As we have mentioned before, those born in October have both a modern and traditional birthstone. October features both opals (traditional) as well as pink tourmaline (modern). Precious opals diffract light, displaying the colors of the rainbow, which is known as “play of color.” This play of color has been compared to volcanos, galaxies and […]
Many of us have been captivated by the mourning for Queen Elizabeth II who passed away on September 8 at 96. Have you ever wondered what happens to the Crown Jewels as well as any personal jewelry she may have owned? For the Crown Jewels, it is simple as they do not belong to any […]
In our final installment of our five-part series on caring for gemstones, we will explore the care and cleaning of sapphire, the September birthstone. Check out our birthstone of the month post from September 6 for more information on the stone itself. Just like rubies, sapphires are the second hardest stone aside from diamonds (sapphires […]
Did you know that 40% of engagements happen between Thanksgiving and Valentine’s Day? December is the peak month with Christmas Eve as one of the most popular days. So you might be thinking of getting engaged this coming fall/winter, but you are not sure how to find your partner’s ring size without giving away the […]
Blue sapphires are one of the most popular colored stones. And those lucky enough to be born in September have it as their birthstone. Throughout the centuries, people believed many different things about sapphires. The elite of ancient Greece and Rome believed they protected their owners from harm and envy. The clergy of the Middle […]
Have you ever wondered who holds the Guinness Book of World Records for the most diamonds set in one ring? Well, lately you would have to have been keeping up with the news pretty often to know! Back in 2019, the Lobortas Classic Jewelry House, a Ukrainian jewelry company, held the record with the Tsarevna […]
Humankind has been using engraving since the very earliest of times. The first evidence of engraving is a chiseled shell, dating back between 540,000 and 430,000 years. Engraving on bone and ivory and on rocks (called petroglyphs) are found from may pre-historic periods around the world. In the ancient world (3000 BC – 500 BC), […]
Have you ever wondered what jewels might be just waiting to be found from pirate treasure? We wondered too and found some interesting stories as we dove in! We learned that most pirate treasure is gold, not diamonds or other jewels, however there are a few tales about diamonds. Captain William Kidd, in 1699, hid […]
Are you thinking of gifting someone a piece of jewelry? Then you have come to the right place. Let’s check out a few tips for buying jewelry as a gift. First, you need to know your recipient’s style – both their preferences as well as their lifestyle. Things to think about include what type of […]
August is one of only three birth months that are represented by three gemstones. We’ve written about one of the three August birthstone’s, Peridot, the gem of the sun (you can find more information here). Today we’ll explore sardonyx, which was the original August birthstone until peridot was added. The third August gemstone is spinel, […]
