Feeling Green?
Today is Saint Patrick's Day, so I thought I'd talk about green gemstones. Sometimes, folks assume just because they have a green stone...
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Heather Burleson
Dec 8, 20212 min read
'Tis the Season!
If you're planning a holiday proposal or even if you're just planning a significant jewelry gift this season, this is your friendly...
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Heather Burleson
Oct 29, 20213 min read
What's the Deal with Lab-Grown Diamonds?
HPHT Lab-Grown Rough Diamond crystal Natural Octahedral Diamond Crystal I have seen a lot of lab-grown diamonds lately, so I want to...
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Heather Burleson
Sep 13, 20212 min read
Gemstone Focus: Pearls
We've talked a little about pearls here and about restringing them from time to time, etc., but I haven't really talked about what they...
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Heather Burleson
Jun 21, 20211 min read
Gemstone Focus: Sapphires & Rubies
Here's something you might not have known: Sapphires come in every color of the rainbow, and when they are red, they're rubies. If you...
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Heather Burleson
May 22, 20212 min read
Understanding Your Diamond Appraisal: Necessary Repairs
Sometimes when I appraise a piece, I will find that repairs are necessary. You will notice the prong at 9 o'clock is torn away from the...
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Heather Burleson
May 7, 20212 min read
Understanding Your Diamond Appraisal: Antique Diamond Cuts
I am often asked to appraise pieces that have been inherited, which sometimes means running into the diamond cuts in the above graphic....
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Heather Burleson
Apr 21, 20213 min read
Understanding Your Diamond Appraisal: Changing Values
One of the things I am often asked to do is update appraisals from many years ago. Often, the value is similar to or even may be less...
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Heather Burleson
Apr 13, 20211 min read
Understanding Your Diamond Appraisal: Naturals
This is a photo of a natural on the girdle/pavilion of a diamond. So, what did I just say? Well, a natural is the original (or natural)...
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Heather Burleson
Apr 5, 20212 min read
Understanding Your Diamond Appraisal: Resale
Sometimes you have diamond pieces (usually rings) that you have inherited or no longer have use for you'd like to sell. If you have a...
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Heather Burleson
Mar 29, 20212 min read
Understanding Your Diamond Appraisal: Damage
While diamonds are the hardest natural substance on earth, if it weren't possible to break them, we wouldn't be able to cut them to...
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Heather Burleson
Mar 19, 20213 min read
Understanding Your Diamond Appraisal: Gold & Platinum
This next topic applies whether or not the gemstone in your jewelry is a diamond. Still, since the series has been Understanding Your...
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Heather Burleson
Mar 3, 20212 min read
Understanding Your Diamond Appraisal: Setting Style
Today we're moving from the diamonds themselves to the way they are set. Above is a graphic showing twelve common ways stones (not just...
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Heather Burleson
Feb 24, 20212 min read
Understanding Your Diamond Appraisal: Cut
While shape is the outward shape of the stone, the word cut is used to denote how well a diamond returns light. Remember physics class?...
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Heather Burleson
Feb 10, 20212 min read
Understanding Your Diamond Appraisal: Clarity
Next on the list is clarity. Almost all diamonds will have some type of inclusion inside, the severity of which will determine its...
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Heather Burleson
Jan 28, 20212 min read
Understanding Your Diamond Appraisal: Color
Diamonds are graded starting at D and going to Z before heading into Fancy Colors. D-F are colorless and are more rare and valuable than...
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Heather Burleson
Jan 25, 20213 min read
Understanding Your Diamond Appraisal: Shape
Diamonds are cut into many shapes--even more than the ten shown here-- and the shape impacts the value every time. It can also help date...
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Heather Burleson
Jan 18, 20212 min read
Jewelry Insurance: What You Need to Know
You have homeowners or renters insurance, so you would naturally think that means all the belongings in your home are covered, but that...
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Heather Burleson
Jan 14, 20212 min read
To Restring to Not Restring... That is the Question
Pearls-- be they cultured freshwater, cultured saltwater, natural, or even faux-- need to be restrung every so often to ensure the strand...
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Heather Burleson
Jan 11, 20211 min read
Microscope Monday!
Check out the inclusions in these natural (heated) sapphires from a bracelet. While the stones match to the unaided eye regarding color,...
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