Blog — education & resources

Birthstone month: AprilColor: Ideally colorless, though many diamonds have a hint of yellow or brownFamily: DiamondMoh's Hardness: 10Transparency: Transparent Typically, gem-quality diamonds are colorless or nearly colorless. When the discoloration in a diamond is intense enough to be viewed as an entirely different color, though, these diamonds are intentionally marketed for their color and inclusions. Yellow diamonds, blue diamonds, black diamonds, gray/salt and pepper diamonds, champagne diamonds, and cognac diamonds are all variations valued for their non-standard look. Here's an example of a raw, uncut diamond: Diamonds are unusual in that they are the only gemstones that are comprised of...

Does your ring spin on your finger, but barely fit over your knuckles? How can you fix this? An easy and fairly permanent option is to add sizing beads to the inside of your ring. Sizing beads add a little more surface area for your ring to grip your finger, but they slip easily past your knuckles.   Having trouble with a spinning ring? Ask your local jeweler to add sizing beads! xo, Christine

Birthstone month: MarchColor: Varies from pale, watery blue to intense greenish blueFamily: BerylMoh's Hardness: 7.5 - 8.0Transparency: Transparent Aquamarines range from blue to greenish blue, with intensity ranging from pale, watery colors through more intense blues. Smaller stones, particularly under five carats, typically lean towards the paler end of the spectrum. Larger, deeper stones are more likely to exhibit a more intense blue color.     Just like emeralds, aquamarines come from the beryl family. Aquas often grow in large, eye-clean crystals that are excellent for creating gem-quality gemstones.Aqua is the traditional birthstone for March, and is also the gemstone...

Birthstone month: JanuaryColor: Red, orange, pinkish orange, purplish red, green, gray, black, blueFamily: GarnetMoh's Hardness: 6.5-7.5Transparency: Transparent to semi-translucent (there are opaque varieties, though these are generally not considered gem quality)Garnet is a transparent to semi-translucent gemstone that comes in a wide range of colors, though it's most recognizable as a dark, brownish red. Rather than being a single, cohesive mineral, the garnet family is actually comprised of several types of closely related minerals. Red garnets are the most recognizable of their family, but color variations include orange, pinkish orange, purplish red, green, gray, black, and even blue! The garnet...

Birthstone month: DecemberColor: Turquoise ranges from sea foam green to teal blueFamily: TurquoiseMoh's Hardness: 5-6Transparency: Semi-translucent to opaque There are a number of birthstones for December: tanzanite, topaz, and turquoise. Turquoise is a quintessential American gemstone that many people associate with sterling silver Native American jewelry, but it has a broad history that reaches well beyond North America. Some pieces of turquoise jewelry found in Egyptian tombs are among the oldest pieces of jewelry in the world, and the Chinese have been carving turquoise for over 3000 years. Turquoise is a slightly porous, semi-translucent to opaque gemstone that is most...