Emeralds

By Diana Kirkpatrick | December 14, 2013

I recently ran across a fabulous CNN article on emeralds and I wanted to share it with you.   Emerald is the Modern and Traditional birthstone for May.   According to the author of the article, the value of emeralds is the result of their scarcity.   Emeralds are over 20 times rarer than diamonds —…

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A Few of My Favorite Gemstones

By Diana Kirkpatrick | January 17, 2013

Gems are described by chemical composition, crystal structure, and where they are found.  Gems are further classified based on properties like refractive index (how they bend light), luster, hardness, etc.  Perfection in appearance is of primary importance in the finished gemstone.  Many gemstones have long and complex histories.   Some specific gems have a lot of…

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