The A to Z of Jewelry

From alexandrite and cultured pearls to gold vermeil, high jewelry, turquoise and zircon, our glossary is a quick reference guide for what’s what in the jewelry industry. Did you know that alexandrite was first unearthed in Russia’s Ural mountains and can morph colors? Even more, what about its chatoyancy visual effect, reminiscent of a cat’s […]

Finding Rubies in Northeast Mozambique

Northeastern Mozambique is situated at a very special junction between two treasure-bearing belts of rock formed between 500 and 800 million years ago. During the Pan-African tectonic event, large regions in its basement metamorphosed at high temperatures and high pressure which created suitable conditions for the formation of gemstones. Rubies at the site can be […]

The D-to-Z of Diamonds

An observant and deliberate painter, Vermeer produced only 36 known works in his lifetime, while many of his contemporaries completed hundreds. Like his peers, he mostly depicted scenes of ordinary life, later called “genre” painting, often of women at daily tasks. Notable examples include Girl Reading a Letter at an Open Window (c. 1657) and […]

A Gilded Funeral Wreath

Lavishly decorating the deceased with fragrant ointments, wine and wreaths dates as far back as 400 BC, serving as a gift of sorts to accompany the dead in the afterlife.   While botanical accoutrements like flowers and twigs wrapped in bronze and copper sheet metal were common to the working class, the richer folk were […]