May Birthstone

“Who first beholds the light of day
In spring’s sweet flowery month of May
And wears an emerald all her life
Shall be a loved and happy wife.”

A symbol for rebirth, the Emerald is believed to supply its owner with foresight and abundant good fortune. Its traditional association with love and fertility make it a perfect stone for mothers and wives; however, today Emeralds are also known to represent wealth and wisdom. As if that’s not enough, the soothing, green hues are easy on the eye, effectively relieving stress and strain. In a world surrounded by artificial light and computer screens, we could all take a moment and get lost in a lush, green Emerald.

Originally mined in Egypt as early as 330 B.C., this ancient gemstone later appeared in Columbia, Brazil, Afghanistan, and Zambia. Favored by Cleopatra, Alexander the Great, and Henry II, Perfect Emeralds are considered to be amongst the rarest gemstones. Michael Barin never settles for anything less than perfect, so you know he’s turning these beautiful stones into one-of-a-kind works of art that will dazzle for a lifetime. 

Fancy Color Diamonds

     Fancy color diamonds are found in 12 different colors with more than 90 secondary hues and 9 intensity levels within the 234 possible color combinations. Out of 10,000 carats of mined diamonds, only one carat will turn out to be fancy colored.

     Aside from the extreme conditions that must be present to create diamonds, the right trace elements must be present in appropriate quantities to create the desirable shades. Fancy color diamonds are evaluated less for their brilliance or shine and more for their color intensity, which is composed of tone and saturation. Deep and distinct shades are preferred over weak or pale shades.

     Yellow diamonds, for example, range from fancy light yellow to fancy vivid yellow. Some variations include fancy deep yellow and fancy intense yellow. These diamonds are colored by the minute presence of nitrogen. Blue diamonds are colored by boron and hydrogen, while green diamonds result from natural radiation. Brown, pink, and red diamonds are a product of colored graining resulting from structural irregularities.

     The size and shape of a diamond also influence its color. Larger diamonds can sometimes yield a richer, more intense color because light can travel deeper into it. Certain cuts of diamond, such as the radiant cut, can also influence color and yield a lush hue due to strategically placed facets. 

     For centuries, fancy color diamonds have adorned kings and queens from all over the globe and have been sought out for their mystical properties. Today, these diamonds are prized by collectors for their stunning beauty and extreme rarity.

Pavé Settings

The word Pavé (pronounced pa-vay) comes from the French word “to pave,” as in paved with diamonds – upwards of 300 diamonds per ring in Michael Barin’s case. A superior design, coupled with an artfully chosen center stone, requires a superior setting. Most importantly, one that adds sparkle and shine, framing the center stone in an undeniable brilliance.

French Cut refers to the specific way that small Pavé diamonds are set into the metal of a ring. The finished look makes a ring appear as if it is made of solid diamonds, seamlessly wrapping around the band and the center stone, essentially creating a piece of art within itself.

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Aquamarine

“It was one of those March days when the sun shines hot and the wind blows cold: when it is summer in the light, and winter in the shade.”

— Charles Dickens

     The birthstone of March, aquamarine, is a perfect reminded that spring is just around the corner. The cool blue tones of this stone embody the brisk, March winds as described by Charles Dickens. When set in some warm 18 Karat Yellow Gold, aquamarine takes on an ethereal quality reminiscent of summertime.

     Aquamarine was named by the Romans, who combined “aqua,” meaning water, and “mare,” meaning sea, because the stone reminded them of the color of the Mediterranean.  Legend says that the stone originated from the jewel treasure chests of sirens that washed ashore from the depths of the sea, ultimately making the stone sacred to Neptune, the god of the sea. This powerful association with water made the stone a sailors’ gem, safeguarding them from peril and sea monsters.  

     Embodying the spirit of the ocean, Aquamarine radiates calm and peace to its owner. Gaze into the stone and you will be transported to serene ocean waters and vibrant, blue skies. 

South Sea Pearls

     Pearls are one of the first gems adorned by women and have been used as decorative items as far back as the 5th century BC. Over time, pearls became a status symbol personifying wisdom, power and wealth, and happen to be the only gemstones made by a living organism. When a foreign substance passes through the organism of a mollusk and irritates the mantle, the mollusk begins to coat the irritant with a substance called nacre. Layers of nacre eventually form a pearl ranging in a variety of colors and shapes. Round pearls are the most expensive and uncommon, followed by baroque pearls, which are irregular and uniquely shaped.

     Freshwater pearls are primarily grown in mussels living in man-made lakes and reservoirs in China. Saltwater pearls, on the other hand, are grown in oysters living in bays and inlets around the world. Due to the thickness and composition of nacre, saltwater pearls are more lustrous and glossy than freshwater pearls.

     South Sea pearls, produced in Australia, Indonesia and the Philippines, are renowned for their size, smoothness, and roundness. They range in size from 9-20mm (compared to the standard 2-10mm cultured pearls) and are naturally white, cream, or golden in color. The rarity and sensitivity of the type of oyster that produces these pearls makes cultivation much more difficult, making them more expensive.

     Due to their naturally dark color, Tahitian pearls have become some of the most sought after, expensive pearls in the world. Unlike black freshwater and akoya pearls, which are irradiated or dyed, Tahitian pearls obtain their look naturally and can be found in an incredible array of iridescent color. Due to their vast color range, matching these pearls into a perfect, finished strand is an enormous task requiring thousands of loose pearls. 

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Fabrication vs. Casting

     Michael Barin prides himself on creating hand fabricated, one of a kind pieces. Sounds impressive, but what exactly does this mean?  

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     Throughout history, craftsmen would work on a single piece of jewelry for weeks at a time with a level of passion and skill passed down for many generations. In the modern world, the jewelry business has changed drastically and many pieces are now mass-produced to accommodate the growing market. As a result, quality has been sacrificed for speed, quantity, and ease. This new business environment has led to decline of hand fabricated jewelry, highlighting Michael Barin as one of the few remaining true craftsmen.

     To understand the difference between modern jewelry manufacturing and hand fabrication, we must compare the two processes. During the process of casting, a mixture of molten metal is poured into a mold containing a hollow cavity of the desired shape. The liquid is allowed to solidify and then broken out of the casting. When jewelry is made this way, wax dulls the precision of the design and the casting process introduces foreign contaminants and air bubbles into the metal. This, coupled with multiple cleanings and filings required to eliminate roughness, results in a fragile piece of jewelry with a minimal amount of detail. Unfortunately, the vast majority of jewelry today is produced by this method and usually does not live to the heirloom stage.

     Requiring the combination of ancient skills and technological advancements, fabrication requires a much higher level of craftsmanship. As opposed to jewelry that has been cast, hand fabricated pieces are crafted directly from metal without the use of any wax, molds, or additions. Virtually free from any air bubbles, the finished design has a higher metal density and is less susceptible to deformities and scratching. Hand fabricated jewelry is a product of time, patience, and accumulated knowledge, making each piece irreplaceable. 

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Michael Barin working on a piece at his studio.

Sapphires

     Sapphires come in almost any color imaginable, but you may be curious as to what makes this gemstone so versatile. Ready for another chemistry lesson?

     A sapphire is a gemstone variety of the mineral corundum, among the strongest natural gemstones in existence. Pure corundum is colorless, but minute trace elements give the gemstone its signature variety of colors. Blue sapphires, for example, are colored by a combination of the trace elements iron and titanium. Iron and chromium create gold and orange sapphires, while chromium yields pinks and reds. The many combinations of trace elements result in extraordinary colored sapphires sometimes referred to as fancy color sapphires. Most natural sapphires are exposed to heat in order to improve their color and clarity. This practice is widely accepted and results in more vibrant, stronger stones that are more resistant to accidental chipping and breakage. 

     The word “sapphire” comes from the Latin word “sapphiru,” meaning "blue." Cornflower blue sapphires, also known as Kashmir sapphires, are the most valuable. These stones are often associated with loyalty and dignity, making them a top choice for royalty. In fact, members of the Vatican traditionally wore blue sapphires because the gems were believed to represent purity of purpose and deed. The largest cut and polished sapphire, the Millennium sapphire, was discovered in Madagascar in 1996 and has a weight of 61,500 carats.    

Ideal Cut Diamonds

     Perhaps the most defining characteristic of a diamond is its cut. It has the greatest overall influence on a diamond’s beauty and determines how much sparkle we see. We often make the mistake of thinking that a diamond’s cut is its shape (round, emerald, etc.), but it actually relates to how well the stone reacts to light.

     Well-proportioned and carefully angled, ideal cut diamonds are of the highest quality. When light enters the diamond, it is reflected directly through the top of the diamond and travels to the observer’s eye. Diamonds that are cut too shallow, allow light to escape from the bottom instead of reflecting off the top. This diminishes brilliance and leads diamonds to appear dull. Similarly, deep cut diamonds poorly reflect light and yield a dull, muted appearance.

     The finest ideal cut diamonds exhibit what is known as a Hearts and Arrows pattern. This phenomenon is a result of perfect proportion and symmetry, leading the facet reflections to create overlapping, kaleidoscopic patterns. Eight symmetrical arrows can be seen though the top of the diamond and eight hearts when the diamond is viewed from the bottom up, creating the prized “cupid effect.” If you took the time to stack these diamonds up on top of each other, each one of the facets would line up with perfection.

     Michael Barin uses ideal cut diamonds throughout his pieces because he believes that “the amount invested in a center stone should be framed in perfection.”

November Birthstones

“Who first comes to this world below
With drear November’s fog and snow,
Should prize the topaz’s amber hue,
Emblem of friends and lovers true.”

— Georgian Birthstone Poems

     There are two gems appropriate for November birthdays – Topaz and Citrine. November’s primary birthstone is Topaz, but it has had a rough history and has always been mistakenly confused with citrine. Both of these gemstones were found on a Mediterranean island named Tapazios. Since they were so alike in color, although not in shape or size, Citrine and Topaz were often mixed up.

     The most prized color of Topaz is the Imperial Topaz, named after the Russian czars of the 1800s and their opulent taste. These stones feature a magnificent reddish-orange body of color with slightly pinkish undertones. In fact, topaz was often used to promote wisdom of the wearer, explaining the medieval custom of giving Topaz rings to diplomats and royals. Even Henry VIII, depicted by Hans Holbein, is painted wearing golden brown Topazes.

     Topaz comes in many colors aside from brown, including yellow, yellow-gold, and orange, all very similar to the shades of citrine. Blue Topaz is very rarely produced by nature, but recent advancements in technology have made this gemstone readily available. Blue Topaz usually results from colorless Topaz that has been irradiated and heat-treated, resulting in light to deep shades of blue.

     Citrine, on the other hand, is known as the “healing quartz” and is said to support vitality and health, while encouraging the wearer with energy and warmth. The stone’s name is derived from its color – citrón, the yellow of the lemon – although the most valuable gems are a clear, radiant yellow, or brownish red.

     Both Citrine and Topaz jewels bring a shimmering brightness to dull November days, making these gemstones ideal for this time of year. Michael Barin’s ring below has a 21.99 carat weight precious Imperial Topaz center stone, set in 18 karat white gold and accented with diamonds and orange sapphires. 

Paraíba Tourmaline

     In just over a few decades, the Paraíba Tourmaline has become one of the rarest and most sought-after gems in the world. Originally discovered in 1989 in the state of Paraíba, Brazil, these vivid stones have a bright glow incomparable to most gems. This copper and manganese bearing Tourmaline comes in shades ranging from brilliant turquoise to stunning blue-green. Although members of this gemstone family technically come in all colors of the rainbow, the Paraíba’s rarity is undeniable – for every 10,000 diamonds mined, there is only one Paraíba Tourmaline.

     A recent twist in history makes this remarkable gemstone even more intriguing. In 2003, a new wave of vivid turquoise, copper-bearing Tourmalines entered the market. These stones were mined by hand in the copper-rich mountains of Mozambique and Nigeria in Africa. With only minute chemical differences from the stones unearthed in Brazil, these new Paraíba-like Tourmalines are often found weighing five carats or more.

     If we think about the geographical location of these two varieties of Tourmaline, it brings us to a very interesting observation – at some point, the copper-rich mountains of Brazil must have been a lot closer to the copper-rich mountains of Mozambique and Nigeria. Keeping in mind that the continent of South America and the coast of Africa appear to fit together like puzzle pieces, it is very possible that these two landmasses were connected a long time ago and have slowly crept away from each other as a result of continental drift.

     Fact or fiction? We can’t be sure. This story only adds to the allure of the beautiful Paraíba Tourmaline, making its wearer part of a very intriguing mystery. 

     Michael Barin’s Paraíba collection boast a design with a 7.74 carat Paraíba-like Tourmaline set in 18 Karat White Gold and accented with Diamonds. This particular stone displays a rutilated copper pattern, lighting the stone from within.