Emerald Family: Beryl Color: Bluish Green - Green Mohs Hardness: 7.5 – 8 (Great for everyday wear… With care!!) Happy May! It is officially Emerald Month! I have always had a special relationship with emeralds. Not only was I born in May, making emerald my birthstone, but as a child I watched the Wizard of Oz an unhealthy number of times turning emeralds and the Emerald City into the ultimate goal for success. Emeralds have been used in jewelry dating back to 330 B.C. and hav

Happy Valentine's Day! Since today is the day for passion and love, it only makes sense to turn the blog to a subject about which I am incredibly passionate: CAD being considered MORE than a tool. Two weeks ago during the 2017 Tucson Gem Show, I participated in an event called The Passion Project, hosted at JCK by GenNext, WJA, and The Smithee Group. This event consisted of a series of fast-paced presentations by members of the jewelry industry, aimed to introduce an audience