Ruby is the Birthstone for July!

By Diana Kirkpatrick | July 23, 2018

The birthstone for July is the Ruby.  Rubies are one of the hardest natural gems.  Only moissanite and diamond are harder. Rubies (from the Latin “ruber” for red) are the red version of the mineral corundum (aluminum oxide) which is colorless in its pure state (ruby is an allochromatic gem – see below).  In rubies,…

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How Did Christmas in July Start?

By Diana Kirkpatrick | July 8, 2018

Did you ever wonder where the idea of Christmas in July started?  The very first mention of “Christmas in July” was from an opera back in 1892 that featured children rehearsing Christmas songs in July.  In 1935, the National Recreation Association’s journal Recreation described what a “Christmas in July” was like at a North Carolina…

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My Favorite Gems

By Diana Kirkpatrick | April 30, 2012

I love gems, so picking favorites is difficult.   It’s a long list, but here are some of my favorites and some information about them.   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…

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