Diamonds

How to Spot a Fake Cartier Love Bracelet

As jewelry buyers, every now and then a piece crosses our desk that really makes us take a closer look, sometimes it’s a rare and unique piece and occasionally it’s a counterfeit. The client never is aware of course, and it is our unfortunate job to let them know the item they purchased or was … Read more

Happy September Birthday! – September Birthstone

The Sapphire is the September Birthstone! The sapphire is a well known gem, often recognized most easily in blue. A variety of corundum, sapphires can occur in every color including red, otherwise known as a Ruby. – “Sapphire” is Greek for blue. – Represents honestly, loyalty and purity and are thus popular engagement ring side … Read more

A Piece of Hawaii History: Ming’s Hawaii

Many of our loyal clients found us on their search for Ming’s Hawaii jewelry. Here at Hawaii Estate and Jewelry Buyers, we have one of the largest collections of Ming’s jewelry. Ming’s opened in 1940’s by Wook Moon and eventually had retail stores not only in Hawaii but in San Fransisco and New York. Ming’s became … Read more

Happy April Birthday! – Diamond

If you are born in April, your birthstone is the diamond! Lucky you! Diamonds are the most commonly known and sought after of all stones. Commonly used in wedding rings, the most common diamond desired is colorless, however fancy color diamonds are extraordinarily valuable in colors such as yellow, blue and pink. Diamonds are the … Read more

Happy December Birthday! – Zircon, Tanzanite and Turquoise

December babies get the frost, often blue, pick of Zircon, Tanzanite and Turquoise. Each gemstone is unique while they all display various shades of blue. Tanzanite Can only be found at Mount Kilimanjaro and so is named after East African state of Tanzania. Tiffany & Co. were among the first to debut the stone shortly … Read more

Official State Gemstones

Do you know your state’s official rock, gemstone, or mineral? In Hawaii, our state gem is black coral which is technically not a gemstone but arguably an ‘animal’ or rather, the external secretions of polyps underwater. Read more on coral here .   Here’s a chart from NETSTATE.COM : Alabama Hematite (Red iron ore) Official mineral 1967 Alabama Marble Official rock 1969 … Read more

Happy November Birthday! – Topaz & Citrine

Topaz Topaz and Citrine are often confused for each other although they are unrelated. The most prized Topaz is Imperial Topaz and is orangey red with pink undertones. Topaz also comes in blue, yellow, pink and purple although the orange/yellow color is the most well known and the blue is the most available. – Topaz … Read more

Gemstones to Minerals Names

  GEMSTONES TO MINERALS Gemstone Name Mineral Name Achroite Tourmaline Agate Chalcedony Alexandrite Chrysoberyl Amazonite Microcline Feldspar Amber Amber Amethyst Quartz Ametrine Quartz Andalusite Andalusite Apatite Apatite Aquamarine Beryl Aventurine Chalcedony Benitoite Benitoite Beryl Beryl Bixbite Beryl Bloodstone Chalcedony Brazilianite Brazilianite Cairngorm Quartz Carnelian Chalcedony Chrome Diopside Diopside Chrysoberyl Chrysoberyl Chrysolite Olivine Chrysoprase Chalcedony Citrine Quartz Cordierite Cordierite Demantoid Garnet Andradite Diamond Diamond Dichroite Cordierite Dravite Tourmaline Emerald Beryl Garnet Pyrope , Almandine , Andradite , Spessartine , Grossularite , Uvarovite Goshenite Beryl Heliodor Beryl Heliotrope Chalcedony Hessonite Grossularite Hiddenite Spodumene Indigolite/Indicolite Tourmaline Iolite Cordierite Jade Nephrite or Jadeite Jasper Chalcedony Kunzite Spodumene Labradorite Plagioclase Feldspar Lapis Lazuli Lazurite Malachite Malachite Mandarin Garnet Spessartine Moonstone Orthoclase, Plagioclase , Albite, Microcline Feldspars Morganite Beryl Morion Quartz Onyx Chalcedony Opal Opal Peridot Olivine Pleonast Spinel Quartz Quartz Rhodochrosite … Read more

Happy October Birthday! – Opal & Tourmaline

Tourmaline comes in a rainbow of colors! Meaning “mixed stone”, tourmaline can be red to yellow to green and more. Tourmaline that shows more than one color, such as bi-color or tricolor tourmaline is highly prized. – Watermelon Tourmaline shows Pink, green and white, resembling a watermelon! – Iron and Titanium are believed to produce … Read more

The History of Pierced Ears

Piercing dates all the way back as much as 5,000 years ago. Piercings were worn for fashion but often they signified other things like profession, wealth, and sometimes were believed to hold superstitious powers. Whatever the reason pierced ears came into fashion, everyone agrees that when shorter hairstyles became popular, so did showing off the … Read more