PalmBeachGems

Garnet, A Gem of Endless Variety

2012-01-06T00:19:00.000-05:00

The birthstone of January is Garnet. Garnet has been one of the world's favorite gemstones for centuries. And although gem quality garnets can be among the most beautiful of all gems, they are relatively affordable. There are some varieties, like tsavorite and spessartite that can be very expensive, but most are modestly priced. Though most of us think of garnets as a red gemstone they come in many colors, including orange, green, purple, clear and pink. Some even appear to change color, depending on the type of lighting! Garnets are not actually a single species of gemstone but are a family of gems that share certain physical properties including crystal shape and chemical composition. They are generally grouped into six garnet species, almandine, pyrope, spessartine, grossular, andradite and uvarovite. To complicate matters more, garnets are never just one species, but are a blend of two or more of these.

They are usually named for the species that is most prevalent. A garnet that is described as "pyrope" may actually be 80% pyrope, 15% almandine and 5% spessartine. Some specific blends have also been given names of their own. For example, a garnet that is about 2/3 pyrope and 1/3 almandine is called a Rhodolite. Other names you may encounter for varieties of garnets include demantoid (usually green), malaya ( may be pink or reddish orange) , mandarin (yellow-orange spessartine), hessonite (usually cinnamon brown or yellowish) or tsavorite(green).

Learning, identifying and describing the seemingly endless varieties of garnets is challenging, but they also provide a wide range of prices and colors for every taste. And garnets provide a source of great beauty and endless fascination for gem lovers and mineral collectors as well.

www.palmbeachgems.com

Hubei Turquoise

2011-09-23T15:17:00.000-04:00

Hubei Turquoise

Turquoise has been used as a gemstone for thousands of years in many different parts of the world. In the United States we usually associate turquoise with the southwestern part of the country. And in fact, most American turquoise comes from Arizona, New Mexico and Nevada. Turquoise is a stone that forms under just the right conditions in desert areas. It is found in other desert regions throughout the world including Africa, China and the Middle East. Traditionally American turquoise has been the most prized and expensive, however most of the U.S. mines are no longer producing and so the jewelry industry has had to look to other areas for a steady supply of quality material. Many people consider turquoise from Iran to be the finest available, but it is prohibitively expensive. Perhaps the best source these days is China. Chinese turquoise has somehow gotten a bad reputation. Maybe because a lot of low grade or imitation turquoise has come out of China in the past or maybe just because China is associated in many peoples minds with inferior products. But the truth is that some of the finest turquoise in the world is now coming out of China, particularly the Hubei region. Several mines in that area are producing hard, stable turquoise with exquisite color. Much of the material is beautifully spidered with black or dark brown matrix. But Hubei also offers bright blue turquoise with little or no matrix that rivals that of the famous mines in America like "Sleeping Beauty" or Kingman. And best of all, the prices of the Hubei turquoise are still much more reasonably priced. If you love turquoise, you may not have to settle for dyed, treated or imitation products and buying Chinese turquoise doesn't mean that you are settling for second rate gemstones.

Larimar, a Tropical Treasure

2011-03-21T21:08:00.004-04:00

Larimar is a beautiful blue gemstone that has been found in only one location on the planet: The Dominican Republic! This may be the only gemstone found in the Carribean Sea and it looks the part! The unique blue shades look very much like the blue waters of the Carribean. Typically Larimar gemstones will be patterned with luscious medium and light blues and some white. Sometimes there are patches of red or some grey or brown matrix. Occasionally Larimar will be slightly greenish. Usually the darker blues are more sought after and more valuable and whiter or greener pieces are less valuable. It has a crystalline structure that is slightly translucent and sometimes has areas that display chatoyance! Chatoyance is a shimmering luster like that seen in Tiger's Eye gemstones.

Larimar is the rare, blue variety of Pectolite. It was apparently first discovered by a Priest in in Dominican Republic in 1916. He requested permission to explore further and possibly to mine the stone but his request was denied and this beautiful stone remained unknown to the rest of the world for another 58 years. In 1974 Miguel Méndez and an American Peace Corps worker named Norman Rilling rediscovered the stone on the beach in the Dominican Provence of Barahona. Natives had from time to time found the stone on the beach and believed that it came from the sea. However, it was discovered that it had actually washed downstream on the Bahoruco River. Exploring up river it was found to have originated from outcroppings on a volcanic mountain overlooking the sea.

Since then Larimar has been mined, usually employing primitive methods and hand tools, by the locals. Larimar jewelry became a very popular item with tourists to the island. The new gemstone was named by Miguel Méndez by combining his daughter's name, Larissa with the Spanish word for sea (mar). Other names that have been used are Dolphin Stone, Love Stone and Atlantis Stone.

Larimar is usually cut into freeform cabochons. The rough is often somewhat crumbly and has some matrix and voids so there is a fair amount of waste when sawing and grinding. Therefore, it is often cut in free form shapes that preserve as much solid material as possible. Finished stones however, take a fine polish and their beauty is stunning. The hardness of Larimar ranges from 4 to 7 on the mohs scale with the darker blue stones usually being harder. So it is roughly the same hardness as turquoise (5-6). The blue color, not found in pectolites from any other location, is as a result of its containing Cobalt.

Larimar is usually set in silver, but sometimes gold. It is often used in much the same way as turquoise and occasionally it is even seen in contemporary Southwest
style jewelry. Larimar gemstones may be a little too soft for everyday wear as a ring but is very popular as a pendant stone or for earrings. Larger pieces make great wire wrap subjects. Larimar offers a shade of blue unavailable in other gemstone material and it adds a tropical feel to any jewelry design.

Tiffany Stone

2011-02-18T22:34:00.004-05:00

Tiffany Stone is a beautiful and unusual gemstone that is found only in the mountains of Utah. It is also known as "Bertrandite", "Opalized Fluorite" or "Utah Lavender". It is mixture of different colors in swirls, plumes, dendrites and other interesting patterns. Tiffany Stone is composed of predominantly Opalized Fluorite in blues, purples and whites but is often mixed with other minerals such as quartz, chalcedony, dolomite, rhodonite, manganese oxides (blacks), and bertrandite (white, yellow or pink) that contains the mineral beryllium. Specimens with a lot of purple are generally the most sought after. The purple color comes from flourine gases.

Since it only comes from one area in the world, availability is very limited. And only a small percentage of rough material is hard enough and stable enough to cut into gemstones. Most all of the cut cabochons you might find are from old stock.

If you are a jewelry maker looking for something unusual for your next design you should look into Tiffany Stone. If you collect cabochon cut gemstones, you've got to have at least one of these beautiful stones.

View more Tiffany Stone includings lots of matched pairs.

Chatoyant Pietersite

2010-11-14T20:15:00.003-05:00

Pietersite is the name given to a beautiful mineral aggregate that is most often cut into cabochon shapes and makes a great gemstone material. It is closely related to tiger eye and is prized for its chaotic bands and swirls of dark red, gold, brown and sometimes blue. Areas of the stone often display a characteristic known as “chatoyancy”. Chatoyancy is a shimmering, cat's eye effect caused by tiny, fibrous, parallel inclusions.

It is named for Sid Pieters who first discovered it in Namibia in 1962. A slightly different material was later discovered in China and was also classified as Pietesite. I have read that the China mine is closed and so there is no new material coming out of China or Namibia. In any event, supplies are very limited.

Pietersite that contains a lot of blue is the rarest. Dark red is more common. The rich, earthy colors, chatoyant characteristics and striking patterns make it a popular stone year round, but especially in the fall.

Crazy Cool Idocrase

2010-10-08T20:40:00.006-04:00

Idocrase is a very interesting mineral. It also can be a very beautiful gemstone! Idocrase also goes by the name Vesuvianite, since it was first discovered on the volcano, Mount Vesuvius! It isn't very well known outside of rockhound and gem collectors circles but as more high grade material is becoming available, especially from East Africa, it is gaining a wider following. Idocrase is usually an opaque dark green. The opaque material has sometimes been used as a simulant or substitute for jade.

The really exciting stuff though, is the bright, translucent pieces! Somewhat included specimens can be cut into beautiful cabochons and cleaner pieces are facet cut. The shade of green varies from slightly yellowish-green to strongly yellowish-green. The color is reminiscent of the popular gemstone peridot.

If you are looking for a green gemstone that is a little out of the ordinary, consider idocrase. It goes well with amethyst and looks great set in silver.

See more at PalmBeachGems.com

Colorful Gem Chalcedony

2010-09-14T09:38:00.010-04:00

Chalcedony is a fairly common stone that has been used for centuries for tools and adornment. It is a form of quartz, called micro-crystaline simply meaning that it is very fine grained. Since it is very hard, it was a popular choice among prehistoric types for making ax heads and weapons. Today it is used primarily as a gemstone.

Although it is a very common stone, you may be unfamiliar with the name chalcedony. By the way, if you've read the word but never heard it pronounced, you might be surprised to learn that it is pronounced cal-SID-nee. The reason you may not have heard much about it before is that different colors of chalcedony are given different,more glamorous sounding names. For instance, I'm sure you've heard of Carnelian. Carnelian is red chalcedony. Onyx is black chalcedony. Green chalcedony is called chrysoprase or chrysophase. Banded chalcedonies are usually called agates. Recently though, some of the other, more exotic colors are getting more attention and used as gemstones. And they are just being called chalcedony. Blue chalcedony has been popular for a while now. And Indonesia yields some gorgeous purple chalcedony that is the color of amethyst as well as some beautiful bright yellow specimens. Nice clean, clear pieces of this purple or yellow material sell for $20 per carat or more.

A lot of chalcedony is dyed or otherwise treated to enhance its color. Most of the carnelian on the market is heat treated or dyed and almost all onyx dyed to make it blacker.. There is also some very pretty, turquoise blue chalcedony being sold that are recieving a diffusion treatment. The important thing is to always ask before you buy. Gemstone treatments are ok as long as they are disclosed. Natural, untreated chalcedony is much more valuable than dyed stones and the color is permanant. The color of treated stones sometimes fades over time. I have seen beautiful blue chalcedony turn grey after being exposed to light for a few months.

Chalcedony is in many ways a perfect gemstone. The colors are bold, striking and wide ranging. Nice specimens have just the right amount of translucency, so they almost look like they are glowing from within. And they are extremely durable! Best of all chalcedony gemstones, for the most part are affordable.

Turquoise: Natural or Not?

2010-09-01T09:07:00.006-04:00

One of the most popular gemstones in America has long been turquoise. Usually associated with the desert southwest and the Native Americans of that region, it seems that turquoise jewelry is always in style. It comes in a wide variety of colors and quality and a wide range of prices. If you are in the market to buy turquoise, it is critical that you know exactly what you are getting.

There are legally five different forms of turquoise.

Natural Turquoise - This turquoise is not treated in any way. It is naturally hard enough and beautiful enough that it is just mined, cut and polished. By some estimates, less than 3% of all turquoise on the market is natural! This is the most valuable and collectible form of turquoise.

Stabilized Turquoise - This turquoise is naturally beautiful, but was a little too soft to be practical as a jewelry stone. It has therefore undergone a process to harden it. It is usually infused, under pressure, with a clear epoxy resin. The resin allows the turquoise to be cut and polished and makes it much more durable. Another process has more recently been developed that involves vaporized silica being infused in the turquoise. Most of the turquoise on the market is stabilized in some way. It should be less expensive than completely natural material. Although less valuable, it is real turquoise and makes beautiful, affordable jewelry.

Treated Turquoise - It is soft turquoise that has been stabilized as described above, but The color has also been enhanced. Normally a dye is added to the epoxy in order to improve the color of very light or poorly colored material. The colors usually look a little artificial. It should cost much less than natural or stabilized turquoise.

Reconstituted Turquoise -Very low grade turquoise "chalk" that is ground into powder, saturated with epoxy resin, dyed, and compressed into blocks. The blocks are then cut and shaped into stones to be put into jewelry. Obviously, these stones should be very inexpensive.

Imitation Turquoise - These contain no real turquoise at all. They may be an entirely artificial material like a plastic or they may be some other type of stone that has been dyed to look like turquoise. Howlite, which is a very common, naturally white stone, is often used since it is a similar looking texture and is porous and takes dye easily.

Techniques for treating and imitating turquoise are constantly improving and it is becoming very difficult to tell sometimes whether or not a stone is treated or even if it is real. Experience will help you spot fake or treated stones. Once you've looked at a lot of genuine turquoise you will develop a sense of what looks real and what doesn't. Genuine turquoise has a somewhat waxy look, not too glossy. If nuggets are darker in high areas and lighter color in the low spots they are probably dyed. If buying beads, look in the hole! If it is white inside, it is fake. But even experts can sometimes be fooled. Your best bet is to buy from a reputable dealer. They should disclose if it is natural, treated or imitation and offer a money back guarantee.

The New Opal from Welo Ethiopia

2010-08-05T18:39:00.026-04:00

There is a lot of excitement about a new opal find in the Welo (sometimes spelled Wello) region of Ethiopia. It was discovered in 2008 and is considered the most stable opal found in that country. Opal from other areas of Ethiopia is often very beautiful but has a reputation for being unstable (prone to cracking or crazing). This Welo opal takes a little patience to cut properly, but once cut has proven to be every bit as stable as Australian opal. The fire is generally very bright, usually 4 to 5 on the 5 point brightness scale! They display the full spectrum of colors with red being very prevalent. They also display a wide range of fire patterns and base colors. If you look closely at the opal pictured, it shows an unique feature sometimes seen in Welo opals. It shows an internal cellular pattern sometimes called honeycomb. This structure is apart from the base color or the fire pattern. You'll also notice that it has a bi-colored base, being amber colored on the right side and translucent milky white on the other side.
The opal material from Welo is usually hydrophane, which basically means that it can absorb a lot of water. When dry hydrophane is soaked in water, it causes the base color to clear up...sometimes highlighting the play-of-color, sometimes making it vanish! If soaked in water, it can take from a few hours to two weeks to completely dry out and return to it original state. Do not try and accelerate the drying by any artificial means like a lamp, for it could cause cracking. The price of this opal has risen dramatically and well may continue to do so. The Ethiopian government has taken control of the mines and is controlling most all of the material coming onto the market now. On the right is a picture of a piece of Welo opal rough.

Anyone who loves and appreciates opals is sure to fall in love with Welo opals. They can be mesmerizing! The colors can be almost unbelievably bright. They show an endless variety of base colors, patterns and colors.

Dendrites, Beautiful Gemstone Inclusions

2010-03-26T10:28:00.015-04:00

You may have heard the term dendrite or more likely the adjective, dendritic, used when describing a gemstone and wondered exactly what it was. They are attractive patterns, usually black or dark brown that are seen in many types of gemstone material. They are most often associated with agates but are sometimes found in quartz, opal and other stones. They are also commonly seen in limestone.

The word dendrite comes from the greek word for "tree" because a dendritic inclusion in a stone looks like a branching tree or at least like some type of plant life. They are often said to look like ferns or moss and many people mistakingly speculate that they are fossil imprints of moss. Actually dendrites are inclusions of manganese crystals. They are formed when manganese rich water seeps into tiny crevices in rocks and the manganese crystals are deposited in intricate branching patterns. The result, if properly cut, is a facinating gemstone.

As I said, the most common dendritic gemstone in dendritic agate, the most famous probably being from Russia or Kazakhstan. They are generally white with black or brown dendrites. The famous Russian jeweler Carl Faberge used them and made them popular in the late 1800's. I've also seen some blue Peruvian opals with dendrites that were strikingly beautiful and clear quartz with dendrites are not uncommon.

Dendrites in Opalite

Visit my website: http://www.palmbeachgems.com/ to see more dendritic gemstones.

What is Drusy?

2010-01-28T14:36:00.012-05:00

Drusy, often spelled "Druzy" is a layer or crust of tiny crystals on the surface of a rock. Most often it is found in a crevice or on the inside surface of a geode. I suppose it could be any kind of crystal, but usually it is referring to quartz crystal.

Drusy has become very popular in recent years as a cut, jewelry stone. A section of the drusy bearing host rock is cut out and shaped, usually with a flat back, similar to the way a cabochon is made. The drusy crystals on top are left intact. In the example on the left, the host rock around the edges has been polished. Sometimes the Drusy goes right up to the edges.

The drusy is sometimes clear quartz and sometimes amethyst or citine. Most often though, the crystals have been treated in some way to change or enhance the color. The majority of druzy is naturally a dull grey color. One common technique coats the crystal with another metallic element such as titanium or cobalt to give the drusy a really sensational look! The picture below is a titanium coated druzy.

This permanent treatment is done in a vacuum chamber and can be very difficult to do properly. Other times the material is dyed or is otherwise diffused with color.

The finished stones can be set in jewelry with a bezel or prongs. They also make great wire wrapping subjects. Drusy gemstones make great jewelry stones . They are usually quite durable and definitely are real attention grabbers.

Fossil Coral

2010-01-05T17:20:00.007-05:00

One of my favorite gemstone materials is fossil coral. The flower-like patterns in the stone are amazingly intricate and beautiful. It is the fossilized remains of prehistoric corals. Most that I've seen comes from the mountains of Indonesia. As there are many different species of coral, there are different patterns of fossil coral available. There are also different colors. A light tan seems to be the most common but there is also dark brown, reddish brown, black and gray as well as some that is multi-color or banded. Most is opaque, but I've seen some translucent specimens.

Generally, stones with crisp, clear detail are more expensive. More unusual or attractive coloring also influences value. It is availabe as cabochons or beads.

Gemstone Grading

2009-10-13T18:16:00.007-04:00

Various methods are used to describe the quality of a particular gemstone relative to other gemstones of the same type. There isn't any universally accepted grading system. Different dealers often use different methods and symbols to describe the grade of a gemstone. Many use "commercial", "good", "fine" and "extra fine" to describe the stones. You will also often see "AAA","AA","A","B" etc. Grading is always subjective but if done consistently and honestly it should help you compare different stones with different prices. The grade of a stone should take into consideration the color of the stone, the clarity and to a lesser extent, the cut.

Color is the most important consideration for colored gemstones. There are 3 factors affecting the color of a stone. They are Hue, Saturation, and Tone.

Hue is the color of the stone: red, yellow, blue, etc. Generally, the more pure colors are more desirable. For instance, a red ruby is better than a orangish-red ruby. But tastes and fashion trends vary and change. People in different countries and cultures often have different ideas about what color or shade is most desirable.

Saturation refers to the intensity of the color. Saturation is usually rated from 1 to 6, 1 being grayish or brownish and 6 being "vivid". Generally the more vivid color, the better .

Tone is how dark or light the looks. They are rated on a scale of 0 to 10 with colorless being 0 and so dark as to appear black being 10. The ideal tone is usually in the upper middle range but varies among different species of gemstone.

The clarity of a stone simply refers to how clear it is. The main factor here are inclusions. Inclusions are anything within the stone that interferes with the transmission of light through the stone. Inclusions can be small fractures within the stone, or tiny crystals of other minerals. In many cases there are actually tiny pockets of liquid or bubbles of gas trapped within the crystal structure of a gemstone. To the naked eye they just look like little specks or fine lines. Generally the more included a gemstone is, the less valuable. However there are exceptions and inclusions are more acceptable in some stones than others. For example, natural emeralds almost always have significant inclusions, so they are more accepted in an emerald than in, say amethyst which is commonly very clear.. The Gemological Institute of America has attempted to standardize clarity standards for Colored Gems. They have divided Gemstones into 3 types and have defined the clarity grades for each type.

You can see a chart describing the GIA clarity standards here.

The quality of the cut is also a factor in the grade of a gemstone. A well cut stone will reflect and refract light better and will be more appealing.

In later articles I will discuss each of these factors in more detail, but this gives you an overview of what factors are considered when grading a gemstone.

Amazing, Blazing Ethiopian Opal

2009-10-05T14:22:00.002-04:00

I wish pictures could convey how bright the color play is in this Ethiopian opal. I've done the best I could with my limited photographic skills. This is a 1.95ct. stone we recently had cut. It shows broad, bright bands of color in almost any light. Mostly red, green and yellow, but a little violet blue as well. The base is a light yellow color. A lot of the material coming out of the Welo area in Ethiopia is stunningly beautiful and seems stable. Some still have doubts about the stability of most of the opals coming out of Ethiopia, but some are starting to say that the opal from the Welo region may be more stable than Australian opal! Prices are still comparatively very low but that may change in time as more people see this African opal, more cutters learn to cut it properly and more trust is built in the marketplace. You can see more pictures of this opal as well as some Ethiopian opal rough on my website.

Gemstone Treatments

2009-09-23T09:02:00.004-04:00

The topic of gemstone treatments can be confusing for someone shopping for a gemstone. Many people are surprised to learn that most finished gems being sold today have been treated in some way. But that it isn't necessarily a bad thing. The most common treatments are heating, irradiating, dyeing and diffusion. Many types of treatments are considered acceptable in the jewelry trade while others are not. The important thing is that the treatments are disclosed so that you can make an informed buying decision.

The purpose of a treatment is generally to make a gem more beautiful than it would be without the treatment. Some treatments may make a stone more durable. In most cases the treatment is acceptable if it is permanent, improves the qualities of the gem, is disclosed and is not meant to mislead the buyer.

A few types of gems including garnet, peridot and iolite are not usually treated, but most other familiar gemstones usually are. For instance, most all sapphires are heat treated to improve their color and clarity. Heated sapphires display brighter, more even color that would be extremely rare in a natural stone. Therefore most commercially available sapphires have been heated. That usually means you can a afford a more beautiful stone than you could if sapphires were not heated. Heat treatment is widely accepted in the trade. Most of the amethyst now being sold has also been heat treated to improve the color and make it more even.

Some sapphires receive diffusion treatment to alter their color. Through heat and pressure, a particular chemical element is diffused into the cut stone, thereby changing the color. That' the case with many- of the “padparadscha” (pinkish-orange) sapphire that is on the market. However diffusion only effects a thin outer layer of the stone, so if the stone is scratched a little or chipped the original color will show. For that reason, this is often considered an “unacceptable” treatment unless the buyer is fully aware of the treatment and its risks.

Many people like the idea of having an untreated stone. They feel that part of the attraction of gems is that it is something created by nature, without any human manipulation. They prefer untreated stones even if it is more expensive or they have to sacrifice color or clarity a little. Treatment is so commonplace that untreated gemstones are becoming rare and so, they may have more value to a collector or purest.

Below is a list of some of the treatments that are usually deemed “acceptable” by the jewelry trade:

heating sapphires and rubies
heating aquamarine, amethyst, citrine, tanzanite, topaz, tourmaline, and zircon
irradiating topaz (to make clear topaz blue)
putting organic resins and wax in emeralds
waxing lapis lazuli, jade, and other opaque gemstones
dying onyx black

Many of these treatments are virtually undetectable, so whether or not they are treated is difficult to prove. Many stones are sold as “probably treated” and you should assume the stones you are buying are, unless it is specified as “untreated”. You may see the term “natural used”. The term “natural gem” means that the stone was formed in the earth. In other words, it is not synthetic, man-made or lab created. But it may be treated and can still be called natural!

Here are some of the treatments that are usually considered “not acceptable”:

diffusion treatment of sapphire
glass filling of ruby
epoxy resin in emerald
dyeing lapis lazuli blue, or most other dye treatments
epoxy treatment of jadeite

Even these treatments are not illegal or even unethical as long as they are fully disclosed. Ultimately, it is a personal decision whether you buy a treated, untreated or synthetic gemstone. The important thing is that you know what you are buying.

Iolite: Beautiful & Affordable Blue Gem

2009-09-19T12:28:00.004-04:00

Do you love blue sapphires or tanzanite but they don't quite fit your budget? Consider iolite! This gemstone is probably not as well known or as often used as it deserves. It is the gem variety of the mineral cordierite.

Iolite Has very pronounced "pleochroism". That means that the color looks different when you look at it from different angles. Because of this property, the Vikings were able to use thin pieces of iolite to navigate, using it to determine the exact location of the sun even in bad conditions. The same stone can look violet- blue or yellowish-gray or even clear depending on how it is viewed. For that reason, it is very important that the stone be properly cut so that when it is viewed face up, you see the best color. Sometimes it is called "water sapphire", although the best colored specimens actually look more like fine tanzanite.

It is mined in Brazil, Sri Lanka and several locations in Africa. It's relative hardness and beautiful color make it a great jewelry stone. And the price is surprisingly affordable. A very nice stone can be had for under $10 per carat. If you dream of some day owning a large tanzanite, but you are still a few thousand dollars short, a nice iolite will make a good place holder in that ring setting for now.
You can see some more iolites here and some iolite earrings here.

Rutilated Garnet

2009-09-09T09:01:00.008-04:00

You may be familiar with the gemstone rutilated quartz. It is a fairly common stone that can be strikingly beautiful. It is clear quartz that has inclusions of rutile crystals within it. The rutile appears as long, thin, needle-like crystals that are black, gold or often reddish-brown in color. I have occasionally found a rutile inclusion here or there in other types of gems, but usually its just a couple of thin lines in the gemstone and is a detractor from the stones appeal rather than something that enhances its beauty and value. Recently though, I got some faceted grossular garnets from Africa. A couple of them were quite heavily included with rutile. Here's a picture of one. The garnet is a pale green color with a number of gold rutile crystals running through it at various angles. Its very interesting and I think, attractive! Garnets

Color Change Garnets from Kenya

2009-09-08T19:40:00.010-04:00

I wrote back in January about color change garnets. Now I actually have some in my hand, so I'd like to revisit the subject. Garnet is one of only few gemstones that can exhibit a color change. A color change gem is one that appears to change from one color to another color depending on the light source. The atomic structure of the gemstone reacts differently under the ultraviolet rays in natural sunlight (or fluorescent light) .

I have two different types of material. I have some that are larger stones in the 2 to 3.5ct. range. They have beautiful brilliance and scintillation. The color change isn't 100%. In outdoor light they are a slightly pinkish-brown color but with bright red highlights. In indoor light they are more of a raspberry pink color that reminds me of some pink tourmalines that I've seen. They are really gorgeous stones!

The other ones that I have are the really rare ones that were just discovered in Kenya in the last year. They show a very strong color change from kind of a steel blue in daylight to purple in incandescent lighting. I have 2 of these, both under a carat. These are real collector's items
Follow the link to get more details on some of these color change garnets.

East African Rubies

2009-09-04T10:58:00.002-04:00

The world's best rubies have traditionally come from Asia, most notably Burma and Thailand. Africa has long been a source of rubies, but mostly brownish or purplish stones. Most were opaque or heavily included. In recent years however, there have been several finds of ruby deposits in east Africa that are a beautiful red or pinkish-red color. Although most are best suited to cabochon cutting, some have facet grade clarity. The biggest producing countries in the are Madagascar, Tanzania and Kenya. I recently obtained some beautiful cabochons that were mined near the Tanzania-Kenya border. Most have some, spots, fissures or other inclusions but the color is fabulous and the prices are great. They are ideal for jewelry artists who would like to add some precious gems to their collection without spending hundreds of dollars on a stone. They are of course very durable and easy to work with. They can even be set and baked in Precious Metal Clay. You can have a look at some of these ruby gemstones here. They are priced from $8 to $100 depending on the size and quality.

Ethiopian Opals

2009-07-15T16:22:00.009-04:00

For decades, most commercially available opals have, for the most part come from either Australia or Mexico. Occasionally you'll see a precious opal from Brazil and a few come from Russia, Peru and even the United States. Recently we are seeing more and more jewelry grade opals coming from Ethiopia. In the 1990's opal began coming on the market from the Yeta Ridge area. This opal occured inside of ryolite nodules, kind of like little geodes, usually a couple of inches across. Most of the nodules, which just look like roundish, gray rocks, have no opal inside. Most of the ones that do have opal contain just a reddish-brown "potch". But a small percentage will have beautiful, fiery, "precious" opal. It is sometimes orange, white or clear, but often it is a reddish-brown color which usually described as Mahogany or Chocolate opal. It most often has vivid red and green opalescence and looks quite unlike any opal I've seen from Australia.

A couple of years ago, Opal was been discovered in the Gondar Desert region of Ethiopia. It is seam opal, more like what is found in Australia or Brazil. And just in the last few months, opal has started coming from Welo, Ethiopia. It displays very bright, broadflash fire and is quickly becoming very popular.

Ethiopian opal has a reputation for being unstable, meaning that it has a tendency to crack or "craze". As with all opal, some is more stable than others. But if the stone is properly evaluated, cured and cut you can end up with good, stable gemstones that are truly spectacular! The opal from Welo is supposed to be very stable, but even opal from the same field can vary from piece to piece. Ideally, opal should not be bought or sold until it has had ample time to cure (dry out) after it is mined. Reputable miners will quarantine the material for a number of months to make sure that it isn't going to craze when fully dry. Great care must also be taken when the material is cut. If it becomes overheated in the cutting process it will crack. But if you buy your stones from a reputable dealer and handle them with reasonable care, they should be fine.

Ethiopia is producing a great variety of opal for jewelry and collectors. There is some beautiful Ethiopian, orange, fire opal that looks just like Mexican fire opal. I have seen base colors of white, yellow, clear, brown and orange with a full spectrum of fire colors. There are also "contra luz" opals from Ethiopia which show no fire when viewed from some angles, but vivid color when light hits them from the side. Some of the opal from Ethiopia is called "hydrophane" opal. Hydrophane, when it is dried out is opaque, usually white. But if soaked in water it becomes transparent!
Cut and rough Ethiopian opals for sale

Merelani Mint Garnets

2009-05-29T09:07:00.004-04:00

Many people don't realize that garnets are not just red gemstones. They come in a great variety of colors. Some of the most sought after have always been in the green family. Demantoid garnets are usually light green and have a diamond-like brilliance. They also can have a diamond-like price. Large specimens are very rare. Another favorite has been Tsavorite. They are a beautiful, rich, emerald green. A new comer among the green garnets is the "Merelani Mint" Garnet.

Merelani Mint garnets are named for the Merelani Hills of Tanzania where they are usually found. They are a close relative of Tsavorites. Both are categorized as grossular garnets. The only real difference is the color saturation. Tsavorites are colored deep green by chromium or vanadium. Merelani Mint garnets are just paler cousins. A few years ago they were often dismissed as lower quality tsavorites, but many people prefer their more delicate, somewhat subtler shade and they have been quickly gaining an avid following. As their popularity has grown, of couse, so has their value. Prices of several hundred dollars per carat are common and I have seen them as high as a thousand dollars per carat for top grade specimens. Like tsavorites, large pieces, over 3 carats are very rare.

Visit my website www.PalmBeachGems.com to see more Merelani Mint Garnets as well as other garnets.

Opals on a Budget

2009-05-17T21:02:00.003-04:00

Opals have been one of the world’s favorite gemstones for centuries. Nothing compares to opals for their fantastic displays of brilliant colors that move and change as the stone moves in the light. The finest opals can rival diamonds in price. Large specimens with bright colors, in sought after patterns can sell for thousands of dollars per carat. Fortunately though, there are beautiful opals available even for those of us on a budget.

One option of course is to sacrifice quality somewhat. You can find opals for under $20 per carat that are still beautiful. The colors won’t be as vivid as the higher priced opals and there may be areas of the stone that show no flashes of “opalescence” but they will still be very attractive stones.

But what if you want a really bright, flashy opal? Another option is to look for an opal “doublet” or “triplet. One reason that precious opal is so expensive is that it often occurs in thin layers that just aren’t thick enough to cut into a gemstone. But these thin pieces of material can still be used to make doublets and triplets! The layer of precious opal is first bonded to a layer of a cheaper stone. Usually ironstone is used. It is readily available in the Australian opal mining regions, it is very hard and it is a dark color. It does several things. It makes the stone thick enough of course plus it makes it. Plus, it gives the opal a dark background which makes its natural colors stand out more vividly! If it is going to be a doublet, it is then cut and polished as would any other opal. If it is going to be a triplet, another layer is first glued to the top of the stone.

This other layer is usually quartz. Quartz is very clear and very durable. So now when it is cut, you have a layer of fiery opal sandwiched between a layer of ironstone and a layer of quartz. The dark backing makes the stone appear more brilliant and the quartz top make it more durable and scratch resistant than a solid opal. But best of all, the prices for doublets and triplets are much lower. You will usually only pay about 10% of the price you would pay for a comparable looking solid opal. So for $20 you can get an opal that looks like a $200 opal. For $200 you can get one that looks like its worth thousands!

There are some cases where the layers may separate over time if not cared for properly. But if handled and cleaned with care, as you should with any opal, they can last a lifetime and you can own the opal of your dreams without spending a fortune.

Rich Blue Iolite Earring Studs

2009-02-18T18:52:00.005-05:00

Iolite is not a real well known gemstone, but they are beautiful. High grade Iolite looks a lot like sapphire but at a fraction of the price. The mineral name is Cordierite. It is also sometimes called "water sapphire"
These are very nice, gem grade iolites from Kenya. They are set in sterling silver posts. For more details look at eBay item 300294975279

Color Change Garnets

2009-01-19T15:05:00.004-05:00

If you were born in January, you probably know that your birthstone is Garnet. Most people think of rich red gemstones when they think of garnets. However through the years garnets have been discovered in many different colors. In fact just about every color but blue. There are emerald green "Tsavorite" Garnets, bright orange "Spessartite" Garnets and even some rare pink garnets. But if you still can't make up your mind there are also "color change" garnets. These garnets appear to be very different colors depending on the type of lighting. Typically they will be a greenish-blue color in sunlight but when indoors under incandescent lighting they will appear a reddish-purple color. They look a lot like Alexandrite which are famous for their color-change properties. All of the color change garnets that I've seen have come from Africa, mostly from Madagascar, Tanzania and Kenya. The prices vary depending on size, clarity and how pronounced the color change is. Top specimens can be $1000 per carat or more.The picture at left is a recently unearthed piece of color change garnet rough weighing 280cts found near the Kenya-Tanzania border.

Beautiful Coober Pedy Freeform Opal 1.83cts

2009-01-04T17:52:00.002-05:00

This beautiful solid opal is now for sale on eBay. It is a freeform cabochon, approx. 17x12mm eBay item #300284853802 end time Jan-11-09 13:06:11 PST

Opal Fire Patterns

2008-12-11T21:40:00.005-05:00

I wanted to continue our series on opals today. We've talked before about some of the general terminology of opals. In this article I wanted to try and define the terms used to describe a precious opal's fire pattern. Every opal is different but opal dealers have put them into categories to make descriptions easier. There are seven generally accepted categories used in the opal trade. The most common are "pinfire", "broadflash", "flashfire",and rolling broadflash. There is also what are referred to as harlequin. And others are categorized as rare patterns or picture stones.
Here is a description of each:

Pinfire opals have tinyl pinpoint circles of fire.
Flashfire has larger areas of fire that are irregular in shape. The splashes of fire can be fairly large but no one area would cover more than 50% of the surface of the opal.
Broad Flashfire displays sheets of color covering large sections or all of the stone's surface.
Rolling Flashfire has sheets of color which roll across the surface of the stone as it is moved in the light. These are highly sought after and almost impossible to accurately photograph.
Harlequin. A true harlequin opal has square or angular blocks of fire set closely together. They are extremely rare and very valuable. Patterns that are not regular are also especially valued but not true harlequins.
Picture Stones are opals that have an unusual pattern that resembles a picture of something, kind of like with picture jasper.
Rare patterns, as you might imagine, is kind of a catch-all category for everything else.

Opals can be very difficult to photograph and even harder to describe. Hopefully knowing these terms will make it a little bit easier to visualize what an opal looks like when you read a description and easier for you to describe one to someone else.

What is the December Birthstone?

2008-12-01T21:52:00.004-05:00

That seems like a simple enough question. But the answer isn't that easy. It depends on who you ask (and maybe what they are selling!). Different cultures at different times have adopted different versions of what stones go with which month. In ancient India the December birthstone was Ruby. Among the Mystics of Tibet it was Onyx. In western societies the traditional December Stone was Turquoise or sometimes Lapis Lazuli. In more recent times it was declared by the Jewelers of America to be Blue Zircon. In 2002, the American Gem Trade Association added Tanzanite as a Birthstone for the last month of the year. Some listings also include Blue Topaz as an option. Discounting the ancient Indians and Tibetans, the common denominator is that it is something blue. If none of these work for you, there are also birthstones assigned for the zodiac symbols and for the days of the week!

The bottom line, to me, is that it doesn't matter. Some people feel obligated to wear stones or give somebody stones based on their birth month. Buy or give gemstones because you like the way they look or make you feel or because they go with what you are wearing. Don't worry about what AGTA or your jeweler or some Tibetan Monk says you should wear.

Chart of the Traditional & Modern Birthstones

Spectrum Award Winners Announced

2008-11-05T19:31:00.002-05:00

The American Gem trade Association has announced their winners for the 2009 Spectrum Awards. The AGTA Spectrum Awards are widely considered to be the most respected and prestigious creative award in the jewelry design industry. This was the 25th anniversary of the awards. The piece in this picture is the best of show, "Enchanted Stallion" brooch, featuring a handcarved turquoise with diamonds, demantoid garnets and 18K gold. To see a complete list of winners and pictures of some fabulous jewelry and gemstones go to the JCKonline Website.

Opals Discovered on Mars!

2008-10-29T10:18:00.002-04:00

Its true! NASA has just announced that an orbiting space probe has discovered large deposits of opal on the planet Mars in a canyon region known as Valles Marineris. The greatest significance of the discovery is that it indicates that liquid water existed on Mars much more recently than previously believed. It kind of makes sense to look for opals on Mars. Like Australia's famous opal fields it is remote, dry and red. Read the whole article here.

Common Opal, Precious Opal, Fire Opal or Potch

2008-08-25T17:36:00.006-04:00

In this post we're going to talk about some more opal terminology. In fact we'll back up and talk about opals in the most general terms. What is meant by opal, precious opal and fire opal.

Opal is noncrystalline hydrous silicon dioxide. In other words it has the same chemical composition as quartz, but contains 1-2% water and it is not crystallized. It is composed of alignments of tiny spheres which form a compact, three-dimensional network. It is the play of light off of these tiny spheres that often gives opal its unique internal iridescence which is called "opalescence"!

If that opalescence is present, the opal is considered precious opal or sometimes noble opal. Precious opal is generally the most sought after and expensive opal. It is what most people think of when they speak of opal. I

If the opal doesn't display this internal iridescence, if it is just semi-opaque to translucent it is called common opal or potch opal. Common opal sometimes has a somewhat attractive, porcelain-like appearance and is suitable for beads.

In some cases common opal is very translucent to transparent with a bright red, orange or yellow color. This makes very beautiful gemstones and is called "fire opal". That term can be a little confusing because the "opalescence" in an opal is often referred to as its fire. But fire opal doesn't necessarily have any "fire"! Fire opal comes mainly from Mexico. They can be cut into cabochons or even faceted. In some specimens there will be some internal iridescence, therefore qualifying it as precious opal.

See opals at PalmBeachGems.com

Visit my Squidoo Page on Opals

What is Meant By Opal Doublet or Triplet

2008-08-13T20:05:00.007-04:00

Virtually everyone loves opals, but they are different from every other precious gemstone. Their beauty doesn't come from their clarity or purity of color. It comes from the "play of color" that is created when light refracts and reflects off of their unique internal structure. More on that another time. Because they are different, different terminology is used to describe them. If you are new to opals you will need to learn some new vernacular.

When you start shopping for an opal and trying to compare one to another, you will hear the terms doublet, triplet and solid used a lot. The difference here are important to the beauty, value and durability of the stones.

Solid opal simply means that the stone is all opal. All other things being equal, that is the best and the most valuable. An opal doublet on the other hand is not all opal. A layer of opal is bonded to a layer of dark colored stone, usually ironstone. Then the stone is cut and polished. The benefits of the doublet are that a thinner piece of opal can be used that otherwise would be too thin. The backing stone gives it added depth and strength. Also, the black background makes the colors of the opal stand out more and look brighter, like a much more expensive opal. So you can own an opal that looks better than your budget could otherwise handle.

A triplet has three layers. It has the backing layer, then the opal layer and then a clear layer, usually quartz. Opal is a relatively soft stone. The quartz top is very hard and gives the stone added resistance to scratches and chips.

The picture above is a solid opal. You can see some doublet opals, triplet opals and solid opal here, on my website at www.palmbeacgems.com.

Garnets

2008-08-05T21:02:00.005-04:00

Garnets have been one of the world's most popular gemstones for many centuries. Although gem quality garnets can be some of the most beautiful of gemstones, most are relatively affordable. There are some varieties, like tsavorite and spessartite that can be very expensive, but most are modestly priced. They are mined in almost every county on the planet. Though most of us think of garnets as a red gemstone they come in many colors and shades, including orange, green, and pink! Garnets are not actually a single species of gemstone but are a whole family of gems that share certain physical properties including crystal shape and chemical composition. They are generally grouped into six garnet species: almandine, pyrope, spessartine, grossular, andradite and uvarovite.

To complicate matters even more, garnets are never just one species, but are a blend of two or more of these. They are usually named for the species that is most prevalent. A garnet that is described as "pyrope", for example, may actually be 80% pyrope, 15% almandine and 5% spessartine. Some specific blends have also been given names of their own. For example, a garnet that is about 2/3 pyrope and 1/3 almandine is called a Rhodolite. Other names you may encounter for types of garnets include mandarin (yellow-orange spessartine), demantoid (usually green), malaya ( may be pink or reddish orange) , hessonite (usually cinnamon brown or yellowish) or tsavorite(green).

Learning, identifying and describing the seemingly endless varieties of garnets is challenging, but they also provide a wide range of prices and colors for every taste. Garnets also provide a source of great beauty and endless fascination for gem lovers and mineral collectors alike.

What is Mystic Fire Topaz?

2008-07-23T20:34:00.005-04:00

Mystic Fire Topaz, often just called Mystic Topaz, is genuine topaz. They are not synthetic stones or simulants! They start as natural, colorless topaz, usually called diamond topaz or white topaz. They are first faceted and then carefully treated with a patented process called "vapor deposition". This process deposits a translucent layer of color on only the back surface of the stone. Color passing through the colorless top of the stones hits the coating on the back (pavilion) and is refracted and reflected back to your eye. The result is a dazzling multicolor effect unlike anything else!

Top quality Mystic Topaz starts with only the finest topaz rough. The cut stones are 100% eye clean. This means that they have no eye visible inclusions. The finished stones are carefully inspected with a 10X loupe to insure that they have no scratches, chips or flaws. The original Mystic topaz have a predominately green hue, but also show flashes of violet as well as pink, blue, yellow and just about every color of the spectrum as they are turned in the light. Other colors have now been developed including pink, blue, "Sunset", “Sea Mist” and "Casiopia". Unset stones should be handled with care, as a scratch on the back surface can easily mar the appearance. Once mounted however, so the back is protected, they are very durable. Topaz is an 8 on the Moh’s hardness scale, making it one of the hardest gemstones. If it is a genuine Mystic Topaz (stones treated by Azotic Coating Tecnology, Inc. or their licensee.) it can usually withstand ultra-sonic cleaning. However, with some of the cheaper knock-off stones, usually treated in China, the coating may begin to flake off. Make sure you are buying the real thing (Ask your gem dealer or get a guarantee.) or don't risk ultra-sonic cleaning. See more Mystic Fire Topaz here.

2008-01-25T20:57:00.000-05:00

Bali Beads

I just bought a large parcel of Bali style Silver Beads at a great price. I am listing them on my website, www.PalmBeachGems.com now at below wholesale prices! These are Sterling Silver (.925) beads and I'm selling them just barely above the spot silver price. If you do any beading, you should check these out. The page still isn't finished so it isn't linked to my homepage yet, but it is on the server. So you can go directly to www.palmbeachgems.com/Bali_Beads.htm and get a jump on everybody else. I've got several Kilos of beads, but some styles are very limited in number. First come, first serve. The page will probably be changing daily. In a few days, I'll be tying it in to the rest of the site so everybody will have access to it.

2007-10-15T21:36:00.000-04:00

New Record Price Paid for a Diamond

A new record high price-per-carat was paid last week when a bidder at a Sotheby's auction paid almost $8 million dollars for a 6.04ct. diamond! At least 7 telephone bidders vied for the diamond at the auction held in Hong Kong. The stone was a flawless, emerald-cut, Fancy Vivid Blue diamond. The price beat the 20 year old record of $926,000 per carat.

2007-09-05T10:07:00.000-04:00

Radioactive Topaz

I've read several articles lately saying that the Nuclear Regulatory Commission is reviewing their policy concerning irradiated gemstones. Many gemstones, including topaz is commonly irradiated to change or improve its color. Almost all blue topaz has been irradiated (and heated). If done properly, the irradiated stones should pose no threat to people wearing them. There are apparently laws in place to regulate the import of all radioactive materials. The problem seems to be that the NRC has no provisions for overseeing irradiated gemstone imports. So for the time being, they are not enforcing the laws, but are now looking into setting up some procedures and oversite. They don't believe there is any real danger to the public, but from people I've talked to there is at least the possibility that gemstones could come into the country that are still giving off radiation. Let me know if you have any more information on this topic.

2007-08-29T08:17:00.000-04:00

World's Largest Diamond?

I just read that a company in South Africa is claiming to have found the largest diamond ever. It is said to be light green in color and about the size of a coconut! The weight is around 7000cts. Most experts who have seen the photo are skeptical of its authenticity. There is a picture here. Up to now, the largest diamond is the Cullinan Diamond. It weighed a measley 3106cts. in the rough.

2007-04-02T16:55:00.000-04:00

Brilliance and Scintillation

Brilliance and scintillation are terms that are commonly used to describe a gemstone. Although they are related, they are not the same thing and there is often confusion over exactly what they mean. I hope here, to shed a little light on the issue (pun intended). They both describe how light interacts with a faceted gemstone.

Brilliance is sometimes referred to as “internal luster” or “liveliness”. It is the amount of light entering a stone that is returned to the eye of the viewer. It is in that brilliance that you see the color of the gem. The amount of brilliance is dependant on the type of stone, its clarity, and how it is cut. A stone that is not well cut and proportioned will “leak” light from the back of the stone. The result is dull or dark looking areas, called “areas of extinction”, when viewing the stone face up. With many commercially faceted gemstones, if you look down through the top of the stone, you can see through the bottom. This is called a window and is not ideal. In a well cut gemstone, the light passing through the top of the stone will not pass straight through but will be reflected back and the stone will be said to have more “brilliance”. If a stone is heavily included, the inclusions can diffuse or absorb some of the light entering the stone and reduce the brilliancy, making the stone appear fuzzy. Brilliance is sometimes described as a percentage, indicating the percentage of light entering the stone that is being reflected back.

Scintillation is sparkle. It’s the flashes you see as you move a stone in the light. It is determined by the optical properties of the particular gemstone and how it is faceted. The number of facets affects the amount of scintillation a stone shows. A gem cut with a smooth cone-shaped pavilion (the bottom part of the stone), could have high brilliance, but very little scintillation.

Another related term is “dispersion” or “fire”. It refers to the light being split into the spectral colors before it is reflected back to the eye. That’s the multi-colored flickering effect that diamonds are famous for. You also see it of course, in cubic zirconia and in a few colored gems.

You will see these terms used often in describing gemstones. Sometimes they are used correctly and sometimes not. As with most things there are disagreements over the exact definitions of the words. If you would like to share your understanding of these terms or add anything that will help clarify, please do.

Brett

www.palmbeachgems.com

2007-03-29T17:10:00.000-04:00

Just an update on the "Paraiba Chalcedony": I just saw some of the first runs of precision, machine cut Paraiba Calcedony. They were in small sizes like 2.5mm rounds and they were hot! In the smaller sizes they look much more transparent than the larger sizes, like the one in the picture below. They were bright and lively and the color was gorgeous. They really did look like little Paraiba tourmalines!

2007-03-04T15:38:00.000-05:00

Some of those Paraiba Chalcedony are up on my website now if you want to take a look. They are on this page: http://www.palmbeachgems.com/gems2.htm

2007-03-03T11:08:00.000-05:00

I've just gotten access to a good supply of a beautiful new gem material! It's being called Paraiba Chalcedony. These are faceted, translucent stones with a vivid blue color. The natural chalcedony is treated with a special process that infuses them with, among other things, copper. The result is a stable, permanent color throughout the gemstone (not just the surface). They are gorgeous! The color is much bolder and brighter than any blue chalcedony that you've seen before. I have them available in two different shades of blue, in a variety of sizes and shapes. I'll have them posted soon at www.palmbeachgems. com

2006-11-22T12:44:00.000-05:00

My latest gemstone interest in Andalusite. Andalusite is a beautiful gemstone that has recieved little attention in the past and is seldom seen in jewelry. It has recently started to gain in popularity and could be a great investment!
Most jewelry buyers stick to the gemstones that they know and so many rare and beautiful gems are ignored. Andalusite falls into that category. Its most notable characteristic is its unusual coloring. It is pleiochroic, which means that it displays different colors when looked at from different angles. It is green, brown and red all at the same time! Most pleiochric gems are cut in a way to minimize the effect and show the one best color. A well cut andalusite, on the other hand, is cut to accentuate the pleiochroism. When cut properly they show a fabulous play of color across the face of the stone as it is moved in the light! They are sometimes called the "poor man's alexandrite", referring to the very expensive gemstone known for its color-change properties. Andalusite is a durable stone, making it useful for any type of jewelry. The rich, earthy colors are well suited to men's jewelry as well as women's.

2006-10-19T10:30:00.000-04:00

Here's a picture of that Andesine that I have available. It's 7.02cts., about 12.5x10mm. Its very clean. From an angle, you can see some slight striations. I would call them more of a phenomenon than an inclusion. Face up it looks totally clean. It is for sale now at $770. It should be up on my website, www.palmbeachgems.com in a couple of days.
Brett

2006-10-05T15:57:00.000-04:00

I spent a couple of hours this morning trying to understand the difference between red labradorite, andesine and sunstone. I guess I wasn't the only one confused. I found a variety of different opinions and pages of bulletin boards filled with discussion and debate on the topic. The concensus seems to be that the difference between red labradorite and andesine has to do with the relative percentages of calcium and sodium. 50-70% sodium with 50-30% calcium is andesine whereas 50-70% calcium to 50-30% sodium is labradorite. Apparantly there are small differences in the refractive indices and the specific gravities, but the only way to know for sure is to send them to a lab for chemical analysis. Where andesine and labradorite are scientific names, sunstone is more of a trade name. From what I can gather, sunstones usually fall more into the labradorite category. They are all feldspars. So maybe just calling them red feldspar would be simplest. Whatever you call them, they are rare and beautiful gemstones. I hope to have some pictures of some to post in a few days, along with some more information on these facinating stones.

2006-09-20T22:03:00.000-04:00

I've just joined a new auction site called IBidFree. Its one more of many small sites trying to give eBay a little competition. Who knows, sooner or later one of them might just catch on. EBay needs some competition. I try other auction sites from time to time hoping to find an alternative to eBay. So far none come close in terms of traffic or sales. Overstock Auctions looked promising for a while, but lately things have really slacked off there. IBidFree has one very nice feature. No fees at all. No fees to join, no fees to list and no fees when you make a sale. They hope to make money selling ads on their site. It will be great if it works and it costs nothing to give it a try.

2006-08-30T16:15:00.000-04:00

This is a 3.86ct. Tri-color Watermelon Tourmaline that we have for sale. It is approx. 11x7.5mm. Visit my website www.palmbeachgems.com for price and details.

2006-08-30T11:41:00.000-04:00

I have been interested in rocks and gems most of my life. I started making jewelry and selling it at craft shows and then about 6 years ago began selling on the internet. I still make some jewelry, but have expanded into selling gemstones and beads and jewelry made by others.

Visit my website www.palmbeachgems.com. I've got a variety of gemstones, beads and jewelry for sale and a "gemstone information" page that has a lot of articles and tables having to do with gems and jewelry. There is information there on grading gemstones, gemstone treatments and more.

I also have several Squidoo "lenses" dealing with gemstone and jewelry topics. They are:
"Gemstones", "Amethyst", "Tourmaline", and "Jewelry Making". These pages contain information and pictures about the subjects and also many valuable links to other related sites.

I have items for sale, as well, on eBay. My eBay store is also called PalmBeachGems.