon babies. Kamira must’ve brought it to calm the younger kids earlier. Joshua had picked it up.

She didn’t wake him. She just watched him, really watched him. The way his chest rose with each breath. The way his brows still furrowed even in sleep, like he was fighting demons even in his dreams.

He stayed until morning, when her older sister Vanessa showed up.

“Call me if you need anything,” Joshua told her before he left. Vanessa shook her head.

Vanessa watched Joshua leave with arms crossed and a tight expression on her face. The door hadn’t even fully shut before she muttered, “You let him stay the night?”

Jalisa shifted against the hospital pillows, already tired of the judgment in her sister’s tone. “I didn’t let him. He just didn’t leave.”

Vanessa dragged the visitor’s chair closer, her eyes never softening. “You keep letting him hang around like this, and one day you’re going to wake up back where you started, with a broken heart and two babies to raise alone.”

Jalisa looked out the window, her hand instinctively resting on her belly. “I’m not asking for your approval, Ness.”

Vanessa sighed, her voice gentler now. “I know you’re not. I just want you to be careful. He means well, but meaning well doesn’t always mean doing right. You’ve got more than yourself to think about now.”

“I think about them every second of every day,” Jalisa said. “Trust me, there’s no forgetting.”

Vanessa reached for her hand, squeezing it. “Then don’t forget what you’ve already survived. Don’t forget who you were before him. Don’t lose you trying to rebuild something he helped break.”

Jalisa blinked back sudden tears, but she nodded.

“I won’t,” she whispered.

Because she couldn’t afford to.

The hospital stay stretched longer than expected. Jalisa went into labor that evening.

Joshua barely made it.

But he did.

Jalisa breathed. Focused. Pushed. Screamed. And then—

A sharp, gurgling wail filled the room.

Then another.

Two voices. Two lives.

The sound was so overwhelming, she didn’t know whether to laugh or cry. So she did both.

"They're here," Joshua whispered, kissing her forehead over and over. "You did it. You did it."

A nurse brought over the first baby—pink, tiny, screaming. "Baby A," she said. "A girl."

A minute later came Baby B—a little girl, quieter, blinking with wide, dark eyes.

"They’re perfect," Jalisa murmured, tears streaming down her cheeks. "They’re really here."

Joshua cradled one in each arm like he'd been doing it his whole life. "We need names," he said, his voice cracking.

She smiled weakly. "I think I know."

Jariana and Jaquala.

The next morning, sunlight poured through the hospital blinds. Jalisa lay in bed, her hair tied up, exhaustion written in the lines of her face. The twins were asleep, swaddled side by side in the bassinet. Joshua sat in the corner chair, arms crossed, watching them—watching her.

"I've never been more scared in my life," he said quietly.

Jalisa looked at him, tired eyes narrowing. "Why?"

"I thought I'd lose you. That night you called me... every minute since then, I’ve been holding my breath."

She said nothing. The silence hung between them like fog.

"I know I lied. I know I came into your life all wrong. But I swear to you, Jalisa, I didn’t fake this part. Not with you. Not with them."

Jalisa blinked at the twins. Tiny faces, tiny lives, a bond that couldn’t be undone now.

"I don’t know what comes next," she whispered. "But I know I need peace. For me. For them."

Joshua nodded. "Then that’s what I’ll give you. Even if it means loving you from across the street."

She looked over at him, truly looked.

“Don’t force it,” She told him.

Next: Look What You Did 8

[velvetvexations]

I've said this before but I'll say it again: "Are you AMAB intersex or AFAB intersex" is the new "are you girl nonbinary or boy nonbinary". If we get asked that one more time...

Like no actually we aren't going to disclose the label violently forced on us to erase our intersex identity, that might have led to *actual* genital mutilation as a baby (our known variation tends to show up in puberty or even later, so slightly less likely for us but not impossible given how unclear our early life history is and that we suspect a possible additional intersex variation might be co-occuring), that DID lead to precocious puberty and being put on a med to delay it that increases our chances of osteoporosis significantly, that led to us being manipulated and coerced as an adult into hormonal birth control that made us more dysphoric and suicidal, all to suppress traits we weren't even *allowed* to realize were actually super euphoric, that we ended up going on HRT to encourage???

Like no, you don't get to demand to know a label so you can assign your idea of our life experiences to us, speaking over and for us the exact same way our doctors and parents and others have done for us our whole lives, so you can determine if we're "basically a perisex cis woman who wants to feel special appropriating transfemininity", "basically a perisex transmasc theyfab who wants to feel special and oppressed appropriating transfemininity and invading trans women's spaces", "basically a perisex cis man appropriating and profiting from transfemininity" or "a poor confused trans woman with internalized transmisogyny who is simultaneously a danger to our community because she refuses to acknowledge her AMAB identity (despite that we treat trans women and fema who do use AMAB/male terminology as dangerous betrayers for conflating transfemininity with maleness while simultaneously insisting only people assigned male can be transfem) and a poor misguided lost lesbian who needs us to tell her who she truly is".

Yes actually, I am obscuring our AGAB on purpose, because you can't be trusted with it. No one else gets to use it as a bludgeon against us ever again. You have neither earned my trust nor the privilege of knowing my trauma. Even aside from the intersexism of "but are you basically a female or basically a male", I am a transneufemmasc cistrans AND isogender intersex system who is a changeling endel/faekin, whose genderfluidity is the most cis part of our fundamentally faegender experience, who is both a trans woman and a trans man. You don't get to know where on the spectrum of genital structures our dick-clit falls, nor which out of labia or scrotum that structure has trended towards, nor what gametes we produce, nor whether we have an additional hole (or how deep it goes, or whether it ends in a cervix, or a uterus is present), nor what hormonal cycle we most closely align with or what our dominant hormone even is, nor... well, you get the picture. Well, and what medical transition steps we are pursuing.

The people who do get to know those things are the ones who have repeatedly proven they won't use that as a weapon, who won't take the knife we're using to prep ingredients to share and stab us right in our existing scars. They're the ones that celebrate and worship the ambiguity and spaces in between, the temple to liminality and unceasing change that our body both forms naturally and has been further shaped to further reveal that divinity, like a gemstone cut perfectly to reveal that its color is born of its impurities and that its inclusions hold the memories of what it once was and hope of what it may one day become in the unceasing rock cycle.

We are intersex. We wrested that label from the people who tried to covertly kill us by not standing in the way of our body's deterioration despite having sworn an oath to; and it was also a gift from people similarly hurt, welcoming us in as family. The people who treat that as a malicious decision, to sneakily predate on and invade "(trans) women's spaces" as an "outsider" despite that we are trans women, have already caused us to make the decision to talk about the violence done against us in only the vaguest, most roundabout terms, have closed off memories of our past self/ves from being shared, all just so the people most supposed to accept us won't either force us to cut pieces of ourselves off just to fit into their narrow mold or cast us out into the cold or both.

They will neither take nor get more from us. We are not, nor have we ever been, male nor female. We are intersex. We have been assigned intersex by our community and thus have assigned it to ourselves as a reaffirmation of that every time someone attempts to bleed us back into a farcical illusion of perisex identity.

"Well I think that all makes you [whatever AGAB they can most use to still attempt violence against us with a less precise weapon]"

(Reponse to quoted person) Oh, shut up, don't you have either bioessentialist obsession over the penile male-assigned nature of, or gender essentialist obsession of the inherent helpless frail victimhood of, transfemininity, to write thousands of words that say nothing about?

All very, very well said anon. <3

[crowdsourcedgender]

[Image ID: Two versions of a six stripe flag, one with a symbol and one without. The symbol are two interlocking gender symbols. The left is a circle with a line pointing down, two curved lines branching off, and two very short ones below. The right is an infinity with a gap for the outline of an arrow pointing right and up. The stripe colors from top to bottom are pink, peach, off white, yellow, dark yellow, and very dark brown. /End ID]

Name: Basaltian

Source: Requested by @k4ijynxx2

A xyric-spectrum orientation referring to those who are both xlobm (xenic-loving-other-than-binary-male) and flobm (feminine-loving-other-than-binary-male), AKA a feminine xenic person who is attracted to all genders except binary men.

Gender-loving-gender terms are normally names after gemstones. However, there are literally none left that aren't taken, so I've sprung for a cool igneous rock instead. Top two stripes from the xenogender flag, bottom three are the opposite of blue.

[srlgemstone]

Diaspore

A magnificent gemstone. Turkish Diaspore. What makes this stone special is that it changes color according to the light spectrum.

In different light sources, the Turkish Diaspore can also exhibit khaki greens, sage greens, cognac pinks, pinkish champagnes, canary yellows, rich champagnes and reds. During a candlelit dinner, the same gem reveals shades from pink to raspberry.

[gemsbuild]

Kyanite: A Gemstone With Hidden Depths

Kyanite isn't your everyday diamond or sapphire, but it holds a charm all its own. This unique gemstone offers a captivating play of color and a touch of rarity, making it a valuable choice for those who appreciate something special.

The Blade That Shifts Color

Kyanite's most striking feature is pleochroism. This means the gem changes color depending on the angle you look at it! Imagine a sapphire blue stone that transforms into emerald green with a tilt of your head - that's the magic of kyanite. This characteristic makes it a favorite among collectors who cherish unique gems.

Beauty with a Side of Caution

While fairly durable (ranking 7 on the Mohs scale), kyanite has a blade-like crystal structure. This means it can chip or scratch if struck in a specific direction. Don't worry though, skilled jewelers can work around this by using protective settings or cabochon cuts (smooth, polished domes) to minimize risk.

A Spectrum of Value

Kyanite comes in a variety of colors, with deep blues and greens being the most sought-after. Rarer colors like orange or pink can be even more valuable. Here's what affects a kyanite's worth:

Color: Vivid blues and greens fetch a higher price.

Clarity: Flawless stones are rare, but inclusions (tiny flaws) are okay if they don't affect the beauty.

Cut: A well-cut kyanite with good brilliance and fire adds value (faceting kyanite can be tricky).

Size: Larger, high-quality kyanites are naturally rarer and more expensive.

Generally, prices range from $6 per carat for lower qualities to a whopping $600 per carat for exceptional specimens.

More Than Just a Pretty Face

Kyanite's value extends beyond aesthetics. Its high aluminum content makes it valuable in the production of high-quality porcelain and refractory materials. This adds another layer of value to the stone, especially for industrial purposes.

So, Is Kyanite Valuable?

Absolutely! It depends on what you're looking for. For jewelry, kyanite offers a captivating play of color and a conversation-starting rarity. It might not be the most durable gem, but its beauty and uniqueness make it a valuable choice for those who appreciate something special. In the industrial world, its properties make it a valuable material as well.

Kyanite's worth lies in its distinctive character, captivating colors, and the way light dances within its crystalline form. It's a true gem with hidden depths!

[diegosouzalions]

i like to think that rainbow had a MASSIVE gem stone, and as she created the diamonds, she used shards of her own gemstone, an with each diamond she lost a color of her rainbow spectrum, so shes just a taller version of grey or white at this point since magenta was the last

Good theory!

[gempantheon]

"Why?"

Eyes akin to gemstones within the sea gaze over directly to intense dare he wants to say almost soulless blue eyes, the other's color palette is made of the colors you'd find amongst the echoes of the arctic, his aura was nearly the same, he wants to say the other had no spirit, but there was something that still clung to him in the depths of his unnatural appearance. His lips are parted as he tries to process the most simple question thrown his way, he finds himself almost snickering in juvenile joy, perhaps at the comment he's about to make. The other probably already knows this information, he kinda gives him elder vibes from some of the few encounters he's had.

"What? Like the sky being blue? The sky appears blue due to a phenomenon called Rayleigh scattering, where sunlight interacts with air molecules in the atmosphere. Blue light, with its shorter wavelength, is scattered more strongly than other colors, leading to the blue hue we see, albeit it probably looks different to other beings, we see in a lot of spectrum of colors." "No. That's not what you were asking." Throat being cleared as the younger, much more energetic male walks forward, to gestures to the wide expanse of nature before them, he wasn't afraid of heights, he'd jumped and climbed them all his life, as far as his blurry memory recalled at least. How weird it was, to know himself yet at the same time not, a walking enigma. "Why do I try to protect them? What is it I gain from doing so?" His gaze flickers to his family, scattered amongst the land, frolicking in the wilderness undeterred, like an abstract painting amongst the surroundings. They seemed like they didn't fit amongst this world but at the same time they did, in an uncanny way. "They protect me, they help me. I'm never lonely as long as I have them. I know that maybe I'd have an easier life if I was within civilization, yet I don't want them to be used for anything, battling, fighting. Can't there be peace someplace in the world? It doesn't even have to be a huge corner, just a little space." Like a home. "But that's something we have to fight to create, something I like to avoid, yet now with everything that's happening. It's my turn to give back. It's only fair..."

"Right?" Or maybe he hadn't made any sense, he really needs to work on his social skills at some point.

[kariachi]

Hey guys, did up some notes! Worked out local color things for the more recognizable gemstones you'd definitely find around Kwarrel's hometown!

Garnets- come in bright reds from winey raspberry tones to bold bloody shades depending on where in the mountains they came from, there’s some veins with green stones that pop up in the northern side of the mountains, but the Ojua herd don’t get those on their property, or their fucking mountain to anyone's knowledge

Jadeite- often fail to have consistent color but range along a spectrum of light teals, tend to be greener in the region surrounding the Ojua herd

Peridot- tend to be light with varying amounts of yellow to their greens ranging from 'i can't believe it's not yellow' through 'light olive' to 'i can't believe it's not green', again the stones the Ojua herd deal in tend to be on the green end of things

Amethyst- are typically a nice medium purple at their darkest, show strong color zoning ranging all the way to colorless

Tanzanites- untreated specimens often showcase red-browns, violets, and blues, heat-treated specimens most often show indigo and cyan, though some retain the violet and blue instead, not found on the Ojua property at the time of Kwarrel’s leaving, but there was a small mine nearby on the mountain so hope exists

[sixminutestoriesblog]

sapphire

Children born when Autumn leaves are rustling in the September breeze, a Sapphire on her brow should bind. It will cure diseases of the mind.

We're in September and its time to celebrate this month's birthstone, the sapphire. Hailing from the same mineral family as rubies, sapphires, with their rich blue color, have long been a favorite with royalty around the world. Most recently, England's Princess Diana was famous for hers. Did you know that sapphires come in more than just blue however? Sapphires come in almost every color from orange to green to brown to even a clear, colorless kind. In Sri Lanka there's a beautiful pink-orange version of the stone they call the 'lotus flower' - padparadsch. Particolored sapphires are stones with two different colors in them. Found predominately in Australia, these rare colored stones have yet to be recreated in labs, making them true natural wonders. Even when you have a blue sapphire the color choices don't stop there. The blue can range from a light cornflower blue to a deep almost violet color.

But wait! There's more!

Some very rare sapphires reflect the light back in the form of a six point star, something known as asterism. The Star of Adam is one of the world's largest gemstone, a massive star sapphire larger than a chicken egg. The Black Star of Queensland is an almost black star sapphire once worn by Cher. And the famous Star of Bombay sapphire had the British name a gin after it, Bombay Sapphire.

Now that labs can manufacture sapphires, clear sapphires are most often produced and used as the 'glass' for windows that need to be highly scratch and heat resistant and are often used in high pressure or vacuum chambers. There have even been attempts to use them in iPhone screens. Sapphires are popular with lasers as well, since they can be minutely attuned to a wide spectrum range of visible and invisible light.

As mentioned previously though, sapphires have fascinated humans long before science found a use for them. Colored blue, the stone is often associated with the sky and leaving the more mundane layers of this earth behind. The ancient Greeks and Romans thought that wearing the stone would turn aside the ill will and envy of others. In Medieval Europe, sapphires were thought to call in the blessings of Heaven and were often worn by clergy in the Roman Catholic Church. In some Hindu beliefs, the sapphire was only meant for some people, bringing bad luck to others. To find which you were, you slept with the stone under your pillow for three nights. If your dreams were good, the sapphire would bring you enlightenment, protection and luck. If your dreams were bad, the stone would only bring you sorrow and better to be rid of it.

There is a legend that the Ten Commandments were written on sapphires.

Sapphires are supposed to be able to ward off the evil eye.

Lastly, sapphires are supposed to be medicinally healthy for the eyes, to ward against melancholy and to protect against mental illness. Mary, Queen of Scots, wore a sapphire necklace she could rub against her eyes to relieve the strain on them.

[eoe-everlasting]

Gemstones Prompt

Paradox

Obsidian:

Obsidian suits Paradox on every level. On one hand, it’s volcanic glass—born from fire and forced into the shape of a weapon. It’s efficient, uncompromising, and silent—the perfect mirror for his kill-first, ask-questions-never approach to life. But delve a bit deeper, and obsidian reveals another facet. Much like the stone’s reflective surface, it hints at layers beneath that cold exterior. Paradox’s heart, though twisted and burdened by dark urges, still beats with longing for touch and affection. In intimate moments, especially with Eoe, that clinical detachment softens into something akin to tenderness—a reflection of vulnerability he rarely admits. In short, obsidian embodies his duality: a tool for precise, ruthless violence that also holds a capacity for raw, even warped, affection.

Eoe

Most people expect Eoe to be an Opal—and it fits! All shimmer and shifting light, ethereal and otherworldly. I also considered Labradorite. Others might guess something pink and gentle, like Rose Quartz. But in truth she’s…

Sapphire:

Often mistaken for a single hue, sapphire actually exists across a full spectrum of color. That hidden variety mirrors Eoe perfectly: a soul made of many, constantly evolving yet unmistakably whole. These colors stand out most.

💗 Pink Sapphire – The Heart’s Strength

• Core traits: Emotional resilience, love, vulnerability without weakness, healing, connection, self-trust (she follows her gut, not her mother’s fears), healing the broken (within her party and herself)

• Why it fits: This is her soul stone. It mirrors the strength in her softness—the way she survives horror without becoming hard, and keeps choosing kindness even when the world doesn’t deserve it.

💙 Blue Sapphire – The Mind’s Wisdom

• Core traits: Clarity, intuition, justice, inner vision, truth-seeking.

• Why it fits: Blue sapphire aligns with her dreamwalker side—her wisdom beyond her years, her ability to see through the veil and into the heart of things. It represents her balance, her integrity, her sense of what’s right even when it’s inconvenient.

Honorable Mentions

💚 Green Sapphire

Ties her to the wild magic of the Fey and her druidic roots, where nature sings and survival is a sacred ritual.

💛 Yellow Sapphire

Reflects the Sherai spark—hope and clarity amid ash, a guiding light even while her body sleeps.

🤍 White Sapphire

Her dreamwalker soul—pure potential, endlessly shifting, a luminous thread that weaves through all her realities.

🖤 Black Sapphire

The weight of her burden, the darkness she travels through, and the quiet grief she never speaks aloud.

⭐️ Star Sapphire

Symbol of her fate-bound journey—marked by unseen forces, destined to walk paths no one else can follow.

[literaryvein-reblogs]

Writing Reference: Sapphire

Sapphire is the birthstone for September and the gem for Libra.

It commemorates the 5th and 45th anniversary.

It is the sacred gem for Thursday.

Depending on the exact chemistry of individual stones, sapphires may present a whole spectrum of colors with the exception of red.

The blue variety of sapphire is a tremendously popular gemstone worldwide. It is part of the group called the Big 3 which also includes rubies and emeralds.

History

The history of the sapphire dates back to the Etruscans in the 7th Century BC.

Marco Polo’s travels in the 13th Century took him to the Island of Serendid (Sri Lanka), where he describes sapphires in abundant detail in his “Book of Marvels”.

Sapphire became a favorite gem in rings and brooches for Medieval Kings.

They believed that the sapphire would protect them from harm and envy.

By the time of the Renaissance, sapphires were coveted by the wealthy and influential.

Sapphires were credited with the ability to prevent poverty, making an irritable man good-tempered and a stupid man wise.

Color

Sapphires are corundum gems (i.e., The corundum family of gemstones consists of ruby and sapphire).

They occur in a full rainbow variety of colors, except red. (Red corundum is ruby).

Sapphires will be marketed according to their color, i.e., yellow sapphire or purple sapphire.

However, the word "sapphire" on its own refers specifically to the blue variety.

Symbolism

Sapphires are considered a protective gemstone.

They may shield the wearer from physical harm as well as bad intentions and envy.

It was also thought that sapphires had medicinal properties.

Blue sapphires are considered a highly spiritual stone worn by priests.

Lastly, sapphires are among the few gemstones that can exhibit natural asterism in the form of a six-rayed star.

Sources: 1 2 ⚜ Writing Notes & References

[jhamkul]

Gilded Spectrum (any sword), Legendary

Day 24: Jeweled / Prompt list by @faith_schaffer

✨Art kindly provided by @arcaneaffinty✨

Smite spells are way too fun to use for every melee character, so what if instead of having to play a Paladin you could wield a "Helm of Brilliance-like" sword with these spells embedded within its gemstones? This finely crafted sword, forged from exceptionally tempered steel and a guard made entirely from gold, is adorned with multiple precious stones with distinct colors. Removing any of these gemstones causes the weapon to become rapidly imbued by a different spell, each one associated with the kind of gemstone that was plucked.

—————

Thank you very much for checking out this new creation! If you want to see more of my content, feel free to visit my Instagram, where I ask for advice, post teasers, and you can vote for my future posts.

[pastorfutureletthembe]

Link Click and Flowers

> Hyacinth ~ Blooms of Affection

Hyacinths grow from underground bulbs that are planted in the fall. Each spring, the bulbs send up green leaves followed by their colorful flowers. They have spire-like stems with one to three spikes of flowers and narrow, strap-shaped leaves. With the proper care, a single bulb can bloom for multiple years.

The name, from the Arabic zargoun, means vermilion and is associated with Zircon: a gemstone. This stone can wear all colors of the spectrum. Although blue is one of the rarest and because of it, his stone is often confused with sapphires, quartz or topaz. In Revelation 21:20, one of the twelve foundation stones of the New Jerusalem is hyacinth.

The flower is believed to have originated in the Middle East and gained popularity in Europe in the 16th century. Hyacinths are robust blooms that can grow from Mediterranean regions to colder European climates. This adaptability has contributed to their widespread cultivation.

Hyacinths are well-known for their strong, sweet, and slightly earthy fragrance. Each variety actually comes with a unique scent, often described as rich and floral, with a hint of green freshness. It’s a smell that’s associated with the arrival of spring. Despite of their vibrant colors and uplifting fragrance, be aware that the bulbs contain oxalic acid, which is toxic.

Primarly used to welcome spring and celebrate Easter, Hyacinth flower bouquets can be a thoughtful gift for birthdays or anniversaries, symbolizing the constant love between individuals. They are a great way to bring cheer to someone who needs it, making them a good choice for ‘get well soon’ flowers.

Lore

Greek mythology: Apollo, the sun god, and Zephyr, the wind god, were both trying to win the affection of a young man, Hyacinthus. The boy tragically died while playing discus with Apollo. Zephyr actually got jealous and blew the discus back to Apollo with a strong gust of wind which backfired and accidentally killed Hyakinthos. Apollo used all sorts of herbs to heal Hyacinthus' wound, but it was futile, for he could not cure the wound inflicted by the Fates. Apollo wept for Hyacinthus' death and expressed his wish to become a mortal to join the Spartan boy in his death, going so far as to ask Hades to kill him. A flower emerged from the boy's blood and Apollo named it in his honor. Hyacinthus was eventually resurrected and attained immortality. The celebrations lasted three days (day1, mourning, day2, rebirth, day 3, "merry midnight festival"). This tale reflects the flower’s enduring symbolism of love, devotion, and the cycle of life and death.

Victorian era: Recreation and lightheartedness in Victorian flower language. These fragrant blooms were a common sight in home gardens, bringing hope for brighter days.

Modern Times: Placed on the graves of loved ones to honor their memory, they are proof of enduring love that transcends mortality. Additionally, potted hyacinth plants are cherished gifts for housewarmings and weddings.

Iran: The hyacinth plays a significant role in the celebration of Nowruz, the Persian New Year. It's one of the seven symbolic items (Haft Seen) displayed during the festivities, representing the coming of spring and rebirth.

Asia: In China, hyacinth flowers are believed to usher in good luck and prosperity during the Chinese New Year. In Japan, the hyacinth is a symbol of friendship and affection.

Religion: In Christianity, hyacinths are used to decorate churches, and they symbolize peace, beauty, and joy. In Islam, hyacinths symbolize death, loss, and mourning. They also embody humility since they grow in small clusters without flashy displays. In Buddhism, the hyacinth is a symbol of detachment from the material world. It serves as a reminder to focus on things that matter, encouraging a spiritual perspective on life. In Hinduism, the hyacinth flower symbolizes wealth, prosperity, and abundance.

Symbolism

They come in a variety of colors, each one carries its own fragrance and unique symbolism, making the hyacinth a versatile flower for expressing a range of sentiments. However, it’s important to take note that the symbolism of these hyacinth colors are quite different from those of many other flowers, there are flowers for every element of the emotional spectrum.

White Hyacinth offers prayers and represents loveliness. Due to its association with the Greek sun god Apollo, it can represent strength and majesty. They can be a good way to let someone know you’re wishing them well during a big life transition or challenging moment.

Sincerity, loyalty, care, blue hyacinth symbolizes constancy most of all, meaning the feelings of love and deep care will remain intact no matter what.

While yellow hyacinths can be tied to a sense of envy, might it be jealousy or as a compliment for their achievements, purple hyacinthes is a sigh that we recognize we’ve made a mistake and want to express remorse. They are a sincere apology and a desire for forgiveness. They could also be reflection and remembrance; expressing feelings of sadness, grief, and apology.

Pink hyacinth represents playfulness often takes part in celebration, all in fun and games in some lightheartedness.

If you look at rose and tulip symbolism you’ll find that red flowers are often symbols of intense, passionate love. But it’s a bit different for red hyacinths. These flowers can be linked to love, yes, but a more playful and light kind. They send the message that you’re looking to enjoy yourself.

Finally, as one of the earliest flowers to bloom in spring, they are often poking through the last remnants of snow. This makes them a symbol of rebirth and renewal. Additionally, it can mean starting anew and enduring tough times. The bulb of a hyacinth sleeps in the winter and blooms in the spring, showing strength, renewal, and the ability to get through challenges.

There you go! I believe this flower is both perfect for Qiao Ling and is good insight on the show as a whole.

You can read the post about Myotosis and Daisies here.

In conclusion, I would bring your attention on the fact Qiao Ling, Lu Guang and Cheng Xiao's flowers are all about lost love and remembrance but often with one hope, one desperate attempt to reach our love one's heart. They are adaptable and cannot wait for spring to come so they can enjoy life again, despite the challenge it puts on their path.

[horrorlesbion]

Riverdale characters as shades of blue

Archie: #00308F Air Force Blue. Much as it pains me he is a soldier and even outside of being in the literal US Army it is very much ingrained in his personality. Close to the Riverdale blue too because he is The Town.

Veronica: #082567 Sapphire. Deep, rich jewel tone. Literally a gemstone.

Betty: #89CFF0 Baby Blue. It's basically her signature color, it looks beautiful on here and it represents a light, pure serenity she always strives for. Maybe if her room had more baby blue she would be calmer.

Jughead: #05D5F4 Neon Blue. A shade close to what's used for the show logo in advertising. He's got that meta awareness.

Cheryl: #00FFFF Cyan. The inversion of true red on the color spectrum.

Toni: #6F00FF Electric Indigo. She's a purple girl.

Tabitha: #6495ED Cornflower Blue. It makes me think of a summer sky and warm sun rays.