Cabochon Cut Gemstones
Cabochon stones are shaped and polished as opposed to faceted. “Cabochon” comes from the French word Caboche, meaning knob or small dome. Before faceted stones made their appearance in ...
Birthstones and their Origin
The idea of a gemstone assigned to each month of the year is thought to be an ancient one, traced by scholars back to the book of Exodus and ...
Lightening Ridge Black Opals
Opal…the modern name of the gem opal is derived from ancient sources: the Sanskrit Upala which means “precious stone, “the Latin Opalus & Greek Opallios which both mean “to ...
Buckle up!
BUCKLE UP! Buckle jewelry became quite popular in the 19th century, during the Victorian Era. The belt/buckle represents eternity, fidelity/loyalty, strength and protection. The symbol curves around and threads ...
America’s Court Jeweler: Seaman Schepps
Seaman Schepps, also known as “America’s court jeweler” opened his shop in 1926 on New York’s Madison Avenue. An immigrant’s son from the Lower East Side, his revolutionary designs ...
Elbaite Variety: Precious Tourmaline
TOURMALINE Tourmaline is also a birthstone for the month of October, in addition to Opal. The word Tourmaline is derived from the Sinhalese term “turmali” or “gem of many ...
Quartz Family: Citrine Spotlight
Along with Topaz, Citrine is a birthstone for November. Citrine is rare in nature. In the days before modern gemology, its tawny color caused it to be confused with ...