For all his eloquence, Shakespeare knew words are words, but gems are magic: Dumb jewels often in their silent kind more than quick words do move a woman's mind, he wrote. Some 400 years later, that truth hits home -- jewels rule.

Our fascination with bedazzling beauties dug from the earth has reached yet another peak in its ongoing trajectory, extending beyond the ornaments that bejewel our bodies to the furnishings and accessories that adorn our homes.

"Furnishings crafted from stones, minerals, and fossils really are jewelry for the home," says atlanta designer Tish Mills, whose Studio B5B line of lamps and accessories using those precious materials is a best-seller for PierceMartin furnishings company.

Not that stones as functional art are anything new. Jewel-encrusted goblets have been hoisted by royalty and ecclesiastics throughout history. Cool to the touch, rock crystal was worn by women living in hot climates to cool the skin and was used for lighting in churches. Jade -- tough despite its placid surface -- was a favorite material for tools and weapons in prehistoric times. Some regard amethyst as a symbol of the spirit and a protector from evil.