American Gem Society Archives

The American Gem Society Presents $ 10,000 Check to Local Charity

December 12, 2014

The American Gem Society recently presented a $10,000 check from the Jewelers for Children (JFC) to The Children’s Heart Foundation (CHF) as part of a Local Grant Program. JFC, a non-profit organization founded by the jewelry industry in 1999, is dedicated to helping children in need. The charity launched a Local Grant Program in 2013 and continued again this year. The goal is to fund ten $10,000 grants for local children’s charities around the country. Organizations in the jewelry industry were asked to nominate their favorite local organization, and the American Gem Society nominated CHF. Public voting on the Jewelers

Pantone announces the 2015 Color of the Year!

December 5, 2014

By Amanda L. Colborn You’ve likely heard that Pantone has released their Color of the Year for 2015, a warm and spicy shade called “Marsala!” Upon its release, the team at AGS noticed something very familiar about this shade…it perfectly matches the red garnet gemstone! Because the colors match so perfectly, we wanted to show you some jewelry options that would pair perfectly with Pantone’s Marsala. First is a gorgeous red garnet and 14 karat yellow gold ring from Parlé Jewelry Designs. This ring features a stunning, oval-cut center stone, surrounded by yellow gold and diamonds. Next, also from Parlé Jewelry Designs,

Tanzanite, Zircon and Turquoise – Oh my!

December 4, 2014

By Amanda L. Colborn Happy birthday December! We’re thrilled to feature three beautiful birthstones and talk a little bit about just what makes them so special. Tanzanite Discovered in the late 1960s in Tanzania, and found exclusively in this tiny area of the world, tanzanite exhibits a rich violet-blue color for which the gemstone is treasured; often it is heat-treated to achieve this color. Colors range from blue to purple, and tanzanites that are medium dark in tone, vivid in saturation, and slightly violet blue command premium prices. As tanzanite can be less expensive than sapphire, it often was purchased as

Unique Wedding Bands for Men

November 26, 2014

By Amanda L Colborn For this week’s #WeddingWednesday we wanted to do something just a little different. Usually we pay tribute to all the gorgeous variations of women’s wedding and engagement jewelry. This week we wanted to get the men into the mix and shine the spotlight on just of few of the thousands of variations and options for men’s wedding bands. Have you ever wondered why men wear wedding rings in the first place? Is it just tradition or a true sentiment of love? Well, it is both! In ancient Egypt, both men and women wore wedding bands as a

Celebrating the Birthstones of November!

November 7, 2014

By Amanda L. Colborn, Marketing Coordinator at AGS 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 and unrelated mineral species. The most prized color of topaz is called Imperial topaz after the Russian Czars of the 1800s and features a magnificent orange body color with pinkish undertones. Topaz also comes in yellow, pink, purple, orange, and the many popular blue tones. Citrine Citrine, the other birthstone for

How To Choose Her Perfect Engagement Ring

October 31, 2014

By Kirsty Wareing, Content Editor for Ritani When you’re ready to propose, you want to get it right. That not only refers to the time and place, but the ring that you offer her. As a symbol of how much you know and love her, it should reflect her tastes and suit her lifestyle. Ritani, a member of the American Gem Society, offers these tips for selecting a perfect engagement ring that she’ll want to wear forever. A sense for style If you’re not sure where to start, pay attention to the type of clothes she wears and the jewelry

How do you sparkle?

October 24, 2014

By Amanda L. Colborn How do you sparkle? You’re likely familiar with the 4 C’s of Diamonds: Cut, Clarity, Color and Carat – however, there is another very important aspect of diamonds to keep top of mind: Sparkle! Sparkle, or Scintillation as it is also known, is the play of white and colored flashes of light seen when the diamond is viewed in motion. Viewable with the naked eye, sparkle is the life of the diamond. Sparkle does have two different aspects, flash scintillation and fire scintillation. Flash Flash scintillation is the dynamic pattern of white sparkles observed across a

Spooky Jewelry: No Tricks. All Treats.

October 17, 2014

By Amanda L. Colborn Halloween doesn’t have to be all face paint and bobbing for apples—it’s also a chance to explore a whole new realm of fine jewelry—spooky, Halloween jewelry! If there is any holiday that has a real, dedicated following, it is Halloween! True Halloween enthusiasts don’t just get into the spirit of the season, they live for it. Because of this, there are fine jewelry options for those who like their nights scary and their jewelry spooky. Such pieces can be worn year-round if that is your style, or just brought out to add a little sparkle to your

October – celebrating the month of TWO birthstones!

October 10, 2014

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 The first October birthstone is tourmaline. It 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

The Healing Power of Gemstones

October 3, 2014

By Amanda L. Colborn According to folklore and stories throughout history, many gemstones are thought to offer mystic healing to its wearer. So whether shopping for a gift of fine jewelry, or considering a gift for yourself along the way, consider the healing properties of these fine gemstones. Birthday gemstones may not bake your cookies and wrap your gifts for you, but they will make you feel better while doing so. Gemstone healing powers: Amber – Thought to aid memory loss, purify the body, alleviate headaches, and bone and heart problems, Amber is known for its stress relieving and calming properties.

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