Introducing Pomme Ruby™
We first introduced Pomme Ruby™ at the Denver Gem Shows last year, but only had a small sample parcel to share at the time. We’ve continued to work with the group in Madagascar over the last nine months and have added some really beautiful gems to the collection. And what’s even better? They’re officially available on our website! Ruby is a particularly difficult gem variety to source following our Fair Trade Gems® Principles & Protocols, which is what makes this ruby so special. The name Pomme Ruby™, pomme meaning apple in French as well as the root word for apple in...
Celebrating American Gems
It’s no secret that we carry hundreds of gem varieties sourced from all over the world, but this week we’re celebrating American gemstones! As the largest cutter and wholesaler of American-mined gems, you could say we are somewhat of an expert. Nearly all our American gems fall into our Fair Trade Gems® Level 1 category. This means we can tell you which state these gems originate from, can be traced back to a specific mine, we know the producer, and that the workers and environmental safety protocols meet our Fair Trade Gems® Principles. We are always looking for ways to improve the supply chain and...
Responsibly Cut Beads Do Exist!
Did you know we’ve been cutting beads for years? It’s true! We have a large variety of stone options, both opaque and translucent. This includes standard smooth and faceted beads, as well as some more creative styles like our ‘coffee beans’, carved spirals, tapered ovals, briolettes, and many more to spark your creativity. In addition to loose beads, we also carry bead strands. You can find a limited selection of rondelle, smooth round, faceted round, triangle tube, and baroque bead strands on our site, with many more yet to be uploaded. Our bead strands are generally 16” in length and...
Activate Your Wholesale Account
Are you a jewelry designer or have a business in the jewelry and gem industry? If yes, then you qualify for a wholesale account on our website. If you already have a wholesale account with us online, you’re a real gem! If not, keep reading to learn how to reap the benefits. Wholesale Account Benefits A wholesale account on our website means you will have direct access to wholesale pricing for all gemstones and jewelry online when logged in. This means you can shop, select, and purchase any of our products on the web when it’s convenient for you. So,...
Craftsmanship of Faceting
Did you catch this month’s Fair Trade Friday? For #fairtradefriday this month, we wanted to share something a bit different. We talk a lot about transparency and traceability, but one area we don’t think gets talked about enough (in the industry as a whole) is cutting. As cutters ourselves, we thought sharing a ‘Cutting 101’ of sorts could be helpful. Sometimes just understanding the basics of a process can help develop or form questions you might want to ask when buying your gems. So, here’s our 101 crash course of what it looks like to facet a gemstone. We also love your feedback!...
Working With Emeralds
Many believe emerald to be a softer gem type but in reality, it is a variety of beryl just as aqua, morganite or our signature Neon Green Beryl™. All beryl, emerald included, is actually quite hard at 7.5 on the Mohs scale. The misperception of it being ‘soft’ is likely due to emerald frequently displaying small open cracks and inclusions, which can weaken the structure of the stone. While it is a hard gem, it does have some brittle qualities due to the harsh geological conditions in which it forms. This also means emerald is nearly always included. These inclusions...