We’ve always loved the ultra rare variety of fancy sapphire known as the Padparadscha. Early in my career, working in the gem indentification labs of GIA, I had the opportunity to see a few good examples of the natural Padparadscha Sapphire and to learn the subtle distinctions that make this gem so desirable. Our informational blogs about this […]
Also filed in CAD/CAM, custom jewelry, Gemstones, Jewelry Making
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Tagged CAD/CAM, custom jewelry, gem trade., GIA, natural padparadscha, padparadscha, padparadsha, pink gold, rose gold
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We just delivered this beautiful 14K gold ring to a delighted customer. A new client, she had seen one of our custom ring samples over the Christmas holidays and had an idea– she loved cameos and had a particular affinity for the Three Graces of Greek and Roman mythology, the goddesses of beauty, creativity, and nature. Rather than […]
Also filed in CAD/CAM, custom jewelry, Jewelry Industry Information, Jewelry Making, Precious Metals
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Tagged bas-relief, Botticelli, CAD jewelry design, Cameo, Cameo Ring, custom jewelry, Primavera, Three Graces
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Wednesday, April 10, 2013
As usual, our annual pilgrimage to the Tucson Gem Shows in early February in search of the very best in colored gemstones was a fun mix of business and pleasure. On the drive over, we stopped at Quartzite, home of the Pow Wow, licked a few agates and found some rough boulder opal, stalactite and […]
Friday, February 22, 2013
We just delivered this lovely pendant, set with the diamonds from several treasured family pieces, to a very happy client. Her son had us make the pendant to celebrate her 50th wedding anniversary, so it was a very nice occasion to deliver the new piece– both son and mother loved the new piece and she left […]
Thursday, November 22, 2012
One of the missions Robert M. Shipley defined when he created the Gemological Institute of America was to rectify incorrect practices in the jewelry and gem business. One of the most common of these is the use of trade names and misnomers for gemstones. Before the development of the gemological sciences, it was common for gem […]
Saturday, October 27, 2012
We immediately fell in love with this sweet little opal and diamond pin of gold and platinum that was offered to us as part of an estate. A blend of Late Victorian, Art Nouveau, and Edwardian styling, the construction of fabricated platinum overlaid onto 14K yellow gold indicated the piece was made right around 1900. […]
Also filed in Estate Jewelry, Gemstones, Jewelry Industry Information
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Tagged Art Nouveau Jewelry, carved opal, crystal opal, Edwardian jewelry, Estate Jewelry buyers, jewelry restoration, opal pansy, platinum and gold jewelry, Victorian Jewelry, vintage jewelry
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Saturday, September 29, 2012
This beautiful opal ring is the final piece of a set of custom jewels we just completed. A frequent visitor of art and gem shows, our client had collected an eclectic mix of opals over several years. The ring showcases a dramatic cabochon of crystal opal from Ethiopia measuring ~ 3/4 inch long. The simple […]
We just acquired this striking Amethyst cameo from an estate. Measuring almost an inch and one half long, the piece is not for the shrinking violet. Imagine the drama of making an entrance wearing this grand purple adornment! Stone cameos have a long history dating back as early as 3rd century BC. The defining characteristic of […]
Natural colored gemstones come from rare mineral crystals that are found within the earth’s crust. Mother Nature “cooks” various ingredients according to her own unique recipes into crystals of different sizes, shapes, colors and physical properties. For centuries, man has sought out and fashioned these treasures into dazzling objects of beauty and value. Because of […]
In the course of buying estate jewelry, we run across some very interesting and unusual pieces- witness this necklace that appears to be a rather ordinary Star 0f David, embellished with center round brilliant diamond and single cut diamonds on the points. We didn’t notice the mechanism when we bought the piece but later discovered […]