Rainbow of Sapphires

When most people hear the word Sapphire they think blue, but sapphires really do come in every color of the rainbow except red; red sapphires are actually Rubies. The rainbow sapphires come in either Intense which are a collection of the deep hue, or Pastel, which are the collection of medium hues. These colors of actual sapphires come in everything from the purest white, often resembling the diamond, to almost solid black which is called midnight blue sapphire. Some of the hottest colors are the pink, canary yellow, orange and the collection of rainbow sapphire colors all together.

When buying a sapphire, including the rainbow combination, ask if the stone has been treated in any way. Some common treatments to enhance gems include irradiation, heat treatment, dyeing and coating. Not all of these treatments will devalue the stone, but always ask so you know what you're getting.

Sapphires can be heated at high temperatures to give them a better color and clarity. It is estimated that 90 percent of the Sapphires on the market have undergone some sort of treatment, which does not affect the value of the stone. However, untreated sapphires do command a higher price.

Sapphires are mined all over the world, including several locations in the United States and the location where the sapphires are mined can have a great effect on the price. All sapphires have a hardness of 9 on the Mohs scale and are considered very durable to be worn everyday.

Traditionally the sapphire is believed to bring clarity of mind and disintegrates disharmony with healing properties for rheumatism, colic, and mental illness.

*Resources by ebay review and rainbow sapphires.

Blue Diamonds the New Girls Best Friend

Who doesn’t like diamonds!? Only to be known as ‘the girl’s best friend’, they are widely seen in crisp white, but there are a few rare colored diamonds; pink, yellow and blue. Blue diamond is considered to be one of the most expensive and rarest types of diamonds. This blue gemstone became the hottest must have and was in huge demand after being featured in the Hollywood movie Titanic.

The formation of a blue diamond naturally is very rare and also very expensive, which is why it is now artificially created. It evolves under the same conditions as that of naturally formed diamonds, although the treatment can be done in small quantity involving irradiating the gemstone causing the color change and then followed by a heat treatment to stabilize the color. The blue hue colors of the diamonds represent the color of the sea and that of the sky giving a true picture of life. The appealing shade of the blue diamond comes in deep aquamarine, green tinge, rich deep blue to ice blue. These colors of blue give a soothing and appealing feeling to the individual who wears them.

Cuts of blue diamonds are shaped in a different way that enhances the beauty of the gemstone by illuminating the tranquility and beauty of the stones; variations are the cushion cut, and heart-pear-octagon shapes, and even princess and marquise cuts.

The most famous and largest of blue diamonds is the infamous Hope Diamond (pictured to the left), which is now in the Smithsonian Institute in Washington DC. It is colored in deep blue and famed to carry a curse to whomever owns it. The largest weighing around 45.02 carats, it is a cushion cut and radiates dark grayish-blue color. It got its name after Henry Philip Hope of London.

Other famous blue diamonds include the Blue Heart, Heart of Eternity (pictured to the right), and Transvaal Blue & Chard Blue.

A new friend to some, but an old friend to others; the blue diamond is definitely an exquisite and stunning gemstone mixture of nature and man.

*Research from various books and websites.

Spring Craft Fair San Antonio

Looking for something to do this weekend in San Antonio, Texas?! Join us for the St. Helena Spring Craft Show this Saturday, May 1st!!

We’ll have a nice selection of our latest designs from among our collections of Southwest Flair, Mystic Artisan, Wiry Legends, and the Rock Yard. Chose from styles using fossils, minerals, and natural gemstones, crystals, dichroic glass and much more!

Don’t forget Mom – mother’s day is just around the corner on May 9th! Or that graduate from High School or College; something for the bridal party too.

Mention you saw this posting on our blog and receive extra ‘savings!

Fossil Ammonite Turquoise

Ammonites are absolutely beautiful fossils and they come in a vast array of color combinations from cool black to crisp fall colors of green, beige, brown and anything in-between. This new design features a handcrafted with brass non-tarnish wire nicely sized Ammonite pendant that has a fiery (slightly red) shimmery backside, which just adds to the dimension of the fossil as a focal pendant in this piece. To bring out the brilliant colors, I paired it with Arizona Turquoise chips and Ivoryite, a hint of faceted light Topaz crystals and gold spacers. A gold vermeil textured toggle and dangle teardrop hoop style earrings to match.





















This and many other custom handcrafted designs are available at our website.

Growing Pains in Studio Storage

There comes a time in every shop, studio, office, or craft room when you just have to stop and stay “I need more space”! In this case, I was the one saying more space was needed to house my inventory. I had really outgrown the drawers in this standup. Practically everything was divided among the drawers and it was making it harder and harder to find anything. I actually during the transition found stones and pendants that I thought I’d used only to find them hidden away under bags of other stones, or worse, miss placed colors (deep blues or dark browns hidden among black).

So, I set out to determine how I was going to change my inventory storage problem with limited studio space. A friend suggested that I should really go ‘up’ rather than expand any other direction in my studio. What I did was look around and research what kind of storage system would allow me the ability to grow as my business grew.

This is what I found, a really nice heavy wire rack shelving unit; the shelves are adjustable and I can add additional shelving units with other types of storage compartments (not just shelves, but hanging compartments!). This really fit the bill for me; with the purchase of clear locking storage boxes (that now need to be labeled), I turned my single storage problem into future growth potential.
What I really like, is that I can actual see the stones and dig through the bins much easier and the lighting just above me makes it much easier to match things up rather than guessing.

We’re every growing and luckily I figured out a system that I can continue to use and grow as the business expands!

To see some of latest creations available for purchase, visit our website.

Pink Rhodonite

Taking its name from the Greek word rhodos, meaning “pink”, rhodonite is popular with jewelry enthusiasts and gem collectors alike. Its rose-pink body is laced with black veins of manganese oxide, called dendrites, which form band, dots or intricate web-like patterns. In color, rhodonite is similar to rhodochrosite, but rhodonite is distinguished by its dendrites. In addition, it is harder wearing and more acid resistant than rhodochrosite, and thus better for jewelry.

In antiquity rhodonite was given to travelers as a protective stone. It was said to warn them of imminent danger by causing the heartbeat to accelerate suddenly. It is helpful in keeping a clear, calm mind in tense situations and in coping with changing circumstances. It is linked to the star sign of Taurus and should be discharged every two weeks under running water and then recharged by being placed in the sun for a few hours.




Rhodonite: Peace, generosity, attention to details.

For this and many other designs to purchase visit our collections.
*Research from gem-mineral-crystal books.

Classic Stunning Chic Blues

If you like blue, this necklace set is for you (and blue if my favorite color). This stunning piece is artisan crafted of faceted graduated clear blue Crystals; accenting a Denim Lapis puffy heart pendant that has a slight cream and black grain; then a scattering of sterling silver beads and finished with a single strand of freshwater cultured Pearls. The earrings are leverbacks that have dangle charms in pearls and one of the faceted blue crystals.

Available for purchase with many other trendy and chic designs in our collections.