One of a Kind Designs
While South Sea Pearls are elegant, Tahitian Pearls vibrant and Akoya Pearls gracious, there is a very rare Pearl available that is unusual and zany. Pearl farming has been at Lake Kasumigaura since 1962. The white, apricot, pink and deep purple colors are all natural and caused by the specific nutrients of the lake. Many of these Pearls are off … [Read more...]
Almost everyone has heard of Mikimoto Pearls. His contribution to the world of Pearls is unparalleled. In the late 1800’s he began to experiment with Pearl cultivation and after years of diligent work, he produced a totally round pearl. It is due to his contributions that the Pearl industry as we know it today evolved. These saltwater cultured … [Read more...]
Tahitian Pearls are known for iridescent and vibrant colors. Though they are often called “black” Pearls their colors are actually Peacock, Eggplant, Green, Olive Green, Blue and Magenta. And, though they are called Tahitian, they are not actually cultivated in Tahiti but throughout the waters of French Polynesia. Unlike the feminine elegance … [Read more...]
When I think of “Pearl”, I imagine an almost ethereal glowing luster with a mirror like brilliance. There are several different types of Pearls and each reflects a beauty and charm of their own. South Sea Cultured Pearls are cultivated in the waters off Australia, Indonesia, the Philippines, Myanmar, Japan and Thailand. The colors are … [Read more...]
A gem that appears to glow from within boasts a vast array of colors and is completely natural without treatment seems impossible. And yet, that is exactly what the Oregon Sunstone is. Vibrant shades of pinks, peaches, oranges, yellows, reds, greens, and blue greens delight and amaze us with their uniqueness. Occasionally, we are treated to a … [Read more...]
Opal is not a gemstone that we often feature. Though I appreciate its beauty, an Opal just never made it into our inventory. Until, that is, our good friend in Thailand Emailed me one day with photographs of his collection of Ethiopian Chocolate Opals. Oh my goodness! We spent days drooling over the selection and finally made a decision. The … [Read more...]
We at MK Designs specialize in the rare and unusual. Occasionally, we relax our self -imposed rules a little. Moonstone fits into this category. Almost everyone has heard of Moonstone and there is plenty of it around, but there is just something magical about this gem. The bright white spot that appears to move as the stone is rotated was … [Read more...]
A gem that is a rich blue color, affordable, durable and easy to wear with a marvelous history behind it sounds like wishful thinking. But guess what? There is such a stone and it is fabulous! This stone exhibits extreme pleochroism with one direction of dark blue to purple and the other completely colorless. This dramatic difference in … [Read more...]
Garnet is a somewhat misunderstood gemstone. Many people think of the dark, dusky stones that their great -great grandmother wore. Think again! Garnet is actually an isomorphous mineral group that forms a series in which members of each group intermingle among one another. I picture it as a giant party where colors run rampant and beautiful gems … [Read more...]
The world has had a love affair with Emeralds for over 6000 years. With a picturesque history, which includes romance, violence and controversy, the Emerald is far more valuable than a Diamond. This remarkable gem is the most famous member of the Beryl family with a medium or medium dark green to bluish green. The color comes from impurities of … [Read more...]
