It has been two months since we began our remodeling project. The exterior is nearly finished and the construction has begun on the interior. The next few weeks should prove to be pretty hectic.

We are preparing to move the shop into it’s new home. We are also preparing to expand the showroom. The extended showroom will house our showroom staff and allow us to serve our customers more efficiently and effectively.  Tune in to see what changes next week will bring!

It has been almost two months since we began our remodeling project. The metal roof is complete, the brickwork is being finished and the interior of the new shop is currently being completed. We are preparing for the work to start inside. We will be expanding our showroom workspace to help serve our customers more efficiently. The new expansion in the back of the store will serve as a new workroom for our jewelers. Before and after pictures of the interior will be available so you can follow our progress. Tune in next week for new developments and pictures.

Part of a very turbulent history and much thievery, the British Crown Jewels represent the regalia and vestments worn by the king or queen of the United Kingdom during a coronation ceremony and other state functions. In all, the collection includes crowns, orbs, swords, scepters, and other regalia.

Under British law, the originals of the crown jewels and implements of the State cannot leave England and are displayed in the Tower of London. Many of the objects descend directly from the pre-Reformation period and hold religious and sacral connotation.

Worn by monarchs at their coronation, the Imperial State Crown was made in 1937 for King George VI. The crown is set with jewels of great antiquity and historical significance. In all, the crown possesses 2,868 diamonds, 273 pearls, 17 sapphires, 11 emeralds, and five rubies. The Imperial Crown of India was created when King George V visited Delhi as Emperor of India. As British law prohibits the removal of a Crown Jewel from the country to prevent pawning, a new crown was made. One of the heaviest crowns in the collection, the Imperial contains more than 6,000 diamonds.

After they were stolen from Westminster Abbey, the Crown Jewels have been kept in the Tower of London since 1303. It is believed that most, if not all, of the jewels were recovered not long after being found in display window of a London jeweler. During World War II, the jewels were taken out of the Tower and stored somewhere in secret. Stories suggest they may have been kept in the basement vaults of the Sun Life Insurance company in Montreal, Canada or in the Round Tower of Windsor Castle. It is more probable that they were housed at Windsor Castle since by law the Crown is not allowed to leave the country.

The dollar value of all the gold, silver, platinum, diamonds, sapphires, rubies, emeralds and pearls in the royal collection make it beyond comparison. Added to the fact that the crowns and other artifacts have all been worn and used by kings and queens of England makes the collection absolutely priceless.

There are numerous techniques that can be used to enhance the appearance of gemstones as well as diamonds. Technology has advanced a long way since we began to enhance the appearance of gemstones. As technology advances, it becomes even harder to distinguish between the natural and treated gemstones. A great demand has been placed on finding a reliable, time efficient method of authenticating gemstones.

One relatively new method of authenticating gemstones is known as Energy Dispersive X-Ray Fluorescence (EDXRF) spectroscopy. This method allows the user to determine whether a stone is natural or synthetic. It also allows the user to see if any enhancements have been made to the gemstone. In addition to gemstones, EDXRF can be used to varify precious metals and to authenticate their purities.

Another week on our remodeling project has brought more change. The roof is almost complete and we are almost ready to start on the interior. We are getting things ready on the inside of the store in preparation for the new changes. Tune back in next week for another update.