It was a beautiful day. My toes in the white powdery sand, the sun shining, a cool breeze blowing under the shade of a huge umbrella. My parents who I hadn’t been able to hug in over 2 months were sitting to my left, my sister to the right, 3 year old niece building a sand castle at my feet and our Chief Children's Jewelry Consultant running and laughing in and out of the crashing waves just ahead. We gathered for the first time in months to celebrate her 8th birthday.
 
It was a perfect day and it was not lost on me how lucky we were to have safely made it to this moment when there was so much fear and suffering in the world leading up to it.
 
Just as I was looking around at all this beauty, feeling such gratitude, I put my headphones in and hit play on a random shuffle playlist. Up comes Louis Armstrong’s undeniable voice...

”I see leaves of green...Red roses too...I see them bloom for me and for you...and I think to    myself, what a wonderful world.”

I mean... you couldn’t have dreamt a better soundtrack for the moment.

I’m embarrassed to say how many years I’ve had these gemstones. They were so pretty I wanted something special for them. When we got back from our trip, I knew exactly what they were meant to be. I grabbed my sketchbook & played the song again while I worked filled with the love and gratitude from the trip with family I had missed so much during these crazy times.
 
Lapis lazuli is considered the stone of friendship, goodwill and harmony and malachite, the stone of wealth and abundance so I like to think that when they grow together you will have a wealth of friendship & abundance of love. They are also both calming stones and who couldn't use that right now?
 
The shapes & textures from this new jewelry collection capture the feelings of those precious moments on the sand, the sounds of crashing waves & children playing, the perfect song on the radio & a deep, deep gratitude for the beauty in the world around us.

May this jewelry bring you peace and calm, a wealth of friendship and an abundance of love.

"And I think to myself...what a wonderful world....."

The practice of wearing a stone associated with your birth month is a popular and ancient tradition. Most gem scholars concur that this custom was originally inspired by the Breastplate of Aaron, which was set with twelve gemstones representing the twelve tribes of Israel, also corresponding to the twelve months of the year, and twelve signs of the zodiac. Each stone was thought to have heightened influence during the time of the year to which it was attached, so many people collected all the stones, and wore them in successive order.

Wearing a single birthstone associated with the month you were born is a more recent custom, beginning several centuries ago in either Germany or Poland. The modern birthstone chart was not developed until 1912, when the National Association of Jewelers adopted the official list most people are familiar with today. Either list can guide you to a special piece of jewelry to celebrate the birth of a special someone.

Jewel of Havana carries jewelry featuring many modern and traditional birthstones, including ruby, amethyst, jasper, agate, opal, peridot, turquoise, and lapis lazuli. A birthstone ring, bracelet, necklace or pendant feels special to wear and makes a very personal gift, whether you purchase it for a friend, a loved one -- or for yourself!

Lapis lazuli has been prized by humans for thousands of years. Its deep blue color, flecked and mottled with golden pyrites, is rich and beautiful. Lapis lazuli was inset in the eyebrows of King Tutankhamun’s funeral mask. And the ultramarine paint, used by the Old Masters to create so many classics, was made by grinding lapis lazuli into powder and mixing it with binding agents.

The best raw lapis lazuli stones come from Northeast Afghanistan, high in the Hindu Kush. There are also deposits in Russia, Chile, Italy, Mongolia, Canada and the USA (California and Colorado). Once it is mined, its crystalline marble properties allow it to be worked into vases, bowls, boxes, ornaments, mosaics and jewelry.

Jewel of Havana carries a variety of lapis lazuli jewelry in layering necklaces, earrings, and rings. The brilliant blue of lapis lazuli looks particularly stunning set in fine silver in the lapis lazuli wrap ring.

Lapis lazuli is one of the birthstones for December (along with Turquoise). But no matter which month you were born, a piece of lapis lazuli will soon become a favorite in your collection. It symbolizes prosperity, and is said to promote friendship and goodwill. It encourages harmony, and enhances wisdom.

Care for your lapis lazuli jewelry the way you do other gemstones. It should be protected from acidic substances and not be exposed to too much sunlight. A lapis lazuli that has grown dull from wear can be re-polished at any time. Any piece you own will be sure to be noticed, and will be treasured by you and anyone to whom you pass it down.