By: Jeffrey M. Bertman Graduate Gemologist Opal, the birthstone for October, is sometimes referred to as the “Queen of Gems” largely owing to its display

By: Jeffrey M. Bertman Graduate Gemologist Anyone interested in making the most dramatic presentation of a diamond need look no further than a “tension setting.”

By: Jeffrey M. Bertman Graduate Gemologist One of the more romantic aspects of the marriage of Prince William to Kate Middleton was that the prince

By: Jeffrey M. Bertman Graduate Gemologist Jewelers have noted a significant increase in the popularity of diamond set wedding bands that leads them to speculate

By: Jeffrey M. Bertman Graduate Gemologist Few gemstones exude the lush, verdant feel of a summer’s day in the way that peridot does. This makes

By: Jeffrey M. Bertman Graduate Gemologist Jewelry made of white gold (an alloy of gold and nickel and silver or palladium) is usually electroplated with

By: Jeffrey M. Bertman Graduate Gemologist Because it is not always possible to find a piece of jewelry in the showcase that perfectly suits every

By: Jeffrey M. Bertman Graduate Gemologist Nearly all rings can be resized without any discernable sign of alteration. If a ring needs only a quarter

By: Jeffrey M. Bertman Graduate Gemologist A diamond’s grading report will reveal whether (and to what degree) the gemstone “fluoresces,” the trait that some diamonds

By: Jeffrey M. Bertman Graduate Gemologist The birthstone for July has been referred to as “a drop of the heart’s blood of Mother Earth” in