Tag Archives: lapis lazuli

How Precious Am I?

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…

Continue Reading »

Not All Things Are What They Seem

Ruby gets the lion’s share of attention when it comes to red gems. But there is one red gemstone that has made a career out of being mistaken for ruby. The finest specimens can stand up to just about any ruby that’s ever been mined in color and clarity. It’s actually considerably rarer than ruby…

Continue Reading »

Summer Jewelry Care

Summer has finally settled in. Summer activities abound with the sun out, so it’s worth mentioning that some jewelry needs to be treated a little differently during the fun things we all love to do when it gets beautiful outside. One of the most common jewelry problems I see during (or right after) summer is…

Continue Reading »