Amber Necklace

In over two decades of our established business at Michigan Ave in Chicago, across from the Millennium Park Cloudgate “Bean”, we have come to know many delightful people who have shopped at Precious Possessions over the years.  One of our most popular gems that we have always carried is amber.  Amber is one of those beautiful gemstones that people have become more familiar with because of Jurassic Park.  It is the gem of extinct, enchanted forest trees that Nature has spent 50 million years making.  They say its energy is soothing, calming, and full of wisdom and joy.

A patron of ours who also appreciates the beauty of amber brought in her mother’s heirloom amber necklace as she felt it needed something to add pizazz to its plain style.  The rich red cognac color needed a complementary pendant in the same beautiful tones.  In our selection of amber jewelry, we found a lovely oval amber centerpiece that would match the necklace and add oomph.

Because the original necklace was a vintage piece, it was strung on cotton cord which is traditional for Baltic amber.  Our artisan redesigned the piece with the addition of small faceted champagne-colored crystals that accented the focal amber centerpiece and the amber beads to perfection.  She restrung it on Tiger Tail for durability and strength.  In the recreation of this piece, the necklace has been transformed from simple and plain to magnificent and unique.  It is truly a customized piece that breathes new life into an old necklace.  

Ray Stevenson's Crystals

As the oldest rock and gem shop in Chicago, located across the street from Millennium Park’s Cloudgate “Bean”, we have the honor of meeting so many wonderful people from all over the world, including celebrities.  On a Saturday in early spring, a tall, charismatic man strode into our store.  Clearly he had a love and appreciation for the stones, carvings, and fossils as well as a considerable amount of knowledge about them.  As he toured the store and we assisted him, we discovered that this gentleman is British film and television actor Ray Stevenson.  He’s filming a new movie titled “Divergent” here in Chicago.  

From our vast selection of gems and minerals, he chose an iron pyrite sun.  Iron pyrite is believed to be a stone of good luck and confidence, as well as energizing.  Ray also chose a beautiful tiger eye specimen.  This stone is for strength, focus, and accomplishing goals.  For his son, he found a magnificent meteorite.  Meteorites come from space and they range from 4.5 billion years old up to 13 billion years old.  They come from Mars, the moon, heads of comets, and the Asteroid Belt.  How fantastic is that – to hold material that comes to us from light-years away, with all its other-worldly energy.  We also have a wonderful selection of tektites and moldavites.  Peridot is the only other gemstone that has been found on meteorites.

Here at Precious Possessions we are your personal shoppers and we enjoy helping you find that special gift for your home, to wear, or to carry.  We wish Ray continued success in life and onscreen.  And we invite you to find your own special crystal from our vast selection of Earth’s treasures here at Precious Possessions.