Category Archives: Gemstone Tidbits

Interesting tidbits of information about exotic gems other than gemstones.

Turquoise: A Byproduct of Copper Mining

Posted on February 16, 2012 by mrahm

In my previous post, I talked about my educational day of fun with friends in Bisbee, Arizona. We toured the Copper Queen Mine then drove down the road for a look at the open-pit copper mine known as the Lavender … Continue reading →

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Arizona Copper Mining

Posted on February 15, 2012 by mrahm

While at the Tucson gem show, my friends and I took a detour to Bisbee, Arizona known for its famous copper and turquoise mines. The day was fun yet educational. First, we took the commercial tour of the now-closed famous … Continue reading →

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Now That’s Some Pair of Bookends!

Posted on February 11, 2012 by mrahm

Imagine these twins decorating your home…I had to look twice when I saw these monstrous amethyst geodes at the Tucson gem and mineral show. I’ve never seen amethyst geodes so large before. Coincidentally, one year ago today I posted another … Continue reading →

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Rare and Unique, Ametrine

Posted on February 10, 2012 by mrahm

I just returned from the Tucson gem show. While I didn’t post much during my visit, I still took a lot of photos of amazing gemstones and mineral specimens to share with you. In my previous post, I talked about … Continue reading →

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Amethyst Sister to Citrine

Posted on February 2, 2012 by mrahm

Did you know amethyst and citrine belong to the same gem species? Both amethyst and citrine are members of the mineral species, Quartz. The color is the most obvious difference between amethyst and citrine. Amethyst ranges in color from strong … Continue reading →

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One Amazing Peridot

Posted on January 31, 2012 by mrahm

This gorgeous green stone is an amazing peridot mined in Pakistan. It weighs a whopping 100.15 carats and has a price tag of $25,037. Peridot with exceptional quality and color began to emerge from the mountains of Pakistan in the … Continue reading →

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$308,000.00 and it’s not even a diamond?!

Posted on January 21, 2012 by mrahm

This gorgeous green stone is smaller than a quarter, yet it’s worth more than a house…and it’s not even a diamond! This breathtaking stone is the world’s finest, largest Demantoid garnet from Russia with amazing intense green color and high … Continue reading →

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This Amazing Aquamarine…

Posted on January 10, 2012 by mrahm

I hope everyone had a blessed holiday season. I wish you prosperity and good health for the new year. I mentioned in a previous post that I have the privilege of touring the gem and mineral collection at the Smithsonian … Continue reading →

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Tangerine Tango: The Fashion Color For 2012

Posted on December 8, 2011 by mrahm

Sarah Bernard of The Thread just released the new fashion color for 2012: Tangerine Tango. While she doesn’t mention any gemstone jewelry that might offer a great way for you to accessorize in style, consider stylish jewelry made with padparadschas … Continue reading →

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Affordable Diamond Alternatives

Posted on December 1, 2011 by mrahm

So many of our customers are either green-minded, budget conscious or conflict-conscious and no amount of pursuasion will change their minds…they simply do not want a diamond as the center stone in their engagement ring. For this reason, we’ve prepared … Continue reading →

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Repairing an 850 Carat Imperial Topaz

Posted on November 28, 2011 by mrahm

Because November is topaz month, I thought this would be a fun project to share with you. I’ve prepared the video below showing the step-by-step process of repairing a chipped table facet on a large 850 carat Imperial Topaz. My … Continue reading →

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Happy Thanksgiving

Posted on November 24, 2011 by mrahm

As I sit here smelling the turkey in the oven and imagining the feast that awaits us in a couple of hours, I think of how grateful I am for so many things in my life. I have been blessed … Continue reading →

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National Gem Collection

Posted on November 14, 2011 by mrahm

I had a great time touring the National Gem & Mineral Collection at the Smithsonian today with the Curator, Jeff Post. Starting January 1st, I’ll take a break from birthstone tidbits and share with you some fascinating info about various … Continue reading →

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Happy Veteran’s Day

Posted on November 11, 2011 by mrahm

It is with heartfelt thanks that I write today to address the men and women of our armed forces. Your sacrifice and bravery is appreciated more than words can say. You put your lives on the line to keep our … Continue reading →

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Tourmaline

Posted on November 9, 2011 by mrahm

My plan for the end of October was to tell you a bit about tourmaline and show you some orange sapphire engagement rings in honor of Halloween. However, my father was unexpectedly admitted to the hospital and I was out … Continue reading →

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Jacques Voorhees in Denver Tonight

Posted on October 20, 2011 by mrahm

Jacques is one of the funniest, most effective speakers I’ve ever heard. Join us for an enlightening evening full of tips for brick and mortar stores to effectively compete against e-tailers…just in time for the holiday season. Everyone is welcome… … Continue reading →

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My Favorite Opal Fact

Posted on October 11, 2011 by mrahm

In honor of opal birthstone month, I wanted to share my favorite fact about opal. There are two different types of opal, precious opal and common opal. Precious opal has beautiful play of color while common opal does not. So … Continue reading →

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October’s Birthstone: Opal

Posted on October 10, 2011 by mrahm

Opal has ignited man’s imagination for more than 2,000 years with the flashes of fire that magically burn within its depths. Its multicolored flame makes it unique in the world of gemstones – giving it more variety of color and … Continue reading →

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Pleochroic Sapphire

Posted on September 30, 2011 by mrahm

Like most gemstones, sapphire is doubly refractive and like many doubly refractive stones, it generally shows pleochroism. Pleochroism is an optical phenomenon that is a direct result of double refraction…when a light beam splits and travels in different directions at … Continue reading →

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Sapphire Clarity

Posted on September 24, 2011 by mrahm

As I mentioned previously, there are three basic gemstone types in terms of clarity: Type I stones are usually eye-clean…those include aquamarine, green tourmaline, blue zircon and others Type II stones generally show SOME eye-visible inclusions. Those include alexandrite, sapphire, … Continue reading →

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