We have learned a lot about gemstones and a lot about the alarming rate of mis-truths in the jewelry and gemstone business.  Our aim is to be an honest, and trusted provider of excellent quality gemstone jewelry. Our goal is to create beautiful, authentic treasures that will hold their value for generations to come.

​

We test all of our Gemstones but are not GIA certified yet. Many of the fake stones that we accidentally buy internationally have come with fraudulent certificates (not from the likes of GIA, who we respect immensely). Usually, if a stone comes with a certificate from a made-up, non established lab, it is a red flag. We have a "bag of glass" with these fake certificates that we call the "Bag of Shame"

 

Nerd Alert!

Our non-destructive gemstone tests:

​

1. Calibrated Thermal Conductivity - These portable instruments are widely used for quick identification. Their accuracy can vary depending on the model, calibration, and user technique. Some testers claim high accuracy (up to 95%), but real-world tests may show lower certainty. My wife hates when I pull these out at gem shows and will hide somewhere until I text her. 

 

2. Laboratory grade Diffraction-Grating Spectrometry:  Offers a high resolution and sensitivity for more accurate identification and characterization of gemstones especially when combined with thermal conductivity data. Spectral features can sometimes pinpoint the origin or variety of a gemstone

 

3. Multiple-Light-Source (3000-5000K and Ultraviolet) Magnification: We view a gem's inclusions at 300X Magnification. Inclusions will tell us many things about stones from how well cultured stones were processed to what part of the world a gem may come from. Multiple light sources will reveal many things from the type of stone to any processes that may have devalued the stone like glass-filling flaws, or heating the stone for color enhancement.