More than 4,000 years ago, Egyptians created jewelry by stringing cylindrical beads together into a wide fan-shaped necklace called bead collars. The beads would eventually be polished and inscribed with symbolic markings, used to ward off evil spirits. Even earlier Greek and Roman civilizations were using minerals as gems and the art of carving rocks and minerals was perfected. Virtues were assigned to gems. Early Christian theologians believed gazing at blue sapphire would elevate one's thoughts from earthly to heavenly matters and in the 6th century it became a ruling that every cardinal wear a sapphire ring on his right hand.
Garnets endow the wearer the ability to make deep and lasting friendships.
The green emerald was often associated with Venus, the earth-goddess, and was thought to be a sacred symbol of fertility and growth. Chrysolite, or better known today as peridot or olivine, was first mined by Egyptians on the island of Zeberged in the Red Sea area. Later it would become a Christian symbol, the red spots representing the blood of Christ diffusing in the green stone. In the sixteenth century it had the ability to cure nosebleeds or when placed on any wound, stop the bleeding. From ancient times, purple has always been a color associated with nobility and amethyst has held the same value as diamond, showing up in crown jewels and on the rings of religious leaders.