Stone Guide

Garnet


Red in one of its purest, darkest hues

Gemstone Family

Garnet

Colour

A purple red

Crystal symmetry

Trigonal

Origin

Russia, Brazil, Sri Lanka, Tanzania

Durability

Mohs Hardness: 6.5 - 7.5

Care

Clean using soapy water and a soft cloth.

History

Long thought of as the traveller's stone, ancient religious texts describe a single large garnet as being used to navigate Noah's ark at night.

Amethyst


Restrained, yet regal

Gemstone Family

Quartz

Colour

Violet, Purple

Crystal symmetry

Trigonal: hexagonal prism

Origin

Brazil, Russia, Canada, Sri Lanka, India, USA

Durability

Mohs Hardness: 7

Care

Clean using soapy water and a soft cloth.

History

In medieval times, royal crowns and bishops' rings were studded with amethyst. The British royal scepter boasts a huge road amethyst, set for the coronation of James II (1633-1701), and another surmounts the sovereign orb.

Aquamarine


Clean, without embellishment.

Gemstone Family

Beryl

Colour

Ranging from deep to pale blue due to iron or aluminium impurities.

Crystal symmetry

Trigonal: hexagonal prism

Origin

Brazil, Russia, Afghanistan, India, Pakistan, Madagscar

Durability

Mohs Hardness: 7.5 - 8

Care

Clean using soapy water and a soft cloth.

History

The word "aquamarine" originates from two Latin words, meaning "water" and "sea". In 500-300BC, sailors wore aquamarine amulets as they were believed to protect the wearer from dangers at sea, especially if the stone was engraved with Poseidon.

Ruby


Casual luxury.

Gemstone Family

Corundum

Colour

Ranging from oxblood red to pale rose red.

Crystal symmetry

Trigonal

Origin

Myanmar, Thailand, Sri Lanka

Durability

Mohs Hardness: 9

Care

Clean with warm water and a mild soap.

History

A popular Middle Ages belief was that ruby could warn its owner of impending danger by becoming dull and dark. The first wife of Henry VIII, Catherine of Aragon (1485-1536) allegedly predicted her own disgrace by the blackening of her ruby.

Peridot


Combines distinction with subtlety.

Gemstone Family

Minerals

Colour

Ranges from yellow-green to olive green, depending iron impurities.

Crystal symmetry

Orthorhombic

Origin

China, Pakistan, United States, Myanmar, Brazil, Sri Lanka, Australia, South Africa

Durability

Mohs Hardness: 6.5 - 7

Care

Clean using soapy water and a soft cloth.

History

An early Greek belief was that peridot had the ability to ward off evil spirits. However in order for it to do so, the stone needed to be pierced, threaded on the hair of an ass, and tied around the left arm of the wearer.

Blue Sapphire


An established favourite, giving the wearer a broad scope.

Gemstone Family

Corundum

Colour

Blue

Crystal symmetry

Trigonal

Origin

Myanmar, Sri Lanka, India

Durability

Mohs Hardness: 9

Care

Clean with warm water and a mild soap.

History

In the beginning of the eleventh century, sapphire became a favourite stone for the rings of priests and clergymen, having previously been a preferred gem for the jewellery of medieval European kings.

White Sapphire


A celebration of the absence of colour.

Gemstone Family

Corundum

Colour

White to colourless

Crystal symmetry

Trigonal

Origin

Myanmar, Sri Lanka, India

Durability

Mohs Hardness: 9

Care

Clean with warm water and a mild soap.

History

Currently the most popular gemstone for engagement rings, sapphire was worn by royalty throughout the ages as these stones signified wealth, wisdom and virtue.

Tsavorite


A recent discovery.

Gemstone Family

Garnet

Colour

Light to dark green

Crystal symmetry

Cubic

Origin

Kenya, Tanzania

Durability

Mohs Hardness: 7 - 7.5

Care

Clean with warm water and a mild soap.

History

British geologist Campbell R. Bridge was exploring the mountains in the North East of Tanzania for gemstones, when he found some odd, potato-like clusters of rock. Inside these nodules were the gemstone we know as tsavorite.

Fire Opal


A stone with a distinct personality, enhanced by its firey undercurrents.

Gemstone Family

Quartz

Colour

Red

Crystal symmetry

Amorphous

Origin

Australia, Brazil, Slovakia, Mexico, South Africa, United States

Durability

Mohs Hardness: 5.5 - 6.5

Care

Clean using soapy water and a soft cloth.

History

The Mayans and Aztecs called fire opal "quetzalitzlipyollitli", which means the "stone of the bird of paradise". This gemstone was used frequently in mosaics and rituals of the time.

Emerald


An enduring stone.

Gemstone Family

Beryl

Colour

Grass green

Crystal symmetry

Hexagonal

Origin

Columbia, India, Sri Lanka, Australia, Brazil, Egypt

Durability

Mohs Hardness: 7.5 - 8

Care

Clean with warm water and a mild soap.

History

In Roman times, emerald symbolised the reproductive forces of nature and the goddess Venus. Much later in 1609, Belgian physician and mineralogist Anselmus de Boodt praised emerald as a powerful amulet with the potential to prevent panic & epilepsy, cease bleeding, and cure fever and dysentery.

Pink Tourmaline


Effortlessly lighthearted.

Gemstone Family

Tourmaline

Colour

Pink

Crystal symmetry

Trigonal

Origin

Brazil, Africa, United States, Mozambique, Afghanistan, Russia

Durability

Mohs Hardness: 7 - 7.5

Care

Clean with warm water and a mild soap.

History

As this gemstone was fairly recently introduced into popular jewellery as an alternate birth stone for October compared to other stones, tourmaline has become a choice stone for New Age devotees, who believe that the mineral produces great swathes of psychic energy and neutralises negative energy.

Hot Pink Sapphire


A rich and saturated pink.

Gemstone Family

Quartz

Colour

Pink

Crystal symmetry

Trigonal

Origin

Myanmar, Sri Lanka, India

Durability

Mohs Hardness: 9

Care

Clean with warm water and a mild soap.

History

Throughout the middle ages, sapphire was used in medicine, as the gemstone was believed to have the ability to cure diseases of the eyes.

Rose Quartz


A tender, blushing stone.

Gemstone Family

Quartz

Colour

Varying rosy pink tones.

Crystal symmetry

Trigonal

Origin

Brazil, South Africa, India, Madagscar, Namibia and South Dakota (US)

Durability

Mohs Hardness: 7.0

Care

Clean using soapy water and a soft cloth.

History

Known as the ‘love stone’, rose quartz was used in the healing potions of the Middle Ages.

Green Amethyst


Natural and cleansing

Gemstone Family

Quartz

Colour

Golden green hues.

Crystal symmetry

Trigonal

Origin

Brazil, Poland and Canada

Durability

Mohs Hardness: 7.0

Care

Clean using soapy water and a soft cloth.

History

Also known as prasiolite, descending from the Greek word for ‘leek’, due to the stone’s similarity in colour to this vegetable.

Peach Moonstone


Gently luminescent.

Gemstone Family

Feldspar

Colour

A pale, shimmering coral.

Crystal symmetry

Monoclinic

Origin

Armenia, Mexico, Australia, the Austrian Alps, Norway, Sri Lanka and Myanmar.

Durability

Mohs Hardness: 6.0-6.5

Care

Clean using soapy water and a soft cloth.

History

The Romans believed moonstone was created from solidified beams of moonlight.  They held that Diana, goddess of the moon, could be seen within the stone.

Black Onyx


A silky dark stone

Gemstone Family

Chalcedony

Colour

Deep black, marbled with parallel bands of colour

Crystal symmetry

Trigonal

Origin

China, Brazil, Pakistan, Yemen, Uruguay, Canada, Czech Republic, Indonesia, the US and the UK

Durability

Mohs Hardness: 6.0-6.5

Care

Clean using soapy water and a soft cloth.

History

English midwives traditionally used onyx stones to ease childbirth, believing the stone to bestow courage.

Lapis Lazuli


Intense and richly historical

Gemstone Family

Lapis Lazuli

Colour

A signature blue scattered with flecks of golden pyrites

Crystal symmetry

Cubic hexagonal

Origin

Afghanistan, Russia, Chile, Italy, Mongolia, the US and Canada

Durability

Mohs Hardness: 5.0-5.5

Care

Clean using soapy water and a soft cloth.

History

Historians believe that Cleopatra used powdered lapis for eye shadow.

Chalcedony


Warm and illustrious

Gemstone Family

Quartz

Colour

Warm tones of burnt amber

Crystal symmetry

Trigonal

Origin

Australia, Brazil, China, India, Kazakhstan, Madagascar, Mexico, Mongolia, Namibia, Russia, Sri Lanka, Uruguay, South Africa, Tanzania and Zimbabwe

Durability

Mohs Hardness: 7.0

Care

Clean using soapy water and a soft cloth.

History

Chalcedony is considered to be sacred by Native American tribes and is used in their ceremonial gatherings to strengthen bonds between communities.

Rhodonite


Rare and dynamic

Gemstone Family

Silicate

Colour

A vibrant raspberry

Crystal symmetry

Triclinic

Origin

Sweden, Peru, Russia, Australia, Canada and the US

Durability

Mohs Hardness: 7.0

Care

Clean using soapy water and a soft cloth.

History

Rhodonite is a highly-valued stone in Russia.  Tsar Alexander II had a slab of the grave of his spouse made of rhodonite which was polished by hand, taking 16 years.

Dendrite


Intricately threaded with one-of-a-kind markings

Gemstone Family

Quartz

Colour

Pale grey with rippled, fern-like markings

Crystal symmetry

Trigonal

Origin

Brazil, India, Madagascar, the US, Mexico and Kazakhstan.

Durability

Mohs Hardness: 7.0

Care

Clean using soapy water and a soft cloth.

History

Dendritic agate has a fabled history of divine images appearing within its natural veining with icons such as the Virgin Mary, Jesus and John the Baptist appearing throughout the years, displayed in churches around the world.

Labradorite


Quietly serene

Gemstone Family

Silicates

Colour

A warm grey-brown colour, enlivened with iridescent flickers of colour

Crystal symmetry

Triclinic

Origin

Finland, Ukraine, Madagascar, Australia and the US

Durability

Mohs Hardness: 6.0-6.5

Care

Clean using soapy water and a soft cloth.

History

Mythologised to have be borne from fallen aurora borealis, Labradorite is famed for its iridescent beauty.

Annotated Design Projects

Select an Education Collaboration

United Kingdom

Europe

Hong Kong

Rest of the World

Annotated Design Projects

Select an Education Collaboration

United Kingdom

Europe

Hong Kong

Rest of the World

Annotated Design Projects

Select an Education Collaboration

Rest of the World

The Story of Annotated’s Education Collaboration 

Originally created by three friends at the University of Oxford looking for a different, but elegant way to celebrate and cherish their undergraduate memories,

This project goes back to the beginnings of the small design studio that preceded our company.

Since those earliest days, Annotated has stood for the idea that, by making things well, we could imbue our products with a sense of soul. You can feel it the moment you touch one of our Signet rings.

And being the children of university lecturers and teachers it was natural for us to combine this with the notion of celebrating education and studying for its own sake.

Over the years, the Annotated graduation ring has become our definition of one-of-a-kind and bespoke: completely made-to-order in collaboration with its owner and crafted by hand from precious metals.

Whether a graduand is someone who typically is interested in fine jewellery or not.

Please note, custom-made items cannot be returned but can be cancelled within seven days of order confirmation when production is still at an early stage.


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