Fri | Oct 29 
For centuries explorers have been lured by Peru’s fascinating culture and legends of its vast treasure. When the Spanish arrived to the Americas in the 16th century, it didn’t take long for Francisco Pizarro to hear the rumors of an unimaginably rich empire ruling over the lands of South America. Tempted by the possibilities, Pizarro convinced Emperor Charles V to allow him to lead a campaign to extend the reaches of the Spanish Empire into Peru.
This post was posted in Jewelry of the World
Wed | Sep 29
Since Roman times, games of chance have used gambling chips to keep track of wagers. Originally crude metal or clay disks, they slowly evolved into todays casino chips.
The heyday of counters existed in the 1720 to 1840 era. Trade routes with China brought back exotic silks, spices, and handmade goods never seen in Europe. Anything Chinese was all the rage, and among the most popular items were the beautiful mother-of-pearl chips known as gaming counters.
This post was posted in Jewelry of the World, Custom Jewelry
Wed | Sep 8 
Found in such varied locations as Sri Lanka, Siberia, and California, tourmalines are a family of gemstones noted for their variety of colors. They exist in hot pink shades known as rubellite, deep blue shades called indicolite, and numerous other tints of greens and blue-greens. Some of the most desirable gemstones in the world are the electric turquoise blue gems known as paraiba tourmalines, which are mined in Brazil. Occasionally two or more colors will exist in the same tourmaline crystal, often referred to as bi-color or watermelon tourmalines. Gems that show two distinct color differences are particularly prized.
This post was posted in Gemstone Jewelry
