All About Amethyst

Amethyst is the birthstone for the month of February.  It is one of the most recognizable gemstones due to it's unique purple color and its relative abundance in nature.  Amethyst is actually just the name for the purple variety of Quartz, which is the second most abundant mineral in the earth's crust.

 Amethyst's typical hue ranges from a light pinkish violet to the vivid purple most people associate with the gem.  However, Amethyst is commonly color "zoned" so several different tones/saturation of violet and purple may appear in a single crystal.  Gemstone cutters are trained to cut rough amethyst crystal in a such a way that the finished gemstone looks consistent in color.  In rare occasions, the hue of a quartz crystal can change completely from one end of the crystal to the next, resulting in bi-color gems such as Ametrine a combination of the quartz varietals Amethyst and Citrine. (Pictured Below)

Amethyst has been worn as a gemstone for thousands of years.  The word amethyst actually comes from the Greek for "not intoxicated" as they believed that the stone prevented drunkenness.  Drinking vessels were often carved out of Amethyst in hopes that it would prevent them from becoming drunk.  There is also documented evidence of Egyptian's carving intaglios out of Amethyst crystals, and medieval soldiers wearing carved Amethyst amulets due to the belief that they had healing powers.  

Most of the Amethyst mined for jewelry in today's marketplace is located in the Minas Gerais region of Brazil, which is famous for it's large stock of a variety of different precious and semi-precious gemstones.  Other locales that produce a large amount of Amethyst crystals include Uruguay, Russia, Zambia, South Korea and the United States.  Below is a picture of an Amethyst boulder before and after it is cracked open. 

While not a terribly valuable gemstone due to it's abundance in nature, Amethyst is still coveted all over the world for its gorgeous purple color and it's cultural significance as the traditional birthstone for the month of February.  It can occur in very large sizes so it is popular as a gemstone for cocktail rings and large pendants as well as mother's rings and fashion jewelry.  

Visit us online at www.sydneyrosen.com to view our large selection of settings.  All of which can be customized to accommodate an Amethyst.  

Grammy Awards 2014 Jewelry

As far as awards season goes, the Grammy's IS usually the red carpet event in which celebrities tend to take the most risks.  Music is, after all, a vehicle for self expression and this year's awards were no exception.

Sparkle seemed to be the theme of the night, as music's biggest names adorned themselves not just in metallic prints and sequins (Taylor Swift practically wore chain mail), but in dazzling statement jewelry as well. From cocktail rings on practically every finger, to huge dangly earrings, the stars were not afraid to show off this.

Here's a brief recap of some of my favorite pieces seen on the red carpet Sunday night:

Taylor Swift's classic elegance in these emerald cut diamond dangle earrings.

Katy Perry's suite of ruby-colored jewels including these edwardian style earrings and cocktail rings.

Miranda Lambert's OPULENT Opal earrings with Amethyst cabochons...HOLY COW!

Pink's gorgeous Pear shape earrings and suite of matching bracelet and rings

And refusing  to be outdone....I give you....Beyonce's 10 Million worth of diamond rings and earrings

Not too shabby if you ask me!

Keep following the blog the next couple months to see what your favorite celebs wear to the Oscars and Emmy's!

And as always visit us online at www.sydneyrosen.com

2014 Golden Globes Jewelry Wrap Up

This years awards season started off with a bang thanks to a slew of A-List actors grabbing industry honors for their performances in 2013's biggest television and box office hits.  Stars like Jennifer Lawrence, Leonardo Dicaprio, Michael Douglas, Jared Leto and Amy Adams took home some of the more prestigious awards of the evening.

But as you know we like to focus on the ladies and their jewelry here!  

Minimalism and Art Deco designs seemed to be the trend this year. While Yellow Gold reaffirmed its status as a returning trend.

Here are just some of our favorite looks of the evening:

12 Years As A Slave actress Lupita Nyong'o's short hairdo made her classic diamond studs shine.

While Best Actress in a Comedy for TV winner Amy Poehler wore classic yellow gold cuffs from Jacob and Co.

And American Horror Story star Emma Roberts channeled 20's opulence in these gorgeous turquoise chandeliers danglers

Cate Blanchet and Jennifer Lawrence also got high marks for their Deco inspired earrings (Jennifer's earrings are Neil Lane)....

 


Overall everyone look fabulous as always and got me excited for the Emmys and Oscars when these stars REALLY dress up and take risks.  No offense Golden Globes...

Visit us online at www.sydneyrosen.com to shop for diamonds studs and other fine jewelry like this!

Siberadelphia

Today is coldest day in Philadelphia in at least 20 years...

The thermometer currently reads 6 degrees fahrenheit...with a wind chill of -14 degrees...

I honestly debated opening the store at all today...who in their right mind would willingly go shopping outdoors on Jeweler's Row today.  Yet here I am...patiently awaiting those brave consumers who refuse to let a little arctic air get between them and their jewelry.

Today, I am reminded that many of the diamonds in the vault to my left were mined in conditions just like this!

The Mir Mine, located just outside the small Siberian town of Mirny, is the world's second largest man-made hole after Bingham Canyon Copper Mine in Utah.  Here's a picture of the frostbitten beast herself...


The mine has been inactive since 2001, but at one point produced 10 Million carats of rough diamond a year.

Most astounding of all are the conditions in which this mine was developed.  7 months of harsh winter a year made the frozen ground almost impossible to mine, and the brief summer months turned the earth to slush.  In fact, the diamond processing facility had to be moved some 20 km away from the mine to avoid it sinking into the ground.  It got so cold in some years, that the oil and tires for the trucks needed to transport raw materials would freeze.  Jet engines and Dynamite were often the only tools able to thaw the ground enough to reach the diamonds deep underground.

So if you think it's too cold to go shopping for a diamond...think about the siberian men and women who likely got frostbite just so you can have diamonds to shop for at all.

Stay warm Philadelphia...and try shopping our website from the comfort of your heated home!

www.sydneyrosen.com

The Plight of the Last Minute Shopper

Last minute holiday shoppers often have the trouble of sifting through jewelry stores only to find all the good gifts are gone.  All that's left are out of style items that are probably leftover from Christmases come and gone.  All that trendy fashion jewelry your jeweler ordered for the holiday...? Snatched up by prudent shoppers who came in before they were finished eating leftover turkey and stuffing.  

Well don't fret!  Hope is not lost.  

Most jewelry designers/manufacturers keep extra stock in their salesman's inventory that can be delivered on "memo" to their most trusted retail jewelers.  This usually happens the last week of the shopping season once the sales staff has returned from delivering goods to their various other retail store accounts.  Below you will find our 2013 selection of "last minute" gems.  Gorgeous gemstone and diamond rings and earrings that have become available today!  THIS IS THE LAST JEWELRY WE ARE GETTING IN FOR THE REST OF THE SEASON! GET IT BEFORE IT'S GONE! 

Visit us online at SydneyRosen.com to view our hours and location!  We are open everyday between now and Christmas Eve! 

Rare Color Diamonds

For those of you who follow my posts on Facebook, you are aware of my fascination with fine jewelry auctions.  Nowhere else are we able to see such rare and exquisite diamonds from around the world on display.  While the only buyers for these gems are billion dollar diamond companies and  the mega-rich, it is still interesting to see the unbelievable prices these one of kind stones sell for at auction.

Large D color, Flawless or Internally Flawless diamonds always fetch the highest prices at auction, however, recently a new category has captured headlines for the highest prices paid at auction.  RARE COLOR FANCY DIAMONDS.  Below are some pictures of the most expensive fancy color diamonds sold recently:

    Pink Dream

    Pumpkin Diamond

    Premier Blue


While the size of these diamonds is a big factor in their high prices, another huge factor in their value is the SATURATION of their color.  Fancy color diamonds, while rare, are not impossible to find in less saturated tones.  Pink and Blue diamonds that are "Fancy Light" color are not nearly as rare and thus less desirable.  "Fancy Vivid" or "Fancy Intense" color designations make these diamonds truly one of a kind.  Even fancy yellow diamonds that are far more common can be sold for triple the price if their saturation of color is deemed "vivid" or "intense" instead of "light".

What makes a diamond exhibit such astounding color?  Nature of course!  While sapphire and ruby and many varieties of quartz and topaz can be "heated" to increase the color intensity.  It is far more difficult to do in diamond.  Therefore, these rare vivid color diamonds came out of the earth with this color. Which tends to drive collectors to spend millions of dollars per carat on them!  Unfortunately, these stones are usually up for auction in places like New York, Hong Kong, Geneva and London...not Philadelphia.

You can search our inventory of fine fancy yellow diamonds online here:
Fancy Yellow Diamonds 



  

Sydney Rosen Company Video!

The talented folks over at Yelp! were nice enough to help us make a short video profiling our business for our website!  It features Steven Rosen's soothing voice, and talks about the cherished history of our store.  Here it is without further ado:



You can read more about our history on the "About Us" link on our website located here:

Learn More About Sydney Rosen Company