Craig's Favorite Gemstones

Gemstones are all beautiful and interesting in their own unique ways and it's hard for me to pick a single favorite. As the clock keeps ticking and my mind gains knowledge my favorite gems can change. I have many favorites for many different reasons, so for this entry I will stick to a couple of the ones that inspire my jewelry creativity. Currently my favorite stones are Amethyst and Herkimer “Diamond” Quartz.

Amethyst, to me, comes off as a very mystical stone. The deep purple that appears to enter the clear quartz in a ghostly manner makes me think of wise spirits creeping into one’s physical plane. The color purple is usually used to describe passion and something dear to your heart and spiritual center, so when I see a purple amethyst I automatically start thinking about the spirit world’s influence on physical life. Amethyst is very abundant and deep purple in my mother continent Africa. That could be another reason that I feel so connected to it. 

Herkimer “Diamond” Quartz is important to me for a couple of reasons: It’s natural brilliance and clarity, and it will always remind me of the adventure Citrine and I recently took to Herkimer NY.
Herkimer’s are super pretty in their natural state. Mining for them is like pulling hand cut glass from Earth’s solid womb. I love the fact that these stones are practically extracted in a form that’s already ready for gifting or jewelry making. After a fresh rain in the Herkimer quarry, the ground shimmers as if the earth has been coated in fine glitter. I also feel the spirit of Herkimer County NY in these stones. When we were there, we met many friendly and welcoming people who thoroughly enjoyed life’s natural beauty. Mining for Herkimer Quartz is super hard work, but the feeling you get when you finally see the stone’s shimmer is totally worth every drop of sweat.

A few honorable mentions are Emeralds, Smokey Quartz, Tourmaline, and the many varieties of Garnets.

Small Herkimer Diamonds that we found while mining in Herkimer County NY

Handmade SmokeyCitrine chain with Deep Purple African Amethyst Beads.

Written By
Craig Blackmoore
​Jewelry Designer | Co-Founder of SmokeyCitrine