We have nothing against lab-grown diamonds, lab-grown emeralds, or any of the lab-grown stones available today. Although the focus of our gem business is for naturally occurring gemstones mined from the Earth, we sell lab-grown stones occasionally. For some consumers, they are a great choice — for example, we made a ring with a lab-grown […]
National Jeweler, a weekly trade publication, posted an article August 29 about “Gem Legacy”, a nonprofit trust set up by jewelry professionals to support education and vocational training in the local economies of East Africa. The countries of this region are major sources of colored gemstones and diamonds, yet many of those persons who mine these […]
Jade is unique in the world of gems because there are several different minerals that are correctly called jade. The history of jade begins as far back as the Stone Age. Jade minerals, including nephrite and jadeite, resist breakage but are soft enough to carve, so they were used to make stone tools by several […]
Mardon has developed its reputation as a fine jeweler by creating its own way of doing business. The Mardon Way is based on our passion for fine colored gemstones. Because we love the richly colored treasures that Mother Nature has created for us, we’re dedicated to setting these fine colored gemstones into beautifully made pieces […]
One of most commonly counterfeited items on the planet is the Rolex sport watch– we call them “Fauxlex”. Here’s a counterfeit of the Rolex Ladies DateJust that we recently examined. Our first impression was that it was not genuine- the outer bezel is set with low quality diamonds and looks out of synch with the dial– […]
As members of the American Gem Society, we at Mardon Jewelers are committed to conducting our business ethically. Key tenets of the AGS are that the ethical business person never knowingly misrepresents the facts or intentionally deceives other parties. From our AGS Membership Manual, these are the first 3 of 15 specifically prohibited business practices. 1. Advertising […]
A client inherited this gorgeous antique Yogo Sapphire pin and asked us to appraise it. Sapphires were known to occur in several areas of western Montana as early as 1865. For the most part, these deposits produced only moderately good sapphires. The discovery of sapphires in Yogo Creek was different. In 1895, famed gemologist G.F. […]
One of the missions Robert M. Shipley defined when he created the Gemological Institute of America was to rectify incorrect practices in the jewelry and gem business. One of the most common of these is the use of trade names and misnomers for gemstones.
We thought this would be a great post the week before Father’s Day. Often at Mardon Jewelers, we’re asked to perform an expert service by a client. Such was the case recently when we restored the ring that originally belonged to Robert M. Shipley, the founder of GIA. Early in his career, Mr. Shipley realized […]
Every year in the fall, I receive the materials to prepare for my annual recertification exam. Sigh! All titleholders in the American Gem Society are required to pass an examination of skills and gemological knowledge annually. The AGS hosts yearly conclaves around the USA, in which seminars and classes present the latest information on gemology […]
