Tea & Gemstones

"Jewelry is how you show the world what you're thinking without saying a word." This is a popular mantra at Tea & Gemstones. How did Suffragettes -a woman seeking the right to vote through organized protest- use jewelry for their cause? We'll learn how jewelry worked to establish their camaraderie, put forth their message (there's no social media in the early 1900s!),...

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 rati...

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 ne...

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 Patreo...

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...

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...

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...

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 philoso...

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...

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...

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 lea...

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 b...

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 gemstone...

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....

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 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 t...

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 manu...

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 i...

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,...

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, sku...

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...

 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...

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...

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...

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 im...