Author Archive

Heat Treated Stone Helps Endangered Humans Survive

Friday, August 20th, 2010

The desire and ability to exploit our environment and to utilize and improve the natural materials we find is rooted in our deepest past, and is in fact, part of the reason we are here today. I was absolutely fascinated by an article in the August 2010 Scientific American, When the Sea Saved Humanity, that […]

Famous Annual Clearance Sale- 3 Days Left!

Wednesday, August 11th, 2010

Those of you who have contemplated, mulled, dawdled, or just plain procrastinated about buying something during our Annual Clearance Sale, be warned– The sale is over Saturday, August 14, 5:30 PM. Don’t miss your chance to buy our first line jewelry at bargain basement prices! Get your christmas shopping done in August and save bundles! […]

Our Famous Annual Clearance Sale, 2010

Friday, July 30th, 2010

Look for fabulous values during our Famous Annual Sale, Tuesday, August 3 thru Saturday, August 14. You'll find great designer pieces, classic estate jewelry, and unique Mardon originals drastically marked down at true clearance prices up to 60% off.

Sapphires Illustrate the Wonder of Gems and the Limits of Perception

Wednesday, July 14th, 2010

These two sapphires are both from the island of Sri Lanka, both are heat enhanced, both are from the same vendor, both weigh about the same. Here's another photograph, same stones, same photographer (myself), same camera, same photo stage, similar macro lens, slightly different lighting. Can you guess which one costs more?

A One-of-a-Kind Filigree Engagement Ring

Saturday, July 3rd, 2010

We completed a most beautiful engagement ring a while back but weren’t able to post this blog till now. It was one of the most challenging projects we’ve ever done! Our clients Megan and Mike, big fans of antique and period jewelry, fell in love with a 1920’s Art Deco platinum ring in our estate […]

Art Deco Jadeite Necklace- A Lesson in Appraising Jade

Tuesday, June 22nd, 2010

We’ve been working on an insurance appraisal for this wonderful platinum necklace with diamonds and jadeite from the 1920’s and realized the piece has a lot to teach about grading and valuing jade. Jade is not well understood by many folks. If I told you that jade can be one of the most expensive of […]

Restoring the Ring of GIA founder Robert M. Shipley- A Father’s Legacy

Saturday, June 12th, 2010

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 […]

Father’s Day Gift Par Excellence- A Carved Fire Agate

Saturday, June 5th, 2010

A service we offer is finding rare gemstones. One of my “quests” at Tucson 2010 was for an unusual stone for a client who owns a stable of Tennessee Walking Horses. One of his horses is a World Grand Champion, so he was interested in a ring he could wear that would bring attention to […]

Gold in Quartz Man’s Ring

Thursday, May 27th, 2010

For a very special gift for Father’s Day or perhaps an anniversary, consider this striking one-of-a-kind man’s ring, set with a gorgeous gold in quartz gemstone from the Eldorado Mine in Gympie, Queensland, Australia.  You can easily see the dramatic eruption of pure gold in the white quartz matrix– simply stunning! I picked this gem […]

A Tale of Two Diamond Clients

Saturday, May 22nd, 2010

A couple of weeks ago, I did a gemological consultation for a young man who had purchased a diamond solitaire from a diamond merchant’s Ebay site.  He was able to win a diamond auction and wanted my opinion of the stone. I looked over the stone first before asking him about the price paid, the […]

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