Gemstone Education: Pearls Of Wisdom For Novice Gemstone & Jewelry Lovers

Alexandrite: The Magical Gemstone

Ever-Changing Alex
I love my June birthstone, Alexandrite. It’s a phenomenal gemstone displaying fabulous color-change under different lighting…almost like magic before your eyes. Outside in daylight, it is a cool bluish mossy green. Inside in lamplight, it is a red gem, with a warm raspberry tone. You can watch it flick back and forth by switching from [...]

Lab-Grown Rubies & Sapphires: Flame Fusion vs. Flux
With the world becoming more environmental- and conflict-conscious, we receive lots of inquiries about the various different forms of lab-grown gemstones…particularly rubies and sapphires. I recently had the priviledge to sit down with Tom Chatham, President of Chatham-Created Gems, to discuss the differences between the various types of grown sapphires and rubies. Take a few [...]

Our Newest Creation: Alexandrite Engagement Ring
The customer will love this classic looking 14k white gold engagement ring features 80 G-H color SI1-SI2 clarity natural diamond accents weighing 0.40 cttw. On the top and sides. The center stone on this designer style ring is a fabulous 5×5mm gem quality princess cut Chatham lab-created alexandrite. It can also be custom set with [...]

Why are emeralds so fragile?
May is emerald month, so much of this month I will focus on emerald facts. The following is from a Q&A sessions I had with a customer this week. Customer: In my research, I have learned that natural emeralds are somewhat fragile/brittle, and some jewelers don’t sell nor work on these natural stones. From what [...]

So are they real or are they fake?
I’m always amazed at how many jewelers don’t know much about lab grown stones. With so many consumers becoming green-minded and conflict-minded, you’d think they’d make a better effort to become informed. Yesterday, I had a jeweler call to purchase some Chatham-created pink diamonds for a custom 3-stone ring. She kept making comparisons between the [...]

Amazing Diamond Journey
In honor of April being diamond birthstone month, I wanted to dedicate this month to diamond-related tidbits. I have a whole new appreciation for diamonds after learning many years ago how diamonds came to be. Diamonds aren’t formed in mountains and caves like many gemstones. They are formed deep beneath the earth’s surface under precise temperature [...]

Lab-grown paraiba colored garnets?
I just sold a gorgeous 10×8 emerald cut Chatham-created pariaba colored garnet to a long-time loyal customer. These breathtaking brilliant lab-grown seafoam garnets were created as part of a Chatham materials research project to grow a synthetic paraiba look-alike. While the experiment was successful in creating these fabulous gemstones, it wasn’t kind to the machines [...]

That’s Some Kind Of Tree Resin
Did you know amber is 1 million year old hardened tree resin that floats in saturated salt water? Click here to learn more.

March Birthstone: Aquamarine Facts & Folklore
Aquamarine is sister to emerald, both being members of the gem species Beryl. It is known for its range of serene, oceanic shades from pastel to medium light blue-green or light green to a deep blue. Even aquamarine’s blues have a greenish hue. The color of aquamarine is generally thought of as being pale, but in actuality, it can be quite intense in larger sizes.

Q&A: Will my gemstone or diamond retain it’s value?
I had a customer recently ask if his gemstone would always retain it’s value. We certainly hope so. But to be honest, it’s hard to say. Like most things, gemstone prices are driven by supply and demand, quality and rarity etc. In the lab-grown market, technology is a key factor in determining price. Right now, [...]

Amethyst: February Birthstone Facts & Folklore
Amethyst, the purple variety of the gem species Quartz, is the traditional birthstone for the month of February. It was treasured by the Roman gods as a talisman to ward off the intoxicating powers of Bacchus. Amethyst is available in small and large sizes, although as with all gemstones, very large sizes in rich, deep colors [...]

Beware of Bogus Diamond Grading Labs
I recently discovered a website offering beautiful gemstone and diamond jewelry pieces. One in particular was a “champagne” diamond ring. The color of the diamond was largely attributed to reflections off the bright yellow gold head in which it was mounted. I could see some color zoning and a rather large clarity characteristic in the [...]

Diamonds: To Certify or Not To Certify
There’s an upsurge of articles urging consumers to avoid buying diamonds UNLESS they come with diamond grading certificates from a reputable diamond lab. While I do agree with the general concept of this there are some problems with this blanket statement that should be addressed. Diamond certificates are good to have, but they’re not necessary for [...]

Diamond Simulants: Fakes and Frauds
If you’re in the market for a real lab-grown diamond, beware of tricky wording leading you to believe some diamond simulants are actually real lab-grown diamonds. The confusion lies in the terminology. Synthetic diamonds are REAL diamonds grown in a lab. Diamond simulants, or simulated diamonds, are diamond imitators. They are not real diamonds but rather [...]

January Birthstone Garnet: Facts and Folklore
Garnet Is The Birthstone For January But There’s No Need To Settle For Traditional Red Garnet was named by the ancient Greeks because its traditional red color reminded them of the “granatum,” or pomegranate seed. Noah used its inner fire as a lamp on his bow as he cast about on the ocean. Garnet’s roots trace [...]

Blue Zircon December Birthstone: Facts and Folklore
Since Medieval times, zircon has brought wisdom, honor and wealth to those who possess it. It is especially prized for protecting travelers from harm, and even today, the Hindus believe zircon can stimulate spiritual growth. The name, Zircon, probably comes from the Persian word zargun which means “gold-colored.” The fiery, brilliance of zircon can rival any gemstone. [...]

Diamond Engagement Rings: Historical Fact
Did you know: Diamonds became the center stone of choice in engagement rings after De Beers introduced its famous slogan “A Diamond Is Forever” in 1948. Today that trend is slowly changing back to incorporating more colored stones into engagement rings. The new generation of brides is all about individualization. I see a growing trend of [...]

Citrine: November’s Birthstone
Citrine and Amethyst share the same gem species, Quartz. It is abundant in every corner of the earth. In its purest form, quartz is colorless, but it is most prized for its purple and golden varieties. The ancients revered citrine as a gift of the sun and a powerful antidote to the viper’s venom. Citrine, derived [...]

Which is heavier?
A carat of diamonds vs. a carat of sapphires? It’s like the childhood joke: Which is heavier a pound of feathers or a pound of bricks. They both weight a pound, but the bricks will take up less space than the feathers. Similar to bricks and feathers, gemstones and diamonds have different densities. So while [...]