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The Earth’s Bounty: How Gold Is Mined and Refined

Gold mining has been a historically significant source of lore for centuries. The earliest gold artifacts were found in the Varna Necropolis graves in Bulgaria, dating back to the mid-4000s BC. In more recent times, in the United States, just about everyone is familiar with the concept of the California Gold Rush in the mid-1800s.…
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Gem of the Month: Amethyst

Like most gemstones, amethyst’s history is full of legend, myth, and magic. The luscious purple hue of February’s birthstone has long been a source of speculation, dating back to ancient Greece. There are two persisting Greek myths that endeavor to explain the creation of amethyst, however, neither are found is classical Greek mythology literature and…
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Lovin’ You is Easy Cuz You’re Beautiful…

Here’s the bad news: winter is still coming hard. The snow, the slush, the wind (oh my word, the cold, ruthless, bitter wind). It’s not great. But it’s not without its redeeming qualities. First, my birthday is almost here! You probably find that less exciting than I do, I imagine. February has more to offer,…
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Gem of the Month: Garnet

  For each month of the calendar year, a gemstone has been selected to represent it. For January, that gem is garnet. Legend has it that the garnet brings peace, prosperity, and good health to the home of the wearer. Those are beautiful sentiments to celebrate birthdays in the first month of the year, when…
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Diamond Education: Color

“Brilliant colors…all are found enclosed in a morsel of pure carbon.”   Author Charles Blanc said that about diamonds. Diamonds are pure carbon, created under intense heat and extreme pressure. The weight of the world, literally, pressed down upon carbon until she spat out a diamond. And while most people think of the brilliant, fiery…
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