Celtic Wedding Rings Blog

November’s gemstone, Citrine. The name Citrine comes from an old French word, “citrin”, meaning lemon. One of the more rare forms of quartz, this gemstone ranges in color from the palest yellow to a dark amber named Madeira because of its resemblance to the red wine.

Perhaps because of its scarcity, there is little mention of Citrine used as a gemstone prior to the first century B.C. The Romans were thought to be the first to wear the yellow quartz, crafting it into cabochon, or highly polished but unfaceted cuts of stone set into jewelry. Citrine became more popular during the Romantic Period, when artisans often favored these warm colored gems to enhance gold jewelry. Citrine, like all forms of quartz, was believed to have magical powers and was worn as a talisman against evil thoughts and snake venom. It was also considered to have medicinal properties and was commonly used as a remedy for urinary and kidney ailments.

Sister stone to the purple quartz known as Amethyst, Citrine crystals are found in igneous metamorphic and sedimentary rocks. It is believed that some Citrine may have actually begun as Amethyst, but heat from nearby molten rock changed it to the yellow form of quartz. Citrine is known to change color when subjected to heat and is routinely heated in the jewelry-making process to intensify its color. For this same reason, though, this gemstone should not be left in direct sunlight for a long time because it will permanently alter the color. Most Citrine is mined in Brazil, but other sources of the quartz are Bolivia and Madagascar.

At Celtic-weddingrings.com we have a birth stone ring for every month. Visit our store for the complete collection. Birthstone Rings

A birthstone for October, Pink Tourmaline has the seemingly magical property of pyroelectricity. This means that when heated, the gem takes on a static electric charge, making it capable of attracting light objects. This is one of the many reasons this gemstone was revered for its mystical properties in the past.

Also known as the “stone of the muse,” it was believed to stimulate the creative process of its wearer. Pink varieties of Tourmaline range in color from pastel pink to ruby red and are mined in Brazil, Afghanistan, Burma, and India. When a gift is made of this stone it is symbolic of hope.

At Celtic-weddingrings.com we have a birth stone ring for every month. Visit our store for the complete collection. Birthstone Rings

St. Patrick’s Day is a feast holiday celebrated by the Irish (and increasingly by many non Irish in the western world). It’s typically celebrated on the 17th of March, but this date can change based on decrees from church authorities. If, for instance, the holiday is scheduled to fall within a period known as “Holy Week,” the Church may move the date of the feast around.

While St. Patrick’s Day is a designated official holiday in Ireland and in parts of Canada and Newfoundland, it’s a “non official” holiday in places like the US and the UK. Indubitably, St. Patrick’s Day invites a flurry of festivals and parades. In Boston, the tradition of the St. Patrick’s Day Parade dates all the way back to the 1730s. Huge parades occur every year in both New York City and Boston to celebrate the occasion. Of course, Irish cities, such as Limerick, Cork, and Dublin get into the action as well.

Celebrants often wear green and orange to pay homage to traditional Irish colors. That said, it’s funny to note that the original “official” color of St. Patrick’s Day was not green but rather blue. Other ways people celebrate include eating green food and drinking green beer, wearing shamrocks, glugging down pints of Guinness, and going to church (for a small but dedicated few!) Though St. Patrick’s Day is a Christian holiday that in some senses dates back more than 1500 years, it’s only been around as a widely celebrated occasion since the 17th century. (St. Patrick is one of Ireland’s Patron Saints. His funeral was on the 17th of March in the year 461 AD, and thus the holiday is a feast in honor of him.)

To explore Celtic heritage and Celtic jewelry in greater detail, we at celtic-weddingrings.com invite you to email us with any questions you may have about the traditions of the great country of Ireland. We supply splendid handcrafted Celtic jewelry, Irish wedding rings, and much more. All of our pieces come with hallmarks of quality which have been officially approved by the Dublin assay’s office and we make to order every piece we sell (turnaround times typically run around 18 days). Whether you’d like to buy a cute little brooch for St. Patrick’s Day or you’re searching for a Celtic engagement ring, you can count on celtic-weddingrings.com to deliver superior service, amazing craftsmanship, and a satisfaction guarantee.