By Brenna Pakes
Guiding shoppers to smart jewelry choices.
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...
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...
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...
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...
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...
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...
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...
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...
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.
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...
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,...
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...
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...
As the only gem diamond source in the United States of substantial finds, Crater of Diamonds National Park has a fascinating history and makes a unique destination for vacationers, gem and jewel collectors, and spring-breakers. Tune in to hear Jewelry...
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...
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. I was lucky enough to join Todd and Mary for the Awards...
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...
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...
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...
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...
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...
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...
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...
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,...
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...
This is a brief episode today. I didn't include my normal introduction, so if this is your first episode, welcome.To understand what my platform is, please listen to any other episode, and you'll understand. After feeling paralyzed, not knowing how to move...
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...
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...
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...
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...
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...
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...
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...
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,...
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,...
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...
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...
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...
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...
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...
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...
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...
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,...
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...
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...
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...
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...
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...
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...
