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, […]
You may have recently seen a post on our Facebook page about the redesign of beautiful 4.11 ct diamond earrings into two gorgeous rings. One of our favorite things to do at Bridgewaters is to help you redesign your jewelry pieces into something that you will wear. If you have some items that you would […]
In our fourth installment of our five-part series on caring for gemstones, we will explore the care and cleaning of rubies, the July birthstone. Check out our birthstone of the month post from July 5 for more information on the stone itself. Rubies are the hardest stone aside from diamonds, but are prone to fractures […]
Famous jewels and jewelry often seem to have an illustrious past and the Napoleon Diamond Necklace is no different! The necklace, set with 234 diamonds with an overall weight of approximately 263 carats, was a gift from Napoleon Bonaparte to his second wife, Marie-Louise of the Austrian House of Hapsburg, Empress of France, upon the […]
The July birthstone, ruby, gets its name from the Latin word “ruber” meaning red. The finest color is a deep red with a hint of purple called “pigeon’s blood” in the jewelry trade. Rubies are also the second hardest stone with only diamonds surpassing them. Rubies are symbolic of passion, protection and prosperity. Early cultures […]
You’ve probably seen or heard a cuckoo clock. They are a pendulum-type clock that strikes the hours with a common cuckoo bird sound and has a cuckoo bird who emerges from the clock to move with each note. Some cuckoo birds just lean forward with each note while others move their wings and close their […]
Marking the beginning of summer, the Summer Solstice or Midsummer is the day with the longest period of sunlight. Its name derives from Latin words sol (sun) and sistere (to stand still) because the sun’s position at noon doesn’t appear to change much on this day and surrounding days. Cultures around the world have celebrated […]
