Gem Junkies

It’s the season of giving and during this years Giving Tuesday we donated $1000 to Gem Legacy . Thus, it’s a perfect time to interview Rachel Dery of Gem Legacy. We learn about her childhood growing up in the gemstone industry and about Gem Legacy--a non-profit organization that help support communities closest to the mining source. If you would like to learn more about Gem Legacy you can head to www.gemlegacy.org or go to www.gemlegacy.org.donate to make a donation today. Also, a quick apology for the intermittent audio issues. It’s our first time recording through zoom so we’re still learning about it. Thanks for you understanding. 00:00:00 The voices are calling 00:34:00 Rachel Dery with Gem Legacy 01:33:00 Tell us a little about you 03:00:00 The grassroots of Gem Legacy 03:55:00 How did it happen? 05:26:00 What are some of your initiative 06:59:00 The initiatives 08:00:00 Understanding what Gem Legacy is doing 10:47:00 Finding the opportunities of gemstones making a positive i

We made it to New York City in time for New York Jewelry Week and had an opportunity to talk shop with jewelry designer Julie Lamb. From her childhood beginnings in jewelry to the evolution of personal brand. We also have our special co-host @thirdcoastgems joining in the fun. (We apologize for the background noise. At least you get a little sense of the NYC vibe.) 00:00:00 Who is the alpha? 00:25:00 We’re in NYC w/ @julielambny and @thirdcoastgems 01:10:00 What is your first memory with a gemstone or a piece of jewelry? 02:14:00 Give us your life history 05:01:00 Looking at colleges with a metal studio 06:35:00 When did you decide to do you own thing? 07:24:00 Yes, Avon had jewelry 08:49:00 Seeing someone own a piece of your jewelry 10:45:00 Your relationship with @thirdcoastgems as a brand advocate 11:15:00 So you started your own thing? 15:29:00 You took all you learned in Julie Lamb 21:10:00 Your first launch 23:42:50 Nicknames 24:35:00 When did you start using gemstones? 27:1

Today we answer a fans question about gemstone cuts. By no means are we experts on how to actually cut/facet gemstones rather, we’ll discuss the evolution of gem cutting and the different cut styles. 00:00:00 50th Episode 01:01:00 Common Cold 02:15:00 Introduction of Gem Cutting 03:33:00 When do you think humans began cutting gemstones 04:37:00 Bruting 05:38:00 3000 BC 06:41:00 The oldest gemstone used in jewelry 06:59:00 Other gemstones that were easy to manipulate during this time 08:01:50 Middle Ages 09:30:00 Cabochons to harness magical properties 10:37:00 The hunt to get diamonds to sparkle 11:17:00 1380 12:00:00 16th Century 12:25:00 Bruting diamonds 12:55:00 The culet 13:33:00 Hello, single cut gemstone 14:53:00 The gemstone tells us what it can do 16:14:00 Cutting colored gemstones vs. diamonds 16:52:00 Face up shape 19:43:00 The parts of the gemstone 20:32:00 Br

Halloween is here and we couldn’t resist an opportunity to talk about cursed gemstones and jewelry. We go as far back to the legendary Hope Diamond, The Curse of the Delhi Purple Sapphire, The Black Orlov and yes, even a cursed opal. 00:00:00 Garlic Breath 00:41:00 Halloween Special – Cursed Jewelry 01:44:00 The most famous cursed gemstone – The Hope Diamond 02:35:00 It all began in the year of 1666 04:05:00 1678 – Louise the 14th = French Blue 05:02:00 Louise the 15th = Order of the Golden Fleece 05:47:00 Louise the 16th 06:13:00 When things start to go south 07:24:00 And then the stone disappeared 08:03:00 20 years later the Hope Diamond appeared 08:41:00 1812 – Sold to King George the IV and it’s transition to the Hope Family 09:19:00 16 years after the Hope Estate 10:29:00 Getting picked up by Cartier 10:45:00 Attempting to turn it lucky 11:49:00 No hope for the Hope Diamond 12:12:50 The final curse of the Hope Diamond 13:01:00 Cool qualities about the Hope Diamond 13:36:00 The curs

We did Gold and now it’s Silvers turn. It is recognized as one of the 7 metals of antiquity and this week we dive into its deep history—from its physical properties to its everyday applications. We even discover the folklore behind why all monsters are destroyed by this precious metal. Come take a listen and even learn how to make it rain with SILVER!!! 00:00:00 Training for a half marathon 01:10:00 Hello . . . SILVER 02:55:00 Transition metal and silver qualities 04:55:00 Why is Silver white? 06:12:00 Silver is the highest electrical conductor 07:25:00 It’s also in mirrors 08:35:00 Silver making contact with Sulfur 09:29:00 To clean off tarnish from Silver 10:10:00 You can plate silver 12:09:00 Silver used in artificial rain making 12:47:00 Medical use to prevent infection 13:45:00 The history of Silver 14:56:00 Cuppelation 15:55:00 Earliest extractions of Silver 17:03:00 Hack Silver 17:28:00 The rise of the Greek and Roman Empire 18:32:00 19th Century with Silver 18:56:50 Into the folklore

Benjamin Guttery, of @thirdcoastgems, was in Idaho and we couldn’t resist the opportunity to record another podcast with him. We sit down and learn about his 14-day excursion unearthing the Brazilian mines--from road trip woes to #birthdaygoals playing with gemstones straight from the source. Pull up a chair and take a listen as we relive this one-of-kind mining experience. 00:00:00 Bobo = silly 00:25:00 Benjamin Guttery of @thirdcoastgems 01:42:00 Gem Junkies OG 03:10:00 Eating in Brazil – Churrascaria 05:08:00 You went as a guest for the government 06:24:00 Brazil is the Outback of gems 06:53:00 Start us out on your tour 08:43:00 Belo Horizonte – one of the largest jewelry cutting centers 09:16:00 A long drive to Ouro Preto 09:59:00 Going into the Gold mines 11:54:00 Imperial Topaz Mines 13:20:00 Cachaca: Brazilian liquor 14:55:00 Imperial Topaz continued . . . 16:35:00 Why Imperial Topaz hasn’t taken off the same way as other gemstones 17:35:00 Gold mining 19:14:50 Government involvement w

Getting to know you, getting to know all about Parle. We sit town with another Parle team member, Marty Burns, who is one of our traveling sales consultants. As a child panning for gold in the Merced River, Marty was destined to be involved in the jewelry industry. We sit down and learning about his early beginnings in the jewelry industry and even tornadoes. 00:00:00 Story-time 01:01:50 Puzzles 02:22:00 Parle Team Member – Marty Burns 03:08:00 Tell us about your start in the jewelry industry 08:41:00 How did you get to Oklahoma? 11:59:00 So what you do for us is sales 12:30:00 What was the most interesting thing you’ve appraised? 14:14:50 How do you determine the value of a piece? 15:25:00 Did you ever have to go to court? 16:11:00 Insurance replacement value vs. cost/actual value 18:25:00 What does your day look like? 20:39:00 What is your earliest memory of a gemstone or piece of jewelry? 21:33:00 What’s your favorite gemstone? 23:19:00 (Down a rabbit hole) Let’s talk about tornadoes 30:59:00

We went straight to the source to learn more about Montana Sapphire from the Rock Creek mountains of Montana. We were honored to have a guided tour from Warren Boyd, of Potentate. From the early findings, mining techniques to how they responsibly source Sapphires to ensure many years of sapphires to come. 00:00:00 Who drank all the coffee? 00:47:50 Welcome back, welcome back, welcome back 01:04:00 Introduction to Warren Boyd 01:34:00 Tell us about you first! How did you get here? 02:29:50 How did you get involved with this particular project? 02:59:00 How long have you been actively mining this area? < Some discussion about ethically and responsibly mining> 04:17:50 On-site Water Clarification System 05:07:00 Why is so important in this particular situation/setting? 05:49:00 Why water clarification for the production side? 06:17:00 THE AMOUNT OF SAPPHIRE!! How is that? 07:35:50 Tell us about the percentage of the size of rough that your typica

“To shine, to gleam, to be yellow and green.” This week is all about the Midas touch --- GOLD! We explore the early history of gold, some fundamental basics, how it has become the metal of choice and of course, the lore behind it all. 00:00:00 Take 1 to 11 00:39:00 GOLD 01:42:00 What does gold mean? 02:22:00 Early history of mining for gold 03:08:00 Oldest known mine 03:33:00 Oldest recorded metal employed by humans 03:41:00 But why did we decided that gold would be the metal of choice (A look into its properties) 06:11:00 Why else is gold desirable to work with? 08:28:00 Understanding karat gold 09:44:00 Mixing other metals with gold = alloying 15:20:00 Plentiful sources 17:37:00 Where did gold come from? 20:40:00 Gold in the ocean!! SAY WHAT!! 21:48:00 The quest for gold 25:00:00 History of the gold welding band 27:51:50 You can also eat it 29:33:00 Aura around gold 30:21:00 Alc

Getting to know you, getting to know all about . . . Paul! You’ve heard us reference Paul throughout other episodes so its time we put him in the hot seat. Parlé wouldn’t be the same company without him because heck, he manages our whole production team. We learn about his childhood passion for minerals and his journey into his role. Don’t forget to email us at gemjunkies@parlegems.com or DM us via FB or IG to ask Paul questions you would like to know about production. 00:00:00 Parlé Spiders 00:43:00 Welcome back, welcome back 01:22:00 Intro to . . . . . . Paul 02:29:00 How long have you worked for Parlé? 03:19:00 Did you come straight out of college? 06:39:00 Instilling cleanliness 06:58:00 Proprietary vs. Secret 07:55:00 Did you ever get to learn how to cut gemstones? 08:21:00 After casting, then what? • Going from geologist to gemologist • Moving into the stone department 12:28:00 Taking a brea

Mexican Fire Opal is what is up for the week! Yes, Jonathan and Brecken covered opal in 2 prior podcast episodes but thought it would be best to go into a little more detail about this mystical stone. From Aztec lore to the very core of how this opal is formed. [Warning: we experience some technical difficulties in the middle of the recording so we apologize for the intermittent sound quality.] 00:24:00 Gemma and a little story time 03:05:00 Mexican Fire Opal introduction 03:47:00 Mexican Fire Opal 04:33:00 Aztec name for Opal 06:19:00 Where it is found 07:18:00 How is it formed? 07:41:00 Hardness 07:55:00 How is it formed (continued) 09:18:00 It almost appears to glow 09:51:00 Fire Opal/Mexican Fire opal mix-up 11:23:00 Play of color 11:52:00 Base colors of Fire Opal 12:58:50 Transparency 13:29:00 Faceted Fire Opal 14:34:00 Needles 15:19:00 Water content in opal 16:58:50 Amorphous crystal structure 18:54:00 Leopard Opal 19:58:50 Mystical prope

It's been awhile but Gem Junkies is back! Jonathan and Brecken talk about the heavenly world of Jade. As always, they'll cover the chemical compositions and Brecken favorite the lore and history among different cultures/civilizations. 00:00:00 Getting back into the swing of things 01:26:00 Intro to Jade 01:56:00 Two types: Nephrite and Jadeite 02:26:00 Toughness vs. Hardness 03:03:00 Toughness scale of Jadeite and Nephrite 03:29:00 Jade is just a general term 05:24:00 Lore - Stone for the pain in the side 05:51:00 Nephrite derives from. . . 06:49:50 More history and lore (the juicy stuff) 06:55:00 Tools and weapons 07:04:00 A great appreciation in China 08:01:00 Chinese association with Jade 08:58:00 Butterfly significance in Chinese legend 09:39:00 Jade should be worn to touch the skin 10:31:00 Jade to reflect the life of the wearer 11:00:00 1784 - How jadeite took over 11:50:00 The importance in New Zealand 12:10:00 Nephrit

00:00:00 Mickey isn’t real 01:21:50 Returning to the basement and what we’ve been up to 04:35:00 Phenomenal Gemstones (2) main types: Structure and Inclusions 05:04:00 Structure of phenomenal gemstones 05:24:00 Play of Color Our favorite gemstone – opal 06:11:00 Iridescence = Pearl 07:31:50 Ladradorescence = Ladradorescence 09:22:50 Adularescence = Moonstone 10:48:00 Moonstone Lore 13:01:00 Second Type of Phenomenon: Inclusions 13:09:00 Chatoyancy = Cat Eye + Alexandrite 14:52:00 Milk and Honey effect 16:08:00 Cat Eye Lore 16:36:00 Asterism 17:36:00 Gemstone varieties that exhibit asterism 17:51:00 Idaho Star Opal 18:58:00 Intersecting, paralleling inclusions 20:30:00 Star Sapphire Lore – Stone of Destiny 22:48:00 Adventurescence 23:09:00 Most commonly known = Sunstone 24:19:00 Color change – transitional element 26:04:00 The difference between color change and color shift 27:11:00 Review of the different types of gemstone phenomenons

Ask and you will receive? You all requested more interviews and Jonathan and Brecken come back with another special guest. You can call him Leo Valentine, the Beyoncè of AGS but we know him as John Carter – President of the American Gemstone Society and owner of Jack Lewis Jewelers. Learn about John’s early beginnings at Jack Lewis his transition into ownership and even some awesome gem junkie banter. 00:00:00 Valentine Drive 00:45:00 Introduction to John Carter 02:01:00 What is your first memory of jewelry? 04:04:00 She wanted to buy a really nice cocktail ring 04:51:00 Tell us about Jack Lewis Jewelers. Tell us about how you get your start. 11:45:50 When did you get an opportunity to buy? --Jack Lewis was the reason to stay and attend Illinois State --Fraternity President and learning about leadership and friendship --Time on the road with Maurice Lacroix 24:35:00 And then you went where? Returning to Jack Lewis 30:37:00 The heart of what AGS stands for 40:42:00 How would you tell some

A Northern Californian taking the gemstone world by storm with her paintings. Yes, PAINTINGS!! Jonathan and Brecken sit with Angie Crabtree. From her childhood memories to geodes, teaching to stumbling into the world of gemstones we get to better know the woman behind the canvas. 00:40:00 Introduction to Angie Crabtree 01:55:00 What inspired you to do this? 05:23:50 Somehow I accidentally slipped into this 6:48:00 What is your first memory of a gemstone or jewelry? 08:14:50 Going to GIA to get a tour 09:02:50 My first time at AGTA 10:29:50 Growing up on a ranch 11:10:00 I always loved geology 11:41:00 Finding a geode 12:47:00 I’ve always fished too 13:31:00 Have you painted a geode yet? 14:01:00 Have you painted a process series? 12:12:50 My mom is amazing. She is my best friend. 16:39:00 So what goes into doing a live painting? 18:04:00 And then it was opals 19:02:00 What about cellphone cases? 19:55:00 So transitioning to your own

Eureka!! We have diamonds!! Jonathan and Brecken finally talk about the #1 gemstone sold –Diamonds! There’s a lot to cover when it comes to Diamonds so this episode will cover some lore, its history and even touch base on the subject Natural vs. Synthetic Diamonds. 00:00:00 Intro 00:41:00 Diamonds!!! 01:53:50 Discover the best donuts in the world 02:50:00 Back to our regular scheduled program

Part III of the interview series from the Tucson AGTA Gem Fair. Jonathan and Brecken interview fellow designer William Travis Kukovich. Transforming his life from a traumatic childhood to becoming a recipient of 17 AGTA Spectrum Awards. 00:00:00 How the podcast started? 00:48:00 Introducing William Travis Kukovich 01:26:80 Want to see the scar? 01:56:00 So you were 4 years old. What happened? 04:44:00 You said your brain rewired itself. 05:28:00 I can sculpt anything 06:11:50 I don’t write, I draw words 06:34:20 5th generation metalsmith 09:05:00 Take us through your story 10:40:70 So after school, did you open up a store immediately? 13:32:30 At 26, Breast Cancer 18:39:50 Warrior rings 21:04:80 My kids 24:51:50 To live like you were dying 26:05:00 What inspired your first Spectrum Award piece? 27:47:00 First memory of jewelry/gemstone 29:56:00 Favorite Gemstone 30:29:00 Where does the inspiration come from when you’re creating Spectr

St. Patrick’s day is just around the corner and to bring in as much luck as possible we explore the lore behind lucky gemstones. Crack open a beer, enjoy some laughs and discover the perfect gemstone to bring you the best luck!! 1:05:00 Juicy Gem 2:49:00 Green. The color of St. Patrick’s Day and Luck 4:40:00 Finding luck in Jade 5:24:00 Luck in birthstones > Zodiac birthstone gemstone 7:41:00 Aquarius = Garnet 8:05:00 Pisces = Amethyst 8:23:00 Aries = Bloodstone 8:50:00 Taurus = Sapphire 9:26:00 Gemini = Agate 9:42.00 Cancer = Emerald 10:02:00 Leo = Onyx 10:27:00 Virgo = Carnelian 10:43:50 Libra = Chrysolite/Peridot 11:52:50 Scorpio = Beryl 12:45:00 Sagittarius = Topaz 13:00:00 Capricorn = Ruby 13:58:00 Optimizing the powers of your gemstone 15:00:00 Do you have a ring you like to wear that brings you luck? 16:09:50 An unlikely stone 21:13:50 Most Famous Stone in Ireland

Jonathan and Brecken explore the world of Aquamarine. The birthstone of March provides unique gemstone qualities and an expansive folklore behind it. Who wouldn’t want to conjure people from the dead, carry a piece of mermaid treasure or ensure a life-long marriage? 0:25.0 Welcome! We’re back in the basement!! (Reminisce about Tucson and meeting Gem Junkie fans) 3:05.0 So aqua, in the barrel family (Birthstone and other barrel gemstones) 4:06.0 Where does the name Aquamarine come from 4:47.0 Gem Lore #1 – Mermaids 5:23.0 Gem Lore #2 – Why was it worn? 5:43.0 Gem Lore #3 – Love 6:28.0 Gem Lore #4 – Cleansing emotional body and open communication 6:48.0 Gem Lore #5 – Long life lover stone 7:21.0 Gem Lore #6 -- Color Energy 8:09.0 Gem Lore #7 – During the Middle Ages 9:00.0 Gem Lore #8 – Meditation 9:25.0 Continue with Gem Lore #6 – During the Middle Ages 13:16.07 King Wenceslas (Brecken sings us a little tu

Jonathan and Brecken interview Danielle Miele of Gem Gossip. From her early childhood memories with jewelry, how Gem Gossip started and even about her new role into motherhood. 0:35.00 – Introduction with Gem Gossip 1:14.20 – Starting out as a blog 1:36.20 – What is your first memory of a piece of jewelry/gemstone? 2:59.00 – If your family in the jewelry/gemstone business? 3:13.00 – How did you get involved with jewelry? 6:05.00 – Substitute teaching, then what? 7:06.50 – Why Nashville? 7:46.60 – Is this when you started your blog? 8:50.30 – Where does your style get inspired from? 10:03.00 – What is your favorite gemstone? 10:14.00 – First memory of the opal you saw 11:09.50 – Opal Superstition 13:10.00 – What’s the future of Gem Gossip? 14:18.00 – Is there a time period/style that you look for when purchasing? 15:05.00 – Do you have any tips on purchasing estate jewelry? 16:31.00 – Do you have a shopping list of what you’re looking for? 20:11.30 – Having a l