Blog

Topaz is a derivative of the word “Topazios”, the ancient Greek name for the Egyptian island in the Red Sea now known as St John’s Island. Interestingly, this island never produced topaz, but it was once a source of a yellow gem, which was confused with topaz before the development of modern mineralogy. Some scholarsRead more

Did you know that blonde maidens wanted a necklace made of opals during medieval times because they believed that opals would prevent their hair from fading or darkening? The word opal originates in India. In Sanskrit, it was called Upala, meaning a “precious stone”. Later, in ancient Rome, Upala became opalus, meaning “to see aRead more

Did you know that not all sapphires are blue? Sapphires are sourced in various countries, including the United States, Myanmar, Australia, Sri Lanka, Thailand, and Kashmir. They come in many colours, including pink, peach, orange, yellow, green, teal, and purple, which may be surprising to some people. However, top-quality blue sapphires remain one of theRead more

Peridot is the birthstone for August. “Peridot” is derived from the Arabic word faridat, meaning ‘gem’ and pronounced ‘pair-uh-doe’. Most people recognize birthstones such as diamonds, rubies, opals, sapphires, and emeralds. Still, few are familiar with peridots, and that’s why peridots have been under-appreciated and thought of as a lesser gem. However, in recent years,Read more

“If I had rubies, riches, and crowns, I’d buy the whole world and change things around“. These lyrics are from Bob Dylan’s famous song, “Let Me Die In My Footsteps” (Warner |Brothers Inc., 1963, 1965), yet another of Bob Dylan’s songs yearning for peace and the end of wars. The ruby’s beautiful rich red colourRead more

Pearl is the birthstone for the month of June. Associated with purity, innocence, and humility, it’s no wonder that people give pearls as wedding gifts. They are “sweet simplicity”. Pearls have been popular since the start of time. They are highly desirable jewellery pieces because they are rare and change colour based on the surroundingRead more

Did you know that Emerald is derived from various languages, including Old French, Middle English, Latin, Ancient Greek, and from a semantic language? Talk about confusion. Like other gemstones, genuine emeralds are graded using the 4-C’s; colour, clarity, carat, and cut. But unlike diamonds, which everyone is familiar with, the most critical grading criteria forRead more

Did you know that birthstones are gems associated with the month a person is born? We have all heard “diamonds are forever” or “diamonds are a girl’s best friend”. But did you know that if you were born in April, then a diamond is your birthstone? Diamond jewellery has become a status symbol. Birthstones dateRead more

There is a reason why diamonds are the most favoured gemstones in engagement rings and wedding bands and claim the number one spot (the centre) in most pieces of fine jewellery.Read more