It’s a pleasant September morning in the year 1622 and a majestic Spanish galleon sits in the port of Havana, along with 27 other ships of the combined fleet, their crews awaiting orders.
The Nuestra Señora de Atocha sits low in the water, weighed down by 964 silver bars, 161 gold bars or disks, 255,000 silver coins, and uncounted chests filled with undeclared (and untaxed) emeralds. Smugglers be warned: punishment is 200 lashes and ten years spent in chains, rowing a galleon.
You probably already know about the importance of a diamond’s 4Cs (color, clarity, cut, carat weight) in defining diamond quality and ultimately determining its value. You may also know that a diamond grading report from an independent grading laboratory like GIA is your best way to be sure that your getting an unbiased assessment of your diamond’s quality. But in addition to the 4Cs, a diamond grading report also contains a wealth of information that tells a deeper story about your diamond. (more…)
While you may not have the chance to say ‘thank you’ or ‘I love you’ to mom every day, Mother’s Day gives the perfect opportunity to show your gratitude. We’ve gathered inspiration for thoughtful gift giving she’ll fall in love with. (more…)
With the birth of Charlotte Elizabeth Diana, proud parents Prince William and Kate Middleton, and the royal house of Windsor celebrate a beautiful new addition to the royal family. As we congratulate them and welcome Her Royal Highness Princess Charlotte of Cambridge to the world, many of us just might be fantasizing what it would be like to be a royal. Luckily, jewelry has a special power to turn even the homeliest frog among us into a prince or princess. And so we searched for some special jewelry pieces that can help you or your beloved feel like a royal – not just for a day, but for a lifetime. Enjoy!
Happy Earth Day! How grateful we are to the Earth for the basic elements that sustain our lives and the natural beauty that makes life worth living. Among Mother Earth’s many wondrous gifts are rare rocks and gem crystals – treasures that form deep beneath her surface. When fashioned and polished, they become the strikingly beautiful gemstones that have captivated mankind for millennia. Gemstones in their rough, unpolished form have an intrinsic beauty of their own, hinting at the potential of what they can become.
Loyal? Patient? Dependable? If that sounds like you, then you’re probably a Taurus, and we have some jewelry to go with your birth sign. (more…)
The 1960s gave us the Beatles, flower power, and the first moon landing, but also war and political upheaval. It was a time of turmoil and unprecedented social change, and the period’s influence on fashion and jewelry design was unmistakable.
Fashion goes in cycles, so the saying goes. Jewelry motifs from the 1960s are now showing up in contemporary designs, and 60s vintage jewelry is a hot item for many jewelry collectors. We think that’s groovy! (more…)
Ready for a diamond adventure?
We’re heading off to Lesotho – a landlocked Kingdom about the size of Maryland. Surrounded on all sides by South Africa, this mountainous land is the home of the Letseng diamond mine, one of five major diamond mines in the country, and the source of some of the world’s largest and finest diamonds discovered in the last decade. (more…)
If you love your jewelry, you’ll want it to always look as stunning as it did when it was new.
Ultrasonic cleaners can restore the beauty of your bejeweled treasures. These machines generate high-frequency sound waves that travel through water or a cleaning solution creating heat and pressure. Ultrasonic machines can effectively clean jewelry by dislodging dirt and debris from behind gems and other hard-to-reach places. (more…)
If you have heirloom jewelry pieces hidden away in dresser drawers, bank vaults, and jewelry boxes, it’s time to take them out and give them another look.
Heirloom jewelry has sentimental value, something a loved one may have worn. Whether it is a one-of-a-kind piece that’s handmade or a mass produced item, it represents an emotional attachment to the original owner.
What better way for a jewelry connoisseur to celebrate Easter than with a Fabergé Imperial Easter egg hunt?
Between 1885 and 1917, master jeweler Peter Carl Fabergé (1846 – 1920) and his staff of around 500 craftsmen created just 50 of his treasured eggs for the tsars of Russia as Easter gifts. The Romanovs, specifically the Russian Imperial Families of Alexander III (father) and Nicholas II (son), were spellbound by these artistic marvels, and Fabergé sought to make each new creation surpass the previous. (more…)
Those born under the astrological sign of Aries (March 21 – April 19) are thought to be independent, enthusiastic, and courageous – and such a group would naturally want jewelry that is just as unique. (more…)
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