In the public eye, peridot has developed a bad rap as a commercial-grade gemstone you only find in cheap birthstone jewelry. Brownish yellows, watery, desaturated greens, or briny olive greens are what many people picture when they think of peridot. If you feel that way about peridot, I’d like help you perhaps reassess your opinion,…
Have you ever seen a gemstone change from one color to another right before your eyes? If not, you’re in for a treat when you see your first fine alexandrite. Raspberry red in tungsten light or firelight, teal green in direct sunlight or fluorescent light – fine alexandrite is the color-change gemstone against which all…
I’m a colored stone guy. I love colored stones. I love selling colored stones. I love helping people foster a greater appreciation for colored stones. One thing I’ve learned over the years is that not all colored gems are created equal, and it’s important for a client to know their options when designing a piece…
The prime consideration for emerald quality comes down to color, more so than for almost any other gemstone. The rarity of large, cleaner emeralds of top color has logically led to sky-rocketing values. The finest emeralds are among the rarest and most valuable gemstones in the world, on par with top rubies, and dwarfing all…
In my first blog this month, I wrote about emeralds: all of their wondrous beauty, their allure, and their chaotic origins. But I mentioned, almost in passing, that emeralds need some extra care. I didn’t have room in that entry, so I’m going to expound on that notion here. If you’ll recall (or pull up…
Pliny the Elder, the great naturalist of Antiquity, once wrote, “Nothing greens greener than emerald.” He was not wrong: to this day, emerald is still the green gem against which all green gems are compared. For over three thousand years, emerald has been treasured above many other gemstones for its rarity, and its largely unrivaled…
Most people born in January know their birthstone is the garnet. Most people who know that think of garnets as red. Predominantly, that’s true. Of the six species of garnet, one is exclusively red, and three others grow in – if not true red – very warm tones from orangey red to brownish red. But…
I first got turned on to emeralds in Munich, Germany, while walking through a museum housing some of the most fantastic pieces I had seen. I remember being in a short passage (lined with cases of incredible jewelry) and glancing to my left seeing green fire. The emerald in the collection was a square emerald…
You’ve seen them everywhere already – from the red carpet to the morning news shows, to the boardroom. The layered necklace trend is big. Here’s why I like long, layered necklaces. You can have fun with them and break all the “jewelry rules.” Mix high-contrast styles like earthy beads mixed with delicate gold chains. You…