Gemstones

Emerald, sapphire in every color, ruby, tourmaline, rubellite, spinel, tsavorite and spessartite garnet, aquamarine, morganite, peridot, topaz, amethyst, kyanite, tanzanite, opal, turquoise, lapis, malachite, chrysoprase, coral, azurite, rhodochrosite and black onyx, most paired with diamonds in 14K and 18K gold. The rarer stones pass through the one of a kind pieces.

Color first, before size, before shape. A stone earns its setting by holding its saturation in low light, alive, never grey. Then cut, because cut decides how evenly the color spreads. Carat weight comes last. A vivid two-carat stone beats a dull four-carat one every time, and that is the order we buy in.

Natural, and treated the way the species is. Sapphire and ruby are almost always heated, emerald is almost always oiled, and black onyx takes treatment for its even black; all three are accepted, permanent practices as old as the trade, and each listing names its stone plainly. Where a stone is unheated with known origin, the listing says so, and the vault holds a few of those for custom work.

Sapphire at 9 on the Mohs hardness scale and spinel at 8 take daily life easily. Emerald, aquamarine, morganite and topaz at 7.5 to 8, tourmaline at 7 to 7.5, and amethyst, peridot and the garnets near 7 wear well with ordinary care. Opal, turquoise, lapis, malachite and coral prefer earrings and pendants, or a ring worn with a little ceremony. We will tell you where any stone sits before you buy.

Not on the site, and yes in person. The vault holds loose stones kept back for custom work, unheated rubies with documented origin among them, Brazilian emeralds, heart-shaped sapphires, spinels and chrome tourmalines. A loose stone means the piece starts with you. Message us and we will bring the trays out.