For the last few springs we have hosted Jeff Feero of Alex Sepkus for an amazing trunk show. It has become one of our favorite annual events. He always brings a large selection of some of Alex’s most intricate and awe-inspiring jewelery. We hope you will join us and find out exactly why Alex Sepkus is one of our favorite designers.
The 2012 Pantone Color of the Year is . . . Tangerine Tango
When I heard the news this morning about this year’s Pantone Color of the year, I was ecstatic! I think tangerine tango is going to be way more popular than last year’s honeysuckle. When I saw the actual color I was even more excited. When it comes to the gemological world, oranges are some of my favorites and it is never too early to start thinking about your spring accessories. You should consider Spessartite Garnets, Mandarin Garnets, Sunstone, Fire Opal, and even Coral or Carnelian to accessorize with tangerine tango. Unfortunately the oranges are really difficult to photograph, which is why you won’t find many of them on our web page. I’ve made a valiant effort here, but keep in mind that in real life these stones have fire & pizzaz. They are truly eye candy when held in your hands. Come in with your new tangerine sweater and try them on, you’ll fall in love with the 2012 Pantone Color of the Year . . . I have!
WE649 1.99Ct Spessartite Garnet set in 14Kt white gold with 0.36 Ctw diamonds perfect for accessorizing Tangerine Tango, $5985
Custom B&Co Ring with 1.19Ct Mandarin Garnet set in Platinum perfect for accessorizing Tangerine Tango $3895
Echo of the Dreamer earrings perfect for accessorizing Tangerine Tango outfits $275
PE1843 .80Ct Fire Opal in 14K yellow setting - the Tangerine Tango of the gem world
Oh, and for the guys:
Perhaps this Victorinox Dive Master in Tangerine Tango is the perfect accessory
Spessartite Garnet & Diamond Pendant PE1684
Garnet and Diamond Ring LR1676
Victorian Bohemian Garnet Cluster Bracelet BR1207
Rhodolite Garnet Ring by Beauchamp Jewelers LR1731
Garnet Cabachon Link Bracelet by Konstantino BR1151
If you have never been to Gem Fair at Beauchamp Jewelers then you are missing out. At Gem Fair we bring together gemstone dealers from all over the world who bring exquisite gemstones in every price range for your choosing. The selection is always amazing. We will have all of the usual favorites as well as many gemstones of which you have never heard. You can purchase loose stones and have a custom mounting personally designed for them, or you can purchase gems beautifully set in rings, pendants, bracelets, or earrings.
Aquamarine is the birthstone for March and the traditional gift for 19th wedding anniversaries.
Aquamarine’s name is derived from the Latin for sea water. Ancient seafarers believed that the beautiful blue stone came from the treasure chests of the mermaids. Ancient peoples believed that the water in which an aquamarine was soaked would cure eye troubles and stop hiccups (never been proven by modern medicine). In medieval times, it was believed to reawaken love between married couples. Soldiers through the ages have called Aquamarine the “Stone of Courage” and believe that it guards against injury and makes them invincible.
Aquamarine belongs to the Beryl family of gemstones. Emeralds and Morganite are also included in the Beryl family. Beryl is comprised of beryllium-aluminum-silicate. Iron is the trace element that creates the lovely blue color in Aquamarine while chromium creates the green in emeralds and manganese gives Morganite its pink color. The beryl family generally originates in granitic pegmatites and found in alluvial deposits. The largest gem quality specimen on record is a 243 pound crystal found in 1910 in the Minas Gerais region of Brazil.
Aquamarine & Sterling Silver Neckalce by Konstantino
Properties
Hardness: 7.5 – 8.0
Color – Greenish blue through blue-green
Stability
Very good
Rarities include cat’s-eye
Clarity – majority is eye-clean
Enhancements –
Majority is heat treated to remove yellow and green overtones and is undetectable
Aquamarines are found in Brazil, Madagascar, Tanzania, Kenya, Nigeria, Sri Lanka, Burma, China, Australia, the Ural Mountains of Russia, Afghanistan, Pakistan and the USA.
Care
Cleaning methods
Ultrasonic – usually safe
Steamer – usually safe
Warm soapy water – safe
79 Ct Aquamarine in custom mounting by Beauchamp Jewelers
79 Ct Aquamarine in Custom Mounting by Beauchamp Jewelers
Our annual Alex Sepkus trunk show is coming up and we hope to see you there. Our trunk show is a special showing of the entire collection of 18kt Gold and Platinum jewelry by internationally known Designer Alex Sepkus. This is a wonderful opportunity to view a unique array of designs in pendants, rings, earrings, bracelets, bridal rings, bands and men’s jewelry. Alex Sepkus is a unique talent whose work is characterized by such fine detail and craftsmanship. One can only fully appreciate each piece with magnification to reveal the depth and intricacy of each design.
Wednesday Evening March 10th 5:30pm till 9pm
Light Hors D’oeuvres and Refreshments
Door Prizes
We recently celebrated our second year in our new Albuquerque location and 58 years since our founding by Mac and Ione Beauchamp in 1951. We want to take this opportunity to thank all of our valued customers. Thank you for your loyal patronage. Our annual anniversary party is one way we say Thank you. The party was a huge success, with our second show room decorated in an under the sea theme, there was good food, good fun, great friends, and of course, beautiful jewelry.
Topaz is the Birthstone for November and the 4th and 23rd wedding anniversary stone.
The Egyptians said that topaz was colored with the golden glow of the mighty sun god Ra. The Romans associated topaz with Jupiter, who also is the god of the sun. Legend says that it dispels all enchantment and helps to improve eyesight. The Greeks believed that it had the power to increase strength and make the wearer invisible. Topaz was also said to change color in the presence of poisoned food or drink and curative powers waxed and waned with the phases of the moon. It was said to cure insomnia, asthma and hemorrhages. The name comes from the same island that Peridot originally came from – Topazios or Zabarad in the Red Sea. In Sanskrit, the word topas or tapax means fire. In medieval times nobility and ruling classes were given engraved topaz as a token of loyalty and friendship.
The name for Imperial Topaz originated in nineteenth century Russian because the Ural Mountains were the leading source. Ownership of the gem was restricted to the royal family.
Today most people think of blue when they think of topaz and yellow topaz is often mistaken for the common citrine or smoky quartz.
Topaz is the state gemstone of Texas and Utah.
Source
The Ouro Preto area of Brazil is the major commercial source of imperial and red topaz. The Ghundao Hill area of Pakistan produces a naturally pink to red topaz sometimes called “cyclamen pink”. Brazil and Sri Lanka are the most significant sources of treatable colorless topaz. Topaz comes from Australia, Madagascar, Mexico, Myanmar, Namibia, Nigeria and the USA as well. The primary source of gem-quality topaz are pegmatites. Because it grows in an orthorhombic crystal structure (crystals are typically elongated with strong parallel grooves or striations, parallel to their length) it has weaker bonds between the atoms in one direction which causes cleavage. A sharp blow or extreme pressure or sharp temperature changes might cause it to split along the cleavage plane.
Properties
Toughness – poor due to cleavage
Stability
Reaction to Heat – might cause fading.
Reaction to Light – might cause fading.
Reaction to Chemicals – not resistant to sulphuric acid.
Care during polishing and setting because of danger of cleavage
Rarities include Red, Pink and Imperial or Precious Topaz
Most popular cuts are emerald or step cut, scissor cut, cabochon and brilliant cut particularly for colorless Topaz.
Confused with Apatite, aquamarine, brazilianite, chrysoberyl, citrine, danburite, diamond, fluorite, kunzite, orthoclase, phenakite, ruby, sapphire, spinel, tourmaline, zircon and precious beryl. Blue synethetic topaz is known. Yellow heat-treated amethyst are falsely called “gold topaz” or “Madeira topaz” so real topaz is sometimes called precious topaz to distinguish them.
Enhancements –
Blue Topaz – depending on type of treatment and starting material, it comes in many shades of blue.
London Blue
Swiss Blue
Super blue
Maxi Blue
Sky Blue
Blue starts usually as colorless and treated with gamma rays or high-energy electron radiation. This is permanent. The stones must be quarantined from three months to a year to allow radiation to dissipate.
Heat treatment is usually used on yellow to create pink and red hues. This is also permanent.
Surface Diffusion – stones are heated in cobalt-rich powder which produces color about 0.5mm deep at the surface.
Coating – coating colorless topaz with microscopic layer of metallic oxide compound by heating the stone in a vacuum-sealed container with metal oxides to form a vapor coating. This causes an optical effect of visible spectral hues. The coating is not durable but can resist daily wear but abrasive cleaners and buffing wheels remove it. It is safe in ultrasonic, alcohol and mild soap.
Beauchamp Jewelers is located in Albuquerque, NM near the ABQ Uptown, Winrock & Coronado shopping centers. Here at Beauchamp Jewelers' Blog you can find out what's new at our store as well as educate yourself on topics related to jewelry and watches.
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7017 Menaul Blvd NE
Albuquerque, NM 87110
505 881 8939
We recently celebrated our second year in our new Albuquerque location and 58 years since our founding by Mac and Ione Beauchamp in 1951. We want to take this opportunity to thank all of our valued customers. Thank you for your loyal patronage. Our annual anniversary party is one way we say Thank you. The party was a huge success, with our second show room decorated in an under the sea theme, there was good food, good fun, great friends, and of course, beautiful jewelry.
