Journal · 177 notes
Stones & grading
Written for buyers rather than for search engines: what a specification actually means, where an order usually goes wrong, and what to ask before you pay a deposit.
Stones & grading · Sep 2026
Turquoise Gemstone Guide: Stabilization, Hardness, and Daily Care
Turquoise is porous, reactive, and deeply personal. Learn what stabilization means, how it affects durability, and how to keep your piece from turning.
Stones & grading · Sep 2026
Charoite: The Swirling Purple Stone From the Siberian Outback
Charoite is a vivid purple mineral found only along Russia's Chara River. We cover its swirling pattern, hardness, setting, and care.
Stones & grading · Sep 2026
Apophyllite: The Glass-Clear Crystal From Indian Basalt Pockets
Apophyllite is a glassy, often clear mineral found on stilbite matrix. Its properties, colors, sources, and how jewelers work with it.
Stones & grading · Sep 2026
Labradorite: Understanding the Stone Behind the Flash
What makes labradorite flash? A bench-side look at labradorescence, spectrolite, durability, and how to set and care for labradorite jewelry.
Stones & grading · Sep 2026
Natural Zircon vs. Cubic Zirconia: They Are Not the Same Thing
Natural zircon is a real ancient gem with strong fire; cubic zirconia is a 1970s synthetic. Learn how to tell them apart and what they cost.
Stones & grading · Sep 2026
Natural Zircon: Not Cubic Zirconia, and It Sparkles More
Natural zircon is a 4-billion-year-old gem with more fire than diamond. Learn its colors, its old-mine history, and how to avoid confusing it with CZ.
Stones & grading · Sep 2026
Vesuvianite: The Idocrase Most Buyers Skip Over
Vesuvianite, also called idocrase, comes in green, yellow and rare blue. Learn its properties, sources, and whether it suits jewelry.
Stones & grading · Sep 2026
Moonstone Guide: Adularescence & the Feldspar Family
That floating blue glow inside moonstone is called adularescence. We explain what causes it, good vs weak moonstone, and how to set and care for it.
Stones & grading · Sep 2026
Turquoise Is Beautiful but Finicky: A Bench Jeweler's Guide
Turquoise is porous, oil-sensitive, and easily changed by skin chemistry. Worn right it ages beautifully; worn wrong it bruises and darkens.
Stones & grading · Sep 2026
Tsavorite Garnet: A Gemstone Deep-Dive for Jewelry Manufacturers
Unheated, untreated, and harder than emerald. Tsavorite is a factory-friendly green gem with specific setting rules buyers should know.
Stones & grading · Sep 2026
Peridot Gemstone Guide: The Olive Green August Birthstone
Peridot is one of the few gems that forms in a single color. Learn what makes it special, how to judge quality, and how to keep its green bright.
Stones & grading · Sep 2026
925 Sterling Silver Casting: The Common Porosity Defects and How a Good Factory Catches Them
Pinholes, blowholes, shrinkage, and firestain in 925 sterling silver casting: causes, how to read the defect, and how factories prevent it.
