A diamond ring being purchased by a young man for his sweetheart evokes feelings of romance and tender love just blossoming. But how often does this same young man investigate the source of his chosen gemstone?

Sadly, the lust for wealth can result in brutality, torture and death. There has been quite a bit of concern lately for the diamond mining practices in Zimbabwe, a country now devastated by hyperinflation.  A team was sent to investigate allegations of violence against civilians in this country, and Mr. Fayia, a deputy minister of the ministry that oversees mining in Liberia reported:

“Our team was able to interview and document the stories of tens of victims, observe their wounds, scars from dog bites and batons, tears, and ongoing psychological trauma,

“I was in Liberia throughout the 15 years of civil war, and I have experienced too much senseless violence in my lifetime, especially connected to diamonds.”

It is easy to ignore the source of our diamonds; please make sure your gemstones are not “blood diamonds.” Sometimes all it takes to stop this sort of treatment is paying attention and refusing to purchase gemstones so cruelly gotten.

Beautiful jewelry beads ; have you ever tried your hand at creating your own distinct artful jewelry? Well, this concept opens up a whole universe of possibilities. You can even make your own unique beads with polymer clay! (Trust me, there have been volumes written on this subject; just check out your local” Michael’s”!

When I was a kid, my sister taught me how to create daisy chains and clover chains. I think that’s where my own fascination with jewelry began. And I admit to still loving to string together unusual beads just for fun. Luckily, I have a number of young girls in my family who can be the recipients of my efforts. “Thanks Uncle Robert!” At least they’re pretty good at pretending they like what I make…

One of the “new” gemstones is called Kunzite, a pale pink stone with a bit of a lilac cast. Of course the gem itself is  terribly ancient, but it was only discovered in 1902. It was named after George Kunz, who was the lead jeweler at Tiffany & Co., and a mineralogist himself.  I have heard it described as a very feminine stone, and of course it must be cut correctly to show its delicate beauty to full advantage.

I think this is cheating, but the stone is often heated or  irradiated to increase the richness of the color. I am old fashioned, and prefer gemstones au naturel.

Speaking of au naturel, this gemstone should not be worn on the beach or in direct sunlight, because this could cause the color to fade. The pink undertones are due to the manganese content of the gemstone. Pretty, but somewhat delicate in this regard!

I love local art shows. Now, don’t get me wrong. There can be plenty of kitsch, lots of bad food and music that can drive you spinny! But if you have the patience to walk through all the aisles, you might just surprise yourself. And talk to the artists! I have made new friends with many of the young (and old!) jewelry artists who ply their craft at their local art shows.

And some of these artists travel quite a distance to reach the show. The better the show, especially if it is a juried art show, the more miles they may have traveled to participate in it. I’ve said this before, but it becomes more important with each passing month. Support the artists among us. Creative people are needed more now than ever. I firmly believe that the key to any economic recovery is an entrepreneurial spirit. Artists who make a living by their craft deserve a lot of support!