Gemstones are amazing, natural wonders! Throughout history, gemstones have been used in jewelry, magic spells (ancient Sumerians), religious meaning (yes, even Christian), and cultural beliefs and ceremonies. The ancient Greeks thought amethyst would prevent drunkenness. In Burma (now, Myanmar), warriors inserted rubies into their skin to make them invincible in battle. Emerald was once believed to cure cholera and malaria. It makes perfect sense that human kind has revered

Unfortunately, or fortunately, not all relationships last. It can be heartbreaking and devastating in so many ways, and sometimes, we are left with jewelry the other person gifted us. But, what do we do with it? Grieve First Don’t do anything with the jewelry gifts until the initial sharpness of the breakup has run its course. If you need to put it away in another spot so you don’t see it, then do that, but take a big pause on making any decisions. Evaluate Some of the jewel

Mourning jewelry, or as I lovingly call it, goth jewelry, has been part of human history until our modern times. Humans have always mourned together and jewelry was part of that process. But, did you know that a love story made it a cultural phenomenon? Mourning jewelry with hair of the deceased. Picture & ring credit: Lang Antiques The Love Story Heir to the British throne, Victoria and Albert met when she was 17 in 1836, and they both instantly fell in love! She wrote in h

“Don’t wear an opal if it isn’t your birthstone. It’s bad luck.” I have heard this from many clients throughout my 29 years in the jewelry industry, and I used to wonder why people said that. Let’s unpack where that came from! Seriously, how can this be bad luck?? Historical Opals have been revered throughout history by scholars and enthusiasts since it was first discovered. The Romans gave it the name opalus which means precious stone. Arabic legend said it came from ligh

Planning your wedding is both adventurous and overwhelming! Just when you think you have things mapped out, the small details begin showing up en masse. As someone who has planned a wedding and has talked to lots of people in the planning stages, here is my advice. One of my clients is a photographer who photographed the rings they got from me! It’s All About You Your wedding is what you and your partner want it to be, not what is standard in the wedding industry. Food truc

Sometimes, the clear look of a diamond is not what you dream of for your engagement ring! September is sapphire season AND proposal season, so I want to give you reasons to consider sapphire for your engagement ring. · Durability: (Look, I know durability does not make it on your top ten list of ring sexiness, but hear me out!) It is not enough that your ring looks good brand new, but it has to hold up to your day-to-day life. In the list of durability, sapphire comes

One of the questions that comes up when I am working with a client on an engagement ring and wedding bands, is how long it will take to get the ring completed. With the upcoming fall and holiday season being a popular time to propose, I want to give you some time frames so you know what to expect! How Long Does It Take? It is typical to expect 6-8 weeks (sometimes a little less time, and sometimes, a little more time) from start to completion. A lot depends on whether what yo

This is my second-part blog about cleaning out your jewelry box with purpose and efficiency. From last weeks blog, you should have four groups of jewelry: Regularly Worn; Don’t Wear; Sentimental Not My Style; Don’t Like Don’t Wear. What To Do With Each Group Regularly Worn: You don’t have to do much with this group! You may even have added a few pieces that you really like but forgot about because they were hidden in all your jewelry box clutter. This group of jewelry should

Cleaning out your jewelry box at the end of summer and beginning of fall is the perfect time to do it because you make room for new jewelry and create an opportunity to re-style what you already have. My two-part blog will help you go through your jewelry box with purpose and efficiency. This blog will start with narrowing down your jewelry box as a whole, and next week’s blog will be about what to do with them. How To Break It Down Step 1: Pull out the jewelry you wear regu

The color of a perfectly ripe pear or the yellowish green of moss, Peridot has enchanted people since the Egyptians began mining it on an island in the Red Sea. It has always been associated with light with the Egyptians referring to it as the gem of the sun! A Custom Peridot and Damascus Steel Pendant I created for a client! First Things First: How Do You Pronounce Peridot? The word Peridot is usually pronounced with a soft ‘t’ because of the Old French lineage of the word.

The original birthstone for August is a gemstone you may not have heard of, sardonyx, and it was widely known in the ancient world. A flat oval polished sardonyx tablet showing varying orange and white banding. Photo: Robert Weldon/GIA What is Sardonyx? Sardonyx is two types of chalcedony coming together in one gemstone, sard and onyx. Sardonyx contains the bands of dark brownish red to brown to orange of sard coupled with white and/or black bands of onyx. Fine sardonyx is f

Did you know that August has multiple birthstones? Let’s take a look at the most unknown of the three. Some of the colors of Spinel! What is August’s Third Birthstone? Spinel is the most recently added birthstone to August. I have heard from many people that they don’t love the traditional apple-green color of Peridot, so it is nice to have a colorful alternative! What Color Is Spinel? Spinel comes in multiple colors, and you can choose which one you like for your birthstone.

*Harry Potter spoiler alerts* As you may have picked up, I love reading, and the Harry Potter series by J.K. Rowling is one of my favorites! In light of July 31st being Harry’s birthday, I was thinking of the Horcruxes that were pivotal to the story. I began to look at them in a different way when I considered that two of the Horcruxes are jewelry! Butterbeer at Universal Studios! What is a Horcrux? As a reminder, a Horcrux is what an evil wizard creates in order to keep hims

Summertime is perfect to explore new things while you are traveling. If you are a lover of jewelry and gemstones, California offers fascinating adventures! Gold Mining Gold mining is still being done in California today by amateurs and professionals alike. If you are just beginning your interest in gold mining and the history, Roaring Camp Mining Co. in Pine Grove, CA might be a perfect spot! They have tent and cabin camping, guided gold tours that include both panning for

Summer is officially in full swing with warm weather, vacations by the ocean, and ice cream! If you are like me, reading is an essential part of summer, well, it’s essential all year long, but reading outside by the water is a treat this time of year. Here are some gems I have read this year! · Assassin’s Blade Series by Sarah J. Maas: I was hesitant to read this series, but it did not disappoint! This is a fantasy adventure story with characters who evolve and a stor

Happy birthday, America! Our country is 250 years old, and she has the beautiful birthstone of Ruby. If you are an American citizen, it is my belief that you can claim ruby as your birthstone, along with your birth month! Let’s explore the world of ruby! History The color red has been associated with intense emotions throughout time. In 600 AD, warriors of Burma (now called Myanmar) wore rubies to make them invincible on the battlefield. We still use the color red to signi

Summertime means days at the pool, lake, or beach. It means rest and fun all rolled into one day! And, it does affect the jewelry you wear. Why Does My Jewelry Need Special Care in the Summer? Warm, summer weather and activities invite a different lifestyle than the fall and winter months. Whether it be physical activities, extra lotion and sunscreens, or more opportunities to wear your jewelry (think anklets and bracelets), the extra wear brings extra care. What Should I B

The third choice of birthstone for June is alexandrite! It is not as well-known as the others but has properties that make it truly unique. What is Alexandrite? Alexandrite is a rare color-change gemstone that is a variety of the mineral chrysoberyl. Why is it Special? Alexandrite is a part of a group of phenomenal gemstones called color change, which means that under fluorescent (daylight) and incandescent (lamp or candle) light, it can present as bluish green or purplish

Moonstone has been an intriguing gemstone since it was first discovered! Moonstone ring from Omi Prive Hindu mythology says that moonstones are made of solid moon beams with many believing that if you put a moonstone in your mouth during a full moon, you’d see the future. Many famous Art Nouveau and Arts and Crafts jewelry designers used moonstone in their designs because it seemed organic. It also became a gemstone in the hippie movement of the sixties and the new age movem

Did you know the June has three birthstones to choose from? The most popular birthstone of choice is pearl, and there a few reasons why pearls are so special. These are all naturally colored pearls! Where They Come From Pearl is the only gemstone that comes from a living animal! Pearls are created inside a living mollusk with layers and layers of nacre (nay-kur), which is a mix of calcium carbonate and protein. The nacre coats an irritant inside the mollusks to create an inc