Near the small town of Globe, Arizona, some 70 miles east of Phoenix, there are two mountains that claim the name “Sleeping Beauty.” Sleeping Beauty Mountain lies to the southwest of the town. To the north, however, is Sleeping Beauty Peak. And it is this sleeping beauty that sleeps atop some of the most beautiful sky-blue turquoise you could ever dream to behold.

Clear Blue Hue

Its uniform, clear blue hue made it a favorite of Zuni Pueblo silversmiths, and for hundreds of years it remained one of the main sources of this kind of turquoise. Persia is the source for robin’s egg turquoise, while Nevada turquoise is famous for its reddish spiderweb matrix (the dark-colored host rock embedded in the blues and greens of the turquoise). Another mine in Arizona produces a rich blue turquoise called “Bisbee Blue.” These all have their own unique beauty, but Sleeping Beauty turquoise is the choice for those who love a clear, nearly unblemished sky blue. Sleeping Beauty turquoise that contains a visible matrix, however, has become more popular in recent years.

The mine now only produces copper, a much more profitable industrial metal. While it is much less romantic that a mine called “Sleeping Beauty” should produce such a mundane metal, it shouldn’t seem strange that the same mine that once produced turquoise now produces copper, as copper is a component of turquoise. Turquoise is made up of copper, aluminum, phosphate (a phosphorus and oxygen compound), and water, and it is the presence of copper that gives it its distinctive blue color. Trace amounts of iron will result in a more greenish turquoise.

Once the world’s largest producer of turquoise, the mine shut down in 2012, after all of the highest-quality turquoise had been mined. Since then, Sleeping Beauty turquoise has only become more valuable. The best of the bed of turquoise upon which Sleeping Beauty sleeps has been extracted, and no more of it will ever be mined. As supplies are limited, we are always on the lookout for the best Sleeping Beauty turquoise to use in our jewelry.

Shopping online used to be just for small, inconsequential purchases. But with improvements in security, e-commerce web design, and shipping, consumers are more comfortable buying just about anything online. Even luxury purchases can be made online without worry.

There are now thousands of jewelers and jewelry designers selling online. But how do you know who you can trust? Here are a few things you should look for when browsing an online jeweler’s website.

Time in Business

First of all, look at how long the company has been in business. While a new business certainly can create great products and give great service, a jeweler that has been in business for a decade or more has a clear record of sales, quality products, and satisfied customers behind it.

Communication

Drop them a line. How long does it take to respond? A quick response time means the business knows the value of your time. They know you are eagerly waiting for an answer, and you deserve to receive one quickly to put your mind at ease. Furthermore, the business should have multiple ways of getting in touch. A business that offers phone, email, text or chat, and social media accounts shows that they have the customer in mind, allowing them to choose their preferred method or social media platform for communication. Businesses don’t have to offer every single one of these, but of the ones they do offer, response time should be fast.

Responses should not only be fast but should be professional and courteous, as well. Every piece we craft is a unique treasure, and so is every customer.

Price

We’re all looking for the best value, but when it comes to luxury jewelry, a price that seems too good to be true should have you asking questions. When you have a master of their craft working with precious metals and real gemstones, the price is going to reflect that. While you never want to pay too much, you should be a little suspicious of prices that seem too low. Suspiciously low prices are often accompanied by vague product descriptions that seem to be hiding the fact that they are selling something gold-plated rather than solid gold, for instance.

Support

What else is the jeweler offering? Most jewelry stores offer affordable repair options to their customers. You should also be able to count on a reasonable return policy and extras like care and cleaning guides. Is your online jeweler doing the same? Compare the policies and extras of a number of online jewelers to get a sense of the industry standard.

That last point also works as general advice. Compare different online jewelers. You’ll get a good sense of the quality of each, the style and selection of each, and the customer service of each. Once you see what the standard is, we hope you’ll see that we go beyond it.

One of the major jewelry trends to look out for in 2023 is simplicity. Elegant, understated jewelry is always in style, but next year will see more people embracing simple sophistication. We’ve been fans of colorless gemstones for a long time. They embody the ethos of understatement with their stark beauty and hidden, subtle complexities. So if you’re looking for colorless gemstones, look no further than diamond, moon quartz, and rock crystal, three striking, and strikingly different, ways to capture that quietly elegant style.

Diamond

A true classic that embodies simple sophistication. Diamonds are versatile stones, and how they make you feel is all in the presentation. They can be over-the-top and conspicuously luxurious, calling attention to themselves and the wearer, or they can be more low-key. Many of our pieces that embody this low-key luxury use small diamonds as accent stones, drawing the eye to the large central gemstone rather than taking attention to themselves.

Moon Quartz

Take one look at any of our moon quartz jewelry and you see where the name comes from. This gem, presented as a polished cabochon rather than cut and faceted, glows with the same mystical, mysterious energy as the moon. There’s something calming about this stone that lends itself to sleek, understated designs. Moon quartz works wonderfully with an understated design to create an intriguing, alluring elegance perfect for formal and casual occasions: just check out this bracelet from our Candy collection, for example.

Rock Crystal

The purest variety of quartz, rock crystal gives you a lot of sparkle for the price. Being more common and less expensive than diamonds, a single large rock crystal can make a big statement. They can be cut in all kinds of imaginative ways, adding some whimsy to their cool, icy shine. These Hex Studs are a good example of the bold yet simple statement a dazzlingly cut rock crystal can make.

These gems contrast beautifully with gold, together making a simple, elegant statement, whether alone or accented by smaller stones. Colorless or white stones are a timeless look that works with just about any outfit and any occasion. Which one is your favorite?

Amethystos" means "not drunk" in ancient Grek. Because of its wine-like color, early Greek legends associated amethyst with Bacchus, the god of wine. It was believed that wearing amethyst, a quartz, prevented drunkenness. Other legends reflected beliefs that amethysts kept their wearer clear-headed and quick-witted in battle and in business affairs. Fine amethysts have been set in religious jewelry and crown jewels for ages. It's no wonder that fine amethyst adorns the fingers of bishops as well as the coronation regalia of British royalty. 

COLOR

Amethyst is the purple variety of the mineral quartz. It's the gem most commonly associated with the color purple, even though there are other purple gems such as sapphire and tanzanite. The purple can be cool and bluish, or a reddish purple that's sometimes referred to as "raspberry". Amethyst also commonly shows what is called color zoning, which usually consists of angular zones of darker to a lighter color. 

CLARITY

Much of the faceted amethyst in the market is "eye clean", meaning it lacks eye-visible inclusions. Any visibly included material is usually cut into cabochons. Gem professionals overlook minor inclusions when the gem is richly colored and of otherwise high quality. Visible inclusions in light-colored gems reduce their value greatly. 

SOURCES

Russia was the major amethyst source until the 19th century when a huge amethyst deposit was found in Brazil. The once scarce purple gem was suddenly in abundance. Today, the two major sources of amethyst are in Africa and South America. African mines provide most of the fine color amethyst on the market today. 

TREATMENTS

Heat treatment is the most common technique for improving the color of natural amethyst. It can lighten the color of very dark amethyst but it cannot darken the color of pale amethyst. 

CARE & CLEANING

Amethyst can be safely cleaned with warm, soapy water. Ultrasonic cleaners are usually safe except in the rare instances where a stone is dyed or treated by fracture filling. Steam cleaning is not recommended, and amethyst should not be subjected to heat.