Alice & Chains Jewelry was started for a love of change, challenge, learning, and a desire to not follow and be the same. This project brought all of that, beginning with our first experience in 3D scanning.

Jewelry can get boo-boos too. Sure your favorite ring is made from metal and stone, but that does not make it indestructible. The ring in the photo - I replaced the stone in the original setting and within two days it came back shattered.

Happy Birthday (Month) Alice!! A little story about where the name Alice comes from.

It's happened more times than I can count. Emails are exchanged, we meet over Skype, talk on the phone, and sometimes we meet in person before at some point it is discovered that I am not Alice.

When I try describing exactly where I am from:

about 5 hours South of Chicago; about 2 hours North of St. Louis; near Hannibal, Mo - you know, Mark Twain's books, Tom Sawyer & Huckleberry Finn...

nothing-ness, eyes glaze over, no geographical clue to my references.

Can you remember the name of your first crush? Pretty sure mine was a boy named Kyle in 8th grade. My memories of crushing on him now seem embarrassing and obsessive  in the most ridiculous teenage ways possible. Scribbling his name in combination with mine all over my notebook, like it would summon him into my loving clutches.

Each stone flickers with a unique fire and a good opal is one with an opinion of its own.

Jewels, A Secret History - Victoria Finlay

One of my favorite non-fiction authors is Victoria Finlay. This post is about her most recent book, The Brilliant History of Color, which delves into the background of colors found throughout some of the most historic pieces of art. When time allows I sit at the table while my daughter eats her breakfast reading aloud to her the history of colors in art. While I have read further, my little loves to hear the story behind red ocher over and over again.

Colors, even those from art are important to me, as exposure to each variation of red or blue expands my library of color. Jewelry is often about the play of light, how to best exemplify a stone's unique and one-of-a-kind color. I often find myself telling clients and others that the color a gemstone has to offer, in my mind, is much more rare and special than the biggest and clearest of diamonds. I'll take an included, colorful gem any day!

Sapphires are blue... Right?!?

Color - Blue - but what is uncommonly known is that sapphires actually come in a variety of colors! Colorless, pink, orange, yellow, green, purple, & black.

Name Meaning - you guessed it - BLUE, sharp-witted Greeks!

Countries of Origin - Most commonly - Australia, Myanmar, Sri Lanka, & Thailand. Other countries: Brazil, Cambodia, China, Kenya, Madagascar, Malawi, Montana (Yes - the good ol' US of A), Nigeria, Pakistan, Rwanda, Tanzania, Vietnam, and Zimbabwe.

Rarest Forms - Large Sapphires!

Interesting Tidbits -

• Until 1800 it wasn't realized that both Sapphires & Rubies are varieties of conundrums - which are made of aluminum (Al) oxide - Al2O3, however what gives the gems their color are traces of chromium or iron.
• That chemical formula explanation make your eyes roll? Conundrum is also my favorite summer wine!
• Largest Sapphire - "Star of India" 536 carats, cut
• Famous Sapphires - St. Edward & the Stuart, English Crown Jewels
• Star Sapphires - DO NOT exist! They are actually a doublet or engraved glass.

Schumann, Walter. 2009. Gemstones of the World. Sterling Publishing Co., New York.