Journal · 980 notes
Notes from the bench
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
Ulexite: The TV Rock of the Borate Desert
Ulexite, nicknamed TV rock, projects images through its fibrous crystals. Learn what it is, how it cuts, and whether it belongs in jewelry.
Stones & grading · Sep 2026
Iolite Gemstone Guide: Properties, Color, and Value
A bench-side guide to iolite: pleochroism, color range, durability, value factors, and how to care for violet-blue iolite jewelry.
Making & process · Sep 2026
Brushed Finish vs High Polish: Which Bench Finish Sells and Lasts
Directional brushing versus mirror polish: scratch behavior, fingerprint smudge, re-finish cost, and which mens band finish survives daily wear.
Stones & grading · Sep 2026
Turquoise Gemstone Guide: Stabilization, Color, and Value
Turquoise is soft, porous, and often stabilized. Learn what stabilization means, how matrix affects value, and which settings suit this historic stone.
Making & process · Sep 2026
From CAD File to Finished Ring: The Full Atelier Journey
Follow a custom engagement ring from the first CAD render through wax, casting, setting, and polishing, and see what each step actually involves.
Stones & grading · Sep 2026
Heliodor Gemstone Guide: Golden Beryl's Sunlit History
What is heliodor? The golden-yellow variety of beryl, its sources, hardness, treatments, and how to wear and care for it every day.
Making & process · Sep 2026
Ring Sizing Up vs. Down: What Happens at the Bench
Sizing a ring up stretches metal; sizing it down cuts and solders it. Both have limits. We explain what your jeweler can do—and where to draw the line.
Making & process · Sep 2026
Silver Annealing Sequence Before Soldering: Bench Order That Prevents Cracks
Hard, medium, easy solder stages and when to anneal between them. The bench order that stops fabricated sterling tubes from splitting at the seam.
Care & after-sales · Sep 2026
Traveling With Jewelry: How to Pack, Wear, and Protect Your Rings on the Road
An atelier guide to traveling with rings and fine jewelry: what to pack, what to leave home, how to organize, and how to avoid the hotel-sink disaster.
Buying guides · Sep 2026
Repairing a Broken Ring Shank: Weld vs Remake
When a cracked or broken ring shank should be welded and when it must be remade. Costs, strength, and wholesale service decisions.
Stones & grading · Sep 2026
Garnet Gemstone Guide: Every Color in the Family
Garnet isn't only January's deep red birthstone. Meet tsavorite, demantoid, spessartite and rhodolite—plus value and care tips.
Stones & grading · Sep 2026
Blue Topaz Gemstone Guide: Colors, Value & Care
Everything bench jewelers and buyers should know about topaz: Swiss and London blue, mystic topaz, heat treatment, Mohs hardness, and daily care.