Every Monday drop at SARDA brings something new — and the May 18 debut is one of the most varied of the year. Five collections are expanding this week, spanning Gold Sunstone, Blue Banded Opal, White Mother of Pearl, Red Ruby, and a full new lineup of Interchangeable Bracelet Components. Here is your guide to the stones debuting this Monday.

Gold Sunstone — Hope's Radiance Collection

Gold Sunstone is a warm, luminous feldspar gem that catches light and holds it. This week's Hope's Radiance pieces feature Tanzanian Gold Sunstone cut into a cushion square cabochon — a polished, low-profile shape that showcases the stone's soft amber-orange glow. Tanzania produces some of the world's most vivid sunstones, and SARDA's selection is stabilized to preserve its color and surface finish across years of wear.

The warm golden color comes from trace mineral inclusions that scatter light in a phenomenon called aventurescence. GIA places sunstone in the feldspar family — one of the most abundant mineral groups on earth, yet rarely this beautiful in gem form. Mohs hardness: 6–6.5. Store separately from harder gems to prevent scratching, and remove before swimming or vigorous activity. Hope's Radiance debuts in a bracelet, stackable ring, statement ring, and pendant — all in handcrafted sterling silver.

Blue Banded Opal — God's Lasting Promises Collection

Blue Banded Opal is a variety of common opal — solid, opaque, and quietly striking — found in India and prized for its calm, layered blue-grey coloring. Unlike precious opal, it does not flash color. Instead it offers something more understated: a smooth, architectural surface in a marquise pyramid cabochon cut that sits beautifully in SARDA's Tree of Life sterling silver settings.

Each stone is untreated — the color is exactly as nature produced it. GIA documents opal's long history across Asia and the ancient world, where banded blue varieties have been used as talismanic stones for centuries. Mohs hardness: 5.5–6.5. Avoid prolonged water exposure and sudden temperature changes. God's Lasting Promises debuts with a bracelet, dinner ring, split shank ring, and pendant — the dinner ring also features an accent of untreated Sri Lankan Iolite.

White Mother of Pearl — My Strong Tower Collection

Mother of Pearl is the iridescent inner shell layer of mollusks, and it has been used in jewelry for thousands of years across virtually every culture. SARDA's My Strong Tower collection features Indonesian White Mother of Pearl carved into a proprietary pinwheel cabochon — a sculptural cut that transforms flat shell material into something three-dimensional and alive with reflected light.

The bright white surface and soft iridescence look luminous against high-polish sterling silver. GIA's pearl resource covers this organic gem family in depth. Mohs hardness: 3.5–4 — the most delicate stone debuting this week. Keep it away from perfume, acids, and abrasives, and store separately from other pieces. My Strong Tower debuts with a necklace, bracelet, and statement ring, each pairing White Mother of Pearl with White Quartz and Freshwater Pearl in a cohesive multi-stone design.

Red Ruby — Linked in Love Interchangeables

Ruby is one of the four precious gemstones and has been prized across nearly every culture in recorded history. Deep red, commanding, and extraordinarily durable, it represents one of the clearest statements in gemstone jewelry. This week's Linked in Love component features a Mozambican Red Ruby: round, faceted, 8mm, and 2.55 carats total weight. Mozambique has become one of the world's premier ruby sources, known for producing stones with rich, saturated color.

This stone is fracture filled and heated — a standard, widely accepted industry treatment that improves clarity and enhances natural color. GIA's ruby guide explains the treatment in full context. Mohs hardness: 9 — one of the most durable gemstones available. Ruby handles everyday wear with ease; wipe clean with a soft cloth. The Interchangeable design lets you wear your ruby as a standalone bracelet or swap it into any compatible SARDA frame.

Also Debuting: Six More Interchangeable Gems

The Linked in Love and Linked in Faith Interchangeable lines are expanding with six new stones this week, each set as a swap-in component for compatible SARDA bracelet frames. Find detailed gem information at the International Gem Society:

• Amethyst — Brazil, heated, round star faceted, 1.96 ctw. Classic violet quartz; February birthstone. Mohs 7.
• Citrine — Brazil, heated, cushion square star faceted, 3.74 ctw. Warm golden-yellow quartz; November birthstone. Mohs 7.
• Black Spinel — Thailand, untreated, long cushion scalloped briolette, 6.59 ctw. Deep opaque black with high luster. Mohs 8.
• Prasiolite — Brazil, irradiated, round faceted carved, 3.06 ctw. Pale green quartz, sometimes called green amethyst. Mohs 7.
• Blue Violet Fluorite — China, irradiated, oval checkerboard, 1.9 ctw. Soft blue-violet with glassy brilliance. Mohs 4 — handle with care.
• Pink Cashmere™ Mystic Quartz — Brazil, PVD coated, round checkerboard swirl carved, 6.16 ctw. A SARDA-exclusive quartz with rosy, multi-tonal shimmer. Mohs 7.

Caring for This Week's Stones

This debut spans a wide hardness range — from Ruby at Mohs 9 down to Mother of Pearl at 3.5–4. Here is a quick reference by stone type:

• Ruby (Mohs 9): Highly durable. Wipe with a soft cloth. Avoid ultrasonic cleaners on fracture-filled stones.
• Black Spinel (Mohs 8): Excellent durability. Standard gentle care applies.
• Amethyst, Citrine, White Quartz, Prasiolite, Pink Cashmere™ Mystic Quartz (Mohs 7): Good daily-wear durability. Rinse after contact with lotion or sweat and dry thoroughly.
• Gold Sunstone (Mohs 6–6.5): Store away from harder gems. Remove before vigorous activity or swimming.
• Blue Banded Opal (Mohs 5.5–6.5): Avoid prolonged water immersion and sudden temperature changes.
• Blue Violet Fluorite (Mohs 4): Handle gently. No impact, no abrasives, no ultrasonic cleaning.
• White Mother of Pearl and Freshwater Pearl (Mohs 3.5–4): The most delicate pieces this week. No chemicals, no abrasives, no ultrasonic cleaners. Wipe with a barely damp cloth and store separately from all other jewelry.

For all SARDA pieces, the same general rule applies: put your jewelry on last and take it off first. Our jewelry cleaning kit is formulated for sterling silver and most gemstones, and our full sterling silver care guide covers daily habits and long-term storage in detail.

Ready to see this week's debuts in full? Browse the May 18 new arrivals at SARDA and find the stone that speaks to you.