spectrumgallery

Hello from the Tucson Gem Show, For the past five days Nancy, Susan and I have been walking miles of aisles through the many shows that comprise the annual Tucson Gem Show, the biggest gem show in the world. Every year the population of Tucson about doubles as people come from around the globe to buy, sell and trade gems, jewelry, minerals, fossils, artifacts, antiques, collectibles and every imaginable thing. There are miners, cutters, manufacturers, retailers, designers and more all... Read Full Story

Amethyst is February's birthstone and the birthstone for the Zodiac sign Pisces (Feb. 19 - March 20). It is also the appropriate gemstone gift for the 6th wedding anniversary. Amethyst is probably the most recognized variety of quartz. A few other varieties of quartz are citrine, rose quartz and smoky quartz. It is a 7 on the Mohs scale of hardness making it safe for every day wear. Amethyst has long been loved for its beautiful purple hues. The stone can range from a pale lilac to a deep... Read Full Story

Want to really make her eyes sparkle? Tuck one of these into her box of chocolates this Valentines Day... Don't be blue, my heart belongs to you Blue Topaz Starsong Necklace with SS heart Charm Bee Mine Freshwater Pearl Starsong Necklace with SS Bee Charm You are the key to my heart Kathy Bransfield SS and GF Necklace Heart earrings B&R SS and GF Earrings Wrapped Around Your Finger Starsong Hematite wrap necklace/bracelet with SS Heart Charm -Taylor Read Full Story

Pyrope Garnet Garnet is the official birthstone of January as adopted by the American National Association of Jewelers in 1912. It is also the stone for the Zodiac sign Aquarius (Jan 21-Feb 18) and the gemstone given for the 2nd and 6th wedding anniversaries. The name Garnet evolved from "granatus", Latin for "seed-like" because the small round crystals reminded the Greeks of pomegranate seeds. Garnet is said to keep travelers safe, promote a long-lasting love, and prevent depression. What if... Read Full Story

“Stories behind the Stones” by Star Sosa of Spectrum Art & Jewelry The Family Jewels Family “His-Story” or “Her-Story” as Told by Your Jewelry We invest our jewelry with unique attributes unlike any of our other possessions. We use it to make commitments, seal contracts and to celebrate accomplishments and personal milestones. It is portable wealth, elevates our social standing and provides heirlooms for future generations. So much of jewelry sends messages to the people we meet about who we... Read Full Story

The recent Elizabeth Taylor Jewelry Auction set world records! Several items sold for 5, 10 or 50 times their estimated value. The collection fetched $118 million in one night making Taylor's gems the most valuable private collection of jewels ever sold at auction. The collection included 1,778 lots of jewelry, fashion, decorative arts and film memorabilia. This historic sale set a world record for the most valuable sale of jewelry in auction history, and set a new bar for the most valuable... Read Full Story

It's more and more common that women are choosing colored stone engagement rings instead of the traditional Diamond ring. The trend for color in bridal has become an important niche, especially in custom design work. The reason? Well there can be as many reasons as there are brides but here are a few... Bigger stones for less money: Women want more impressive and i mportant looking rings but the can't necessarily afford the 2 carat diamond. Colored stones can offer more bang for your buck... Read Full Story

PANTONE 2012 color of the year is Tangerine Tango! (The bold, red-orange shade succeeds 2011's pretty-in-pink color, Honeysuckle) It's Sophisticated but also dramatic and seductive! Leatrice Eiseman, executive director of the Pantone Color Institute, said "Reminiscent of the radiant shadings of a sunset, Tangerine Tango marries the vivaciousness and adrenaline rush of red with the friendliness and warmth of yellow, to form a high-visibility, magnetic hue that emanates heat and energy... there... Read Full Story

Glass Eye Studio Ornaments $26 Jewelry Cleaner and Ring Slide $8.95 Sarah James Earrings $49 (All Sarah James Earrings are $49) Starsong Earrings $20-$50 Silk Jewelry bag $14 Woven Glass Ring Holders $19 Me2U Butter Dish with Knife $45 (Me2U has multiple items under $50) Luke Adams Glass Starfish, Flowers, Hearts and Twists $28-$38 Wooden Possibility Box by Mitukowski $45 Hilborn Pinch Pot with Knife $30 (Hilborn has multiple items under $50) Small Round Beck Hemby Candles $29 -Taylor Read Full Story

Who doesn't love a little sugar around the rim? White Gold White Diamonds Martini Earrings The Startini (Spectrum's very own martini) 2-3 parts Absolut citron 1 part sour mix 1 1/2 parts cranberry juice 1 part razzmatazz (any raspberry flavoring will do) and a fresh squeeze of lemon or lime Chill and shake like a martini White Gold Blue & White Diamonds Martini Earrings The Happy Elf Martini (The festive red and green color makes this a perfect Christmas Party cocktail!) Combine in an ice... Read Full Story