The Smiling Jeweler

Do you want real Alexandrite?

YOU CAN”T HANDLE REAL ALEXANDRITE!

Ok maybe you can, but expect to pay for quality. And, contrary to to some disinformation widely circulated on the net, not all natural Alexandrite needs to be certified to be a safe buy. In fact, almost without exception, in the lower price points, you’ll get a better deal on uncertified goods. Why? Because stones generally get certified by a wholesaler before they are sold to the retailer, meaning that most certified stones have the certificate cost marked up TWICE. On a smaller stone, this means a huge increase in cost for a negligible increase in value.

So, how do you avoid the shysters selling lab grown, treated amethyst, or treated corundum (etc, etc) as natural Alex? Buy from a reputable source for natural Alexandrite. There’s no substitute for using a proven dealer who has an untarnished reputation in Natural Alexandrite sales after over two decades.

I get calls from guys pretty regularly who want a 1 carat high quality certified natural Alexandrite for $2000. Guess what? They don’t exist. You can get a decent quality small Natural for that, with medium clarity, and medium color change, without a certificate. Need a certificate? How do you feel about tacking on 20% plus to the price for something that will add NOTHING to the visual quality of the stone?

Natural Alexandrite is one of the rarest gemstones in the world. Due to it’s scarcity, quality specimens demand high prices. The three major sources for the stone (natural chrysoberyl) are Brazil, India, and Russia. The original source is Russia, and natural Russian Alexandrite is the rarest of the three due to the fact that the original mine has not been in commercial production since the early 1900′s.

As a result of its scarcity, Natural Alexandrite of Russian origin demands a premium over stones from any other source. In fact, I’ve spoken with a number of commercial Alexandrite dealers who have expressed surprise that we have been able to acquire even a few Russian Alexandrite, as most stones in circulation are ones that were originally mined over a century ago.

Origin aside, natural Alexandrite comes in a huge range of qualities, which is why you can find some natural stones for hundreds of dollars, instead of hundreds of thousands (or millions). A natural Alexandrite of low quality from Brazil or India could easily cost less than $1000 per carat, but a natural stone with good color, clarity, and color change will almost always be $4000+ per carat. Keep in mind that this stone has been on the market for over 150 years, with imitations actively made and distributed since 1973. It’s safe to assume that any stone that seems to good to be true-is.

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Sell gold in Juneau, Alaska (907) 523-9099

Sell gold in Sitka, Alaska (907) 747-5744

Goldsmith Gallery in Juneau and Sitka are the best option for selling your gold, paying on average 30% more for your old or broken jewelry than the pawn shops or mail-in gold buyers.

If you’re not able to visit the locations (407 Lincoln St. Sitka, AK 99835 or 263 S. Franklin St. Juneau, AK 99801) Please call (907) 747-5744 to arrange to send your gold in Risk-Free and receive a quote within 24 hours.

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Female visitors to Goldsmith Gallery in Sitka, Alaska are being asked to browse barefoot after numerous reports of lost and damaged socks.

“It all started out innocently enough.” says office manager Theresa Johnstone “This lady called me over and asked if I would show her a ring. When I walked over I noticed a pair of socks laying on the floor next to the jewelry case. I thought it was strange, but didn’t say anything.” After showing the ring, during which time the customer appeared “kinda out-of-it” and “delirious”, the pair of socks was moved to the stores’ lost and found box.

It was a strange occurrence, made more strange by the fact that there was another pair of socks already in the box. “We were like; This is weird.” Says store owner Christopher Fondell, who had found the other pair of socks in the same area that morning. “Originally, we thought it was some sort of prank. Why else would there be dirty socks on the floor of a jewelry store, right?”

When a third and fourth pair of socks were found that afternoon, the store decided to investigate. Security tape revealed that this was not a prank, but something far more difficult to explain. So difficult to explain, that store management hosted members of the local media to review security footage from the store.

The security cam image is grainy, but shows the Tanzanite case in the upper left corner of the frame. “Look under the case.” says Fondell, pointing at the screen. “Nothing there, right? Now watch.” He advances the video until a customer appears on the lower portion of the screen, and then pushes play. In the video, the woman is making her way towards the Tanzanite case when she suddenly appears to stumble, catching herself awkwardly on the case and pulling herself upright. The lower portion of her body is obscured by a potted plant, but after reviewing the sequence multiple times, it is clear that the womans’ socks were left on the floor after she appeared to stumble.

What caused her to stumble? What item was she intently gazing upon when a salesperson came to ask if she needed assistance?

A recently added 4.29 carat cushion cut Tanzanite Ring.

Apparently, a single glance at the Tanzanite Ring was enough to knock her socks off.

Multiple customers have since confirmed the phenomenon, reporting that they enter a dreamlike state after seeing the ring, and don’t fully recover their senses until hours after leaving the store.

You can view the Tanzanite Ring here.

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Many men have trouble adapting to wearing a ring, and it isn’t just a physical comfort issue. They complain that their strength seems as though it is being sapped, and even simple decisions seem out of their control. If left untreated, more serious symptoms often develop-including but not limited to:

• Fatigue or exhaustion
• Indecision
• Sense of losing control
• Anxiety
• Emotional isolation
• Sense of overwhelming responsibility

If you’ve been suffering from one or more of the symptoms mentioned above, you’re not alone. You’re one of the millions of men suffering from Ring Related Emasculation(RRE).

In most cases, the affected can trace the beginning of this phenomenon to the day they first put on a ring. A day that was once filled with hope and promise, now twisted from dream to nightmare by this horrible condition.

Thankfully, there is hope.

The men’s rings from Alaskajewelry.com are made in America, which insures that there is ZERO chance that they were forged in the fires of Mount Doom. Every one of our men’s rings is guaranteed to be free of the influence of the dark lord Sauron.

That’s correct! Alaskajewelry.com now offers an industry first Sauron Free Guarantee™ on all men’s rings!*

Today’s man is encumbered with enough responsibilities and conflicting influences to have to worry about suddenly becoming invisible or having to take an arduous journey to Mordor.

When you need to be absolutely certain that the ring on your finger isn’t conspiring against you, there’s only one place to go.

Buy your men’s ring from alaskajewelry.com the home of the Sauron Free Guarantee™

*Ammolite Rings not included

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The alarming trend of melting Glacier Ice has begun to take it’s toll on the jewelry industry in Alaska, which has long relied on the cost savings of using frozen water as a gemstone replacement. “It’s been tough, no question.” says Glacier Ice cutter Jason Christnor. “Seems like it’s melting almost as fast as we can cut it this summer.” And with the glaciers receding around the state at an unprecedented rate, the rise in the wholesale cost of loose Glacier Ice has been equally alarming. “Before, I could hardly keep it in my cases it sold so fast.” says jewelry retailer Beau East. “People were like, ‘Wow, it’s so beautiful, and so much cheaper than back home.’ Now, I can hardly afford to have a full case of it-and the cost benefit of using Glacier Ice instead of diamonds and real gemstones is almost negligible.”

Christnor, much like the newly endangered Alaskan Polar Bear, is the victim of alarmingly warm temperatures. Alaska, which is generally well below freezing year round, has been experiencing thaws this year in places where it has never thawed before. “I might have to get some wheels for my sled this year.” jokes longtime Sitka resident Kristian Fergusson, nodding towards his dog sled. “My team just wants to lay around when it gets hot like this.” His wife Heddy agrees, “We might have seen a few days of thaw in July or August before, but never in May. Not like this.” Heddy has been leaving her Glacier Ice jewelry at home since March, afraid of losing it to the unseasonable warmth that is claiming the purchases of many cruise visitors this year.

While the consensus among Alaskan jewelers is that times are tough-most agree that there will continue to be a market for Glacier Ice jewelry. “You can’t make this stuff at home in your freezer.” says a salesman at one of the 65 jewelry stores in downtown Ketchikan. “It takes hundreds of years and the intense pressure of thousands of tons of ice to create a specimen that will have the color and optical clarity to even be considered gem-quality Glacier Ice.” He pauses before adding, “Put an ice cube on your finger and see how good it looks. See how long it lasts.”

Some jewelers are taking a proactive step, replacing their entire Glacier Ice inventories with natural stones. “Hey, the writing is on the wall.” says jeweler Sam Vapcedic. “It’s warming up. I used to think Al Gore was full of hot air, but then he won that Pulitzer, and that makes you think twice.” He continues, “I used to offer a full 1 year warranty for my local customers. Now try reading the small print at some of these places. ” he says, gesturing out the window toward a street lined with shops. “Three day warranty against melting? 24 hour warranty? It’s obscene. Who’s gonna buy that?”

Jewelers like Chris Fondell of Alaskajewelry.com have led the charge in replacing their melting inventories with real gems. “Folks walk into my store and say-hey it’s warm in here! How do you do it?” Well, it’s simple-my Glacier Ice is natural Blue Zircon. It doesn’t melt. Ever.”

While you’ll end up paying a higher price for this new breed of Glacier Ice, the ability to wear it in all seasons seems to have struck a chord with visitors and locals alike. “The days of wearing my favorite jewelry only in the dead of winter are officially over.” declares Juneau resident Kiera Sexton who has replaced all her traditional Glacier Ice jewelry with Glacier Ice Blue Zircon. The new stone boasts the same deep blue color and brilliant sparkle, without the risk of melting.

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