American Gem Trade Association (AGTA)’s Post

GEMFIELDS GUIDE TO GEMS - THE 7CS: CLARITY Gemstones are cherished for their beauty, durability and rarity. While colour contributes to a gemstone’s allure and uniqueness, it is clarity that accentuates its resilience. In the world of gemmology, clarity delves into the presence and nature of inclusions and blemishes within a gemstone, unveiling its origin and journey. In a poetic twist, these marks embody each gemstone’s unique essence, making it uniquely yours. A desirable gemstone will feature inclusions that don’t stand out too proudly but silently contribute to its beauty. Certain varieties of coloured gemstones increase in value due to specific clarity features, whilst too many inclusions will affect a gem’s transparency, brilliance, and even durability. Gemstone images courtesy of @eshed_gemstar #KagemMiningLimited #ZambianEmeralds #Gemfields

Reason #6 in our '101 Reasons to Love Estate Sales': Another's trash might just be your treasure. 🗑️➡️💎 There's a saying that beauty is in the eye of the beholder, and nowhere is this more true than at estate sales. What might seem like an ordinary item to one person can be a priceless find to another. A rustic old lamp, a set of worn-in leather-bound books, or a quirky piece of wall art – these items carry stories and character that new, off-the-shelf products simply can't match. This reason celebrates the joy of seeing potential where others might not, the thrill of rescuing and repurposing, and the satisfaction of giving new life to forgotten items. It's about the surprise of finding something you never knew you needed until you saw it there, waiting for you. It's about the personal touch, the unique flair that these items bring to our lives and homes. Share your stories of transformation – the before and after, the discarded item turned cherished piece in your collection. Let’s celebrate the hidden treasures that were once someone else's trash. 🔄💖 #OneMansTrash #HiddenTreasures #RepurposeWithPurpose #EstateSaleTransformations #TreasureInTrash #Day6of101 #estatesales #estatesale #megaestatesales

🤔 Natural or lab-grown? Which type of diamond speaks to you? ✨ Watch our video to learn about both options and discover the perfect stone for your unique style. 💍 Let us know in the comments below which type you prefer! #JSJewelers #DiamondEducation #EngagementRing #NaturalDiamonds #LabGrownDiamonds #Cincinnati #Ohio

Glowing against the odds - The oyster’s inspiring saga The oyster and pearl story is a symbolic tale often used to convey a valuable lesson about turning adversity into something beautiful and valuable. While there are variations of this story, here is a common version: Once upon a time, a small, ordinary oyster lived in the depths of the ocean. This oyster went about its days, filtering the water to find bits of food and going about its routine. One day, a grain of sand found its way into the oyster's shell. Now, this grain of sand was an irritant to the oyster. It caused discomfort and unease. The oyster, however, did not cast the grain of sand away. Instead, it began to do something remarkable. Over time, the oyster started to coat the irritating grain of sand with layer upon layer of a lustrous, iridescent substance – nacre. (Nacre is a hard, iridescent, crystalline substance secreted by some animals in response to an irritant, it creates the shiny visual effect attributed to pearls.) Despite the initial discomfort, the oyster transformed the adversity of the irritating grain of sand into something exquisite. And so, after years of persistent efforts, a magnificent pearl emerged within the shell. The pearl that resulted from the oyster's response to adversity became a symbol of beauty, resilience, and the potential for something remarkable to arise from challenges. The story imparts a valuable lesson about transforming difficulties into opportunities for growth and creating something precious out of adversity. “The pearl only happens when sand gets inside an oyster and irritates it.” – Annie Kagan Oysters that make pearls are God’s way of showing us why we have difficulties. It is only by facing the irritants of life and creatively overcoming hardships that we, like pearls, can grow. We value pearls for their exquisite beauty. Katha Pachisi - The Story Bank #growth #transformation #storytelling

May your days be painted in gold. May your life be filled with diamonds. May the stars shine bright on your world. May you have a fun-filled year. Happy New Year 2024!🎊🥳🥳 #happynewyear #happynewyear2024 #newyear #newyearnewgoals #newyearwishes #newyear2024 #newyearcelebration #stsdigitalsolutions

Balancing Creativity and Reality in Floristry.🌿 As artists in the flower industry, it's important to recognize that not all ideas are good. Only through trying and experimenting can you discover what works. Learning from experience and analyzing both the situation and the timing helps even more. Unfortunately, many florists are so focused on their creative dreams that they lose sight of financial realities, often leading to losses. There needs to be a balance between creativity and the realities of place and time. #FloristLife #CreativityAndReality #FloralDesign #BusinessBalance #FloristChallenges #CreativeExperiments #ArtAndFinance #FlowerIndustry

From bud to bloom, each stage of the rose's lifecycle tells a story of growth and resilience. 🌱 #GrowthJourney #RosesInFocus #Loveofphotography

Uncovering Hidden Treasures: Exploring a Thrift Store for Valuable Items Join me as we embark on an adventure through a thrift store, finding hidden gems and discussing their potential value. From vintage Rolodexes to mysterious popcorn machines, we'll uncover the secrets behind these unique items. Don't miss out on this exciting journey! #ThriftStoreFinds #HiddenGems #VintageTreasures #ThriftingAdventure #UniqueItems #AntiqueHunting #Collectibles #ThriftStoreHaul #VintageDiscoveries #TreasureHunting

🌟 Cherished Keepsakes or Hidden Hassles? 🌟 Our new blog delves into whether vintage heirlooms are beloved links to our heritage or just timeworn items collecting dust. What’s your take on these family treasures? 📜💬 Read here -> https://buff.ly/3yffElf #VintageDebate #HeirloomValue #FamilyHistory #TimelessTraps #ReadNow

It is both amusing and surprising to find that individuals, primarily from the natural #diamonds sphere, continually critique and comment on our yet-to-be-published MAGAZINE. I would like to take a few moments to address Yoram and others who persist in this unfair criticism: 1. We've still NOT released the first edition of our magazine. It's just surprising how some folks read the magazine that's NEVER been released and have stuff to say about it. Yoram, we would love to read our own magazine - would you mind sharing a copy with us, please? 2. Although, we as organization are focused on #labgrowndiamonds. But, we don't have a bias against Natural #diamonds. In fact, we've always praised the Natural players for their marketing and building the #Diamond Dream. Full disclosure: Almost all members of our team still purchase both: Natural and Lab Grown Diamonds #jewelry 3. Yoram, if you had read our posts without bias (and not the magazine which was never published), you would see a clear pattern that we agree in principle to your thought about LGD's needing their own identity. The cheaper alternative to Natural is killing not just the margins for both the products but would have a long-lasting impact on the Diamond Dream. To sum it up: If you too were planning on attacking our magazine, please, just please know that the first edition is yet to be published. It may just look weird if you attack something that doesn't exist. Thank you! #labgrowndiamonds #labgrowndiamond #diamonds #diamond #jewelry #jewellery