Wife Kaye recently worked with a local family to renovate this heirloom bracelet, composed of sterling silver panels, strung on a ribbon, each hand engraved with the initials of a family member. Judging by the style, the bracelet probably was started around the late 1800′s or so– the most recent person on [...]
Our client sadly thought this family heirloom .96 ct. Old European cut diamond had little or no value– after years of wear, it had been cherished almost to death and looked like it had been through the garbage disposal. Mardon to the rescue! A close inspection in our gemological microscope revealed that while the [...]
We just acquired this wonderful vintage gold pin, exuberant with whimsy and imagination. If you have ever seen an actual roadrunner running along, you know that in addition to moving their feet very quickly, they also bob their long tail up and down to catch their balance. Ours does too!
Want to own a piece of historical art jewelry? We are pleased to showcase this wonderful handmade Modernist brooch/pendant of 18k yellow gold set with diamonds and a fabulous red fantasy cut tourmaline weighing 10.05 carats, created by the brilliant lapidary artist, Bernd Munsteiner.
Yesterday, a young man, just graduated from dental school, came to the store to sell us a small batch of casting gold leftover from his casting classes. We tested his gold as 14K, then weighed and valued it for him. He left the store to get his identification so we could make the transaction, but [...]
Recently, daughter Jenny and I spent a memorable Memorial Day weekend at the 2011 GIA International Symposium. This year, Symposium was divided into two tracks, one focused on current scientific research in the field of gemology, while the other concentrated on the future of business for the jewelry industry. This year’s keynote speaker was noted [...]
I just completed 3 days of intensive training with our newest CAD software, 3Design by VisionNumeric. Jenny was able to train on 3Design in March, and she’s been able to produce some wonderful pieces with the new software. I had a medical issue and couldn’t take the training until now, so my skills will come [...]
This headline caught my eye in a recent email– the answer to this trick question is anyone! A newsletter by an insurance industry organization highlighted the fact that there are no federal or other governmental bodies setting qualifications for who may be a jeweler or a jewelry appraiser. A study by a related group also [...]
This beautiful 18K gold ring we had made in the high Himalaya Mountains of Nepal shows the true magic of the Cat’s Eye gem. Cat’s Eye is an optical phenomenon seen in many different gems, including emerald, aquamarine, and tourmaline, to name a few, but the classic Cat’s Eye effect is best exhibited in the [...]
Earlier this week, we delivered this nice 14K rose gold custom gent’s wedding band to a very happy client. It was made as a replacement for the original wedding ring belonging to her husband, to be presented at their upcoming anniversary. From what our client told us, two uncles had combined their gold jewelry, one [...]
