Fantastic Finds Info

My mother’s birthday and Mother’s Day often coincide. This can be problematic for my brother and me because our mom is difficult to shop for. Finding two worthy presents in the same time frame can be quite a challenge. This year, I think we’re going to hit it out of the ball park.

We’ve settled on ordering her matching mother’s birthstone jewelry. The birthstone for May is emerald, so we’re having an emerald pendant necklace crafted. The second part of the gift will be a custom made ring with our mother’s birthstone flanked by birthstones representing my brother and me. I was born in December, so my birthstone is topaz, while my brother, who was born in August, has peridot as a birthstone.

Rings are great accessories for any outfit. A chunky ring can make a bold statement, while a thinner, subtler ring can add a dash of class. I’ve recently become obsessed with rings that use unusual gemstones in creative ways. Thus far, my favorite gemstone has to be citrine.

I currently own two citrine rings. The first is a chunky ring designed by Meredith Leigh that is shaped like the head of an owl, with the eyes made of citrine. The second is a silver band with a large, oval cut citrine gem surrounded by white diamonds. I love how both rings glitter in the light. That extra sparkle is really something special.

“Someone turn that TV down.” I demanded in frustration.  ” I can’t concentrate and  balance this checkbook with that thing yelling at me!”  Then I realized that I was the only one in the house.  After muttering a few choice words,  I backed my wheelchair away from the computer, located the remote control and turned the monster down–but not before my eye caught  a demonstration of amateursbeing taught to set gemstone jewelry. “Looks like fun,” I told myself.  For a moment I dared to think that I could do that. Then all the excuses reared their ugly heads.  You are handicapped.  You are wheelchair bound.  You have severe arthritis in your hands.  Your hands shake sometimes!  I justified all of this kind of thinking with old generalization–You can’t teach an old dog new tricks, and this old dog was 83!  ”Oh, forget it!” I told myself out loud. But the idea just hung around, so I decided to prove once and for all that I could not learn this art.

“Teach me to make a ring like this I have on,” I pointed to the ruby ring on my finger.  The retired master jewelry designer I had called on for help looked at me like I was out of my mind. And to tell you the truth, I was thinking the same thing!

“Fay, you are 83 years old.  That is too old to learn this skill.  Find something easier.  It took me years to gain that skill, and I was a young pup then,” my friend cautioned.

“You are probably right,” I countered,” but pretend I am 30 and try anyway.I need to know if I can do it. I need to know if I can learn something that is brand new to me.”

In the next few months, I broke prongs, set stones crooked and made other boo-boos.  But I was challenged to finally do it right.  Then the fun began.  I spent hours actually enjoying myself in the sun room where I had set  up shop.  I was so proud of each item I made correctly! When my hands got shaky I just quit for a while.  When the arthritis caused my hands to ache unbearably, I dealt with the pain, and went on.  My mentor was amazed at my success!  So was I!  And so am I today after creating about 500 pieces.  Each one was unusual and each was unique!  And the most important thing–I made each one!  What a heavenly feeling!

You can’t teach an old dog new tricks?  Don’t be so sure. The older learner absorbs new skills in a different way than younger ones do.  They need more demonstration and  practice with the new addition to their store of knowledge.  But, old dogs can learn new tricks–and they do so with gusto!

PS: In past years this writer  was a recognized authority on adult learning ability.  I am sure she would like to hear your thoughts on the subject.  Do you think that old learners can master new skills?  Just try!

In determining real gemstone values for unique gemstone rings, pendants or earrings, absolutely nothing can take the place of a expert human being eye-balling the gemstone in question.  When this information is not reasonably available, there are ways of establishing probable values of the stone you are interested in (+ or – 10% to 15%).

A Google search will guide you to all kinds of confusing sites regarding gem evaluation.  Most offer the services of a gemologist.  Some offer information about what to look for in doing an evaluation.  But I have found one service to be very useful and dependable:  www.gemval.com.

This group of gemologists use various factors about the stone you are concerned with, such as carat weight, color, clarity, cut and shape to determine the gem’s value.  The website is www.gemval.com.  Be cautioned, its accuracy depends on the accuracy of the information that the user feeds to the program.

GemVal Guide to Gemstone Prices Sep 1, 2010 … Online guide to gemstone prices for industry professionals. Gemstone current market values, pricing charts and trends, free online appraisals…

If you read the reactions of users to the data from this site you will find it is generally very favorable.  The site also offers other information about the gem, such as, refractive index, specific gravity, hardness on Koh scale, etc.  Of course, any subjective process working with statistical data and probabilities  such as GemVal does  cannot be 100% perfect.  But it has a good track record.

In the gem data offered by Gemstone Creations,  we use GemVal as the appraisal price.  But we point out that it is an approximation.  We also add a disclaimer to each of our sales stating that we are not  gemologists and we state the source of our gem data.  If we make an error (heaven forbid!) as an honest seller, we are anxious to satisfy the customer. Our contact info is available on the website as well as instructions for returning unsatisfactory merchandise.

I reached my limit on words!  Stay turned for more information on gemstones, their origin, value, care and treatment.  Be sure and visit our website often.  Our merchandise changes constantly. All items are one of a kind and sell out quickly.

How can you tell if a gemstone is real or not?  I have already told you that the most obvious characteristic–color– is of no help!   But there are other clues.

Pay attention to the language used to describe the gem.  If the stone is described as natural, you know that Mother Nature has taken eons of time to create the beautiful  gem inside the rock in the earth.  It took primitive man a long time to learn to mine it  and to figure out  the characteristics that would mark the stone as valuable.  But with a pick ax and a shovel, primitive man learned to get and to value the shining rock in his hand.

Today, if the stone is described as simulated, it has the looks of the gemstone, but none of its valuable mineral properties.  It could be made out of anything from glass to bits of other natural gemstones.  But it is just a look-alike!  Much of the costume  or fashion jewelry worn today uses simulated stones.  They are sometimes very beautiful—-and a lot less expensive!

If  the stone is described as synthetic, you have a real treasure!  These stones have the same color (or sometimes better color) as the natural ones.  They have the same chemical makeup. They have the same visual and refractive characteristics. They have the same specific gravity.  In every way they are the same as the natural stone–except in two ways–length of time needed for them to grow and the price you pay.  Because of these factors, many well known designers use as many synthetic stones as natural ones.   In almost any jewelry store today you will see as many synthetic stones as natural ones.

Simulated and Synthetic!  These are the two “S” you need to be aware of in selecting jewelry for your treasure chest!  There is one more thing that you need to know before you go shopping.  Whoops! I am writing too much again, so I will tell you about this in the next blog!

BE CAREFUL! If you are buying a TV or a washing machine it is easy to compare models, etc. and make good value decisions. But very few of us have the knowledge to make that kind of decision about gemstones. Sadly to say, both on the internet and behind store front windows there is a multitude of  corrupt merchants who will smilingly take your money without giving you fair value.  There is also a multitude of very honest merchants.  I wish I could always tell the difference!

The best defense the customer has is the appraisal services of a skillful independent appraiser. Never buy an expensive piece of jewelry without this!   Honest merchants will encourage you to seek this service.

An appraiser is a gemologist who has invested a fortune in instruments that measure various properties of natural gemstones and years in studying what to look for in identifying gems.  His services are usually expensive, but worth the investment.    There is nothing more heart breaking to discover that the beautiful unique gemstone ring you emptied your piggy bank to buy is nothing more than a piece of bottle glass!

I craft the jewelry pieces for Gemstone Creations.  I am fascinated by gemology and have invested time and money into the purchase of a microscope and many  other instruments to help me identify gems.  I spend a lot of time studying the characteristics of gems, so that someday I will be a gemologist.  But that time has not yet come, so I have found a substitute way to identify the probable value of a gemstone.

I have used up my word limit  for this blog, so in the next one I will tell you all about this valuable resource.  It is available to everyone and is just a few clicks away.  Stay tuned . . . . .

In the last blog I told you not to count on color to identify the authenticity of that gemstone you have been admiring.  Pay attention to the language that is used to describe the stone.  If the stone is described as natural, Mother Nature took eons of time to create the beautiful  gem in the rock of the earth.  It took man a long time to identify the characteristics that would identify the stone.

If the stone is described as simulated, it has the looks of the gemstone, but none of its valuable characteristics.  It could be made out of anything from glass or plastic to bits of other natural gemstones.  But it is just a look-alike!  Much of what is worn as  fashion jewelry today uses simulated stones.  They are sometimes very beautiful—-and a lot less expensive!

If  the stone is described as synthetic, you have a real treasure!  These stones have the same color (or sometimes better color) as natural ones.  They have the same chemical makeup. They have the same visual and refractive characteristics. They have the same specific gravity.  In every way they are the same as the natural stone–except in two ways–the shorter  time the laboratory needed for the gems to mature,  and consequently,  the price you pay.  Because of these two factors, many well known jewelry designers  use as many synthetic stones as natural ones.  Look at the showcases of almost any of today’s jewelry stores.  You will see as many synthetic stones as natural ones.  Some of them are really prettier than their natural counterparts, and all are cheaper.

Whoops!  There I go again, writing too much.  So next time I will tell you the one other thing you need to know before you go jewelry shopping!  Till we meet again…….

Have you ever wondered whether that trendy jewelry bought at a flee market was real or just a look-alike?  I did , too.  That is until recently, when after much study and learning the things I needed to know,   I acquired instruments that would help me answer that question.  With much sadness  I found that I could no longer claim that the big green stone ring on my right finger was real!  What a disappointment!  Of course, you would not be expected to buy the instruments, do the study, etc. to identify the gemstone the way I did.  I am fascinated by gemology.  But there are other hints that can help you.

First, color is no help. There is no color difference in a garnet and a ruby, or an amethyst  and an iolite.  When you are only given color differences as the gem  identifier watch out!  Even the most experienced  jeweler can be fooled this way.

My daughter told me that I write too much.  So, I am going to please her and stop right here.  The next blog that I write will tell you how to be more comfortable in buying gemstone jewelry.  So keep tuned in–we will be back very soon.  Same time and same place!  Meanwhile look at the the beautiful things we have put on the websites.

Yes, really! Back before man populated the Earth, flaming meteors whipped into our planet, blasting giant holes in the Earth, creating volcanoes and other violations of the planet’s surface.  In the centuries that followed, volcanoes released steaming, molten streams of a hauntingly beautiful lime green substance. As modern excavators  explored ancient meteor sites the same material was seen as a part of a meteor.  Today, we call this beautiful  material ” peridot.” It was found first in Russia  where meteorites  collided with earth.  Yes,  Earth really does  has gemstones from outer space!

Peridot was found in many ancient cultures.  It was found in Egyptian jewelry as early as the 2nd millennium BC. Archaelogists found the probable source of these jewels at mine sites  long exhausted  on a volcanic island in the Red Sea about 45 miles off the coast of Aswan.

Peridot is the official birthstone for August. It is an appropriate  gift for a 16th wedding anniversary. It is the stone for the Zodiac sign of Libra! References to it as chrysolite, and “evening emeralds” are found throughout ancient literature and art.  The fabled breastplates of the Hebrew high priests were decorated with peridot. In the Bible it is called “pisdah.”  The Romans breastplates were also decorated with peridot.  It is believed that many of Cleopatra’s “emeralds” were really peridot!  Do you suppose Mark Anthony gave them to her?   We know that Napoleon gave peridot gems to Josephine as a token of his undying love!  Would you like to visit a beach where the sand is peridot?  Stay tuned and I will tell you where!

White gold is an alloy of gold containing at least one other metal giving it a lighter appearance. Common metals in white gold include nickel and palladium.  Like gold, white gold purity is measured in carats. Adding these additional metals to the gold allows it to be used for different purposes than regular gold. White gold mixed with nickel is typically harder and more durable, and is used in rings and pins. White gold mixed with palladium makes for a softer metal good for setting gemstones, such as white gold amethyst rings. White gold gemstone necklaces are also very popular.

White gold is usually lined with a thin layer of another metal, typically rhodium.  This gives it its the shine needed, since white gold itself tends to have a duller sheen.