Blog

Intro: If your rose gold jewelry is leaving a coppery stain on your skin, it’s trying to tell you something about the metal and how your body is interacting with it. The stain can come from the alloy itself, from plating wearing off, or from a skin reaction. Knowing which it is will tell you […]

Padparadscha Obsession: How Dealers Stretch the Definition (and Price) The word “padparadscha” has become a sales magnet in the sapphire market. It conjures rarity, romance, and high prices. But the term describes a color — a delicate pink-orange like a lotus blossom — not a separate mineral. Dealers and marketplaces stretch that color definition for

Can Jewelers Really Tell Moissanite at a Glance? We Ask the Bench Short answer: sometimes. Experienced bench jewelers can often spot moissanite quickly on larger stones or loose gems. But “at a glance” depends on size, lighting, setting and the tools at hand. Below I explain why some moissanites look different from diamonds, which visual

Hearts & Arrows Hype: Can You Actually See It With the Naked Eye? The Hearts & Arrows (H&A) pattern is a symptom of near-perfect symmetry in round brilliant diamonds. You’ve probably seen the photos: eight neat hearts from beneath the stone and eight arrows from the top. The question is simple: can you see that

Intro: Stacking rings looks effortless when everything sits still. But many stacks slip, twist, or spin out of place. Stylists and bench jewelers fix that with a simple tool: the spacer. This article explains how spacers stop spin, which kinds work best, and how to choose sizes and materials so your stack behaves as well

Intro Diwali sales are loud and colorful. Jewelers advertise discounts, zero making charges, and bonus gold. But is gold actually cheaper during Diwali? The short answer: sometimes — but not always. Whether you save money depends on how jewelry pricing works, what you buy, and what the offers really change. I’ll break down the numbers,

AI cut grading promises to see what your eye can’t. It uses photos, measurements and algorithms to score a diamond’s cut faster and cheaper than a human grader. That sounds useful. But there are real strengths and real limits. I’ll explain what AI can and cannot reliably tell you, why those differences matter, and how

Birthstones: Marketing Invention or Ancient Belief? We Trace It People often ask whether birthstones are an ancient spiritual practice or a modern sales tool. The short answer: both. The idea of wearing meaningful stones goes back millennia. The specific system of “one stone per month” that most shoppers know today is largely a product of

Intro: Jewelers’ upgrade programs promise an easy path to a bigger or flashier piece without the hassle of selling your old jewelry on the open market. That sounds smart. But many of these programs are effectively store-credit traps unless you understand the math, the fine print, and the alternatives. Below I explain how upgrade programs

Buying jewelry online is convenient. It can also be risky. Many listings use polished stock photos that do not represent the actual ring you’ll receive. Below are four clear “tells” that a listing isn’t real, why each matter, and how to test a listing before you spend hundreds or thousands of dollars. 1) Photos look