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Furthermore, we are told that
the God of Mines, his heart full of love for his Queen, bade his Courtiers to go forth throughout the World. They were charged
with the mission of searching every place, both exposed and hidden in the Earth, with the purpose of gathering to the Great
Workshop all gemstones, those known and unknown, those spectacular and those of plain bearing. Even today this mission is
known as The Search for All Gems.
The Courtiers went forth to search diligently throughout all parts of the Earth - the mountains, the caves, the valleys,
and the plains. They even combed the burning deserts and the freezing wastes of the North. Indeed, so thorough was their
search, that no rock was left unturned during their long and arduous quest. (Perhaps, in this royal command, we can find the
origin of the injunction "Leave no stone unturned".)
In time the Courtiers returned bearing all the gemstones that ever were, even those only whispered of
by those travelers who, in the days before the Search for All Gems, had been invited into the great hall of the Mines to rest
and refresh themselves. (For, you see, the God of Mines was a generous host who treasured good company as much as he did
precious gems and metals.)
The Courtiers had found all manner of precious stones; both such captivating gems prized by many: Emeralds, Sapphires,
Rubies as well as such wonderous gems prized by but a few: Scapolites, Beryllonis, and Azurites. Oh, this collection was,
indeed, a great treasure of precious, splendid gems!
Thus it came to pass that when the courtiers spread before the God of Mines their bounty, gemstones large
and small of every color and hardness, some transparent, some shining, some soft and appealing; He was much pleased and very
delighted.
With that, the God of Mines, with the help of his Courtiers, began his great creative work. He began by crushing the
gemstones into powders of many hues. After he had collected and mixed all of the rare powders, he compounded them with great
skill under the greatest of heat and pressure while saying, "Let this be a gem that will combine the beauty of all; yet, by
the same token, it must be pure, and it must be invincible."
Thus it was that, with such extraordinary artistry mastered only by the God of the Mines, the Diamond
was born, pure as the dew-drop and invincible in hardness. It was a gem of singular beauty. When light passed through this
newly-born Diamond, all colors of all the gems from which it was created manifested mysteriously.
The courtiers danced and sang with great delight, celebrating the exquisite beauty of the newly created Diamond. "This Diamond surely is the greatest gem throughout the Universe," proclaimed the God of Mines, feeling fulfilled
with his creation. "My Queen will surely be pleased with such a gift honoring our union."
"Now then, will create a gem that shall be the greatest gem of the Sea. Such a gem will be a faithful companion to this
wonderful Diamond." Thus was created the Pearl - to the great satisfaction of his beloved Queen.
It
must be noted also that both the Royal Family of the Earth and the Sovereign Family of the Seas were much pleased with this
creation of these two new and wonderous gems, the Pearl and the Diamond. These precious gems were a beautiful sign that theirs
had been a good decision in bringing the two families together.
And that is why Diamonds and Pearls complement one another so well in jewelry.
But that is a story for another time and another place.
Click here to go to Diamonds: April's Birthstone
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