Back in July, I discussed the distinction between rubies and pink sapphires, but the corundum conundrum does not end there. Another variety of sapphire exists, which is even more ill-defined. The padparadscha (that’s pronounced PAHD-puh-RAHD-shuh) is a variety of sapphire that has no official technical definition. “Padparadscha” is simply a trade name for sapphires of…
What do Imperial jadeite, black opal, demantoid garnet, and alexandrite all have in common? First of all, they are all exceptionally rare gemstones. Second, they can command thousands to tens of thousands of dollars to even millions of dollars per carat. Third, they have all historically fallen under the unfortunate appellation “semi-precious” because they are…
The story of the Black Prince’s Ruby and the Timur Ruby of the Crown Jewels of England both being enormous spinels is not new. The great deception was merely a case of misidentification and misunderstanding. It was always known that the two gems were “balas rubies,” i.e. rubies from Balascia: the ancient Latin name of…
There’s an old adage in the jewelry industry: “If you’re the seller, it’s a ruby; if you’re the buyer, it’s a pink sapphire.” The world of colored gemstones is by no means as highly organized or regulated as is the world of diamonds. By comparison, diamonds are fairly simple and straightforward. Colored gemstones comprise the…
Next month marks a year since President Obama handed down a 12-month extension to the ban on gemstones exported from Burma. Why is that important to a jeweler in Indiana? Well, Burma (Myanmar) is historically the source of the finest rubies and jadeite in the world. The jewelry market has been starving for legitimate access…
The moniker “The King of Gemstones” sounds pretty impressive, doesn’t it? Do you think it belongs to diamond? It doesn’t; ruby got that name when diamonds were still largely unmined and unusable as gemstones because the technology did not exist to fashion them. The phrase actually comes from the Sanskrit word for ruby: ratnaraj. Anything…
The cold snap we had the first week of the year got me to thinking. One of my employees had burst pipes in his apartment complex from the extensive and extreme cold. Did you know a similar effect can happen to certain kinds of colored gemstones? Opening your sink cabinets and letting your faucets drip…
Margo Morrison – 30% Discount I’ve got a thing for colored gemstones. I don’t meet many people with a passion for colored gems like I have, so when I first came across Margo’s line, I was a little stunned. There are dozens and dozens of gemstones out there perfectly suitable for jewelry, but most of…
I don’t think I’ve ever had quite this variety of rare colored and beautifully cut gemstones in my showroom before now. The reason? I’m just back from the Tucson Gem & Mineral Show, and I find the highest quality stones, the most beautiful cabochon cuts, and the most extravagant colors, all right there at the…