A BLOG DIRECTORY

I realized the other day that many of you who are new to my blog may not want to read the whole thing in order to find out some of the information pertinent to your own particular needs. So I am making a handy dandy little list here of some of the subjects I have covered and the blogs related to them. However some of my more interesting posts don't actually fall into these categories so you might still want to look around a little. I hope this helps. Pictured above is a new 18k yellow gold and rhodolite garnet pendant that just went out today.

On Custom work:

http://spirerjewelers.blogspot.com/2011/04/on-timing-of-things.html

http://spirerjewelers.blogspot.com/2010/12/anatomy-of-custom-order.html

http://spirerjewelers.blogspot.com/2011/01/part-two.html

http://spirerjewelers.blogspot.com/2010/09/more-on-custom-work.html

http://spirerjewelers.blogspot.com/2010/06/marquis-diamond-custom-ring.html

http://spirerjewelers.blogspot.com/2010/05/more-on-custom-work-lets-not-steal.html

http://spirerjewelers.blogspot.com/2009/09/custom-work-iv-and-why-im-in-this.html

http://spirerjewelers.blogspot.com/2009/09/custom-work-iii.html

http://spirerjewelers.blogspot.com/2009/08/csutom-work-ii.html

http://spirerjewelers.blogspot.com/2009/08/custom-work.html

http://spirerjewelers.blogspot.com/2013/11/know-your-jewler.html

http://spirerjewelers.blogspot.com/2013/06/i-kind-of-cover-wide-range-and-i-work.html

http://spirerjewelers.blogspot.com/2016/01/how-long-does-custom-work-take.html

On Gemstones:

http://spirerjewelers.blogspot.com/2011/06/rarity-of-gemstones.html

http://spirerjewelers.blogspot.com/2010/11/real-rarity-of-gemstones.html

http://spirerjewelers.blogspot.com/2010/09/alexandrite.html

http://spirerjewelers.blogspot.com/2010/03/watermelon-tourmaline.html

http://spirerjewelers.blogspot.com/2010/03/aquamarine.html

http://spirerjewelers.blogspot.com/2010/03/birthstones.html

http://spirerjewelers.blogspot.com/2009/08/heat-treatment-of-sapphires.html

http://spirerjewelers.blogspot.com/2009/07/heat-treatment-of-sapphires.html

http://spirerjewelers.blogspot.com/2009/07/buying-gemstones.html

http://spirerjewelers.blogspot.com/2013/12/the-holidays-are-coming-and-some.html

http://spirerjewelers.blogspot.com/2013/09/on-henias-gemstone-shopping-and-carved.html

http://spirerjewelers.blogspot.com/2013/03/rare-gemstones.html

http://spirerjewelers.blogspot.com/2012/11/gemstone-treatments-5.html

http://spirerjewelers.blogspot.com/2012/11/gemstone-treatments-4.html

http://spirerjewelers.blogspot.com/2012/10/custom-work-and-gemstone-treatments-3.html

http://spirerjewelers.blogspot.com/2012/10/gemstone-treatments-2.html

http://spirerjewelers.blogspot.com/2012/10/gemstone-treatments.html


On Engagement rings:

http://spirerjewelers.blogspot.com/2010/01/different-kind-of-recycled-gold.html

http://spirerjewelers.blogspot.com/2009/12/giving-engagement-ring.html

http://spirerjewelers.blogspot.com/2009/11/diamonds-in-engagement-rings.html

http://spirerjewelers.blogspot.com/2009/11/engagement-rings-ii.html

http://spirerjewelers.blogspot.com/2009/11/engagement-rings-1.html

On Diamonds:

http://spirerjewelers.blogspot.com/2010/11/de-beers.html

http://spirerjewelers.blogspot.com/2010/05/synthetic-diamonds-from-your-pets-or.html

http://spirerjewelers.blogspot.com/2009/12/sourcing-of-diamonds.html

http://spirerjewelers.blogspot.com/2009/12/more-on-diamonds.html

http://spirerjewelers.blogspot.com/2009/11/diamonds-in-engagement-rings.html

http://spirerjewelers.blogspot.com/2011/09/good-diamond-cutting-vs-great-diamond.html

http://spirerjewelers.blogspot.com/2014/03/let-me-sell-your-giant-diamonds-for-you.html

http://spirerjewelers.blogspot.com/2014/03/ideal-cut-diamonds.html



On reusing gold:

http://spirerjewelers.blogspot.com/2010/01/different-kind-of-recycled-gold.html

http://spirerjewelers.blogspot.com/2014/05/new-from-old.html

On white metals: http:

http://spirerjewelers.blogspot.com/2009/11/platinum-other-white-metal.html

http://spirerjewelers.blogspot.com/2009/10/white-gold-vs-platinum-or-other-white.html

On metal allergies:

http://spirerjewelers.blogspot.com/2010/07/back-from-vacation-and-metal-allergies.html

On Mokume gane:

http://spirerjewelers.blogspot.com/2010/06/ive-spent-some-time-recently-looking.html

On Appraisals:

http://spirerjewelers.blogspot.com/2010/06/appraisals-103.html

http://spirerjewelers.blogspot.com/2010/06/appraisals-102.html

http://spirerjewelers.blogspot.com/2010/06/appraisals-101.html

On selling gold for scrap:

http://spirerjewelers.blogspot.com/2010/03/selling-your-gold-for-scrap.html

http://spirerjewelers.blogspot.com/2011/09/on-selling-your-jewelry-again.html

Some of my favorite articles:

http://spirerjewelers.blogspot.com/2009/09/custom-work-iv-and-why-im-in-this.html

http://spirerjewelers.blogspot.com/2009/10/why-im-in-this-business-ii.html

http://spirerjewelers.blogspot.com/2009/10/white-gold-vs-platinum-or-other-white.html

http://spirerjewelers.blogspot.com/2009/12/giving-engagement-ring.html

http://spirerjewelers.blogspot.com/2009/12/sourcing-of-diamonds.html

http://spirerjewelers.blogspot.com/2010/02/on-reusing-gemstones-and-diamonds.html

http://spirerjewelers.blogspot.com/2010/02/reusing-old-gemstones.html

http://spirerjewelers.blogspot.com/2010/04/jewelry-designers-designer-jewelry.html

http://spirerjewelers.blogspot.com/2010/04/shop-local-or-bricks-and-mortar-vs.html

http://spirerjewelers.blogspot.com/2010/11/real-rarity-of-gemstones.html

http://spirerjewelers.blogspot.com/2011/04/overworked-underpaid-and-happy.html

http://spirerjewelers.blogspot.com/2011/03/implied-warranties.html

http://spirerjewelers.blogspot.com/2011/04/on-timing-of-things.html

http://spirerjewelers.blogspot.com/2011/08/why-am-i-in-this-business.html

http://spirerjewelers.blogspot.com/2011/09/good-diamond-cutting-vs-great-diamond.html

http://spirerjewelers.blogspot.com/2011/11/fun-custom-work.html

http://spirerjewelers.blogspot.com/2011/11/trust-your-jeweler-so-he-doesnt-get-fat.html

http://spirerjewelers.blogspot.com/2011/12/dont-look-at-your-credit-card-bills.html

http://spirerjewelers.blogspot.com/2014/01/the-ventana-wilderness-i-have-just.html


On Security:

http://spirerjewelers.blogspot.com/2013/08/more-on-security-but-this-time-its-mine.html

http://spirerjewelers.blogspot.com/2013/05/jewelry-safety-part-3-insurance.html

http://spirerjewelers.blogspot.com/2013/04/jewelry-safety-part-two-alarm-systems.html

http://spirerjewelers.blogspot.com/2013/03/jewelry-security.html

BACK IN THE SADDLE AGAIN

I have returned from a very pleasant two weeks off. I actually can't recall the last time I had two weeks off. I believe it was at least 15 years ago. This is something to think about when contemplating starting your own business. It always involves MORE work not less work than if you are employed by someone else. We spent one week on Martha's Vineyard this year and had a wonderful time sitting on the deck of the house we rented and looking out at the water. Actually there was a wonderful view of one point of the island rising out of the water and I plan on making up one of my mountain rings (like the one in the lower right here) with the view. We also ate enough lobster to last a lifetime, including the one in the picture here, that weighed 8 pounds! So my batteries are recharged and I'm starting to work on both my custom jobs (if you have one in house right now and you are reading this thank you for your patience!) and on some new goods for the case. I have continued to sell quite a few pieces out of the cases and they are looking a wee bit peaked at the moment so I hope to have some new pictures soon of some new work.



In the meanwhile, however, I am posting another picture here of a custom job I did about a year ago that I had the opportunity to photograph recently. The neat thing about this particular ring (which you can't clearly see from my picture) is that there were two angles on the band that allowed me to bead set diamonds at different angles. The center stone is a .77 ct., "F" color, VVS2 clarity, ideal cut diamond. For this piece I hand built a model in silver and then had it cast in platinum.

On another note, gold prices have continued to rise. While I don't buy gold for scrap, I will take it in towards custom work I do for you or towards pieces in the case. It's a good time to look at all those old pieces you bought that you don't wear anymore and think about whether it might be a good time to get something new that you will wear.

Vacation Time Woo Hoo!

Well I have managed to survive until my vacation. I have had a tremendous first half of the year and I feel quite positive about the second half as well. I would prefer, however, not to work seven days a week for the next six months as well. I have been bringing in some part time help occasionally but I feel it's important that the customers get my designs, as I make them up, and it's hard to impart some of that to other jewelers. So I will be forced to continue working some of those long weeks it looks like. Kathy and I have, however, been discussing a long term plan where I take off a significantly larger amount of time on a regular basis. So you may find that there will be more periods when the store is closed. As always, if in doubt, call ahead to check on my hours (although I can pretty much assure you that I will be here the entire month of December!). By the way if you come by in the next few weeks you may see people in and out of the store as Kathy's non profit is still in full operation. Please don't confuse this with the store being open for business.

I have posted another picture I took of the last piece made for the cases for the first half of the year. It is an 18k gold ring. The diamond is a fantastic stone (which you can't tell from my, as usual, poor photography skills) but it is not a Lazare Diamond. As I explained in a post recently I have been having a terrible time getting stones in the sizes I need from them. It is a .31 ct., "D" color, VVS2 clarity. It comes with two certs: one from the American Gem Society (AGS) and one from the Gemological Institute of America (GIA). The AGS is a much better gem lab for cut grades. They have been issuing them for years and rely much more strictly on true Tolkowsky ideal proportions (you can read about this in previous posts). Actually they are stricter graders in general. They gave two other stones with GIA certs lower color grades (as well as lower cut grades which is why I didn't keep them). Lazare Diamond sells true Tolkowsky stones as well so these stones are equivalent to a Lazare Diamond. It is a stunning stone (in person). Might be worth a trip in to see it. But please wait until I'm back from vacation (July 16).

Hope you all have a great Fourth of July!