Pearl Shopping

Pearl is the most commonly accepted birthstone for the month of June.  While a pearl is not actually a stone, the use of pearls in jewelry has a storied history as long as that of many precious gemstones, and pearls are widely accepted as a precious jewelry item much like a ruby, sapphire or diamond.  Here is a little info to help you better understand exactly what is available for purchase in the pearl industry.

First, real pearls (as opposed to synthetic of simulated pearls) come in two major categories, cultured and natural.  A natural pearl can only be formed in a wild oyster (mussel) that is living in its natural habitat. A natural pearl is formed without human intervention.  A cultured pearl is formed when a pearl farmer places a foreign substance in an oyster, and keeps the oyster in a confined farm area.

Irregular shaped pearls can be a natural pearl, or a keshi pearl. Keshi pearls are formed when the oyster spits out the human implanted nucleus before the culturing process is complete. Keshi pearls come from both saltwater and freshwater environments. Keshis are generally small in size.  Natural pearls are also rarely round in shape because there was no round shaped nucleus implanted to help shape the finished pearl. Keshis come in a wide variety of colors.  They tend to have high luster and orient due to their solid nacre composition.

Japan has long been the leading producer of akoya pearls, which are round pearls cultured in an Akoya oyster. For over 100 years Japanese akoya pearls have been known for their high quality. Recently Akoya oysters have been transplanted to several other nations, and Akoya pearls can now be produced in these non-Japanese locations. Hence,the phrase "Japanese Akoyas" is no longer used, since most pearl strands can combine both Chinese and Japanese Akoyas.

In fact, the trade consensus is that it doesn't matter where Akoyas are cultured as long as their quality is high. This larger production as helped control and even lower prices, and this is great for the retail pearl buyer.  Happy pearl shopping...

Pearl phot linked from:
  http://www.pbs.org/wgbh/nova/pearl/oysters.html
...
The Gem Guys
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March Birthstone, Aquamarine

Aquamarine, the March birthstone, is a talisman for sailors,
and was carried aboard most early sailing vessels voyaging into
uncharted waters. In lighter and mid saturation colors it is relatively
inexpensive and an excellent gem for use in rings. Aquamarine
can easily be confused with blue topaz, a less expensive stone.
Aqua is found worldwide, with North American deposits in Colorado
and California, as well as several other states.

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What's Her Birthstone?

OK guys, you all know there is a specific gemstone used to celebrate your sweetie's birth month, but do you KNOW what that stone is?  To help bail you out on this question here's a listing of the various birthstones.  We stock these gems, and will be glad to build you a great jewelry piece for her birthday.

January - Garnet

February - Amethyst

March - Aquamarine

April - Diamond

May - Emerald

June - Alexandrite or Pearl

July - Ruby

August - Peridot

September - Sapphire

October - Opal or Tourmaline (pink)

November - Citrine or Topaz (golden)

December - Zircon or Tourmaline (blue)

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Amethyst Earrings

If you are looking for an inexpensive and sure-fire February birthday gift, give her a set of Amethyst earrings.  Earrings don't need to be sized to fit, they are usable whether she has a chain or not, and your selection of the correct birthstone shows some real thought on your part. 
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Feburary Birthstone

Amethyst is the name given to the purple variety of quartz. Fortunately, since it is not gemologically rare it is a moderately inexpensive gemstone. The finer pieces can be quite nice in appearance, and it's good that its price is not based sole upon its beauty. The term "amethyst" is Greek in origin, and it basically means "not drunken", and in earlier time is use an amulet to ward off becoming drunk.

It can be found in many shades of purple, and while the TV gem dealers claim to offer green amethyst, by definition amethyst must be purple in color, and green amethyst is just a quartz material which had been treated to turn it green.

If you are in need of a February birthstone please give us a call, as we have many pre-bult amethyst pieces in stock, as well as several hundred carats of loose amethyst available to use in building you a custom piece.

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Birthstone for January

Garnet is a wonderful gem to have for a birthstone. It is hard and durable, comes in many colors, and can range in price from very inexpensive to drop you to the floor pricey. Its hardness makes it a great gem for everyday use, and from the various colors in which it is available one is sure to find a suitable hue for their personal taste. We look forward to assisting you with a Garnet gemstone jewelry item in a price range to fit your budget.

The Gem Guys

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