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Trilobites are remarkable, hard-shelled creatures that lived some 400 to 500 million years ago in Earth's ancient seas. Trilobites represent the single most diverse class of extinct organisms. Throughout the 270 million years they inhabited the oceans, they continued to evolve into various species, leading to a great deal of diversity in their size, form and function. This means there is a wide variety of trilobite fossils to collect! One of the most appealing factors about trilobite fossils is that you can hold and examine an entire fossil animal as you turn it about in your hand.

Smoky quartz is an earth-toned transparent quartz that comes in a variety of shades, including cognac. Smoky quartz gets its rich warm colors from color centers when aluminum replaces silica in the crystal lattice of the quartz after exposure to gamma rays. A popular ornamental stone, it is often carved into figurines and ornate statues, but makes quite a statement when faceted into stunning gemstones.

Opalite is a man-made opalescent glass. When opalite is placed against a dark backdrop, it takes on a luminous blue or pink glow. Blue opalite has even been confused for moonstone at times.

With its dazzling kaleidoscope of colors, Mystic Topaz® first appeared in September 1998 at the Hong Kong Jewelry Fair, but it took a few years for designers and high-end jewelry manufacturers to realize its unquestionable charm. Mystic Topaz® begins with a natural topaz gemstone that was created millions of years ago, that is then made even more beautiful and desirable with the assistance of modern technology. The chemical vapor deposition (CVD) process deposits a thin film onto part of the surface of a white topaz gem, creating an eye-catching rainbow effect as light passes through the gem, which results in an unbelievable array of colors.

The name beryl is derived from the ancient Greek term for the same gem, beryllos; also the etymology for the element beryllium that is part of its chemistry. Some scholars believe the word beryl is related to the ancient trading city of Belur or perhaps has ancient Indian origins (being derived from the old Hindi word velurya or the Sanskrit word vaidurya). Varieties include emerald, bixbite (red beryl), morganite, aquamarine, heliodor (golden beryl) and goshenite.

Arsenopyrite is the most common arsenic mineral, once known as arsenical pyrites. Its color is silver-white to steel-gray on freshly broken surfaces. It yields a garlic odor when heated and the fumes can be toxic. It may tarnish to form an iridescent layer. Although it has a reputation for being poisonous to humans, complex arsenic compounds are used in the treatment of disease caused by microorganisms.

Richterite is a member of the amphibole group of minerals, named after German chemist Hieronymus Richter. Typically, richterite is near colorless to brown. If richterite is dominantly composed of potassium, it can be blue. In South Africa, it is associated with another blue mineral of similar chemical composition, sugilite.

Spiny oyster shells are covered with spines and are more closely related to scallops than to oysters. The varieties used in jewelry, are found in the Gulf of California, along the Mexican Pacific coast, the warmer South American waters, and the eastern Mediterranean Sea. It is commonly used in Southwestern jewelry due to its vibrant orange, red, purple, and white colors.

Szaibelyite is a basic magnesium borate mineral named after Stephen Szaibely (Sjájbely). It is pale yellow to white and has a fibrous structure.

Violane is a manganese-rich, coarse variety of diopside cabbed for ornamental use or carved for decorative purposes. Colors range from light blue to deep violet. The main source is Saint-Marcel, in the Aosta Valley, Italy. Other localities include Greece and the United States (California).

Mesolite is a zeolite mineral that occurs in delicate, needle-like crystal structures that radiate from its base. Prized by collectors for its striking crystal formation, mesolite is typically white or colorless, but occasionally light yellow in color. Large specimens are very rare, and faceted gems are almost non-existent.

Seraphinite was named after Seraphim, the highest rank of angels in the Bible, due to the feather-like appearance of its chatoyant fibers. The stone usually has a dark green to gray color with silvery shimmer caused by mica inclusions. This unique, somewhat mystic-looking gem is often used for carvings, decorative pieces and cut as cabochons.