The Shmukler Journal
The Art of Knowing
What Matters
January Birthstone: Garnet
The name garnet has its origins in its famous color. It originates from the 14th century Middle English word gernet, meaning โdark red,โ which came from the medieval Latin granatus, meaning โpomegranate.โ
December Birthstones
Born in December? Hereโs Why Turquoise, Tanzanite and Zircon are Your Birthstones
Why You Should Purchase in Person and Not Online
The benefits of buying from a jeweler directly instead of looking at photos on a website will always outweigh the conveniences offered by the online marketplace. There are so many websites claiming the opposite โ including those offering gems for prices that seem almost too good to be true. Unfortunately, purchasing a diamond or valuable gemstone based on a photo representation is seldom in your best interest.
November Birthstones
Born in November? Hereโs Why Topaz and Citrine are Your Birthstones
October Birthstones
Born in October? Hereโs why opal and tourmaline are your birthstones.
September Birthstone: Sapphire
If You Were Born in September, Hereโs Why Sapphire is Your Birthstone
August Birthstones
If You were Born in August, hereโs Why Peridot, Sardonyx, and Spinel are Your Birthstones.
Cleaning Your Jewelry is Easier Than You Think
The investment you make in a quality piece of jewelry doesnโt stop after the initial outlay of cash โ it includes making a promise to care for that item and giving it the attention that it deserves over the pieceโs many years of ownership. But donโt fret. As arduous as that task may sound, taking care of jewelry isnโt as difficult as you might think.
June Birthstones
Itโs June, and Hereโs Why Alexandrite, Moonstone, and Pearl are Your Birthstones
The Custom Jewelerโs Tool Chest
Opening the Custom Jewelersโ Tool Chest: The Orion Jewelry Laser Welder
What to Do if You Donโt Like Your Engagement Ring
Your hope is that your engagement ring is a piece of jewelry that youโll be wearing for the rest of your life. So, it only makes sense that it fits your personality and sense of style and makes you happy every day when you see it glittering on your finger. After all, your engagement ring should be something that you happily show off to everyone you meet.
Itโs May and Hereโs Why Emerald is Your Birthstone
Enchanting to royalty, both ancient and of the Hollywood variety, the spellbinding emerald is your birthstone if you are born in May.
History of Jewelry Part Three โ Accessories from the Titanic
We are fortunate to have Craig A. Lynch, G.G., with us to discuss the jewelry accessories he appraised from the Titanic, recovered from the bottom of the ocean nearly more than eight decades after an iceberg struck the luxury liner back in April of 1912.
History of Jewelry Part Two โ Accessories: From Ancient Egypt to the Roaring โ20s
An outfit isnโt complete without accessories โ more specifically, jewelry accessories. Nothing catches the eye more than a complementary necklace or sparkling earrings. Since the beginning of civilization, jewelry accessories have been popular for both men and women โ the trend didnโt become more commonly thought of as feminine until the 18th century.
FTC: Just to be Clear, โDiamondโ Still Means Natural Diamond
While the FTC has determined that laboratory-grown diamonds are real diamonds, the agency requires that businesses must be crystal clear in their advertising that their product is man-made.
Hereโs Our Unique Approach to Creating a Custom Engagement Ring
All of our jewelry is created onsite by one person โ our owner, Boris Shmukler โ and our designs are based on what you tell him you want. Thereโs no middleman! Unlike other jewelers, everything we design, we also create ourselves. And our designs are based entirely on your personal vision for the finished piece.
Understanding Laboratory-grown Diamonds
If youโre in the market for a diamond โ often the case at this time of year what with love and engagements are in the air โ youโve likely come across laboratory- grown diamonds and may still have questions about, well, everything having to do with lab-grown diamonds (aka, synthetic diamonds).
History of Jewelry Part One: An Overview
We all wear it but how much do we know about the history of jewelry? Todayโs post introduces the first in a five-part series on the history of jewelry, offering insights gained from thousands of years of advancement in jewelry making. These historic innovations range from simple beads in prehistoric times to the development of synthetic gems that can fool the layman โ but not the professional jeweler.
The Truth About Todayโs Shortage of Rolex Watches
If youโre interested in purchasing a Rolex and donโt want to wait more than a lifetime to acquire the watch, you have options. Whether by working with an experienced jewelry professional who has access to off-market inventory, or going it alone on the secondary market, thereโs no shortage of avenues you can take outside of the Official Rolex Retailer route.

