Gem boxes come in various size and shapes — round (“gem jars”), rectangular, and square, each intended to both protect and display a loose gemstone. Most gem boxes are made of plastic; some have glass tops. They’re great for storage as well as shipping. All of this is common knowledge to anyone who has been … Read More
Gemcutting
Color-Change Sapphire Surprise
I finished recutting this sapphire for Wildfish Gems today. When I received the stone, it appeared to be an untreated blue-green sapphire (no surprise there; untreated stones are Ed’s specialty). But after I finished recutting the stone, I noticed that it looked very different under my desktop diamond grading light than it did on my … Read More
Green Zircon Recut
About a month ago, a client contacted me with a special project for his wife. He wanted to make a custom pendant for her using a gemstone that was both unusual and suited her as a geologist. After some discussion, we settled on green zircon. Zircon is both a visually interesting gemstone and an important … Read More
What color is sapphire?
This morning there was a 2 hour delay for school, so I had the kids with me in the shop. My son, 10 years old, was helping me make some images of recent gemstones. I was letting him work the remote trigger on the camera & do some basic culling of rejected images. When he … Read More
Smokey Quartz Recut
Recut Smokey Quartz trilliant When I introduced myself to a jeweler, I like to explain the difference between my gemcutting and what is more commonly seen in the trade. I like to point out the fact that all of my stones are designed to be mounted. In choosing designs, I avoid sharp corners, overly thin … Read More