Inspiration

• Birthstones
• Modern Interpretation of Gem Colors
• Wedding Anniversaries... and our Suggestions
• What's your Sign?

Birthstones
(Source: American Gem Society)

January: Garnet
The garnet signifies eternal friendship and trust. Garnet is the name of a group of minerals that comes in a rainbow of colors, from the deep red of the pyrope garnet to the vibrant green of tsavorites. Our garnet colors are endless, from Cathy Waterman's deep and rich garnets, to Irene Neuwirth's rhodolite garnets, to Jeanine Payer's green garnets.

February: Amethyst
Amethyst is believed by the ancient Greeks and Romans to keep the wearer clear-headed and quick witted. English regalia were decorated with amethysts during the Middle Ages to symbolize royalty. Amethyst is purple quartz, a beautiful blend of violet and red. The green amethyst from Cathy Waterman, Arunashi and Moritz Glik, as well as the lavender amethyst from Arunashi and Jude Frances are pale and beautiful, and the amethyst from Ten Thousand Things and Becky Kelso are rich and strong.

March: Aquamarine
While bloodstone is also a birthstone for March, the preferred stone is aquamarine, meaning aqua and the sea. This gemstone therefore guarantees a safe voyage. The serene color cools the temper, and the wearer will remain calm and levelheaded. Aquamarine is most often light in tone and ranges from greenish-blue to blue-green. One can get lost in our depth of aquamarines, most notably from Cathy Waterman and Temple St. Clair.

April: Diamond
April is a lucky month because diamonds now come in so many fancy colors. Our range of diamonds is endless, and exciting collections include black diamonds from Cathy Waterman and Arunashi; chocolate diamonds from Me & Ro and Ten Thousand Things; rainbows of diamonds from Manak; rose cuts from Cathy Waterman, Lucie Campbell, and Andrea Fohrman and bright, white statement pieces from A. Link.

May: Emerald
The emerald is the symbol of rebirth and is believed to grant the owner foresight, good fortune and youth. The shades of emeralds range from pale to dark to vibrant green. Ylang 23's most prominent emerald collections are from Cathy Waterman, Lucie Campbell and Arman. Keep an eye out in our estate collection, as the availability of high-quality emeralds is limited.

June: Pearl, Alexandrite or Moonstone
Luck to the June buyer, as there are beautiful choices, starting with pearls which have been used as adornment for centuries. Alexandrite is very rare, and because there are many synthetic versions flooding the market, we rarely buy it. Moonstone, which was named because it alters with the phases of the moon, showing a floating play of light is believed to bring good fortune. This season, we are deep in moonstone, and particularly love the collections from Irene Neuwirth, with colors of peach and chocolate, Temple St. Clair with blue and green moonstone, and Arunashi's chains of creamy white moonstone.

July: Ruby
Rubies stir the imagination and are said to guarantee health, wisdom, wealth and success in love. Wow. That's lucky for those born in July. The most prized colors are medium or medium dark vivid red or slightly purplish red, and we have a wide range, including collections from Cathy Waterman, Ten Thousand Things, Gurhan, Me & Ro, Lucie Campell, and of course, Estate.

August: Peridot and Sardonyx
Skipping over the Sardonyx because we are not crazy over its layers of reddish brown and white banding (see it in cameos), the peridot is one of our favorite stones, said to host magical powers and healing properties, and to bring the wearer power, influence and a wonderful year. Colors range from yellowish to olive to bright greens, and mostly can be found in our Cathy Waterman and Ten Thousand Things collections.

September: Sapphire
According to folklore, sapphires protect your loved ones from envy and harm. Colors range from shades of blue to green to violet. It can also be found in pink, purple, green, orange or yellow. Ylang 23 has sapphires in most of its fine collections, most notably Cathy Waterman and Ten Thousand Things' use of pinks, blues, yellows, greens and even orange.

October: Tourmaline and Opal
October is another month with two birthstone choices - Tourmaline and Opal. A favorite gemstone among jewelry designers, tourmalines are said to have healing effects and are available in a wide variety of colors, sometimes displaying several colors in the same gemstone. Ylang 23's collections are rich in tourmalines and include pinks and greens from Cathy Waterman, Ten Thousand Things, Temple St. Clair, and Irene Neuwirth.

Opals range in color from milky white to black with flashes of yellow, orange, green, red and blue. Opals are said to soothe erratic emotions and enhance personal courage. The designers of Ten Thousand Things, Gurhan and Annette Ferdinandsen have demonstrated their understanding of this stone and have designed beautiful jewelry to enhance it.

November: Topaz and Citrine
Topaz is prized for its several thousand year history, and comes in an array of colors including orange, yellow, pink, purple, white and the many popular blue tones. Citrine, known as the "healing quartz" is said to support vitality and health while encouraging and guiding hope, energy and warmth within the wearer. Look for topaz in our Becky Kelso, Jude Frances and Arunashi collections and gem quality citrine from Cathy Waterman and Ten Thousand Things.

December: Tanzanite, Zircon and Turquoise
Again, there is a broad choice for those born in December. Discovered in the late 1960's in Tanzania, tanzanite exhibits a rich violet-blue color for which the gemstone is treasured. Zircons, often used to imitate diamonds are said to have the power to relieve pain and protect travelers from disease and injury. Turquoise, one of the oldest known gemstones varies in color and its popularity fluctuates in fashion. While Ylang 23 does not carry zircon (our fine collections are diamond), we have tanzanite pieces in Cathy Waterman's collection, and turquoise from many of our designers.

Modern Interpretation of Gem Colors

Aqua (aquamarine, topaz, turquoise, opal, tourmaline) means "water", the color symbolizes youth and is associated with speech and communication, confidence, strength, and idealism. It is also associated with emotional healing and protection and has a soothing affect.

Black (onyx, pearl, tourmaline) banishes and absorbs negativity and symbolizes outer space and the universe. Black is the absence of all color.

In some cultures, black represented fertility, in others it represented wisdom. It is associated with sophistication, sexuality, and mystery and is often linked with evil as in" the bad guy wore a black hat". In Western cultures, it is associated with mourning and death, sadness and anger.

Blue (agate, aquamarine, blue moonstone, chalcedony, opal, sapphire, tanzanite, topaz, tourmaline) is the color of the element of Water. It symbolizes the ocean, sleep, the sky, and twilight. Pacifying, peaceful, refreshing and calming, it denotes stability and harmony.

Blue is associated with healing, psychism, patience, confidence, happiness and loyalty. In some cultures, it signifies depression or sadness, as in "he’s in a blue mood". The ancient Egyptian pharaohs wore blue for protection against evil.

Brown (agate, amber, carnelian, citrine, jasper, sapphire, pearl tiger's eye, topaz, tourmaline) represents the soil and fertility.

Brown is associated with the home, comfort, and constancy. It denotes simplicity, reliability, stamina, and the outdoors.

Green (alexandrite, agate, adventurine, beryl, chrysophase, demantoid garnet, emerald, jade jasper, malachite, opal, peridot, sapphire, topaz, tourmaline, tsavorite garnet) is the color that represents money, prosperity, employment, fertility, healing, and growth. It is the color of the element of the earth and symbolic of the planet's fertility and life. Green is soothing, refreshing and calming. Pale and medium greens connect with nature.

Green denotes the season of spring, youth and vigor.

Orange (amber, carnelian, citrine, coral, garnet, sapphire, topaz) is the color of general attraction and energy, ideas and mental stimulation. It is flamboyant, denotes energy, enthusiasm and warmth.

Pink (beryl, coral, garnets, jasper, moonstone, pearl, rose quartz, sapphire, topaz, tourmaline) signifies love, friendship, compassion, and relaxation. Pink is symbolic of gentle emotions and is often associated with femininity. It symbolizes good health as "in the pink". And Ylang 23 is a big supporter of those pink ribbons for Breast Cancer, wishing good health to all.

Purple (amethyst, garnet, opal, sapphire, tanzanite, topaz) is pacifying, refreshing and calming. It denotes power, healing, meditation and religion, wisdom and spirituality.

Purple was once a European symbol of royalty and nobility. It is sometimes associated with arrogance or cruelty. In Thailand, purple is related to mourning and is worn by widows.

Red (alexandrite, beryl, coral, garnet, ruby, sapphire, tourmaline) is the color of health, strength, physical energy, sex, passion, courage and protection. It is associated with blood, birth, death and intense emotions.

Red symbolizes energy, excitement, strength, power, war and violence, and aggression. It is the color of love as seen in the red Valentine's Day heart and is also associated with anger as in "he's so mad, he saw red". When good fortune arrives it is called a "red-letter day".

Yellow (amber, beryl, citrine, garnet, jasper, sapphire, topaz tourmaline) signifies intellect, philosophy, confidence, divination, communication, eloquence and travel. It is the color of the element air and is symbolic of the sun, grain, and the power of thought.

Yellow is associated with joy, happiness, and optimism. It denotes imagination, hope, and idealism, is related to sunshine, as in "she has a sunny disposition" and the season of summer. In some cultures, yellow denotes dishonesty and cowardice, jealousy, betrayal, and deceit.

In Egypt and Burma, yellow signifies mourning and in Polynesia, yellow was a color of royalty.

White (beryl, diamond, moonstone, opal, pearl, rock crystal quartz, sapphire, topaz, tourmaline) is associated with protection, purity and peace. It symbolizes the moon, freshness, winter, snow and cold. White contains all colors.

White signifies humility and reverence, cleanliness, youth, innocence, and birth. In Western cultures, white symbolizes marriage while in Eastern cultures it is related to death and mourning. mm

Wedding Anniversaries... and our Suggestions

1st	Paper	Since paper is white, why not a white moonstone strand from Mizuki?
2nd	Cotton	Still thinking of white? Might we suggest cottony pearls from Beth Orduna?
3rd	Leather	Sanskrit Me & Ro pendants on leather cords are very cool.
4th	Fruit, Flowers	Annette Ferdinandsen designs beautiful fruit and flower pieces.
5th	Wood	Buy her a stack of Sydney Evan wood bead bracelets with diamond charms.
6th	Sugar	Sugar is sweet and so is all the poetry in Jeanine Payer's collection.
7th	Copper | Wool	Copper looks like rose gold and we have beautiful pieces from Andrea Fohrman.
8th	Bronze | Pottery	Bronze charms on silk from Catherine Michiels are great gifts.
9th	Pottery | Willow	What is with the pottery? After 9 years, you should buy her sapphires.
10th	Tin	Upgrade to sterling silver from Suzan Zahedi or Ten Thousand Things.
11th	Steel	Hey, platinum works better and Gurhan has some great pieces.
12th	Silk, linen	Moritz Glik's earrings look like spun silk. Be a prince and upgrade.
13th	Lace	The queen of beautiful lacy designs is Cathy Waterman. No argument here.
14th	Ivory	Shop Ylang 23's Estate collection. If you don't find ivory, wing it with come cool bone bracelets from Sydney Evan.
15th	Crystal	Ten Thousand Things' pinned diamonds on crystal quartz are amazing.
16th	Silver Holloware	Upgrade to a beautiful Dinh Van piece in sterling or white gold.
17th	Furniture	You are kidding. Can she wear furniture to lunch with her girlfriends? Switch gears and stay married.
18th	Porcelain	Your wife is too modern for this, get her some edgy pearls.
19th	Bronze	Consider more Catherine Michiel charms; one can never have enough.
20th	China | Platinum	Because she's worth it, go the modern route and give platinum from Cathy Waterman.
21st	Brass | Nickel	We dare you. If you want your marriage to last, be more creative than this. Try a Christophe Dahnier ring.
22nd	Copper	The rose gold from Jes MaHarry is far more beautiful than copper.
23rd	Silver Plate	Fake silver for our favorite lucky number? Better upgrade to white gold or platinum. And throw in some diamonds.
24th	Musical Instruments	She is sure to hear music with a piece from Arunashi.
25th	Silver	After 25 years, you can afford to buy her 18 karat white gold from Jude Frances.
26th	Original Pictures	Barry Kronen will convert your pictures to keepsakes with Babylicious, and Monica Rich Kosann will frame them perfectly.
27th	Sculpture	Moritz Glik's work is sculptural and wonderful, not to mention sexy.
28th	Orchids	Choose orchid earrings from Ten Thousand Things or Annette Ferdinandsen.
29th	New Furniture	New or old, it doesn't matter. She wants jewelry from Ylang 23.
30th	Pearl	Consider the sumptuous pearls from Robert Wan, Atelier Marisa or many others.
31st	Timepieces	A watch can break, but a piece of beautiful jewelry will last a lifetime, especially if it's from Cathy Waterman.
32nd	Automobiles	Hands down (or up), her friends will coo over a new ring, or even a stack of them from Cathy Waterman. Skip the car.
33rd	Amethyst	Becky Kelso, Christophe Dahnier and Arunashi have beautiful designs in amethyst.
34th	Opal	Opal rings from Gurhan or Annette Ferdinandsen will save the day.
35th	Coral	Ten Thousand Things' coral is rich and wonderful, and Cathy Waterman's is over the top.
36th	Bone China	Forget the bone. Forget the china. Buy her John Apel diamonds.
37th	Alabaster	This is creamy like the moonstone bangles from Irene Neuwirth... yum!
38th	Beryl, Tourmaline	Jude Frances has huggies and great charms in both stones.
39th	Lace	The four petal lacy pendant from Cathy Waterman is divine.
40th	Ruby	If she stayed with you for that long, she deserves diamonds with her rubies from Lucie Campbell.
41st	Land	Honestly, can she wear land to lunch with her friends? Choose Sapphires instead.
42nd	Real Estate	Our diamond real estate is vast. There is sure to be a piece for this significant year.
43rd	Travel	We've done the traveling so that you can shop Ylang 23 from your own home. So go online and buy a gift card in a large amount.
44th	Groceries	Take that grocery money and invest in a Lucie Campbell ring.
45th	Sapphire	Temple St Clair's sapphire pieces are dreamy.
46th	Original Poetry	Jeanine Payer will execute your piece with your own poetry.
47th	Books	Jeanine's Book of Elements or Sketch Book is a meaningful gift.
48th	Optical Goods	Mary Margrill's new magnifying glass charm necklace is lovely.
49th	Luxuries, Any Kind	Close your eyes and point your finger anywhere; you'll find Luxe at Ylang 23
50th	Gold	22 Karat? Cathy Waterman. 24 Karat? Gurhan. All is beyond beautiful.
55th	Emerald	Lucie Campbell has beautiful emerald earrings.
60th	Diamond	Get her a killer A. Link necklace, ring or earrings. Home run.
75th	Diamonds | Gold	Cathy Waterman's collections of 22 karat gold with diamonds are endless.
80th	Diamond | Pearl	Atelier Marisa's orbit earrings of South Sea pearls with diamonds are gorgeous.
85th	Diamond | Sapphire	Check out Ylang 23's Estate Collection.
90th	Diamond | Emerald	Again, all roads lead to Lucie Campbell or Estate.
95th	Diamond | Ruby	Arman's diamond and ruby pieces in gold and blackened sterling are great.
100th	10-carat Diamond	We can deliver. Make it flawless.

What's your Sign?

The zodiac and your birth month.

Capricorn the Goat (December 22-January 21)
Ruler: Saturn | Element: Earth

Capricorns are serious, determined and disciplined, with a focus that begs more play time. Their spirits attempt to bring about a perfect society.

Lighten up, Capricorns, and grab a piece of Annette Ferdinandsen to get you in touch with nature. You'll feel much better.

Aquarius the Water Bearer (January 21-February 21)
Ruler: Uranus | Element: Air

Aquarians are far sighted and free thinking. They are idealistic and derive a sense of identity from groups and their goals.

Any of Cathy Waterman's initial pendants or rings will please the Aquarian, as they are both different and stamp out an individual identity.

Pisces the Fish (February 22-March 21)
Ruler: Neptune | Element: Water

Pisces are compassionate and empathetic; also very receptive, sensitive (even psychic) and sacrifice their egos for higher goals.

Aaah, there are many ways to compliment Pisces, including diamonds from many of Ylang 23's designers, rewarding them for their sacrifices.

Aries the Ram (March 22-April 20)
Ruler: Mars | Element: Fire

You are probably self-motivated and unaffected by others. Also assertive, adventurous, unconcerned with approval or acceptance, honest and forthright, not given to pretences, and enthusiastic about whatever interests you at the moment.

Think about some jewelry with "patience", including Mary Margrill or a poem by Jeanine Payer. Or a cooling piece of blue Cathy Waterman jewelry.

Taurus the Bull (April 21-May 21)
Ruler: Venus | Element: Earth

You may be down to earth, pleasure seeking, stubborn, and stand your ground. Also practical, productive and content to "simply be".

Think about a walk on the wild side for a change, with an edgy pair of Lucifer Vir Honestus earrings, or a stack of Sydney Evan bracelets.

Gemini the Twins (May 22-June 21)
Ruler: Mercury | Element: Air

Geminis tend to be curious, clever, and skillful at communication. Also talkative and playful, their attention easily drifts to something new.

We think that a new Catherine Michiels wrap bracelet will catch your attention and also stimulate conversation from others. Might we suggest the lotus bells?

Cancer the Crab (June 22-July 22)
Ruler: Moon | Element: Water

Cancers are nurturing, being very grounded in their feelings and emotion. They are tied to family, especially their ancestors and heritage and have a sense of belonging.

A perfect gift to a Cancer, considering the ruling planet, would be an orb or moonstone piece from Temple St. Clair.

Leo the Lion (July 23-August 22)
Ruler: Sun | Element: Fire

Leos are their own persons, set apart from the rest of the world. They are persistent, like to be noticed and approved of, and are very trustworthy.

A stack of bangles from Irene Neuwirth will get you noticed and certainly approved. We guarantee it.

Virgo the Virgin (August 23-September 22)
Ruler: Mercury | Element: Earth

Virgos love to make the world better and are always seeking to improve themselves. They take good care of themselves and react to defeats by altering their courses of action.

A reminder of how good they are to themselves and to others may be in a meaningful piece of Mary Margrill jewelry. Think "Believe" or "Happiness".

Libra the Scales (September 23-October 23)
Ruler: Venue | Element: Air

Libras are full of peace, harmony, balance and social awareness. They make great partners, love art, and are harmonious with their surroundings.

For Libras, there are too many pieces of Me & Ro to choose from. But look for lotus designs and Sanskrit sayings.

Scorpio the Scorpion (October 24-November 21)
Ruler: Pluto | Element Water

Scorpios tend to be intense, especially with emotional involvement with the process of personal growth. And they often experience transformation and change.

A personal piece (or several) of Ten Thousand Things would be a great pick for a Scorpio. The workmanship is intense and the pieces will weather any changes in their lives.

Sagittarius the Archer (November 22-December 21)
Ruler: Jupiter | Element: Fire

Sagittarians are receptive to new points of view and enlightenment. They are freedom loving, idealist, enthusiastic and generous.

An edgy piece of blackened jewelry would be a great choice, and there are many collections to choose from including Cathy Waterman, Arman, Arunashi or Manak.