Your monthly round-up of the latest gems and news from Joopy Gems

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Mid-August seems like an excellent time to start thinking about stocking up for the Autumn, and we are here to help with our 4-day offer that tapers off gradually, rather like the last few days of summer! So if you shop today or tomorrow you get 20% discount; if you shop the day after that you get 15% and if you shop the final day you get 10%. No coupon needed, this is applied automatically as you shop, and what is more, you can shop as many times as you like. This is my international newsletter so we are dealing with different time-zones, but I have to pick one so the Hong Kong shop is set to GMT!

I don't have a lot of new stock listed but look out in the next couple of weeks for freeform chrysoprase, chalcedony and rutile quartz cabochons. Plus I'll be having a big re-stock at the beginning of September. 

As always, you can find out more information about any of these stories by visiting either my website at www.joopygems.com; www.joopygemsusa.com in the US or my blog.

Whenever it comes to this time of year I always find myself writing about August birthstone peridot; a polarising gem that people either love or hate. The issue was summed up for me in an article written by Lauren Thomann on Gem Gossip:  it doesn't look its best with white metal. It needs the warmth of gold to set its golden-green hues to best effect. Plus there is the  fact that small shallow cut stones look pale and washed out. It's not  the best green option if you want to go small; chrome diopside and tsavorite both retain more vibrancy. However, a larger stone - and you don't even have to go that large - 4mm and up - looks both elegant and  unusual in a gold setting. The photo below illustrates this perfectly;  the stark green of the stones against the diamonds compared to the singing warmth against the gold. Just a personal preference; what do you  think?

ALTERNATIVE BIRTHSTONES

If peridot really isn't for you; don't despair, there are almost as many birthstone systems as there are gemstones themselves - US, British, Hindu, not to mention historical systems. With moonstone, topaz and carnelian as alternatives, you're bound to find something you like!

Rainbow Moonstone

Ever-popular rainbow moonstone with its blue adularescence; choose from rounds, ovals and pears in a variety of shapes and sizes.

Grey Moonstone

Grey moonstone with its glowing chatoyancy looks fantastic with white metals that sets off its cool and understated elegance to perfection

Peach Moonstone

Peach moonstone varies from a pale petal pink to a deep orange and also has a lovely, glowing chatoyancy. Looks wonderful with pearls.

Brown Moonstone

New in for the first time last month, we have brown moonstone; the colour of milk chocolate it's another stone that looks great with white metals.

London Blue Topaz

Perenially popular with its fathomless blue-green hue, this looks as good with yellow as it does with white metals.

White Topaz

Still one of the best options for a natural white stone that is good value, what it lacks in fire it makes up for in brilliance and polish.

Swiss Blue Topaz

In rose cut, this stone is less acid blue and more cornflower, lending a gentle vibrancy to your designs; it's still the most commercially popular blue topaz.

Sky Blue Topaz

A popular substitute for aquamarine, sky blue topaz at its best is a serene, pale blue, suitable for both accenting and complementing.

Also seen this month...

I was pleased to see that my favourite stone, tourmaline, won best of show at this year's AGTA spectrum awards. JCK online also has a selection of other winners, including these fantastic Mark Patterson earrings - I love the way the coloured diamonds complement the rutile quartz. The Jewellery Editor has a couple of articles that caught my eye this month, one on ring jackets and another on reverse-setting gemstones. And finally JCK news has an article on how jewellers can stay competitive. Smaller indie retailers have the edge, apparently, added to local savvy and flexibility.

 

*Offer ends midnight Friday 18th August 2017 GMT. Cannot be combined with any other offer.