Zircon, another of December’s official birthstones, can be described by a single word: sparkly. Zircon gets noticed. Zircon breaks up white light into its spectral colors – a property called “dispersion” – almost as well as diamond does. Anything that can compete with diamond’s optical properties deserves a shot as the centerpiece for a jewelry…
Ever seen a clear night sky away from the city lights? The deep swathes of velvety blue and flowing violet swirl together into a richness artists have tried to capture for centuries. Stars are flung across the heavens: points of light glimmering in white and yellow and red. I could get lost gazing up into…
Turquoise is so versatile. It can take several different, readily recognizable forms, and each one suits a totally different style perfectly. And the history of this stuff is a trip. Have you ever laid on your back in the grass on a summer day and watched the clouds roll by? The cotton balls drift past…
December sort of has the corner on birthstones nowadays. With the induction of another selection by the American Gem Trade Association in 2002, there are now three official birthstones for December: turquoise, zircon, and the newest, tanzanite. So which way do you go? Well, that depends on what’s important to you in a look, and…