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| May Specials: $7 off orders over $150 PLUS 20% off all star lamps! |
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Silver Prices:
an Update... Most of us are breathing a sigh of relief. There are rumors it may surge again, but judging by how short-lived the increase was, I am skeptical. I would expect we will see prices remain in the low $6 range for a while at least. Hopefully the US Dollar will strengthen some more, as this is a determining factor in the precious metals markets. Regardless, silver is at an acceptable level now, and we will have to keep our fingers crossed it stays in the current range. Our Tucson Blowout continues, and those costs were locked in before the price increases. We will be adding more goods from our stock to the site in this category shortly, so check back throughout May. Prices for pendants and rings by the gram will remain at 40¢ per gram for a while longer... We just received some new Amber jewelry in from India. The quality is very nice and the prices are reasonable. We have also added a new stone to our inventory that you may not have seen before. It is called rainbow calcite, and it comes from a mine in Mexico. We bought the rough from a dealer in Tucson, shipped it to India to be cabbed and set, and what you will see on our site is the finished product. This stone is a naturally occurring sedimentary variety that has vivid blues, greens, reds and purples, arranged in layers. Rainbow calcite is a beautiful stone that we predict will sell very well. In May... May Birthstone:
Emerald For the Incas and Aztecs in South America, where the finest emeralds are still being found today, it was a holy stone. The oldest sources of emerald known are located near the Red Sea. These mines were already being worked by Egyptian Pharaohs between 3000 and 1500 B.C., and gained fame under the name of "CleopatraÕs Mines,Ó but had already run out when they were rediscovered. Many centuries ago in the Vedas, the ancient and sacred writings of Hinduism, stressed the value of the green gemstone and its healing power. It's no surprise then, that the treasure chests of Indian Maharajas and Maharanis contained most wonderful Emeralds. Light emerald green is the color of life and of eternal spring. Even in ancient Rome green was the color dedicated to Venus, goddess of love and beauty. Today there are still many cultures and religions where green holds a special position. Really good quality emeralds are rare, as inclusions frequently spoil the stone. Fine inclusions do not diminish the value: a deep, rich green emerald with inclusions is valued more highly than an inclusion-free stone of paler color. Emeralds are beryllium aluminum silicates with a hardness of 7.5 to 8. They are related to aquamarine, pale pink morganite, golden heliodor and pale green beryl. Pure beryl is colorless. Trace elements add the color that makes these gemstones pleasing to the eye. Colombia is still the main country of occurrence for fine Emeralds but emeralds are also found in other places like Zambia, Brazil, Zimbabwe, Madagascar, Pakistan, India, Afghanistan or Russia. Their hardness protects emeralds from scratches to some extent, but their brittle structure and many fissures can make cutting, setting and cleaning the stone difficult. Cutting emeralds is always a challenge, even for experienced cutters. Many emeralds today are treated with oils or natural resins. This is customary in the trade, but it means also that the stones can be damaged or dulled through carelessness. For example, they should not be cleaned ultrasonically, and contact with soaps or solvents (even dish soap) should be avoided. Highlights
of the Site As always, I wish you a happy, healthy and successful month. Let me know if you have questions or comments. Aloha, Mike McGinnis |
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