gemstones Archives

What’s the Buzz on Peach Fuzz?

February 2, 2024

By Isabelle Corvin, CG, Staff Gemologist at Panowicz Jewelers What do cherries, almonds, apricots, and plums have in common? They are all members of the “Prunus” genus and are a branch (pardon the pun) of the rose family, a trait shared by the peach. Coincidentally, Pantone’s Color of the Year for 2024 has been revealed as “Peach Fuzz” (13-1023)! This pastel mix of light orange and tender pink is easy on the eyes and mimics its namesake perfectly. In dyes and pigments, red, yellow, and white are often blended together to create a peachy color, with the amounts varying for

Gem Legacy Announces Silicosis Prevention Initiative

April 12, 2022

Gem Legacy Announces Silicosis Prevention Initiative Project will provide masks and filters to fight the onset of silicosis among tanzanite miners [ROYAL OAK, Mich., April 5, 2022] – Gem Legacy, a 501c3 nonprofit supporting vocational training, entrepreneurship, and community development in East African artisanal gem mining communities, is launching a new fundraising initiative to prevent silicosis in the tanzanite mining areas of Merelani, Tanzania. Gem Legacy has committed to buying masks and filters, at a cost of $30 per set-up, for 5,000 miners. Silicosis is a disease caused by inhaling crystalline silica dust, resulting in irreversible damage to the lungs

How to Buy and Where to Find High-Quality Gemstones: Buying Gemstones is Easier With Our Gem Guide

May 3, 2021

Whether you’re buying gemstone jewelry for yourself or a loved one, there are a few things you should keep in mind while shopping. The 4Cs of diamond buying—carat, color, clarity, and cut—can be used for many gemstones as well. However, the specifics will differ. You will also want to keep in mind the differences between natural, lab-created, and imitation gemstones. Similarly, some gemstones are enhanced or treated. And, finally, wondering where to buy gemstones and related jewelry? Let’s break it all down in this gem guide. Gemstone Buying Guide When buying a diamond, you should look at cut, color, clarity,

Happy Birthday November!

November 6, 2015

By Amanda L. Colborn November has two beautiful birthstones associated with the month. If you’re a fan of color or variations of colored stones, than November is the perfect month for you. Both Topaz and Citrine shine in popularity because of their outstanding colors. They both also have a very special place in history! Learn more about each stone below: Topaz Topaz is a gemstone available in a rich rainbow of colors. Prized for several thousand years in antiquity, at the time — all yellow gems were called topaz. Often confused with citrine quartz (yellow) and smoky quartz (brown), quartz and topaz are separate

How To Clean Your Jewelry

October 30, 2015

Blog post courtesy of The Kingswood Company At the American Gem Society, we love sharing blogs with you about gemstones, diamonds, fine jewelry and new fashion trends. When it comes to jewelry care, we strive to give you the best jewelry care knowledge so your keepsakes will last for generations. That’s why in this blog, we teamed up with The Kingswood Company. For over 60 years they have been the leading innovators in high-quality, private-label jewelry care products. So this week’s blog is completely dedicated to keeping the jewelry you already have, or are looking to purchase, in the best

Unique Birthstones for October Birthdays

October 2, 2015

By Amanda L. Colborn Happy birthday to all the October babies out there! October features two very unique and different birthstones. Tourmaline and Opal, two of the most gorgeous and diverse birthstones make beautiful and vibrant jewelry. Let’s explore them individually: Tourmaline Tourmaline has become a favorite gemstone among jewelry designers, and gem collectors the world over. Since it is available in a wide variety of colors, it is ideally suited to almost anyone’s taste. Tourmaline also is known for displaying several colors in the same gemstone. These bi-color or tri-color gems are formed in many combinations; gemstones with clear color distinctions are

Celebrating September with Sparkling Sapphire

August 28, 2015

We’re getting a jump-start on September! September’s birthstone is the sapphire, a beautiful gemstone that has been popular since the Middle Ages. According to folklore, sapphires bring wearers good fortune, spiritual insight and provide them with protection from envy and harm. Blue sapphires range from very light to very dark greenish or violet-blue, as well as various shades of pure blue. The most prized colors are a medium to medium dark blue or slightly violet-blue. Sapphire is a variety of the gem species, corundum, and occurs in all colors of the rainbow. Pink, purple, green, orange, or yellow corundum are known

Tips from Jewelers Mutual: End-of-Summer Jewelry To-Do List

August 21, 2015

Sunscreen, chlorine, and travel are the quintessential elements of summer that put fine jewelry at risk. But now that the sun is setting on summer, it’s time to give your precious gems and metals some extra attention. Learn more in this blog by Jewelers Mutual Insurance Company, 5 End-of-Summer Jewelry Care Tips to Keep Your Sparklers Shining.

August is Romance Awareness Month!

August 7, 2015

By Amanda L. Colborn Even though the American Gem Society is a professional organization dedicated to credentialing jewelers and consumer protection, we understand that one of the biggest reasons people give jewelry is to show their love. And we love…..well, love! So this blog is a celebration of romance, and lucky for us, August is National Romance month. So we thought we’d take the opportunity to celebrate Romance Awareness Month in all its glory, and hopefully inspire you to remember to add some romance to your life as well. The online dating site, Zoosk, conducted an annual Romance Awareness Survey. From

Special Birthstones for August Birthdays

July 31, 2015

By Amanda L Colborn With tomorrow marking the first day of August, we’d like to wish all the August babies a happy birthday! You have two special birthstones associated with the month of August. Both of which are not only unique and beautiful, but very representative of power and courage. Read on to learn more about the birthstones of August, peridot and sardonyx. Peridot Peridot is said to host magical powers and healing properties to protect against nightmares and to bring the wearer power, influence, and a wonderful year. As peridot is a gemstone that forms deep inside the Earth and

gemstones