Volume 2 Issue 5
May 1, 2009

Dear Friends,

May is a full month with celebrations including May Day, Cinco de Mayo, Mother’s Day, Graduations and Memorial Day.  With a focus on Mother’s Day, I asked Lornie for his most immediate, positive reflection about his mother.  When Lornie was a child, Laura, his mother, was quite ill; but maintained an inner strength, optimism and perseverance he’s never forgotten.  I remember my own mother, Vivian, having a “lifetime” teacher’s certificate at the age of 17.  She rode by horseback to the one room school house where she taught eight grades.  Find a memory and remember your own mothers with fondness and kindness.

Rhodochrosite Clasp on South Sea Pearls

The translucent form of the mineral rhodochrosite is rare. The largest deposits are in Argentina. Lornie shaped this gemstone and made this unusual, one of a kind clasp. It is shown on a strand of natural color yellow, cultured, South Sea baroque shaped pearls.

The Hope Diamond is shrouded in mystery and superstition. Recent study sheds some light on the possible origin of this diamond. Tavernier, a French gem trader of the 1600’s, sold a blue diamond, weighing 115.16 cts to King Louis X1V of France for about five million dollars. This blue diamond was from an area near Golconda, India. The King in turn re-cut the diamond for more brilliance, resulting in a stone weighing 69.03 cts. King Louis XV commissioned his jeweler to make an insignia of the Order of the Golden Fleece and to include this diamond in it. The jeweler made a lead copy of the insignia and the diamond. During the French Revolution in 1792 the insignia along with its blue diamond disappeared. No one ever found the original diamond, but in 1812 another blue diamond appeared in London. This diamond weighed 45.5 cts. The first documented owner of this diamond was a Mr. Hope. Eventually Cartier owned it. Harry Winston later acquired the diamond and donated it to the Smithsonian Institute. This priceless gem is now on permanent display in the Smithsonian Institute.

We installed a buzzer system to enter our store. It is user friendly and necessary for the privacy you deserve.

Thank you again for your patronage and friendship. We appreciate all of you.

~HAPPY MONTH of MAY~

With love,
Lornie and Rose