Tea & Gemstones

People like the concept of jewelry representing "forever." But what does a forever symbol look like to you? Well... for thousands of years there was one popular and revered icon of eternity: the ouroboros, or "tail-devourer" Let's break away from the stigma of snake fear, and walk through time and history to meet this ancient and complex jewelry motif. Please leave a rating/review if you're enjoying the podcast! It makes a huge difference in the algorithm to help the show Patreon for ...

When life gets big and scary and we feel overwhelmed... how do we seek daily comfort? What restores us when we are stressed and tired? Science says: Nature! How does the rejuvenating power of plants connect to the rise of a trendy aesthetics-only movement birthed from the collective anxiety of 2020? Let me introduce you... to Cottagecore. It's the specific niche of nature jewelry you maybe never knew existed, but it is here to stay. Please leave a rating/review if you're enjoying the podcast...

Welcome to Season Three! Let's dive into the world of sparkly masquerade; the stones we prize because they're "like" a diamond. But these imitators deserve to stand and shine on their own merit. Come in and meet them; you might just fall in love. Please leave a rating/review if you're enjoying the podcast! It makes a huge difference in the algorithm to help the show Patreon for exclusive bonus episodes & merchandise: https://www.patreon.com/teaandgemstonespodcast Writer, Producer, Host...

Opals may reign supreme as the most popular iridescent gemstone... but labradorite is coming for their throne. Let me introduce you to this gorgeous feldspar. It is a stone with a galaxy of visual magic within it, believed by legend to be the birthplace of the Aurora Borealis. How is this stone created, where is it found and what are it's believed metaphysical properties? There's also a "best" version of labradorite found only in one place in the world and it is so special it has it's o...

The rich red of the ruby is a well-established representative of love. But one astoundingly exquisite ruby in the Smithsonian National Gem Collection has a particularly interesting romantic history. Let's journey to uncover the origins and not-so-ancient psychology of rubies, how this gem is caught up in modern day political turmoil, and what it means to ensure a loved one's name is not forgotten. "The Smithsonian National Gem Collection - Unearthed: Surprising Stories Behind the Jewel...

The notion of assigning a gemstone to represent a specific calendar month is a concept both ancient and modern, with shifting definitions through time. Let's pull birthstone's origins from the fog of history, talk about who exactly made the current month assignment lists (and why) and how birthstones as an entity play into the psychology of healthy self-definition. Please leave a rating/review if you're enjoying the podcast! It makes a huge difference in the algorithm to help the show ...

It is my pleasure to introduce you to jewelry designer Daniela Villegas. She flawlessly and creatively mixes together the natural world, exquisite materials and a lot of imagination. The first thing you see on Daniela's Instagram bio is a list of 17 colorful emojis ranging from a hedgehog, to a caterpillar, a crab and a crystal ball. Come discover her unique inspirations and jewelry philosophy. Let's experience the glittering reminder that you can stay whimsical, stay in touch wit...

Aquarius, Pisces, Aries, Taurus, Gemini, Cancer, Leo, Virgo, Libra, Scorpio, Sagittarius and Capricorn. These are the 12 signs of the Zodiac. Whether or not you believe in the power of astrology, the unshakable fact is the stars were in a certain alignment when YOU were born. But did you know each of the zodiac signs has a corresponding representative gemstone? Do you know yours? As we welcome in a new year, let's learn about the Gemstones of the Zodiac. Please leave a rating/rev...

Take flight! There is no other creature so dually harmonizing pure aesthetic beauty and meaningful imagery than the bird. We discuss the origins of bird jewelry (about 130,000 years ago) and trace mankind's fascination with birds rendered into bling through ancient civilizations, Napoleon, World War II and into the modern high jewelry houses like Tiffany & Co's iconic "Bird on a Rock" and a certain controversial Cartier flamingo... The combination of symbolism and beauty (plus they can fl...

This episode tackles the topic of jewelry that is emotionally, societal and culturally controversial. Can a piece of jewelry not just be inappropriate, but offensive and straight-up WRONG? In part two, we’re going to talk about some heavier topics of jewelry controversy like blackamoor jewelry, Native and Indigenous appropriation, and jewelry focused around victims of social injustice. Please leave a rating/review if you're enjoying the podcast! It makes a huge difference in the algori...

Most jewelry does not trigger a debate. The vast majority of jewelry does not prompt visceral reactions. But most is not ‘all’, and there are absolutely some kinds of jewelry that immediately spark a sharing of opinions, or even a guttural expression of negativity. We're discussing: three categories of human teeth jewelry, breastmilk bling, blackamoor motifs, cultural appropriateness, amber baby necklaces and more. Get ready to have opinions... it's Part One of Controversial Jewelry. Please ...

It's not time to leave opals behind just yet! We've got More Magnificent Opals. Specifically, the very best of the best. The biggest, the rarest, the most beautiful; come and meet the cast: the Olympic and Aurora Australis, a pair of Fire & Flame Queens, a Black Prince, a Red Emperor, and a very impressive Halley... This is the pinnacle, the ultimate opals. Like so many epic gemstones, they each have their own tangled history: robberies, suicide, touring the world, million dollar auctions...

This is the long awaited, much requested opals episode! Learn about opal's very unique formation process, all the color possibilities, and quirky physical features. I also cast a critical eye on the origins of the "opals are bad luck" myth and follow some interesting threads of history. We discuss the struggles of obtaining opal... both from hazardous mines, and within laboratories. And the realm of opals… it is not a small one. There are categories and designations and classifications, and t...

Silver has been second place to gold long enough. This two part episode series hope to change that. Come on everyone! Let's walk through the history, the science, the cultural connections, how silver is intricately involved in so much of our everyday lives, an unsung hero of medicine, manufacturing, investing, the arts and yes… jewelry. Please leave a rating/review if you're enjoying the podcast! It makes a huge difference in the algorithm to help the show Patreon for exclusive ...

Silver has been second place to gold long enough. This two part episode series hope to change that. Come on everyone! Let's walk through the history, the science, the cultural connections, how silver is intricately involved in so much of our everyday lives, an unsung hero of medicine, manufacturing, investing, the arts and yes… jewelry. Please leave a rating/review if you're enjoying the podcast! It makes a huge difference in the algorithm to help the show Patreon for exclusive ...

Can something "icky" become beautiful via a transformation into jewelry? How has buggy adornment trended and changed throughout history? What significance did different cultures assign to insects? We discuss the not-so-simple artisan challenges of rendering complex little insect bodies in precious metals and gemstones, and how the quest to create intricate bug jewelry pushed jewelry manufacturing forward. People want jewelry motifs that channel characteristics and vibes they themselves want t...

Season Two Premiere! The very first episode of this show was "Across the Rainbow: Diamonds" and we talked about the ROY G BIV of diamond bling. It seems only fitting for season two to kick off with going 'beyond the rainbow'... yes, there are still MORE diamond colors! Let me introduce you to: black, fancy white, salt & pepper, brown and pink. Please leave a rating/review if you're enjoying the podcast! It makes a huge difference in the algorithm to help the show Patreon for exclusive b...

Season one finale!!! Can jewelry protect us? Can jewelry bring luck or good fortune? From earliest recorded history, mankind has used jewelry and gemstones to try to influence fate or render protection from evil. How has this concept shifted through history to modern times? Or... has it even really changed much at all? Let's dive into the world of the evil eye, four-leaf clovers, horseshoes, hamsas, and more! ~ Please leave a rating/review if you're enjoying the podcast! It makes...

It is not a foreign concept to wear a piece of jewelry to imbue you with comfort, strength and connection to a memory. But for about four decades in the late 1800s, the absolute dominant style of jewelry was 'mourning jewelry.' I trace through the origins of ‘memento mori’ (a Latin phrase translating to ‘remember you must die') jewelry- from the Georgian motifs of gravediggers, skulls and coffins, to the soft sadness of the Victorian seed pearls, willows and urns... but in either time p...

In JUSKA episodes I highlight a designer or a shop, or an event you may not know was out there in the world of jewelry and gemstones. In this episode let's talk about "Dear Rose, With Love." This shop opens you up to a wonderful world of delicate and unique antique and vintage finds, with a fascinating dose of memento mori . We talk about the husband-wife duo's philosophy of honesty in seller policies, the modern value of historical jewelry and I share a very personal story. MEL ...

What is the purpose of jewelry? Personal adornments conveying wealth, authority or engagement or just to show, like 'hey, I like the color blue'. But what about watches? They certainly have a function... but are they jewelry with a job... or just a beautiful tool we wear on our wrist? How did the wristwatch first come to be, and what does a watch choice say about ourselves? And I find the definitive answer to "are watches jewelry or not" in an unexpected place. ~ Please leave a ra...

Tea & Gemstones Patreon page is now launched! To celebrate, the first bonus episode is being shared with everyone... but this is the only time! After this, all bonus episodes will be on Patreon! Head to the page link below to sign up for monthly exclusive episodes, show branded merchandise and more! "Stay extra Sparkly" Patreon Link: https://www.patreon.com/teaandgemstonespodcast If you sign up on Patreon in the first three weeks after launch you'll get an exclusive "OG: Original Gem" ...

The 2022 Oscars were surprisingly memorable... for a mix of reasons. But here in this episode we are taking a focus on all the sparkly jewelry from the red carpet and stage. Red was the color of the evening for gowns, but what gems took center stage? Who used serpent jewelry to elevate their look to 'Best Dressed' and who waved at accessorizing opportunities as they passed them bye? One of my all-time favorite uncommon gemstones made an appearance and a certain gentleman left his shirt at hom...

Let's talk about one of the most powerful *jobs* a piece of jewelry can have. The signet ring has a unique connection to personal identity and authority; from the humble family crest on an heirloom, to kings and merchants, all the way to bespoke creations for the head of the Catholic Church. But beware... what happens if someone's mark of authenticity for their identify ended up on an imposter's finger? It's Signet Rings: A Holy Authority. Patreon for exclusive bonus episodes & merchandi...

What’s cool? What’s classic? I want to take a look at one specific iconic brand and how they have recently fallen into a quagmire of their own desperate making, a totally messy tangle of this concept of cool versus classic: Tiffany & Co. Is Trying Too Hard. Patreon for exclusive bonus episodes & merchandise: https://www.patreon.com/teaandgemstonespodcast Narration - Jennifer Sieverling Research & Writing - Jennifer Sieverling Music - Joseph McDade & Audio...

Today is February 15th, the anniversary of the world's biggest diamond heist... the robbery of the Antwerp World Diamond Center. A crew of crooks we know only by their aliases, the Monster, the Genius, Speedy and the King of Keys, defeated a security system thought to be impregnable. But what mistake got them found out... and led to their leader, Leonardo, spilling the beans? Let's discuss this 100 million dollar heist and how it all went down. Patreon for exclusive bonus episodes &...

Jewelry lovers unite! Once a year, hobbyists, artists, designers, buyers, vendors, collectors and enthusiasts all gather for a weekend in the Arizona desert: the Tucson Gem & Mineral Show. It's the largest, oldest, most prestigious gem & mineral show in the world. But how did this jewelry, gemstone, crystal, mineral, fossil extravagance begin? When did the Smithsonian get involved? What epic traveling exhibits have graced the Tucson Convention Center over the decades? How many million...

What gemstone combines the deepest richest blue hue with silver, gold and white, all in one luscious stone? It’s one of my personal favorite gemstones with a name that is just such fun to say… lapis lazuli. Lapis was once valued equivalently with gold and prized for its contribution to Renaissance master's paintings... so why does this beautiful blue stone have such low modern day name recognition? Let's learn about lovely lapis lazuli. Patreon for exclusive bonus episodes & ...

We are following a golden thread through history. This shiny metal has motivated wars, justified conquests, spurred exploration, inspired artistic masterpieces, invoked religious reverence and yielded scientific discoveries. And um... most of all gold gives us the most enduring, iconic forms of jewelry of all time. For this fourth and final episode in the Casual History of Gold series, I wanted to look at gold’s involvement in history a bit closer to home… my home continent of North Ame...

We are following a golden thread through history. This shiny metal has motivated wars, justified conquests, spurred exploration, inspired artistic masterpieces, invoked religious reverence and yielded scientific discoveries. And um... most of all gold gives us the most enduring, iconic forms of jewelry of all time. In Part three of our series "A Casual History of Gold" we're talking about how far humans will go for gold… not far in terms of distance, but far into the depths of science, ...

We are following a golden thread through history. This shiny metal has motivated wars, justified conquests, spurred exploration, inspired artistic masterpieces, invoked religious reverence and yielded scientific discoveries. And um... most of all gold gives us the most enduring, iconic forms of jewelry of all time. In Part Two of our series, "A Casual History of Gold" we look at the concept that throughout time, all across the world, gold has been considered the most precious and sacred...

We are following a golden thread through history. This shiny metal has motivated wars, justified conquests, spurred exploration, inspired artistic masterpieces, invoked religious reverence and yielded scientific discoveries. And um... most of all gold gives us the most enduring, iconic forms of jewelry of all time. In part one of our first ever series, "A Casual History of Gold" we discuss where gold comes from in the first place (hint... look up. Wayyyy up) and how ancient civilization...

Today’s episode is a collision of the psychology of shapes mixed with the history of gemstone design. Have you ever thought about the quiet strength of a square or the friendly completeness of an oval? What about the boldness of sharp points compared to the romanticism of hand-cut curves? What does it mean for our most personal jewelry when we select a glittering shape. Let's explore the forms a cut diamond can take... spoiler alert: so many versions! It's creativity, science and personality,...

Sometimes when we see a piece of jewelry in a movie, it is love at first sparkly sight. The jewelry we see in a film inspires us and sometimes find it's way into our own collections. What iconic movie bling helps shape the characters on our screen and why? Let's discuss "Bling of the Silver Screen" Narration - Jen Sieverling Research & Writing - Jen Sieverling Music - Joseph McDade For all credits and sources please visit https://jennifersieverling.wixsite.com/teaandgemstones --- Stay...

Let's enter the realm of real-life fairy tales, princes and princesses, king and queens falling in love and the glittering tokens of promise and affection they exchange… we’re talking about Royal Engagement Rings!! Royal couples are in a unique position with their engagement ring. They seek to represent themselves, their personal style, while also embracing their figurehead status. Royal couples are aware they represent a nation, a culture, and everything they do, say and wear is an ext...

One of the great apexes of modern-day jewelry displays would have to be the Hollywood red carpet. These past few weeks we have witnessed two red-carpets with very different vibes: the Met Gala and the Emmys. Let's dive into what we loved and what we.... didn't love. Narration - Jen Sieverling Research & Writing - Jen Sieverling Music - Joseph McDade For all credits and sources please visit https://jennifersieverling.wixsite.com/teaandgemstones --- Stay Sparkly

Today I’m going to tell you the tale of how a diamond necklace helped contribute to the queen of France having her head cut off at the guillotine and an entire country changing its form of government. Sound too crazy to be true? Well, never underestimate the power of a piece of jewelry. --- Narration - Jen Sieverling Research & Writing - Jen Sieverling Music - Joseph McDade For all credits and sources please visit https://jennifersieverling.wixsite.com/teaandgemstones ---...

There are so many amazing and unique jewelry designers and shops! Don't you want to know about them all? JUSKA (Jewelry U Should Know About) are mini bite-sized episodes introducing a fun slice of the world of jewelry in 10 minutes or less. Today's JUSKA is The Golden Bear of Vail, Colorado, USA, and their iconic bear symbol. --- Narration - Jen Sieverling Research & Writing - Jen Sieverling Music - Joseph McDade For all credits and sources please visit https://jenn...

Let's go on a ROY G BIV journey to meet six famous diamonds so fabulous they have their own pronouns. We explore their histories ($35 million at auction! Attempted theft! ....sent through the mail??), dip our toes into the science of WHY diamonds can be all the colors of the rainbow, and talk about how fancy colored diamonds have become a part of pop culture. --- Narration - Jen Sieverling Research & Writing - Jen Sieverling Music - Joseph McDade For all credits and sources please vis...