America The Beautiful
Our summer celebration of the Great Outdoors would not be complete without showing some love for the best places to visit within the United States, our National Parks. We are lucky to have access to these parks because of the legacy of environmental stewardship in our country, a legacy that we hope to continue. So, we’re celebrating the only way we know how, by featuring our favorite domestically sourced stones alongside parks in the region where they can be found. Now journey forth, and explore!
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In the late 1860's, gold miners accidentally discovered blue pebbles in Yogo Creek, Montana. However, it wasn't until 1895 when a rancher sent some samples to Tiffany's that Montana sapphires were recognized and, subsequently, mined at an industrial scale. Although no sapphires can be found at Glacier National Park, the park holds some of the world's best examples of Proterozoic sedimentary rock, which has recorded fossils of the earliest signs of life, and its dramatic landscape shows the raw power of nature, carving rock with glacial movement over millennia. Throughout time, Sapphire has been believed to be a potent talisman of spiritual truth, one that brings to its wearer self-discipline and the power of manifestation. An encapsulation of nature's beauty, Sapphire reminds us to be true to ourselves while honoring our past and creating our future.
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The Grand Canyon is another example of the auspicious power of water. Ancient glaciers eroded layers of rock for millennia, crafting glorious examples of sculpted landscapes that are as gorgeous as they are striking. Found within the canyons of Arizona are natural turquoise deposits, which have been mined for generations by the Navajo Nation and remain a staple in jewelry collections, including ours. Spanning all known cultures, turquoise is considered a magical and protective stone. Nature is magic, and turquoise reminds us of her power and beauty.
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Jasper is a stone made from aggregated layers of sediment, creating varied stripes of red, green, yellow, and brown tones. It can be found across the western United States. In California, they are found near Pinnacles National Park, located on the San Andreas fault where the Pacific and North American tectonic plates meet. The result is volcanic rock formations with a blend of colors and textures only possible through extreme geological conditions. Said to absorb negativity, Jasper is a healing stone that mimics the beauty of nature. Found in a striking landscape with an unending sky, it reminds us that anything is possible.
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The natural sandy conditions of the Arizona desert make for excellent preservation of organic matter; plants and animals are preserved well when buried in sand, away from the agents of decomposition like air, sun, and scavenging creatures. So, it comes as no surprise that The Petrified Forest National Park is a Paleontologist's hotspot for undiscovered fossils, records of ancient ecosystems of flora and fauna that would otherwise be lost in the desert. A historical record of our evolution, these finds are testaments to our past, but also provide essential lessons to be learned about our future.
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We all know pearls as treasures from the sea, but they can also come from rivers and lakes, leading one enterprising family in Tennessee to hunt for natural pearls all over the area for over 50 years. They still specialize in finding naturally occurring pearls today, but also farm their own cultured pearls. We love to picture them out on the Tennessee River with the Great Smoky Mountains as a backdrop.