Romancing the stones
Fiction, folklore and history have exposed us to the magical world of gemstones. Legends and annals alike regale of knights who would fashion amethysts, rubies and garnets into their armor to protect them in battle. The ancient Egyptians, the dynastic Chinese empire and the American Indians believed in the magical powers of gemstones, and how these could do everything from warding off bad spirits to thwarting misfortune and curing a variety of ailments.
In blockbuster films and video games, we have both heroes and baddies risking life and limb to discover buried crystals, which supposedly contain an unimaginable life force and powers, elixirs of youth and potent energy.
Back in the ’80s and the ’90s, we would have scoffed at the suggestion of stones being more than just inanimate clusters of mineral. They would have been categorized in the realm of New Age and mysticism, along with Enya, tarot readings and Edgar Cayce, often misunderstood and deemed a bit too overwhelming.
But when the 21st century hit and steered in the age of yoga, meditation and biomagnetic jewelry, the concept of beneficial gemstones became something more acceptable. The popularity of alternative medicine also strengthened the portfolio of gemstone healing; suddenly, semi-precious stones and quartz were being sold more than just for their aesthetic value.
Though there will always be skeptics, the appeal of gemstones has now crossed over from the New Age realm into the mainstream. How could it not when, just by conspicuously wearing chunky crystals around their neck, royalty, athletes and Hollywood celebs back up the benefits of stones. Princess Diana was said to have been into crystals. Another Brit royalty divorceé Sarah Ferguson is also a fan of gemstone healing. Uma Thurman, Angela Bassett, Halle Berry and even Clint Eastwood have all been spotted wearing gemstone necklaces around their neck, either for harmony or to promote vitality and happiness. Swedish Olympic record holder Glen Christiansen, who surpassed nine world-swimming records, has touted the abilities of green tourmaline, citing how it gives him “a lot of strength” and helps him recover faster from grueling workouts.
Then the scientific explanations started filtering in, further concretizing the appeal of stones.
How is it that a solid, inert mass can be responsible for healing and rehabilitation? Physics explains that all matter is energy in physical form, and gemstones are no exception. Formed over hundreds of thousands of years, often at high pressure deep in the earth, these gemstones contain and exemplify intense concentrations of energy that, when harnessed and used properly, can probably do things most people wouldn’t be able to comprehend — even do amazing things for the body.
Though the regular M.D. won’t probably come out and endorse a hematite rubbing over prescription drugs, the concept of crystal healing as an alternative technique for strengthening the body and resolving personal issues doesn’t leave the mind reeling as much as it did 20 years ago. Along with the energy explanation is the theory that gemstones carry “vibrational rates,” which when placed within the aura (in metaphysics, the energy field emanating from the surface of a person or object) affects its vibrational rates.
I probably just lost you. So just think of it this way: the energetic properties of gemstones are already used in many areas of technology. The ability of crystals to conduct energy isn’t as strange when you realize that it’s used to run appliances. Television sets, portable phones personal computers, wall clocks and watches run smoothly because of quartz crystals. In the same effect, why can’t this same energy affect something organic and alive?
Italian watch brand Frankstone has quartz in its watches, but not necessarily to power the mechanisms of their timepieces. Recognizing how city-folk are, more and more, turning to the age-old practices of Bikram, breathing and biomagnetics to deal with fast-paced urban living, the young Milan-based company decided to incorporate the ancient belief in gemstones to give urbanites a reprieve from the mental and physical toxicity afforded by the city.
Brought to the Philippines by the Alexis group, with the determined recommendations of brand manager JR Ortiga, Frankstone watches use a special patented system — a back hinge for the men’s watches and a screw cap for the women’s line — that sets into the case of the watch a series of stones that come in direct contact with the wearer’s skin. Combining Italian creativity, Japanese workmanship, and a profound knowledge of the cultures of Asia and Africa, this collection of precision watches harnesses the energy and the natural balance that emanate from carefully-selected natural stones, perfectly shaped into smooth, flat discs.
Whether you buy a chunky matte gold steel watch or a rhinestone-encrusted piece, each Frankstone watch already comes with a clear ialine quartz disc, which, Ortiga reveals, is supposed to help with overcoming stress. However, with an extra purchase, you can also choose from seven other crystals that can be used to replace the ialine, depending on your mood and needs. These are seven of the most well-known gemstones, gathered from all over the world:
• Amethyst (Harmony stone) — This light violet stone, sourced from Brazil and Tanzania, is said to help one tune into a higher awareness of knowing. The amethyst aids inspiration, intuition and willpower by fighting selfishness, inferiority complexes and insecurity. It also provides common sense and flexibility in decision-making and promotes imagery and mind quieting.
• Red jasper (Initiative stone) - Found in Mexico, the bloody variety of jasper is known to aid personal activity, boost the enterprising spirit, give courage, strength and physical energy, and bring luck. It also helps bring problems to light before they become a threat.
• Haematite (Detox stone) — This shiny black stone, said to be “the grounding stone” centers the mind and turns fuzzy thoughts into mental clarity. Mined in Brazil, this stone detoxes the body by combating the tendency towards negativity. It also enhances concentration and memory, and restores equilibrium and stability.
• Green Jade (Communication stone) — This popular stone from China, this stone renders people more likable and, at the same time, teaches acceptance of other people and situations. The green jade emanates a serene and calming energy, helping a person become less critical of the self and others.
• Tiger’s eye (Personality stone) - This stone supposedly transforms anxiety, fear and obsessiveness into practicality and logic. Believed to encourage decisive, concrete action by aiding concentration and contrasting arrogance, this South African import is recognized for bringing money, courage, confidence and willpower.
• Rose Quartz (Love stone) — One of the more mainstream stones, this pinkish quartz from Brazil helps with the proper flow of vital energies. Said to have a “soothing influence,” the rose quarts helps in the discovery of self-love and self-acceptance and makes us more open to other people.
• Sodalite (Assertiveness stone) — Mined in Brazil, the sodalite has an impact on communication and knowledge. It aids assertiveness by calming the mind and stimulating freedom and is used for expressing logic and ideas.
Frankstone and Ortiga, however, are quick to point out that their watches are not therapeutic instruments, nor are they “a cure-all for the world’s ills.” These pieces are meant to help one “take a step back and rediscover those traditional values that we’ve lost along the way.” A Frankstone watch is a way of reconnecting us with the rhythm, energy and balance of life.
Ultimately, the goal of Frankstone is “to produce an everyday object with a difference.”
Ortiga, who used to work in the IT industry before he joined the family business to promote Frankstone, believes that the watches and the natural stones it promotes can help young yuppies deal with urbanite living in the same way that a balancing biomagnetic bracelet can. An older market composed of people who have opened their minds and bodies to the inherent possibilities of energy might also find an attraction in Frankstone.
Then again, you can buy a Frankstone watch just for how it looks.
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Frankstone is available at Park Lane, Glorietta and Robinsons Place Malate; Alexis, Mall of Asia and SM Megamall.
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E-mail comments to ana_kalaw@pldtdsl.net.
