Welcome to our Learning Center Featuring Jewelry Articles
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Vintage and Antique Jewelry All You Need To Know
Vintage and Antique Jewelry: you hear us talk about the Vintage & Antique Jewelry in our estate cases all the time. But what is antique jewelry anyway? And what makes a ring vintage? What's in the estate cases? In modern jewelry and appraising terminology: ...
Vintage Engagement Rings – Yellow Gold
Yellow Gold Vintage Engagement Rings Gold engagement rings are some of the most popular, since yellow gold is considered the "classic" gold color, and has symbolized luxury and wealth for millennia. The earliest known gold rings are crafted in yellow gold, since it...
Vintage and Antique Jewelry – Eras and Periods
Georgian Era Jewelry • Victorian Era Jewelry • Edwardian Era Jewelry • Art Nouveau Art Deco • Retro Period • Mid Century Period • Modern Era Jewelry Throughout history, art historians and jewelers have referred to jewelry from specific periods by name, since they...
Selecting Vintage and Antique Jewelry
Selecting Vintage and Antique Jewelry is not easy, either for us as a jeweler stocking our cases or for our clients looking for the perfect engagement ring or gift. Federal Way Custom Jewelers is particular in what we offer to our clients, and every item has to be of...
December Birthstones: Tanzanite Zircon Turquoise
According to the American Gem Society, there are three birthstones that represent the month of December. These birthstones get their origin from different times and places- in India and Iran, Turquoise has been treasured since antiquity and became associated with the...
Gemstone Inclusions & Colored Stone Clarity Grading
Gemstone Inclusions: What Are They? Inclusions are features present that disrupt the normal crystal structure of a gemstone. They can also be called flaws or imperfections, but these are misnomers as some inclusions can be of benefit to a gem. Inclusions usually...
Sapphire: The September Birthstone
Sapphire is the birthstone for September. Along with Rubies, Sapphires were the gem of choice in engagement and betrothal rings prior to the 1900s. Today, they are our best selling gemstone and are commonly associated with royalty. We make fabulous sapphire pieces:...
What is Rhodium Plating: White Gold Process
Jewelry Repairs Near Me: Soldering Jewelry, Other Common Jobs
Jewelry Repairs Near Me • Soldering Jewelry Requests for Jewelry Repairs are a common occurrence in the Jewelry Industry. Common occurrences include broken chains, repairs to cracks that have appeared in rings, and many others. At Federal Way Custom Jewelers located...
Resizing Rings Near Me – How It’s Done
Re-sizing Rings - How It's Done The most common repair service requested at Federal Way Custom Jewelers is the resizing of clients' rings; whether too big or too small, gold or platinum or silver, plain band or 2 carat diamond ring, resizing is a service that is often...
Buying Diamonds • Diamond Quality Chart • Diamond Carat • 4Cs
Federal Way Custom Jewelers has served the Seattle-Tacoma Metro and Puget Sound area for over 70 years. Our showroom features incredible one of a kind pieces made in house, brilliant loose stones, and staff whose expertise is unparalleled.
Tourmaline Stone • Tourmaline Properties • Tourmaline Jewelry
Tourmaline Stone • Tourmaline Properties • Tourmaline Jewelry A tourmaline is a semi-precious gemstone that comes in more colors and color combination than any other gemstone. Due to the wide range of colors, tourmalines are often mistaken for many other gemstones. It...
What Are Sapphires • Sapphire Gemstones • Sapphire Colors
What Are Sapphires • Sapphire Gemstones • Sapphire Colors What are sapphires: Sapphires are a colored gemstone family for two key reasons: 1) they come in every color of the rainbow and 2) sapphires are hard and tough enough to be worn on a daily basis - second only...
Moissanite Jewelery • Engagement Rings and Gemstones
We are proud to be a preferred retailer of created Moissanite from Charles and Colvard. We think it is the best diamond substitute available so read below to learn more! Moissanite Jewelery • Engagement Rings and Gemstones Moissanite is a beautiful gemstone. It's...
Opal Stones • Black Opals • Fire Opals
Opal Stones • Black Opals • Fire Opals Opals have captured the fascination of gem lovers since antiquity. The oldest known items featuring opals were found in ancient Mayan and Middle Eastern jewelry thousands of years old. In the middle ages opals found in central...
Red Garnets • Garnet Rings • Garnet Meaning
Red Garnets • Garnet Rings • Garnet Meaning The garnet family of gemstones is one of the most underrated in the gem world. For the last century jewelers stocked red garnets heavily as the January birthstone, and then forgot about them for the rest of the year. This...
Emerald Stones • Aquamarine Gemstone • Morganite
Emerald Stones • Aquamarine Gemstone • Morganite The Emerald is a derivative of the Beryl Mineral Family of Gemstones. Along with Aquamarine and Morganite they are classed as "precious stones. The above photo, courtesy of the Gemological Institute of America, shows...
Alexandrite Stone • Chrysoberyl • Birthstone • Properties
The chrysoberyl (pronounced kris-o-bear-al) gemstone family is one of the most underrated in the jewelry world. Many people have heard of the “phenomenal” members of the Chrysoberyl family, like Alexandrite or Cat’s Eye, but these are just two members of a very...
The Paraiba Tourmaline Debate
Paraiba Tourmaline - Tourmaline Meaning What is a Tourmaline? Tourmaline is classified as a semi-precious stone, and can be found in a wide variety of colors. It is a mineral that has been compounded with elements such as aluminum, sodium, lithium, et al. So what is...
Rings for Collectors – Rare Gemstone Rings
Rings for Gemstone Collectors Federal Way Custom Jewelers is the Seattle area's premier destination for rare gemstones, and rings designed for collectors! As a colored gemstone specialty jeweler, we make sourcing and selling rare colored gems a specialty, and we take...
Natural Alexandrite Gemstone Buying Guide
Alexandrite Stone : what to seek in an Alexandrite Ring or Necklace What is Alexandrite? Alexandrite is a rare gemstone in the chrysoberyl family. Alexandrite is noted for changing color! Bluish green or teal in daylight and red or purple by candle or incandescent...
Morganite • Gemstone Facts & Morganite Buying Guide
Morganite Gemstone • Meaning • Value What Is Morganite Stone? Morganite is a pink or peach colored gemstone belonging to the Beryl mineral family, and is thus a close relative of Emerald and Aquamarine. Available in many colors including pink, rose, peach, lavender...
Imperial Topaz Jewelry • Ring • Earrings
Imperial Topaz Jewelry • Topaz Ring • Topaz Gifts What is Imperial Topaz? In general, Topaz is a large gem family most known for yellow gems, or treated blue gems. The terms “imperial topaz” and “precious topaz” are often used to distinguish between true topaz and the...
Ruby Gemstone • Ruby Ring Meaning
Ruby Gemstone • Facts about the elusive natural Ruby Ruby Gemstone: A fine, gem-quality Ruby is second to none in the gemstone world. Rubies are, along with Sapphire, the most durable colored gemstone for ring use, and have been passed down through generations. They...
Natural Emerald Alternatives • Green Tourmaline & Tsavorite
Emerald Alternatives • Tsavorite Garnet • Green Tourmaline Ready to be green with envy? For centuries, green lovers had one choice if they wanted a deep green gemstone: natural Emeralds. However, natural Emeralds of fine quality are quite rare. Most on the market are...
Fancy Color Diamonds Natural Color Diamonds
Fancy Color Diamonds: natural Diamonds occur in every color! Have you ever seen a Canary Diamond? Maybe you dream of owning a Champagne Diamond Ring. If so, read on! The term Fancy Color Diamond refers to any Diamond that isn't colorless. All diamonds, regardless of...
