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Our growing FactSheet library

These first 23 FactSheets below will hopefully provide you with some useful and fascinating information appertaining to just some of the range of crystals, minerals and fossils that we sell in our retail shops throughout the south and west of England, as well as those here online.

We have some new FactSheets in the pipeline and hope to be able to add them to the website before too long.

Amber
- a sticky resin from prehistoric tree bark. As featured in the movie Jurassic Park!		 Amethyst
The first stone in many people's collection, amethyst is a perennial favourite.
Ammonites
They swam the seas in the days of dinosaurs – before becoming fossilized for all time...		 Aquamarine
A favourite of the ancient Greeks and Romans, its name means literally 'seawater'!
Calcite
- one of the most widely found minerals on the Earth’s surface. Most stalactites and stalagmites are largely calcite.		 Celestite
Famously found near Bristol but we need to travel to Madagascar to find specimens showing the true celestial heavenly blue!
Charorite
Otherwise known as Hydrated potassium sodium calcium barium strontium silicate hydroxide fluoride, apparently!		 Fluorite
A mineral often found in veins near hot springs. Carved by the Ancient Egyptians and more recently by the Chinese too.
Fossilwood
From fossilized trees - as featured in The Petrified Forest, a 1936 thriller starring Bette Davis!		 Jasper
Historically, multi-coloured jasper has been used to adorn church interiors in eastern Europe.
Labradorite
Found in various parts of the world but first discovered, funnily enough, in Labrador, Canada.		 Larimar
Discovered in the Dominican Republic by beachcomers in 1974, it was named after their daughter Larissa - arr!
Moldavite
Once thought to be spoil from glass-works(!) these days many people suggest deep space origins and metaphysical properties!		 Obsidian
Through a glass darkly - a Shakespearian quote referring to a crude mirror made from this beautiful volcanic glass.
Opal
The fire of the carbuncle, the brilliant purple of amethyst, the sea-green of emerald, all shining together in incredible union - Pliny.		 Orthoceras
This distant relation to the cuttlefish can resemble an unwound ammonite fossil.
Peridot
This gem quality olivine is traditionally associated with Leos - or is that just a 19th Century marketing ploy...!		 Quartz
Frozen by the Gods, this 'ice that never melts' makes up a tenth of the earth's crust. Also known as rock crystal.
Rose Quartz
We love its pale pink translucent hues - and the myriad forms into which it can be carved.		 Selenite
Its name comes from the Greek word for 'moon', due to its moon-like, pearly lustre.
Topaz
Favoured by the sun gods Ra and Jupiter, the Crystals (UK) team is fond of topaz too!		 Tourmaline
Such a desirable stone that it even has mining towns named after it in Brazil and Russia.
Trilobites
Perfectly preserved prehistoric predators pre-dating pterodactyls!

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Birthstones
& Zodiac stones
Our choices of stones are an amalgamation of modern and traditional systems, as well as those originating from Roman, Hebrew and Ayurvedic sources. We hope you find them useful.

•
Birthstones

January – Garnet
(also Rose Quartz)

February – Amethyst
(also Onyx)

March – Aquamarine
(also Bloodstone, Red Jasper)

April – Diamond
(also Rock Crystal/Quartz)

May – Emerald
(also Agate, Chrysoprase)

June – Moonstone
(also Pearl, Alexandrite)

July – Ruby
(also Jade, Carnelian)

August – Peridot
(also Carnelian, Sardonyx)

September – Sapphire
(also Chrysolite, Lapis Lazuli)

October – Opal
(also Beryl, Pink Tourmaline)

November – Yellow Topaz
(also Citrine)

December – Turquoise
(also Blue Topaz)

•
Zodiac Stones

Aquarius – Garnet

Pisces – Amethyst

Aries – Bloodstone

Taurus – Sapphire

Gemini – Agate

Cancer – Emerald

Leo – Onyx

Virgo – Carnelian

Libra – Chrysolite

Scorpio – Beryl

Sagittarius – Topaz

Capricorn – Ruby
Crystals (UK) Ltd.
Head Office: 13 Norman Court, Budlake Rd, Marsh Barton
Exeter EX2 8PY, UK
www.crystalshop.co.uk