Written by Carolyn Doyle for customers of
The Dorado Company
and other visitors to the azgem.com website who subscribe.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Share this newsletter with friends and co-workers by printing or forwarding it to them in its entirety.

+++++

Sign up for a free subscription to the AZGem Gems monthly newsletter.

+++++

Back issues of the AZGem Gems newsletter can be accessed by clicking here.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Usable Gems... and a little opinion.

Garnet Gem Stone

The garnet gem stone is actually a family of gems. They are related primarily by crystal habit, rather than chemical makeup.

The garnet gem stone has been used in a necklace or other jewelry since before people were capable of recording history.

Today garnets are more popular than ever. That's probably because of their affordability and color variety.

Garnet gem stones are available in many grand colors. Just think of a western sunset.

Yellow, green, pink, violet, rose, bright orange, orange-red, purple, blood red, deep red, and shades in between can all be the color of garnets.

Garnet is the January birthstone, so these folks have many colors to choose from.

These gems have other fine qualities that make them great jewelry stones. They are relatively hard... and tough.

This means a garnet wears well in a ring. These qualities aren't as important in an earring, but garnets are very popular in earrings.

Oh, did I mention that garnets cannot be color enhanced. The color you see is what nature provided. I'm aware that this is important to some, while others aren't concerned about enhancement. Both views have some validity.

Now let's get almost technical...

Most gem stones have the same primary chemical composition, with just a trace of another element.

The example we've used before is sapphire / ruby. They are the same gem stone except ruby has a little chromium to give it the red color, and sapphire has iron or another element to give it all the colors that sapphire comes in.

Garnet gem stones commonly grow in a twelve sided crystal shape, making them almost round.

This common crystal shape is called a rhombic dodecahedron (welcome to physics class).

A discussion of the variations in chemical makeup gets very involved and doesn't lend itself to light gemstone reading entertainment.

Please visit our garnet page for photos and more.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Industry News

The Las Vegas shows are growing... in number, size, and importance.

It all started with one show. A large showing of finished jewelry and related goods for retail jewelers.

Over the last several years other gem and jewelry shows have been started. There are shows for antique jewelry and watches, colored stones, and beads. All are restricted to members of the gem and jewelry trades.

There are now seven shows held each year around the end of May, and the first few days of June.

We'll be there, mostly to visit with the exhibitors and guests we know, and the ones we'll meet for the first time. It's always fun!.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Jewelry Dealers

How were your Mother's Day sales?

Now is the time to concentrate on sales for birthdays and anniversaries. There's always a market when you're selling jewelry.

Next thing you know you'll be looking ahead to the holiday season by planning sales parties and building up inventory.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Jewelry Dealers Program

Do you enjoy jewelry and gems?

Do you enjoy talking with friends and co-workers?

Take a look at our great Jewelry Dealers Program.

Carolyn Doyle

Back   Home

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Want to change the e-mail address at which you receive this newsletter?

Want to (gulp) unsubscribe?

Send an e-mail to carolyn@azgem.com and let me know what you want to do.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~