The world of sapphire

Please enjoy the following post about sapphires, written by our fellow Scottsdale employee, Thahir Farook!



Best known for its famous blue hue, sapphires come in 40 different individual colors. The sapphire is second only to diamonds with regards to hardness, coming in at number 9 on the mohs’ hardness scale. This makes the sapphire an ideal setting stone.

Blue sapphire is the most familiar amongst all the sapphires with color tones ranging from the very light sky blue to the most desirable cornflower blue and everything in between. Most people don’t realize that sapphires come in every color in the rainbow. The most rare color is the Padparajah sapphire or what I like to call the King of Sapphires. It is named after the lotus plant because of its very unique blend of pink and orange color tones. Imagine a color of a beautiful sunset and then picture it in a ring. Truly, a gem in its own class.

Sapphires are found in several parts of the world including right here in Montana, USA. Montana mines produce a variety of colored sapphires but the blue/green sapphire is the most common of color tones. Unfortunately, it is hard to find large sizes, as the rough doesn’t yield gem quality material.

The continent of Africa is a hot zone for gems. Some of the most diverse colors, sizes and qualities of sapphire we are seeing in today’s market primarily come from Madagascar, Tanzania and Kenya just to name a few.

One of the most pleasing sights is to see a fine selection of Cabochon Sapphires in vivid colors. They look like gum drops, you just want to eat them up!

I love all colored gemstones but to me sapphires will always be near and dear especially coming from a country that produces sapphires and family that for over generations has always dealt in sapphires.

December babies, we've got the gift for you

December is just around the corner, and here at Studio Vincent we want to help you get a jump on your holiday shopping. Know anyone with a December birthday? We can help!



Perfect dark or fair complexions, December's blue topaz birthstone is beautiful on everyone. Topaz is part of the silicate family of minerals, and the blue color is a product of the pure topaz being exposed to heat, whether it's natural heat or a lab process. Either way, the cooling color of this gorgeous gemstone has been associated with all sorts of healing properties, including: calming down those with hot tempers and helping those with asthma, weak vision and insomnia. We won't claim to have seen the blue topaz work it's magic just yet, but it certainly has the power to brighten your day and your wardrobe!

Austrian designer Humphrey has a gorgeous collection of blue topaz jewelry and we are proud to have it right here at Studio Vincent. Come on down and choose from classic pendants, contemporary rings and architectural earrings. We guarantee that it will put a smile on your loved one's face.

Happy Birthday November Babies!

We're half-way through November already...can you believe it?!

Here at Studio Vincent we are looking forward to our upcoming gem show, the holiday season and, of course, the New Year!

Lest we get ahead of ourselves, let's stop and take a moment to learn a little bit about November's birthstone: the lovely citrine.

Citrine is a deliciously juicy gem, and a fairly rare specimen of the quartz family. It can occur in nature in a wide spectrum that ranges from pale yellow to rich orange.

Citrine has a hardness of 7, according to the Moh's scale, which means it's great for necklaces and earrings, and strong enough to wear occasionally in fashion rings.

We recently got in a shipment of citrine jewelry from our Austrian designer, Humphrey, so if you have a November baby on your holiday list, stop by before it's all swooped up!

Birthstones: April is Diamonds!

Diamonds.  Just the word can bring a smile to even the most serious of faces.  Widely regarded as the most precious of gems, diamonds are considered the birthstone of the month of April, so come visit us at Studio Vincent to pick up a gift for your April baby!  Diamonds come out of the ground looking like semi-translucent pebbles and are sorted by color before they are sent to be cut.  The majority of diamond jewelry on the market has cut and polished gems, but the more creative goldsmiths like to explore using raw and uncut diamonds in their designs.  Diamonds can come in a rainbow of colors and we recommend using colored diamonds in place of semi-precious gems in many designs because of their durability.  

The word diamond comes from the Greek word Adamas, which means unconquerable. Diamonds, indeed, are known for their longevity and hardness, making them an excellent choice for engagement, wedding and commitment rings, or any jewelry that will be worn on a daily basis.  Before purchasing a diamond it's necessary to understand how they're categorized and graded.  We are happy to sit down with our clients to explain the Four C's of the diamond trade: Cut, Clarity, Color and Carat.  Come in today and get a jump start on your April birthday purchases!  Choose from bezel set diamond studs, tension set diamond rings, rough diamond earrings and much more.