We all understand the importance of having special jewelry items appraised, but what happens after that? How do you know what should be covered for loss or damage? What can you do to protect your jewelry from loss if it doesn’t meet the value specification for insurance coverage? Understanding how your insurance policy will cover your jewelry items…

This has been one of the most popular episodes, so I'm re-publishing it as a great reminder for a summer project: cleaning out your jewelry box without tossing treasures! Be sure to get your copy of the Jewelry Box Graveyard Cheat Sheet! You can find it on my Link Tree page through in my Instagram Profile. Click Here for yours! How many times have …

No other gemstone with the same rich, pure green as emerald, like the fine gem quality emeralds from sources like Columbia mines, and other location sources. Fine quality emerald gems almost glow from within, and it’s no surprise that the verdant gem has enticed and captivated emperors, sovereigns, wealthy celebrities, and gem collectors from the b…

Jewelry Navigator Podcast celebrates 100 episodes with a two-part feature with special guest, Graduate Gemologist, Adrianne Sanogo. You’re in for a treat! As Adrianne shared what inspired her to become a gemologist, our conversation meandered into topics of current interest to trade and consumers alike. Be sure to subscribe and listen to today’s ep…

Have you ever wanted to feel like a celebrity for a special event, like a milestone reunion, a wedding, or an award ceremony? Maybe you’d like to experience the feeling of adorning yourself with luxurious or high-end, designer fine jewelry, today’s Jewelry Navigator Podcast guest has the perfect solution! Tanya Canfield, the founder of Trejours, pr…

Sherrie Taylor, Graduate Gemologist, and Registered Master Valuer, of S. Taylor Jewellery Appraisals and Consultation shares how she enriches the appraisal process with an often overlooked aspect of jewelry heirlooms. While the intrinsic characteristics of jewelry heirlooms determine their replaceable value, their stories and meanings are what give…

Did you know that diamond substitutes have been around for centuries? How do you know when a clear gemstone is a diamond? On this week’s Jewelry Navigator Podcast, Brenna shares the more common diamond substitutes and why it’s important to understand their differences.By Brenna Pakes

As the start of a recurring series, this podcast focuses on aquamarine and its related gemstone varieties. Did you know that aquamarine has a famous gemstone “sister”, known as emerald? If you were looking for a larger gem to set into a fantastic new jewel, would you know which gem minerals to look to first? In this episode, we explore the beryl fa…

In this second part of It’s About Time - A Unique Twist on Luxury Watches with Kelly Juell of Juell time, Kelly shares the red flags to watch for when shopping for luxury watches and jewelry in the secondary markets. She also discloses how the unique market position of low supply and high demand affects retailers of luxury watches and consumers see…

Understanding common jewelry terminology is critical for shopping for and collecting jewelry. Today on Carats and Coffee, I share what the difference is between two very similar jewelry and gem terms, karat with a "K", and carat with a "C". Be sure to follow Jewelry Navigator on Instagram and on our Facebook page!…

Kelly Juell, Founder of Juell Time, specializes in luxury watches with a different twist. She customizes luxury watches, like Rolexes with jeweled and specialized alterations, transforming them into distinguished timepieces to complement her clients’ lifestyles. Her working knowledge and familiarity with fine jewelry, watches, custom design, and je…

NEW BONUS EPISODES - CARATS AND COFFEE WITH Jewelry Navigator THIS WEEK: 5 QUICK SPRING CLEANING TIPS FOR YOUR JEWELRY BOX AND A SNEAK PEEK INTO THIS WEEK'S PODCAST EPISODE. Carats and Coffee with Jewelry Navigator is a weekend bonus episode to be live stream recorded on Saturday mornings. Come with your favorite morning beverage and jewelry questi…

Since relaunching Jewelry Navigator Podcast a few weeks ago, I came across the perfect recorded conversation I had with a field "interpreter" at the Crater of Diamonds State Park in Arkansas. As the only gem diamond source in the United States of substantial finds, Crater of Diamonds State Park has a fascinating history and makes a unique destinati…

Jewelry Trends and Traditions for 2023 - An overview of current jewelry trends and steady traditions and how to balance the two for a lasting jewelry wardrobe. Jewelry Trends and Traditions - Which One Should You Follow? Jewelry is a personal way we express ourselves in every stage of life. Trends reflect quick snapshots in time and capture mood an…

Today’s podcast gives you a snapshot of the partnership and team of Tucson Todd’s Gems, and Mary van der Aa Fine Jewels that resulted in THREE AGTA Spectrum Awards. As vendors at the Pueblo Gem Show began packing their wares to return home, I had a few minutes with Mary and Todd. They shared how their gem and jewelry-making talents overlap resultin…

Horse Tails & Ant Hills - The Hidden Secrets of Garnets FYI: Gemstones keep secrets, and it all starts with Horse Tails and Ant Hills! Find out just what these cryptic clues mean in this week’s brand new, and the FIRST episode of Jewelry Navigator Podcast of 2022! It’s the Year of the Tiger! Are you ready to POUNCE on more gem facts and jewelry sto…

As part of celebrating 20,000 downloads of the Jewelry Navigator Podcast, I'm featuring former podcast guests in the Jewelry Navigator™ Gift Guide. I’m so excited for many of the designers I’ve featured on the podcast who are having record sales this year through their perseverance and collaborative efforts with markets, niche shows, and boutiques.…

About Jewelry Navigator Podcast: Listen to Jewelry Navigator Podcast on Spotify, Apple Podcasts, Stitcher, Podbean, and Google Podcasts. Brenna Pakes is the creative force behind Jewelry Navigator LLC, a collective platform to guide consumers to smart jewelry choices. As a GIA Graduate Gemologist with an undergraduate degree in geology, Brenna has …

How many times have you visited your jewelry box to discover twisted, tangled chains, orphaned, earrings, or rings missing gemstones? Much of our forgotten jewelry is abandoned due to disrepair, but how can you tell what is worth keeping? What looks like junk may be forgotten treasures! In this episode of Jewelry Navigator Podcast, I share a few he…

Nan Fusco’s Versatile Jewelry Designs Redefine Luxury Jewelry Like many artists, Nan Fusco didn’t start her jewelry career in gem or design courses. Nan’s former career and formal training are in graphic design. Skilled with reading a client’s style and needs, Nan’s ability to design around a concept beautifully highlight the fossils and stones she…

Azra Mehdi is a practicing attorney and balances her family life with her passion for fine jewelry as a designer of timeless gold jewelry. Azra founded Au Xchange, a platform for sharing fine jewelry created by women designers. In spite of pandemic obstacles, Azra took advantage of the time during lockdowns to apply for the Zales Designer Spotlight…

HHi! Welcome to Jewelry Navigator! I’m your host, Graduate Gemologist, Brenna Pakes. Here on Jewelry Navigator, and as a Graduate Gemologist of the Gemological Institute of America, and a jewelry professional, I’m in a unique position to share jewelry tips and stories. More than ever, it’s important to support small, independent jewelry designers a…

On a recent Jewelry Navigator Podcast, “Here's to the Men in Our Lives - Jewelry to Celebrate Men and Dads”, I featured jewelry for men. One of the rings selected is Tin Haus' Andromeda ring, designed and created by today's guest, Christina Grace, founder of Tin Haus, an eclectic collection of jewelry art. Christina is a Graduate Jeweler from the G…

Men tend to get overlooked with jewelry - Watches and wedding bands are the staples for most men, while signet, diamond and gemstone statement rings as signature statements. Educating consumers with unique selections of gemstones and jewelry has always been a primary focus for Jewelry Navigator. In this Jewelry Navigator Podcast episode, I'm highli…

Missy Graff Ballone of Wellness for Makers Shares How Artists Can Move to Stay Healthy While the COVID-19 crisis and resulting quarantine have challenged many aspects of our lives, finding positive ways to guide us through to the other side have been inspiring. While scrolling through Instagram one day, I came across Missy Graff Ballone’s feed, Wel…

I hope you’re staying safe and well, and I’m looking forward to when we can return to our places of work, get our hair cut, nails done, and get back to all those services and shops that are part of regular routines. Part of the normal routine this time of year is shopping for the seasonal celebrations, like Mother’s Day and graduations. But, shoppi…

My guest in this Jewelry Navigator Podcast episode is Alain Simic, founder of Alain Simic (pronounced Ah-lawn Si-mich) whose specialty is portraying images of jewelry, fashion, fine art, and portraiture. Alain’s photography speaks through images, allowing his subject’s voice to share stories and impact the lives of those who see his work. Alain ser…

This weekend, I chose to share segments of my podcast interview with Seraphima McLean of Gallery Byzantium. . Her formal background in art history, cast her in the unique role to carry on her family’s Byzantine art jewelry business. Gallery Byzantium integrates art and history inspired by one of the most influential cultures, the Byzantine Empire. …

Karin Jacobson is a talented jeweler and artist whose open mind and fabrication techniques allows her to interpret visions into beautiful, wearable jewelry art. Her journey and aesthetic have revealed a unique style that has become unquestionably recognizable as Karin Jacobson Jewelry. I’ve been a fan of her jewelry for a few years now, and the evo…

Coping With the COVID-19 Crisis Using Self-Care Strategies With Dr. Dana Busch Stress. Anxiety. Uncertainty. These are all dark places that become natural responses to stressful and uncertain times, like the COVID-19 health crisis we’re currently experiencing. The reason for this podcast is to invite you to take a step back and use internal cogniti…

As we wrap up Women’s History Month in a couple days, today, I share my visit with Noor Shamma, jewelry designer, single mother, and driven career woman. Noor is the epitome of self motivation and drive. She gracefully achieves balance and peace through her persona, jewelry designs, and practices compassion through it all with sustainable practices…

Welcome back to Jewelry Navigator Podcast! It's been a few weeks since I last published a podcast episode and the last one was the pre-departure for my Tucson trip and that was in February. We're rolling into the second week of March, and I wanted to catch you up on what and who I saw in Tucson. You can follow along with my Instagram feed as I’ve p…

Gem Show Pre-Departure Lounge 2020 Welcome to the first Jewelry Navigator Podcast episode of 2020! It’s been a while since you heard from me. I took some time off during the holidays, and now that everyone’s settled back into school and work, it’s time to get down to jewelry business! Trade shows have been centralized events for various industries …

Sue Oster is the fearless force behind Feral Jewelry. She shares an interpretation of life’s strength and vulnerabilities using her signature collections created with sustainable and ethically sourced precious materials, combining design elements to celebrate who we are and what makes us unique. She IS the Elegant Rebel, and her MO of highlighting …

As a boy, Stephen Goldsmith had dreams of being a cartoonist. His aptitude for art was innate, but his journey would take a detour to become a master of polishing and finishing national treasures and museum quality jewelry. Stephen Goldsmith is a Fellow of the Institute of Professional Goldsmiths, and shares his nearly 50 years of knowledge and exp…

Jewelry is a powerful touchstone and conduit by which we define ourselves within our life stories, family, and community. Acknowledging this concept with symbolism and icons are reminders that we're connected to a higher power that guides us in how we choose to live our best lives. This week my guest on Jewelry Navigator podcast is Seraphima McLean…

Clarity, insight, and wisdom are three qualities I feel this week’s Jewelry Navigator Podcast guest exhibits naturally. Tonya Powell is founder and creative initiator of Pareure, a collection of jewelry designed for women who define themselves with confidence, and reach beyond limitations. Her classically simple signature circular designs are the e…

Telling stories with gems and jewelry is like speaking an enchanted language. Hidden for millennia, gems are treasures that speak a universal language. Cynthia Renée Marcusson is my guest this week understands the hidden language of gemstones. Geologist turned jewelry designer, Cynthia’s adventures began with her curiosity of rock formations and un…

Before departing for a creative career in jewelry design, Dana Busch enjoyed a professional career as a doctor in clinical health psychology. After completing a masters program in art therapy, she chose to focus on public health, and spent her career in medical centers creating programs focusing on lifestyle choices for patients with chronic condit…

Some people keep away from wearing opals, believing the ancient rumor that they cast bad luck on anyone who wears one without it being their birthstone. No one is certain where opal obtained its bad reputation, but in today’s Jewelry Navigator Podcast, I’m replaying last Halloween’s podcast, “The Not So Scary Truth About Opals With Matt Hopkins, of…

Emma Hoekstra is my guest this week on Jewelry Navigator Podcast. Founder of Emma Elizabeth Jewelry, and winner of this year’s Halstead Grant, it seems everything is going well for her. While we hope joy and celebration prevail in our lives, loss, grief, healing, and discovery remain unavoidable to the human experience. After the loss of her boyfri…

This week’s Jewelry Navigator Podcast is unique and exciting! If you love colored gemstone, or want to learn more about them from source to store, you’ll be mesmerized what today’s guest shares on Jewelry Navigator Podcast. My guest has an established gem and jewelry store as well as a successful online gemstone and jewelry business. Steve Moriarty…

Now that we’re in the last quarter of the year, we need to capture the attention of our clients and customers to optimize income potential as jewelry brands and businesses. If you haven’t kept ahead of your marketing plans, it’s not too late! Kathleen Cutler of Bespoke Commerce, and CEO of Kathleen Cutler Strategy shared valuable strategies that wi…

The Passion Behind Anastasia Simes’ Dramatic Jewelry Designs & How Her Frustration to Find the Perfect Gift Led to Her Jewelry Career Anastasia is as lovely and captivating as her jewelry! I found her background and story fascinating, and felt the dramatic aesthetic of her jewelry is a perfect fit for October! I’m so grateful for her taking the tim…

Laryssa Wirstiuk of Joy Joya Jewelry Marketing Shares Tips for Successful Holiday Marketing For Jewelry Brands Laryssa Wirstiuk of Joy Joya Jewelry Marketing is my guest this week on Jewelry Navigator Podcast. She shares what small brands and designers can do to get in front of their ideal customers in time for the upcoming holiday gift season usin…

Tracy Trainor became a jewelry designer and maker as she meandered across the globe, and uses inspirations from her formative years in Japan, to the countryside of Ireland, where she currently resides. What captures my attention with Tracy’s jewelry is the movement she coerces from wax carving, to casting, down to the texture. When challenged to ma…

Nayla Shami Shares Life’s Experiences Through Her Jewelry Designs In last week’s episode, I mentioned a few jewelry destinations for upcoming podcast stories. Today’s jewelry designer’s story is influenced by traditional hand fabrication methods passed down from generation to generation of Lebanese goldsmiths and jewelers. Nayla Shami is a delightf…

Even though it’s small, jewelry carries big meaning and represents connections from our past, into our present, and future. In this episode of Jewelry Navigator Podcast, I talk about showing your school spirit with jewelry, and I shared how I wear color and theme relevant jewelry to the Penn State football games with pieces by CRASH Jewelry, Emily …

Elizabeth Moore’s New Collections Redefine Her Passion as an Independent Jewelry Designer Our conversation starts from a mention she made I picked up on during our meeting at JA, where she mentioned the concept of the Circle of Fifths as an element in her new collection. Elizabeth’s new collection explores a deeper meaning of symbols she feels stre…

Jewelry Navigator Summer Jewelry Adventures: From Florida to New York Jewelry Week Between summer vacations, I visited jewelry designers this summer, and this video shares my jewelry adventures with them! There is a coordinating video on Jewelry Navigator’s website, as well as on YouTube. Jewelers, Designers, & Stores included in my adventures are:…