A Guide to Our Favourite Gemstones

Topaz

Topaz comes in a rainbow of colours, from vibrant pink to smoky brown and sky blue, and its name comes from Topazios, the old Greek name for a small island in the Red Sea, now called Zabargad. The birthstone for November, blue topaz also represents the 4th wedding anniversary and is adored by blushing brides who come into the Kiki McDonough store in search of their ‘something blue’.

Amethyst 

Named from the Greek word ‘ametusthos’ which means ‘not intoxicated’, the purple variety of quartz was once believed to prevent drunkenness and overindulgence. Kiki has been designing with amethyst for nearly forty years due to its captivating and versatile colour. Her amethyst creations are often gifted for February birthdays and 6th wedding anniversaries.

Citrine 

Citrine is the yellow variety of quartz and comes in shades ranging from pale yellow to a dark, golden syrup colour, the latter earning the trade name Madeira citrine due to its resemblance to the Portuguese dessert wine. Described as ‘liquid gold’ by Kiki, natural citrine’s sunshine hue is very rare to come by. Sitting at 7 on the Mohs hardness scale (a scale created to assess a stone’s resistance to scratching), citrine’s durability makes it the perfect gemstone for everyday wear, and it looks dazzling in 18ct yellow gold.

Morganite 

Adored by Kiki due to its beautiful ballet-pink hue, morganite was named after the financier and avid gemstone collector J.P Morgan. A member of the popular beryl group, morganite is now becoming harder and harder to source, particularly stones featuring a strong pink colour. We love to feature this rare gemstone in our magnificent Special Editions collections.

Fire Opal 

Named for their fiery orange-red hue, fire opals are one of Kiki’s favourite gemstones and were first introduced to Kiki McDonough in2014’s Special Editions collection. Whilst fire opal doesn’tpossess the kaleidoscopic colours that opals are famous for,itsstriking red hue is captivating in its own right. Sitting between 5-6.5 on the Mohs hardness scale, fire opal should be treated with care to ensure the stone stays protected and perfect.

Peridot 

First discovered in Egypt and adored by Cleopatra, peridot comes from the mineral olivine and is a beautifulyellowish-green colour. Traces of peridot have been found inpallasite meteorites, remnants of the birth of our solar system, meaning this gemstone existed long before humanity inhabited Earth.One of Kiki’s all-time favourite gemstones, peridot dazzles when setin 18ct yellow gold and we offer a variety of stone shapes including oval, cushion and pear. The birthstone for August, peridot is also gifted to celebrate 16th wedding anniversaries.