13-Year-Old Uncovers Silver Treasure of Viking King Bluetooth

by PawnMaster | Apr 18, 2018 | Gems, History

Give a kid a metal detector and there’s no telling what he’ll find—or what unlikely connections he may uncover. The AFP reports that a 13-year-old boy in Germany has discovered a thousand-year-old hoard of coins and jewelry. And it turns out the very old stash is...

Diamond Color Actually Means Lack of Color

by PawnMaster | Nov 15, 2017 | Diamond Color, Diamond Quality, Diamonds, Gems, precious stones

The diamond color evaluation of most gem-quality diamonds is based on the absence of color. A chemically pure and structurally perfect diamond has no hue, like a drop of pure water, and consequently, a higher value. GIA’s D-to-Z diamond color-grading system measures...

The History of the 4Cs of Diamond Quality

by PawnMaster | Oct 25, 2017 | Diamond Quality, Diamonds, Gems, Jewelry, precious stones

The term 4Cs we know today had its start in the early 1940s, as the brainchild of GIA founder Robert M. Shipley. A former retail jeweler, Shipley was fiercely committed to professionalizing the American jewelry industry. He established an institute (GIA) to provide...

June Birthstone: What You Need to Know About Pearls

by PawnMaster | Jul 28, 2017 | Gems, Gold & Jewelry, Industry, Jewelry, pearls, precious stones

Coveted for millennia, the June birthstone still reigns supreme as the queen of modern fashion. Elegant, stylish and organic, pearls come in a rainbow of colors and a range of shapes. Our pearl primer will help you choose beautiful ones.

2017 Vegas Outlook: Decent, But Cautious, Buying

by PawnMaster | Jun 12, 2017 | Diamonds, Gems, Gold & Jewelry, In The News, Jewelry

First quarter U.S. retail jewelry sales showed a slight increase, according to the U.S. Department of Commerce figures, though most gains appeared to be at the higher and lower ends. Larger U.S. jewelry chains, which generally serve the middle class market, are...

Flush With Cash, Americans Buying More Diamonds Than Ever

by PawnMaster | Jun 5, 2017 | Diamonds, Gems, Human Interest, In The News, Industry, Jewelry

With stock prices scaling new highs and robust economic growth, Americans spent a record amount of money buying diamonds last year. Demand in the U.S., which now accounts for more than half of the world’s diamond consumption, rose 4.4 percent to a record $41 billion...