At a “Night at the Museum” sleepover event a one-cart diamond was lost after it fell out of it setting.  Staffers at the American Museum of Natural History wore gloves and masks while combing through dust in four vacuum bags, looking for all things that glitter.  The diamonds owner planned to give the diamond to her granddaughter someday.  She says the episode shows as the DeBeers slogan states “the diamond is forever, it really is because it came bace to me.”  (AP)

Is it just me or would you not have taken the valuable ($15,000) ring off to keep it safe and possibly getting lost?  Too bad I couldn’t find one of those in my vaccum bag.

Spirit Artist has granted Big Ideas Learning, LLC/Larson Texts, Inc. permission to use the painting “Abstract II” in a middle school math textbook to be published in 2010. The companies lead author, Roland Larson, is trying to include things that will be visually interesting to middle school math students and will include a photo of this painting in an activity about triangles in art.

Scientists at the Carnegie Institution in Washington, D.C. have discovered a way to make bigger and better diamonds. The method is called chemical vapor deposition. It utilizes low pressure that allows the diamonds to be grown more rapidly and have minimal defects, as well as growing larger than before. Man made diamonds at their best.

Opals have been found on Mars.  Wouldn’t it be awesome to own one?  Talk about the Wow factor.  Instead of saying it’s a Peruvian opal, you could say it’s a Martian opal direct from outer space.  I don’t foresee these being available in the near future, but you never know.

I wonder what the gem lore will be for the Martian opal?  Any ideas?

What is amber?  Amber is a  fossilized tree sap that often has bugs, and other plants trapped inside it that give it a unique look.  Amber can range in color from yellow to orange, and can be transparent or translucent.  How do you know if you have real amber.  Amber can float on salt water due to it’s low specific gravity,  and it will be fluorescent under Ultra Violet light.   Also look for inclusions and bugs inside, as this is a good way to tell as well. 

The care and cleaning of Amber.  Amber is a soft gem (2 to 2.5 on the Mohs scale). Store it seprately from other jewelry to avoid scratches.  Clean it by wiping with a soft moist cloth.  Never expose amber to heat or chemicals, including hair spray and perfume and do not clean it in an ultrasonic cleaner.

What is said about wearing amber?  One birthstone for Taurus is Amber.  It is said that the wearer of this stone will have a pure body, and that their digestive and the endocrine systems (thyroids) are going to work properly and better when you are the wearer of Amber jewelry.   Some lore eveals that the wearer of an amber ring will not suffer from fatigue or overly stressful times in their life.  Amber is known to fight depression and to give additional mental energy to face the tasks of life.  Much amber lore is thought to be true since amber does have a magnetic property that seems to back up its traditional lore.  Amber was first written about by Homer in 700 B.C. in his epic “The Odyssey”.  He describes ” a golden chain of exquisite workmanship strung with amber beads that gleamed like the sun:.  Amber is known by many names… Tiger’s Soul,  Petrified Light,  Sun Tears, Sea Gold, Electron, Captured Sunshine, Hardened Honey, Succinum, Freja’s Tears, Tears of the Heliades, Sun Stone, Sacred Stone,  and Gold of the North. 

What are your experiences with amber jewelry?

Spirit Artist has entered the prestigious Saul Bell Design Award Competition. 

“Now in its ninth year, the Saul Bell Design Award continues to recognize artists whose work challenges traditional perceptions of jewelry design. Named for the founder of Rio Grande, the competition celebrates Saul’s spirit and legacy by inviting jewelry artists and students to enter their most inspired creations. The industry abounds with stories of the opportunities and support Saul provided to young jewelers working to develop their skills. His quiet patience endeared him to all. And his good humor always brought a smile. It is our hope that Saul’s influence continues to inspire and enlighten jewelers everywhere. “

Welcome to Mystical Gems Spirit Artist’s new Blog.  Check often to see what I’m up to and for any useful hints or information that may be posted.

Spirit Artist