The purpose of this blog post is to extol the virtues of one of one of my favorite gemstones, Chrysoprase. Chrysoprase is a natural vivid green Chalcedony (cryptocrystalline silica) that can rage is color from a pastel mint green to a deep forrest green- but the most prized material is a translucent apple green. Its is used in jewelry in the form of beads, cabochons and occasionally faceted stones. It is a fantastic natural green alternative to Emerald or Jade, which are much

Just a little inspriation! I am obsessed witht this ancient Celtic 'Gimmel' ring made in 1400 CE. It is gold enamel set with diamond and semi precious stones, and the interlocking hands mechanism twists to open the ring into three bands! #ancient #antiquejewelry #antiquerings #artdeco #arthistory #crystals #fashion #gemology #gemstones #history #jewelry #naturalhistory

Sumarian Seal Ring with Rubies and Gold 2700 BCE The story of jewelry starts deep in human prehistory. Learning about the history of adornment is fascinating to me! It has ignited a feeling of connection to the past, knowing my love of jewelry was similar to my early ancestors.The oldest evidence of jewelry specific adornment dates back 82,000 years to the Grotte des Pigeons, in eastern Morocco where 13 carefully drilled Nassarius shells were discovered with distinct traces o

Welcome to my blog! It’s a place i hope to share my knowledge and enthusiasm about gemstones and antique Jewelry. I have been fascinated with gemstones since childhood, and I have worked in the business for ten years. I am a Gemologist, having completed a graduate program at GIA (the Gemology Institute of America http://www.gia.edu/ ). My study of gems has led me to towards a passion for antique jewelry. I love old jewelry for several reasons, foremost among them the level of