education

You know it as emerald, the birthstone of May. Today’s post celebrates all Maybies and Mayple (May babies and May people) with a focus on “your stone.” The largest high-quality rough emerald ever found, and the poetic story behind its provenance and sale.

Have you heard of X-Ray diamond sorting? If not, be my guest and travel behind the scenes to an alluvial diamond-mining operation overseen by our friends at Alrosa. They have provided an amazing video example of this efficient method of separating the wheat from the chaff, as it were.

Humans need variety right now. We’re always hungry for something new, sick of eating the same old thing. So let’s change things up. Set out your tableware, put on the candles and prepare for a nouvelle experience in three courses. Bon appétit!

Some amazing, creative and vivid jewelry pieces from iconic designers at last year’s Couture show, presented to you in all the colors of the rainbow.

The oldest earth-born object known to man, this tiny item is a part of our planet’s crust which crystallized an astounding 4.4-billion-years ago. Older than our planet’s diamonds. Older, even, than extraterrestrial iron and crystal that fell to earth from the sky.

This fascinating game gets played where the resources are rich, but the people are poor. It is like being on the stock market floor, I suppose. A point upward or downward can quickly bring delight – or defeat.

Living in our world’s new normal, is there a chance the thieves who shattered the Green Vault and plundered Dresden Castle would turn to e-Fencing or even outright anonymous sale?

Believe it or not, there are people who like to presume they’re wearing big money but don’t actually want that theory tested.  That’s harmless – until it leads to misunderstandings.

How much is a quadrillion? Here’s how 1 quadrillion pennies would appear, stacked behind the Sears Tower, Empire State Building, Washington Monument, Lincoln Memorial and a football field… Now replace each penny with a ton of diamonds!

Considered a gift from the mermaids, this translucent gemstone became worn by ancient sailors for the protection it was thought to offer at sea. As we bring March to close it’s fitting to visit the wonderful aspects of this month’s birthstone, the aquamarine.

In today’s climate my attention to my hands, what I touch and how often I clean them has reached new heights. And of course, each time I clean my hands, I’m aware of the rings I am wearing. Fortunately, there’s good news ahead for jewelry wearers as it relates to sanitizing frequently.

Dispersion is a physical constant. Fire is a variable aesthetic. Fortunately, the fact that these terms have been co-mingled and transposed over time creates an opportunity to revisit them and sharpen our skills as communicators.

Thousands of years ago in southwest Africa a party of Nama People discovered a field of odd iron fragments to use in tools and weapons. Imagine their shock if they were told those fragments had come from the very stars they worshipped.

Whether we like it or not, human beings just can’t resist a little gossip. So why not make the best of it? As a professional, mixing just the right amount into a sales presentation can add flavor.

Crack! Fracture! Cleavage! Gletz! These words are used to describe one of mother nature’s most common clarity characteristics. The feather. The dreaded feather. That notorious, ticking-time-bomb that could cause your diamond to EXPLODE!

The three largest diamonds ever found on planet Earth are under the control of three notable icons. So, where did they come from? How much did they cost? Where are they now? Take a look at three of the most unique and spectacular diamond crystals ever unearthed.

Florida adopted the moonstone as it’s state gem in 1970. But our ancestors believed they could touch the moon long before humans ever traveled to outer space.

Once upon a time… A lonely rough diamond met another. The two began growing together. For countless ages they shared […]

When the Great Imperial Crown was made for the coronation of Catherine the Great in 1762 the court jewelers believed they were topping over 5,000 diamonds and pearls with an enormous 398 carat ruby. But it was never so. They had been fooled by a charming imposter.

Marcianise, Italy (May 28, 2019) – Traditionally a topic included in seminars on organic stones, the International Gemological Institute (IGI) […]

NAPLES (June 12, 2017) – The International Gemological Institute (IGI) will launch two new associations this week during a one-day […]