The Power of Custom Design "Before and After"

Do you have jewelry that you have inherited or purchased years ago that is outdated or you don’t enjoy wearing?  You can take that jewelry and sell it at a pawn shop for scrap value, or keep the value of the stones and metal and turn it into a beautiful piece of jewelry.  Custom design gives you the opportunity to create something new that fits your style that you will cherish for many years to come. 

One of our clients recently came in with three rings all given by relatives.  The rings were outdated and she didn't enjoy wearing them, but they still held high sentimental value for her.  We were able to combine all the stones from her old rings into a new design that she can enjoy wearing, yet still hold the same sentimental value. 

To celebrate their anniversary, our clients wanted to replace their original engagement ring using their original 0.50 ct marquise diamond.  Our goal was to create a dramatic and substantial looking contemporary ring.  Their concern was that the original diamond not be overpowered by a bolder setting.  The solution was to create a design using pave-set round diamonds under the marquise to achieve the illusion of a larger diamond and balancing out the ring.

A client came in with a precious imperial topaz that she has gotten reset twice, but was never satisfied with the results.  She had always dreamed about having a hand crafted antique style ring, so we designed a unique Victorian style ring for her to showcase her stone.  The stone was not perfectly cut and had a window effect.  We were able to mask this window effect through the use of the setting.  She not only was able to get the antique ring she had always wanted, but was also able to finally enjoy her stones in a design she loved.

Peridot is the Birthstone of August

Peridot is the birthstone of August.

While the exact origin of the name peridot is unknown, many sources state it comes from the Arabic word farodat, meaning gem.  Peridot is one of the few gems that come in one distinctive color.  The most valuable is an intense deep green color.  Peridot is known to make the wearer look younger and more beautiful. 

Peridot was one of Cleopatra's favorite stones.  While many believe Cleopatra's favorite stone was emerald, there is an abundance of archeological evidence that points to what was thought to be emeralds were actually peridot.  Ancient Egyptians called them "gem of the sun" because of its high brilliance under the sun.

Peridot was considered more beautiful than emerald.  It is widely believed that this stone was so beautiful, it was used as the second stone in the high priest's breastplate for the second temple of Jerusalem built in 515 BC, with ruby being the first.

This gemstone was said to glow at night. Ancient minors would search in the evening or night when they said it was easiest to find.  Romans called peridot "evening emerald" because they stayed vibrant and bright under all lighting conditions and did not darken under night sky.

Some have the perception that peridot is not a good stone because they haven't seen it in beautiful quality.  As soon as our clients discover the peridot we carry, they fall in love with the stone forever.

While almost all gemstones are formed in the earth’s crust, peridot is formed much deeper, in the mantle. The only other stone formed in the mantle is diamond.  Peridot is sourced from many places such as China, Burma, and Arizona, but the best come from Pakistan. Although peridot from Pakistan is becoming increasingly rare, we only source ours from this region.

The stone is very transparent, so picking a very clean stone is important as inclusions are more visible than in other stones.

Peridot is a relatively inexpensive stone, for a fine quality stone sized between 3-10 carats you would typically pay $200-500 per carat.  Though finest quality stones from Pakistan over 6 carats are rare.

The pendant pictured is a 13 carat Pakistani peridot in 18k gold with diamonds.  The earrings each contain a 4 carat  Pakistani peridot in 14k gold.

By Viktoriya Gulko