HOL

In the class forum, tell me which of the gemstones mentioned in this lesson is your favorite. Why are you particularly fascinated by or attached to that stone? Does it have a special meaning for you? Do you have jewelry with that stone in it? 15 points for 150 words!

Despite pearl being one of my birthstones, it's actually one of my least favorite gemstones. I just find it very boring though the process of culturing them in mollusks is actually pretty interesting (and I may read up more about that some time). Out of the rest of the gemstones from the lesson, I’ll have to say it’s really close between emeralds and rubies, with emeralds just inching out in front but only because I like the color green more than the color red.

I will say, I do find it very interesting that ruby is the only red corundum and all the other colors are sapphires. I will have to find why that is eventually. Emeralds are more my wheelhouse because they just seem more vibrant in color over any of the red gemstones out there. I also like the fact that, while doing research for my article, that there’s no actual scientific point when a beryl that’s green in color is an emerald or just the cheaper green beryl. It's just up to a person’s discretion when they’re evaluating it. (This is mentioned here on the left side of the page.)

I'm going to vote for my (out-of-character) birthstone for this prompt: emerald! I do not have any jewelry with that stone in it as far as I know, but it simply looks gorgeous! The lesson's depiction of emerald manages to be perfectly color-coded for Slytherin with the frame and chain looking silver in color. I should also add that the end-of-year festivities in Slytherin House feature the awarding of the Emerald Cup (this spring is going to be the tenth time the cup is awarded!) But outside of all those things, the historical mystique of the gem (associations with Cleopatra, and even further back in Ancient Egypt) along with its symbols (the combination of progress and security seem like perfect Slytherin associations) all make it a great fit for me!

It is also fascinating to note that the oldest emeralds, from Zambia, are more than half a billion years old - which is a particularly impressive legacy; they can be recognized by a bluish-green sheen (due to having less vanadium than emeralds found elsewhere); it's rare for something that old to survive!

Though I would have to give a nod to the ‘Slytherin’ gemstone, emerald, my absolute favorite gemstone mentioned in this lesson would have to be pearl. I love it for a multitude of reasons, which I will attempt to explain here.

First off, I love the elegance and ‘fanciness’ of pearls. They are timeless, and can be worn equally well by a 18 year old girl and a 98 year old lady. They are universal, timeless, and speak of ‘money’. In short, they make me feel fancy and rich lol. Seriously, They are versatile, too, and can pair well with a little black dress, a formal gown, and a pair of jeans.

As I’ve mentioned before, I have an affinity for pearls, destined to happen because of my ‘real’ name. I was named after a famous mermaid (as was my twin sister), It’s almost like it calls to me, if that makes any sense at all.

From an ecological standpoint, I also like pearls because unlike other gemstones, you don’t have to pillage the earth to acquire them. No destroying the environment, which I do take pretty seriously. Pearls are Earth-friendly, and that makes them doubly special in my book!

As green is one of my favorite colors, the emerald and peridot take the win on this one. When I think of “rocks” or “stone,” the first colors that come to mind are grey and brown, so having a stone with such a bright, unexpected color is quite fascinating to me. If I had to choose between the two, I would likely pick emerald, as its more well known and more valuable. Also, as someone who spends a lot of time in their Muggle double-life, I play a lot of Minecraft. An aspect of this video game is the mining, of course, but also the trading with non-player villagers, using emeralds as currency. This increased my exposure to this gemstone, which in turn affected my appreciation for it.

However, the ruby is also a close contender, as I find its deep red color quite empowering yet soothing. The pearl, on the other hand, doesn’t quite speak to me. Not exactly sure why, but maybe because it looks quite basic: a look that could almost be replicated with cheap materials (I mean so do other gems, like diamonds, but still). Either that, or the fact that it is formed by mollusks, which along with other strange sea creatures, give me goosebumps for some reason.

All the gemstones in Lesson 3 were cool to learn about for me- I had previously not known much about Peridot for example. That being said, my favorite gemstone out of the four would have to be Ruby. I happen to have an affinity for Ruby's particular shade of red- a darker, richer red then most lighter orangish reds. Rubies are also the birthstone for my older sister, whom I am quite close to.

Color aside, I seem to be drawn more toward harder gemstones- ones that rank higher on the Mohs scale. Diamonds are my favorite non-black gemstone (I'll always be biased toward black since that's my favorite color) and Rubies are right under Diamonds on the Mohs scale. I also love Sapphires, which are about even with Rubies (I'm sure we'll be talking about them in class soon).

I appreciate what Rubies symbolize too- who doesn't want protection and prosperity in life?

I absolutely love Pearls! It simply amazes me that a living creature could create something so beautiful, and all because they were irritated by a grain of sand! Makes you think this could be a life lesson - see your troubles as challenges and make something beautiful come out of them.

Both of my grandmother's were born in June - one on the 23rd and one on the 28th. My mom's mom was never interested in jewelry but my dad's mom was very feminine and Pearls were her favorite, possibly because they were her birthstone. She owned two pearl necklaces which she passed down to me. One is a chocker with three strands of Pearls, while the other is one long strand. I also own a Pearl ring. I don't like to wear them very often because they don't seem very high on the hardness scale. I plan to pass these down as heirlooms to my mother's sister's 3rd great granddaughter, because I have no children of my own.

Even though rubies and peridots look really neat, my favorite gemstone from this lesson has easily got to be emeralds. I'm not typically a fan of green, but there is one shade I like and the green found in emeralds is it. Emeralds just look so majestic and mysterious, it's no wonder they mean new beginnings, peace, loyalty, and security. I also find it really interesting that emeralds were a fascination for Cleopatra. I don't know why, but it just interests me. Maybe it's interesting because of how powerful of a ruler she was in the ancient world. But it makes me wonder what she found so fascinating in them. Was it the color, the jewellery that could be made from the emeralds, or was it the symbolism behind the emeralds themselves?

Prof. Kendra Givens wrote: ↑Sat Feb 01, 2025 3:51 am In the class forum, tell me which of the gemstones mentioned in this lesson is your favorite. Why are you particularly fascinated by or attached to that stone? Does it have a special meaning for you? Do you have jewelry with that stone in it? 15 points for 150 words!

My favourite of this lesson is Emerald. I like the green colour of it, the darker green the better for me. I don’t know why it is my favourite, I just have loved emeralds ever since I was young. And have them in some jewellery, I don’t wear a lot of jewellery. Besides tanzanite Emerald is my favourite. I have always loved green as a colour definitely darker greens as it reminds me of forests. And I am not the biggest fan of walking but I like sitting and reading in the forest and just pretending to read for my sister, who I lost many years ago. It makes me think of the things we could’ve done together and I just always had a feeling she would love forests. So it as a rather emotional meaning for me. It lays close to my heart and I don’t really have a specific reason other then that that could explain my fascination with the gemstone.

My favorite gemstone mentioned in this lesson is pearl. I am fascinated by pearl because it is the only gemstone made by a living creature. I think it is neat how a mollusk can take an irritant like a tiny piece of sand and turn it into something so beautiful. While I do not necessarily have a special meaning or attachment to pearl, I do have a fascination with it. I have several pieces of jewelry set with pearls. I like to think of pearls as being delicate and needing to be saved to worn for very special occasions such as weddings. Pearls should also be stored properly as insufficient storage could cause damage to the pearls as they do not do well in heat. Heat can dehydrate pearls. Pearls should not be worn when it is very hot outside as it can cause them damage. They should also be stored properly when not being worn to prevent damage.

Out of all the gemstones mentioned in this class, pearls are my favorite. One reason pearls are my favorite is because there is a chance that you can find one in foods like mussels or oysters. I have never actually found one, but I enjoy the lure around the possibility of finding one an actual food you may find or buy. Another reason I enjoy pearls is due to their color. I love the untouched pearls, iridescent, creamy, color. It makes the pearl look mysterious. Lastly, pearls are my favorite because of how soft they are. They are extremely fragile and I find it interesting that they can be destroyed when immersed in vinegar. Even though I do not own pearls, my mom received a pearl necklace on her 30th wedding anniversary. Pearls are a traditional wedding anniversary gift for someone's 30th wedding anniversary, and it is one of my favorite pieces of jewelry that my mom owns.