Forever Amber: The Story Of Beautiful Fossil Jewelry

When you think "fossils," I bet dinosaur bones come to mind -- not stunning bracelets and pendants. But the perennial favorite jewelry material, amber, is one fancy fossil.Though not a mineral, amber is considered a gemstone. It is made out of tree resin that has fossilized (a popular misconception is that it is made of tree sap instead). Amber's sunny hues and radiant beauty has made it a natural for pendants, earrings, rings, and bracelets.The word "amber" originates from the old Arabic word anbargris or ambergris, referring an oily substance secreted by whales that is used to make perfume. Fossil resin also washes up on beaches, and was confused for the ambergris -- hence the name.

Amber is most associated with yellows, oranges, and browns -- but the gemstone can actually come in many shades. Think whitish, red, green, blue, and almost-black. But the golden tones of the most common amber is still a favorite.

And keep your eyes out for tiny fossilized leaves and insects that might have been preserved forever in your amber jewelry. It's like wearing an elegant time capsule around your neck or wrist.

Find the most exquisite amber pendants, necklaces, bracelets, and earrings (including those pictured!) at Burma Ruby Momo, in the heart of Brooklyn! Click here for directions.

Mogok: Land of Jewels

Mogok, in Burma (Myanmar), has been renowned since ancient times as "The Land Of Jewels." Mogok is most well-known for their rubies, with 90% of the red gemstone originating there. Local legend details the origin and discovery of rubies in the region.

In a time predating Buddha, the northern part of Burma was inhabited by only wild animals. One day a big eagle spotted a huge portion of bright red meat in the valley of Mogok. He tried and tried to pick it up, but his claws could not penetrate the surface of what he thought was a fine meal. Then, the bird finally understood -- it was not meat at all, but a sacred stone. This stone was a brilliant red color because it was made from the fire and blood of the land. The stone was the first ruby on earth.

What makes a ruby from Mogok finer than any other? Experts say it's due to two factors. First, a high color intensity. Mogok rubies have a combination of a slightly bluish red body color and a red fluorescent emission. Second, they have a quality called "silk" -- tiny needle inclusions which scatter light onto otherwise extinct facets. Just the right amount of "silk" provides the gemstones with a lush, velvety texture.

Though Mogok is most identified with rubies and sapphires, many semi-precious stones also come from the city -- including jade, garnet, moonstone, lapis lazuli, peridot, and chrysoberyl.

If you are looking for store where you can find jade jewelry and carvings of all these symbols and more -- please visit Burma Ruby MoMo, in the heart of Brooklyn! Click here for directions.

Jade Jewelry: Traditional Symbols and Their Meanings

Perhaps you want to buy some beautiful jade jewelry for yourself or as a gift, but are not sure what all the different carved symbols mean. Does that disc with the hole in the center mean love, longevity, or peace? Here is a simple guide.

Buddha:

Buddha is the god of mercy and is a symbol for wisdom and compassion. Whether as a statue or as a pendant, Buddha will bring great peace and positive energy to you and your surroundings!

Butterfly:

Buy a butterfly jade pendant or bracelet for the person that you love! The butterfly has traditionally been associated with love and romance. Ancient Chinese legend speaks of a youth who was lured into a garden by a beautiful multi-colored butterfly; the owner of the property gave his daughter to the youth in marriage.

Disc with a Hole in it:

The jade disc with a hole in it represents the bi -- a symbol used as early as the Neolithic period in China. The bi symbolizes Heaven, and has also been traditionally used to indicate a person of high moral quality and rank.

Dragon:

It is common to find jade jewelry (as well as figurines) in the shape of majestic dragons. What you might not be aware of is the rich symbolism behind the creature. The dragon has been considered by the Chinese to be a being of great strength and power. Jewelry with dragons have also traditionally been used to mark births and marriages.

Goldfish:

Want to increase abundance in your life? Buy a piece of jade carved in the image of a goldfish. The goldfish is a popular Chinese symbol that means wealth, abundance, and literally an increase in gold!

Quanyin:

Quanyin is the Chinese goddess of mercy. Images of her are used in households to ward off evil spirits and promote positive energy. Wear a pendant of Quanyin (or keep a figural carving of her in your house) to bring the qualities of this ancient and beloved goddess into your own life!

If you are looking for store where you can find jade jewelry and carvings of all these symbols and more -- please visit Burma Ruby Momo, in the heart of Brooklyn! Click here for directions.

Burma Ruby Momo: An Undiscovered Treasure In The Heart Of Brooklyn

Burma Ruby Momo is literally a treasure of gems and jewelry tucked in the heart of Brooklyn and waiting to be discovered. Learn what locals and aficionados of beautifully hard-carved designer pieces already know!

The first thing that will strike you when you visit Burma Ruby Momo is the jaw-dropping selection of precious and semi-precious stones -- in every possible combination of pendants, rings, earrings, and bracelets you can imagine!

And then it hits you: the low price!

How can such luxurious pieces in coral, jade, amber, ruby, turquoise and so much more be so affordable?

The store's owner, Ruby Momo, was literally born in the land of jewels: Mogok, in Burma. Her extensive knowledge of, and connections in, the gemstone world have allowed her to get the best deals and the best pieces directly from the source!

Ruby Momo has established business connections with the world largest gemstone and jewelry wholesalers from all the over the world. A member of the International Colored Gemstone Association, she has attended over 250 International Jewelry Exhibitions in Bangkok, Singapore, Malaysia, Indonesia, Cambodia, Vietnam, Hong Kong, India, Laos, Sri Lanka, Korea, Japan, Netherlands, Dubai, Brunei, Macao and America.

What all this means to you, the jewelry lover, is a great selection, knowledgeable staff, and some of the best prices in New York!

Take a day to drop by this Brooklyn treasure, check out their enormous collection, and have some fun!

Burma Ruby Momo is conveniently located at 1808, 86th street, Brooklyn, NY 11214. You can take the D or the M train to 18AV station, Brooklyn. By bus, you can take B1 or B8.