Each of my collections starts with a story, one that is designed to join with yours to gather new momentum as it embarks on its journey with you.
The Astro amulets’ story began in 2019 inspired by the popularity of my amulet and chain collections. The collection of four unique, intricate pieces is born of my connection to crystals, a celebration of your birthstone and the stories they weave, and inspired by astrological zodiac foundational elements: water, earth, fire and air.
Above all, the astro collection is about you, the people who will fall in love with each handcrafted piece. They can be your touchstone, or simply create impact everywhere you go as an empowering statement piece that you’ll wear for years to come and pass on as a treasured heirloom.
THE EVOLUTION OF ASTRO
In designing Astro, I was inspired to group the star signs together, joined by the essence of each one’s connection to its element. I’ve seen plenty of star signs pendants but never yet one that combines the signs, nor includes the birthstones for each, something I thought could be extraordinary. While an ambitious undertaking, the final amulets have a simplicity that is as powerful as they are grounding and designed to bring out the best of you.
Each amulet not only brings a sense of self, but it draws on a connection to your founding element and the two star signs within your zodiac family.
I have used a mix of both precious and semi-precious jewels in each amulet including diamonds, pearls, peridot, sapphires and rubies, representing a combination of modern and traditional birthstones.
Each of the four amulets is crafted on a masterstone of solid onyx crystal with sophisticated gold or silver inlays. Onyx represents strength and protection and is said to have the trait of repelling negative energy. With its spiritual connection to Saturn, the planet of karmic cause and effect, onyx is credited with clearing past karmic stories and helping to restore harmony in our lives. And who doesn’t want that?
Below I’ll delve into each element, then I’ll share a little of the spiritual energy each powerful birthstone brings to its wearer.
To discover more about your star sign, I recommend astrology.com and whats-your-sign.com. There are also loads of apps like Astrology Zone and Chaturanga for Vedic Astrology, along with podcasts including whatsyoursignpodcast and The Astrology Podcast, and even hilarious astrology meme accounts like Astro Poets, Milkstrology and Dark Moon Muse if Twitter’s your thing.
Water has been intertwined with human spirituality and sacred rituals since humans first walked the planet. It has symbolised purity, healing, vitality, fertility, transformation, motion, wisdom, higher mind and protection, and in the metaphysical, magic, intuition and mystery.
While at first thought, water seems passive - nurturing, whimsical, calm, fluid and cleansing - water in its physical form is a force of nature.
Water carves canyons, cuts diamonds, builds stalactites over tens of thousands of years, drops to a depth of 11 kms below sea level in the deepest parts of our ocean, offers up rainbows, and without this finite resource, our survival on earth would be impossible.
Māori regard rain as a blessing, with the word tangi meaning tears, weep, lament, grief as well as funeral. When the rains pour down during a mourning period, it blesses the dead and all who are at their side.
Signs connected to water are Cancer the crab (cardinal), Scorpio the scorpion (fixed) and Pisces the fish (mutable).
Earth is our home. How we protect and nurture it represents how connected we are to ourselves, often reflecting how we care for and nourish ourselves. Earth is unendingly resilient; it has withstood asteroids, ice ages, a myriad of species and plant life living on its both abundant and hostile grounds over its 4.543 billion years of existence. It sustains and holds us, whoever of us occupies planet earth at the time.
At its core, earth is molten fire with explosive, extraordinary power emanating from within escaping through explosive volcanic activity. Earth’s giant plates in the lithosphere hold continents and oceans. They are shifting constantly, sliding and colliding, moving 10 centimeters per year. When our earth quakes, its tremors can be colossal and overpowering and remind us of earth’s vast power.
In spirituality, everything is born of the earth and returns to it. It is considered to represent the divine feminine (although rocks are considered masculine), and represents fertility, mothering, selflessness, manifestation, steadfastness, groundedness, prosperity, infinite creativity, protection, abundance, ever-moving life cycles - connected as it is to its moon - and seasonal abundance (or lack), and longevity.
In Aotearoa earth is the great goddess Papatuanuku, where Iwi birth blood and placenta is buried into the earth to create a person’s sacred home. In chakras earth relates to the base chakra, connected to stability, security and basic needs such as food, water, safety and shelter. Earth is also the place where crystals are created.
Earth signs in the Zodiac are Taurus the bull (fixed), Virgo the virgin (mutable) and Capricorn the goat (cardinal).
Fire and alchemy go hand in hand with shamans understanding the power of this untouchable element. In spirituality, fire is primal and represents passion, energy, spark of creativity, fire in the belly, fervour, desire, intention, our soul’s divine fire, soul quest and inner light.
When tamed fire can warm us, feed us, light us, and dazzle us with its sparkle and innate joy. But when out of control fire consumes us. It wreaks havoc on everything in its path, and can lead to emotional and physical burn out.
Fire is exciting. It is exuberant and pure. Fire is bold, changeable and illuminating. But fire needs to be contained and nurtured so it stays in balance with nature.
Astrological signs under the fire elements are Aries the goat (cardinal), Leo the lion (fixed), and Sagittarius the centaur (mutable).
Air is our breath and life force. It is interwoven with nature, working in harmony with the lungs of the planet: our trees.
Air can can soothe on a hot day, it can be gentle and sweet, licking our skin. It can also be tumultuous, changeable and untameable. It can whip up in a frenzy and demolish what stands in its path, restoring to calm in an instant having cleared stagnant energy, replacing it with a new and invisible entity.
In spirituality air is considered masculine and represents new life, communication (breath), mental aptitude, curiosity, new relationships, and is an intermediary with fire causing it to ignite and spread or burn out, and water, infusing it with motion. It carries messages on the wind, it spreads pollen, it sweeps leaves off its tree, it powers energy, and causes yachts to fly.
Its Zodiac family is Libra the scales (cardinal), Aquarius the water bearer (fixed) and Gemini the twins (mutable).
Birthstones and their symbolism
Water gems
Cancer - Ruby:
A ruby, infused with the energy of volatile Mercury, will enhance the cancer wearer’s natural strengths. It will ignite imagination, inspire sympathy, enhance intuition, elevate Cancer's gentle nature and bring about an innate sense of home wherever they may be.
A ruby will support a Cancer’s natural inclination towards devotion, integrity, confidence, courage, strength, generosity, strength, success and happiness.
Scorpio - Citrine:
Ruled under Pluto, hypnotic and complex Scorpions adorned in prosperous citrine will elevate their sense of determination and focus, while balancing their emotional selves.
Wearing citrine will inspire constancy, release tension, elevate strength while reinforcing the bonds of friendships and faithfulness in the calm waters of loyalty.
Pisces - Aquamarine
When a person is born under Pisces and ruling planet Neptune is adorned with aquamarine, it enhances the wearer’s natural romance, honesty, generosity and affection.
Aquamarine will elicit agility, enhance mental acuity and awareness, inspire open dialogue and authentic communication, bring about faithfulness, courage and pave the path for successful friendships.
Earth gems
Taurus - Emerald
Taurians wearing an emerald will elevate the sign’s natural ability to be practical and patient, it’ll aid ambition whilst bringing about affection and reliability.
Emeralds worn by the person under Taurus, ruled by its planet Venus, will cement loyalty, friendships and inspire faithfulness. This precious stone will aid memory, unlock natural clairvoyance and inspire faith in the world, no matter what’s going on.
Virgo - Sapphire
Another Mercurian, Virgos wearing a sapphire will optimise their natural capacity for diligence, self-sufficiency, order, routine and to the minute timeliness.
Sapphires inspire the analytical Virgo towards enhanced clairvoyance, insight and spiritual awareness and bring about truth, authenticity and unmatched reliability.
Capricorn - Garnet
Ruled by ringed Saturn, Capricorns wearing garnet become patient whilst remaining persistent and ambitious. Like their goat alter ego, wearing garnet enhances the Capricorn’s steadfastness and stability elevating them to a truthful and trustworthy ally.
Being adorned with their garnet birthstone, careful Capricorns become free of negativity, and capable of deep and long lasting friendship and faithfulness. Garnet open awareness, elevates commitment and provides natural clarity and insight. Garnet will also enhance Capricorn’s eager sexuality and sensuality.
Fire gems
Aries - Blue topaz
This most loyal of star signs ruled by Mars, the Arian, adorned by blue topaz will tap into their innate courage, tumble confidently into adventure with a deep, underlying passion.
Blue topaz will elevate abundance and clarity, bring about balance and harmony, whilst building inner strength and enhancing fruitful relationships.
Leo - Peridot
Leo with its ruler the mighty Sun wearing peridot will experience their most warm-hearted self. Leos adorned in this stunning gemstone will be highly motivated, enthusiastic and passionate, abundant, generous and honest.
Beautiful peridot will inspire deep loyalty, love, honesty and faithfulness. Where there is fame, it’ll imbue dignity, humility and protection. For Leo, wearing the peridot will elevate spiritual and physical growth, enhance openness and bring about prosperity.
Sagittarius - Diamond
Living under the great planet Jupiter, the universally loved Sagittarius wearing a diamond will see their natural gifts of humour, deeply bound ethics, generosity, compassion, adaptability and dynamism enhanced.
With a diamond on their body, the Sagittarius will hail in good fortune, success, prosperity and enduring happiness. They’ll be protected from disease, strengthened and possess heightened communication abilities.
Air gems
Libra - Tourmaline
Charming Librans, another ruled by Venus, will flourish wearing protective tourmaline. They’ll be their natural balanced and diplomatic selves. They will be refined and a pleasure to be around.
Wearing tourmaline brings forward the Librans' loyalty and faithfulness, elevates their natural confidence and infuses them with happiness. It will also inspire the Librans' innate child-like sense of innocence and hope.
Aquarius - Amethyst
Creative Aquarians, ruled by Uranus, will flourish as their stimulating, independent, progressive and entertaining selves wearing birthstone aquarius.
This poetic and powerful crystal will provide calm and balance to Aquarians, promoting inner peace, strength and courage through stability.
Gemini - Pearl
The iridescent pearl enables Mercurian Gemini to stay inquisitive and lively, and will open the doors of communication for this clever and effervescent soul.
Wearing this enduring symbol of purity born of the sea, Geminis will elevate their integrity, with a refreshing innocence along with loyalty and faithfulness making them an even better friend.