Stories, guides & care
Everything we know about choosing, styling and caring for fine jewelry — written by the people who make it.
August Birthstones: Peridot, Spinel & Sardonyx Guide
August has three birthstones — peridot, spinel, and sardonyx. A complete guide to what each means, why August has three, how they...
Peridot Meaning: Symbolism, History & Healing Lore
The Gem of the Sun — a stone of light, renewal, and prosperity. Peridot's meaning across symbolism, history and mythology, metaphysical lore,...
Ruby Meaning: Symbolism, History & Healing Lore
Passion, love, courage, and vitality — the King of Gemstones. Ruby's meaning across symbolism, history and mythology, metaphysical lore, its colors and...
July Birthstone: Ruby Meaning, History & Buying Guide
July's birthstone is ruby, the king of gems. A guide to its meaning, history, quality and value, durability, treatments, and how to...
Rhodolite Garnet: What It Is, Meaning, Value & vs. Red Garnet
The raspberry-purple member of the garnet family. What rhodolite garnet is, how it differs from common red garnet, its color, meaning, value,...
January Birthstone: Garnet Meaning, Colors & Guide
January's birthstone is garnet — a gem of protection and love that comes in far more colors than red. Its meaning, the...
Garnet vs Ruby: An Honest Comparison for Engagement Rings
Two red gems, two different minerals, one big price gap. Hardness, color, value, durability, and how to tell garnet from ruby —...
October Birthstone: Opal and Tourmaline Guide to Color, Meaning, Value and Care
A jeweler's October birthstone guide: opal (1912) and tourmaline (added 1952) compared. Colors, play-of-color, meaning and the unlucky-opal myth, Libra and Scorpio,...
Black Gemstones: The Complete Guide to Dark Stones for Engagement Rings, Jewelry & Meaning
Fourteen black gemstones from Mohs 10 black diamond to Mohs 2.5 Whitby jet — hardness rankings, 2026 pricing, treatment honesty, symbolism, and...
Black Onyx Meaning: Symbolism, History, Healing Lore & Value
The stone of protection, strength, and grounding. Black onyx's meaning across symbolism, history and mythology, metaphysical lore, its colors and sardonyx, whether...
Fire Opal Engagement Rings: The Complete Guide to the Glowing Gemstone
Mexican fire opal explained — faceted not cabochon, transparent, valued for body color. Durability data, 2026 pricing, the best settings, and why...
Black Opal: The Complete Buyer's Guide to Lightning Ridge's Rarest Gemstone
A jeweler's guide to black opal: how body tone (N1-N9), brightness, pattern, and color set the price, where real Lightning Ridge stones...
