For the bride who dares to be kind

When you shop for engagement rings at The Pink Pigs, you’re helping us care for over 400 rescued animals who are fortunate enough to call Rooterville Animal Sanctuary "Home”. All proceeds go to giving these amazing animals all the love and support they need to enjoy their best possible lives. When you shop our unique selection of engagement rings to give your loved one you’re not just buying a beautiful thing, you’re also doing a beautiful thing. Including your passion for animals in your expression of love for each other is about as sweet and precious as can be, and it helps build a relationship completely devoted to and built on compassion.

Aquamarine is the gem that represents those born in the month of March. The gem is renowned for being as calming, soothing, and cleansing as the sea, and also for inspiring truth, trust, and letting go. Aquamarine was often carried by sailors as good luck charms during long adventures and was told of being one of the most prized possession amongst mermaids.

The name Aquamarine comes from the Latin meaning "water of the sea," and refers to its sparkling ocean-like color. The pale blue color transparent crystal is a member of the Beryl family. Its color, sometimes bluish green, is caused by iron oxides within the chemical makeup of the stone. In ancient history, it was believed that aquamarine was tied to the moon like the current of the ocean.

When it comes to healing properties, Aquamarine is the throat chakra which helps those that have lost their voice to speak once more. It is known for inspiring courage and positive change and emitting compassionate energy to those that possess it. Aquamarine inspires judgmental people to be more tolerant, and those who are feeling overwhelmed to find order. This gem is ideal to have when sailing the roughest of seas, and the most stressful of situations.

Caring For Your Aquamarine

To care for Aquamarine jewelry is quite easy. While they are not as tough as diamonds, they are a rather hardy stone and can brave most situations. Yet, make sure you keep them away from harsh chemicals and alcohol in order to make sure they live well into the future. Clean your aquamarine at least once a year in a warm soap bath. Use lukewarm water and dish soap in a bowl and place the aquamarine at the bottom of the bowl. Let the aquamarine sit in the bowl for several minutes before removing it. Once removed rinse off the aquamarine in lukewarm water and then pat dry. When cleaning your aquamarine stay away from scrubbing clothes and brushes. Also, avoid any cleaner with ammonia or alcohol has it can harm the aquamarine. 

History Making Aquamarine Gems

Aquamarine has had its time in the spotlight and can be seen on display in museums to preserve its history. The Dom Pedro Aquamarine masterpiece is the largest faced aquamarine gemstone in the world which is almost 36cm in length & a staggering 10363 carats. This stone was cut by the so-call “Picasso of Gems” Bernd Munsteiner and can be seen on display next to the Hope Diamond in the Smithsonian National Gem & Mineral Collection in Washington. 

Mrs. Eleonore Rossevelt was gifted an absolutely show-stopping piece of aquamarine during her and her husband, President Roosevelts’ trip to Brazil in the time following the second presidential election in 1936. The stone was the largest cut aquamarine piece at the time and part of the Brazilian President Getúlio Vargas private collection. It is a whopping 1298 carats & was part of a larger rough stone weighing over 1,3kg which was cut in Amsterdam.

A Compassionate Way To Shop For Aquamarine

For those looking for their own piece the sea, we have a beautiful selection of aquamarine jewelry here at The Pink Pigs. Much like aquamarine, our store emits compassion to all things living. All proceeds from The Pink Pigs goes right to the amazing rescued animals at Rooterville Animal Sanctuary. When heroes like you purchase from us we are able to help these animals live the life they deserve. 

Despite its prevalence, Amethyst has been one of the world’s most revered stones for many centuries. This quartz is said to strengthen relationships and give its wearer courage. Those born in February have Amethyst as their birthstone, providing them with long lasting friendships and the ability to overcome any obstacle they face.

Amethyst – The Reliever of Stress
Amethyst got its name from the Greek word meaning ‘sober’. Ancient Greeks and Romans would routinely stud their goblets with Amethyst believing wine drunk from an Amethyst cup was powerless to intoxicate. They also believed that an Amethyst stone on the body had a sobering effect, not only for inebriation but also in over-zealous passion.

Today Amethyst is linked to the crown chakra, which is helpful in purifying the mind and clearing negative thoughts. This includes the negativity of stress and anxiety. These healing properties are especially useful in regards to work-related stress due to the fact the stone is also associated with abundance; therefore relieving stress while emanating prosperity.

The Color of Royalty

The purple color of Amethyst is well known for being a dark purple, but amethyst actually occurs in many purple colors, along with some red and greenish tints. Light amethyst is used to cut small calibrated stones for use in mass-market jewelry, while amethyst that is a darker reddish purple in being used in high-end or designer jewelry.

With a combination of attractive colors, good durability, and affordability, it is no wonder that amethyst is a favorite gem of artisans, jewelers, craftspeople, and consumers.

Amethyst Care

The beautiful color of Amethyst isn’t the only reason the gem is popular. Amethyst is also a very durable gemstone and doesn’t take much effort to maintain its polish and natural color. Amethyst has a Mohs hardness of 7, and that is generally considered hard enough for almost any jewelry use.

However, with a hardness of 7, it can come in contact with a variety of common objects that can produce a scratch on its surface. Accidental scrapes on hard objects or abrasion with other gems of equal or greater hardness can cause damage, so it is important to make sure that when you store your Amethyst jewelry it is not in contact with others pieces of jewelry.

Long-term storage of amethyst and amethyst jewelry is best done in a jewelry box or other dark locations. The color of some amethysts can be subject to fading by prolonged exposure to direct sunlight or bright display lights.

For those lucky enough to sport Amethyst as their birthstone or for those of us that just love its regal hues, we have many beautiful amethyst pieces for every budget. One of our favorites is this gorgeous, large and very deep purple amethyst pendants in a pear shape with just enough diamonds to give it a terrific sparkle. Our beautiful amethyst set, custom made and stamped with our logo, is a great value for everyday wear in sterling silver. We have many affordable amethyst pieces in several shades to make the amethyst lover happy!