There is so much variety in color and availability in colored gemstones, we want to share some useful information when shopping for them. Most of our colored gemstone jewelry - antique to new - have some common characteristics. The value of a colored stone is determined by color, clarity, and cut. The major characteristic of grading one colored gemstone over another is the color. First, view the stone face side up, to determine the color of the entire stone. Look at the saturation of the color - is it light or intense? This is one of the key determinants of colored gemstone values.

Does the stone have sparkle as you rock it from side to side? Look at the brilliance or light return you see in sapphires and rubies. The brilliance as well as the color can give one gemstone greater value than another. In some gemstones like opal the “play of color” is part of the appeal of the stone.

Do you see inclusions in the gemstone? Inclusions indicate mined gemstones and not synthetic. Inclusions are commonly seen in emeralds, rubies, and sapphires. Aquamarine, blue topaz, blue zircon, clear zircon, kunzite, and green tourmaline are some mined gemstones you would not see inclusions. We use the internationally recognized Gemological Institute of America numeric grading system for colored stones.

Jewelry Repair & Restoration

When you have a ring you need resized, a broken bracelet, a necklace you need extended - all these are jobs for an experienced bench jeweler. When you are looking for someone to restore or rebuild an antique piece of jewelry, the circle of qualified repair people becomes very small. We are fortunate to have a highly skilled bench jeweler capable of restoring Georgian to modern jewelery. Our very experienced jeweler first assesses what is restorable, and what is not. If you have a ring or bracelet needing repair, please feel free to contact us for a free evaluation.