Notes from the bench

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.

Buying guides · Sep 2026

OEM Jewelry Casting and Polishing: White-Label Production

What an OEM casting and polishing service delivers, the finish standards brands should specify, and how white-label production protects designs.

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.

Making & process · Sep 2026

Soldering Joints in Jewelry Repair: What a Clean Joint Actually Requires

Hard solder grades, flux, joint prep, pickling and fire scale: why a jewelry repair joint fails and what separates a clean solder from a weak one.

Making & process · Sep 2026

Polishing Compounds and Finishing Stages in Jewelry

Rouge, tripoli, and the compound sequence that produces a true mirror finish. Why skipping a stage costs more than it saves.

Making & process · Sep 2026

Hand Engraving: Script and Block Fonts at the Bench

Letter height, burin angle, script vs block, and when a rotary machine cannot follow a copperplate swash on a curved band.

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.

Buying guides · Sep 2026

Custom Jewelry Factory Audit: Buyer's 12-Point Checklist

A 12-point custom jewelry factory audit checklist for buyers: capacity, alloy integrity, setting skill, plating thickness, QC logs, export docs and more.

Care & after-sales · Sep 2026

Tanzanite Jewelry Care: How to Clean and Protect a Delicate Gem

Tanzanite is soft, brittle and heat-treated. Learn why you should skip the ultrasonic, how to clean it at home, and when not to wear it.

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.