Black is back

The cool nights are already here and winter is just around the corner. We can’t help but get excited and start planning our wardrobe for the upcoming season.

All around the world the Fashion Show weeks confirm that black and neutrals are dominating the runways. Celebrities have already been spotted at movie premieres and magazine covers wearing little black leather dresses.



This is very good news for jewelry lovers!

Black and neutrals accompany well many gemstones. The choice of what jewelry to wear this fall/winter season has greatly widened. With your wardrobe as the neutral pallet your jewelry can shine up front and center. Both silver and gold marry well with the neutral pallet, so it’s only natural that layering and two-toned is very big.

This season’s collection is loaded with sapphires in blue and multi colors. Deep rich jewel tones gems with detailed charms in gold and silver. Necklaces are long and worn layered and earrings are dramatic.

Here’s a sneak peek of must have pieces from the ZionShore’s Fall/Winter 2009-2010 Femme Fatale collection. See the complete collection available for purchase starting in September www.ZionShore.com

The Coolest Night Time Party Animal Gemstones

There’s a secret that your sales clerk won’t tell you about your brand new gemstone jewel.

There is a group of gems that are unstable and they like to be cool and much prefer to party when it’s dark. And they have good reason for being that way.

I imagine these gems to be like a beautiful young starlet who has been out all night, hiding behind her sunglasses, avoiding the sunrise and camera flashes from the crowd, rushing back to her ride that will take her home.

The greatest example of one of these gems is the Kunzite. As a very expensive stone quality Kunzite could go for 100$ to 1500$ dollars a carat. Yikes! The color in Kunzite is important and very appealing to buyers. But would you still make such an investment if you knew her secret?



Kunzite is one of the stones whose color is unstable. Over time unstable gems will loose their color especially when exposed to sunlight, when left by the heater on a stormy winter night or left in car on a hot summer day.

Some of your cool night time party animals include Chrysoprase and Aquamarine. They will grow pale when out in the sunlight for too long. It will only take citrine a few hours to permanently change color. Carnelian will change color from brown to red when placed in sunlight. A jeweler’s torch is hot enough to change the color of Alexandrite. I can’t help but be a little shaken every time I think about this one. Natural Topaz which is brown will change color in the short time it takes to go from the mine to the truck.



Gems need your TLC. Some don’t stand well to light or heat. Some shouldn’t be washed with soap and hot water. It’s important for you to learn how to take care of your favorite precious pieces, so they stand the test of time. A well informed jeweler will always gladly share this info.

10 Fun Gem Facts

1- Aquamarine is used to stop toothaches by crystal healers.


2- Topaz is the Utah state gem.


3- Cinnabar, the genuine stone is extremely toxic (red mercury). The cinnabar beads we see on the market now are man made with resin.


4- Garnet is the beautiful deep red gemstone whose name comes from the Latin word granatum, which means pomegranate. Yummy!! I love them both.


5- Iolite was used by the Vikings for navigation at sea. Looking through an iolite lens enabled them to determine the position of the sun.


6- Jet is the only stone that is naturally pure black. It is composed of coal, carbonized wood. It is sometimes called Black Amber because it also comes from fossilized trees.


7- Kyanite is the mineral aluminum silicate which is also used to manufacture spark plugs, porcelain and other heat resistant ceramics.



8- Lapis Lazuli in powdered form was used as eye shadow by the Ancient Egyptians.


9- Moonstone in India is considered sacred and is a talisman of good fortune and success.


10- Rose Quartz is used by crystal healers to assist in weight loss, to clear the complexion and protect against wrinkles.


Seriously? Please excuse me while I make myself a rose quartz anything!