Land of Gementia

Emerald Update

2010-03-01T21:30:00.001-08:00

Well, we've been having a rough time here in the Land of Gementia. Equipment breakdowns have us behind on orders and waaaaaaaay behind on the emerald necklace. The 116-carat stone is finally getting some polishing time now that we have a new rotary polisher - our old one started having electrical current issues, which got so bad that it was eventually unusable. We had several orders in progress that had to be finished before Gem could get back to work on the emeralds, but the smaller stone is now beginning to shine and should be ready for setting soon.

Another glitch in the works - there will be no trip to Burma for ruby-hunting after all. The present embargo prohibits any rubies from being taken out of Burma, and as hard as she tried, Misha was unable to find a way to get around the regulations. So, there are no current plans for a ruby expedition to Burma or elsewhere at present, and Misha is considering Australia and opal-hunting for her next adventure. There have been some flat-out fabulous finds at Coober Pedy recently, so we have high hopes for some truly great stones.

That's all for now, but expect another update in the coming two or three weeks with photos of the 116-carat emerald, both before and after it gets set in the necklace. We also have some wonderful suggestions for the name, which Dr. Robi is considering. We should have her final choice for you at about the same time the photos are published.

Till next time,

Stephanie

Happy 2010 !

2010-01-21T16:03:00.000-08:00

Hope you all had a safe and happy Christmas and New Years' Eve! For Gementia13, it was a hectic and busy one, but a good one all the same.

There are some changes in the Land of Gementia at the start of 2010, one of which is ME! (That's me, the eager beaver below, getting my desk set up - like my wallpaper? I like it too.)

My name is Stephanie, and I'm Gem's new assistant. I help her with things like updating the blog here, searching for new inventory items to buy (including all the items on the Personal Shopper list), keeping the inventory organized, answering customer emails, and listing items. Basically, my job is to free up some time for her to work on jewelry by doing those things that take her time and attention elsewhere. Christmas season found both Gem and Marcus overwhelmed with custom orders, and since that side of the business is growing rapidly, Miss Misha (CEO and founder of the company) decided it was time that Gem had some help with the administrative tasks. So, on the 4th of January, I started working at Gementia13 as Gem's administrative assistant. Also on the 4th of January, the G13 shop moved into a larger area (still on the same property, just in a different place) as the old shop was getting pretty cramped and wouldn't have had room for another person. Now there's room to get up and walk around, something that was impossible in the old shop. It was just too tiny. There's even a little area for the coffeemaker and water cooler and a few corners that are still empty and up for grabs!

We know you've all been anxious for news about the emeralds, and the news is very good. The pear-cut emerald is almost finished! There was another delay due to a flare-up of Gem's carpal tunnel syndrome, which kept her from working on it for about a week, but she's now back to polishing and says it should be finished within the next week or ten days. She hopes to have it set in the necklace (which is AMAZING) by the 5th of February so that it will be up for sale before Valentine's Day. We've had several suggestions for names, which have been forwarded to Dr. Robi Ludwig for consideration. We'll do our best to pull it all together and have it listed for sale by the first week in February.

We will be offering more of our own pieces in 2010, including replica necklaces of both the new emeralds as well as the Northern Light. We will also be offering some new "Heart of the Ocean" style necklaces; large CZ pendants; emerald pendants, necklaces, rings and bracelets; opal pendants and rings; marble cabochon pendants and rings; and Fenton glass slag pendants. There are ideas on the drawing board for other items too, but we'll keep those on the hush until we have them available to order.

There's more news, but we'll let the rest wait until the next update. Right now I have to help Gem set up her new work station so that all her tools are close at hand - she's moving to the wall opposite Marcus's new wet saw and bench grinder so that she won't be right in the midst of all the rock dust. Then it's off to the post office for some supplies, and back to the new shop to help organize the inventory.

We'll try to get you another update within the week, but if not, we'll definitely have one for you as soon as the emerald is finished. We'll post photos of it by itself before it's set, and then photos of the necklace when it's all done and ready for sale. We'll also let you know what its new name will be just as soon as Dr. Robi makes her decision, which will be shortly after the stone is finished and ready to set. In the meantime, our best wishes go out to all of you for a safe, happy and prosperous 2010. Talk to you soon!

~Stephanie~

Update from Gem on the Emeralds

2009-12-04T14:35:00.000-08:00

Hi everyone,

I know you've been asking about the status of the Howes Emerald and its little sister, so I wanted to let you know where we're at in the process. Both were cut and in the polishing process at last post, and the Howes Emerald is turning out beautifully. The smaller pear-cut stone was a bit problematic - there were some pits in the table surface that did not want to polish out. The solution, finally, had to be a re-cut. Fortunately, since the table is the last part of a stone to be cut, a re-cut of the table usually can be done without much loss of weight and without affecting the overall design. The re-cut went well, and there was very little loss of carat weight. The table is now pit-free and the polishing is coming along nicely.

I expect that the stone will be finished in a few weeks (polishing is the longest part of the process), and it should be set within a week or two after that. We are creating an entire necklace to go with the pendant - it will be comprised of transparent oval Brazilian emerald beads alternating in size, with the larger beads about 5mm x 9mm and the smaller spacer beads about 2mm x 4mm. The beads will, of course, be top quality emeralds just like the pendant. I plan to make the bale large enough that the pendant can be removed from the necklace and worn separately as a pendant if desired.

We know that you're all anxiously awaiting the unveiling of these incredible stones, and we do apologize for keeping you waiting a bit longer than planned. These delays do happen in stone faceting, though, and there is no way to know that a re-cut will be necessary until you've started polishing and can see what the finished surface will look like. Some stones are more stubborn than others, and demand additional attention before they comply with the wishes of the cutter. With stones as beautiful as these, we're just happy that they eventually do comply. :) There most likely won't be any further delays, and we should be ready to present them to the world within a month or so. In the meantime, keep saving those pennies for the sale of the smaller stone! It is going to be magnificent, and transparent emeralds of this size are very, very rare, so the price tag will undoubtedly be a big one. But what an amazing once-in-a-lifetime chance!

We are delighted to announce that our favorite customer, Dr. Robi Ludwig, has agreed to help us name the smaller pear-shaped stone when it is finished. If you have suggestions for a name, please send them to absolute.gementia@comcast.net by December 28, 2009, and we will see that your suggestions are forwarded to her. In consideration for her assistance, we will be donating five percent of the sales proceeds to the charity of Dr. Robi's choice. (We will include information on the charity in the sales listing.)

That's all the news for now. We will keep you posted!

Happy holidays,

==GEM==

Good news and not-so-good news

2009-11-08T07:01:00.000-08:00

We know some of you have been waiting anxiously to see the Howes Emerald, so we wanted to give you an update. During cutting, we discovered a fissure in the stone. While the stone was still stable, the fissure would have been visible after polishing and would have detracted from the beauty of the stone. So, fearless, Gem decided, "I'm going to re-cut it." And before the collective gasp in the shop had even died down, she went to the lap machine and got right to it. After three days of intense, careful, and we have to say quite masterful cutting by Gem, the result was TWO beautiful stones. One, which will bear the "Howes Emerald" title, is a square step cut stone weighing 176.5 carats. The other, a pear cut stone weighing 116 carats, which our founder has decided to sell, has not yet been named. Both stones look quite clear, pre-polish, and may even be flawless. We won't know for sure until they're finished. The wonderful part is, since the rough stone had not completely been cut, the final two stones produced actually weighed in at 292.5 carats, a bit over the projected 282 carats for the single stone.

AND.....to our delight, when the matrix was removed from a large block of pyrite which showed only a few small stones on its surface, another very large stone was discovered. This stone will also be cut by Gem, en cabochon, and then, at the request of our founder, Gem will engrave the surface of the stone with one of her fabulous designs. (In the past, Gem did custom furniture engraving, and her designs are marvelous. Picture the design of an oriental rug carved into the top of a coffee table or a family crest carved into the doors of a cherry wood armoire.) We estimate the weight of the cut and engraved stone to be between 325 and 380 carats.

As for the Howes Emerald and its smaller counterpart, they are in the polishing stage and will be finished very soon. As promised, we will post photos here when they're done. And the great news for our customers is that YOU may end up being the owner of the 116 carat pear cut stone! When the polishing is finished, we will set it in a 14kt gold pendant, have it appraised, and then offer it for sale on our sites.

Keep stopping in for updates, and we will post photos when the stones are finished. We'll also keep you informed on the status of the smaller stone and will of course post an announcement letting you know when it will be offered for sale. Start counting those pennies and tightening those belts, and you may be the new owner of this fabulous emerald!

Until next time, all our best to all of you.

She's done it AGAIN!

2009-10-10T14:36:00.000-07:00

As some of you may know, our company was founded by the original owner of the Northern Light, a celebrated 464-carat blue emerald (aquamarine) with rare opalescent multicolor dispersion. We are delighted to announce that she has acquired another fabulous jewel, which we are now in the process of cutting - a 282-carat deep green emerald that has been dubbed the Howes Emerald after our founder's father. Photos of this stunning jewel will be posted here as soon as we finish the cutting process, and we will most likely be offering reproductions at some time in the future as we have done with the Northern Light. This amazing stone was among a handful of large emeralds that she found during her most recent rockhounding adventure.

We are excited and happy to be able to share this wonderful news, and we look forward to sharing photos of the finished gem with you just as soon as we have them available. As always, our best to all of you. We'll be posting more news soon!

==GEM==

News, News, News

2009-09-08T12:53:00.000-07:00

We here in the Land of Gementia have some wonderful new things on the horizon! We've had a great spring and summer, and this fall will be adding two new categories of items to our stores. One of these categories is sort of a sweeping antiquities/relics/amulets/talismans sort of category in which you'll see some very, very, very old (we're talking 300 B.C. sort of old here) jewels, amulets, talismans and other religious or semi-religious jewelry. We'll be starting slowly, but we've gotten some wonderful advice and education from our friend Patrick, a well-established antiquities dealer, and we can't wait to start adding to this line. The other new category is fine art, which we've been collecting for years but is a new line in our G13 inventory. We've had some small successes in our private transactions, and will be, again, starting slowly, but hopefully growing this aspect of the business over the next couple years. One thing we're sure about, owing to our experience in shipping, is that we will only be handling small items. Large items are a terrible hassle to pack and are extremely expensive to ship, so in this new line of inventory, yes, size DOES matter. :D

Our other news is that our custom orders business has been picking up recently and shows signs of growing rapidly over the next year. So far, we have had the most success with our handcrafted large synthetic stone pendants, "Heart of the Ocean" replica necklaces, and emerald pendants and rings. They've been selling as fast as we can list them, so we're trying to keep them listed for the general public while filling custom orders at the same time.

All in all, things are going well. We're starting to list our Christmas inventory (you can never start this too soon, we've found out the hard way). Our stores are growing despite unstable economic conditions, and while we (like everyone else) have our slow periods, we've also had some weeks in which items are flying out the door just as fast as we can pack them. We've acquired several more steady customers (including a couple more famous ones through referrals), and our feedback has been superb. We've been featured on several well-traveled fashion and jewelry websites. We've met most of our end-of-year goals already and are looking forward to an even better year in 2010.

Well, that's all the news for now, but we'll keep you posted.

All the best,

==GEM==

Sad News

2009-07-19T11:17:00.000-07:00

Gementia13 is saddened by the loss of Tom Pfaeffle, a respected recording engineer, teacher, and our dear friend, who was killed Friday night. Tom worked with Heart, Nirvana, the Black Crowes, and many other bands, and also taught at the Art Institute of Seattle. He was extremely talented and very giving of his time and expertise. His contribution to the Seattle music community is immeasurable.

We will not be conducting business today, Sunday, July 19th, in observance of his passing.

Our deepest sympathy goes out to Tom's wife and two children. Our hearts are with you.

We're Getting Famous!

2009-06-05T08:19:00.000-07:00

Yep, be it through divine intervention or some other mystical force, we are getting some spotlight time - and quality spotlight time, at that. One day, out of the clear blue, we received an email saying that we had been chosen for a showcase by Thee Amerikan Dream Project Los Angeles. We went to the URL given in the email, and lo and behold, there we were!

Want to check it out? Go to:

http://theeamerikandream.onsugar.com/3228476

And such a nice comment on our items (thank you, Amerikan Dream) - "Cleopatra's Jewels." We think that maybe all this attention has gone to Marcus's head - note the Elton John sunglasses and Curt Kobain cap - but he assures us he's as humble as ever. Still, we wonder when he shows up at the shop in a getup like this:

*sigh* Oh, well. Let him have his fun in the sun. As long as he keeps making us look good, we don't mind toooooo much . . .

Well, that's all for now, but keep watching for some spectacular new pieces that are in the works and on the way. There are some real jaw-droppers!

Till next time, all the best from the staff of G13!

We're Baaaaaack!

2009-05-04T19:34:00.000-07:00

Yes, it's all smiles in the Land of Gementia! We do believe the economy is turning around, and as evidence of this, we offer several recent sales - good sales, even - on, of all places, eBay! Perhaps the ailing giant is going to recover after all (and we certainly hope the ol' boy has learned his lesson about agitating the folks who pay the bills).

Sadly, our little niche on Etsy has been floundering since April 15th, which is coincidentally the same time the powers-that-be on Etsy decided to "refine" their search paradigm. When eBay did the same thing, half its sellers ran for the door, and we're hoping that Etsy's higher-ups will re-refine it soon, as we haven't had a sale there since.

No matter, though - our main web store is going strong and our eBay store is showing signs of life again, so we'll just keep right on smiling. We hope you're doing the same. Enjoy the spring, stay away from the nasty flu bug, and keep stopping by here for the latest. Till next time, all the best!

Spring 2009 Update

2009-04-17T07:43:00.000-07:00

Yes, it has been a while since we posted anything to our blog, and we sincerely apologize for keeping you in the dark so long. As is the case everywhere right now, business has been a bit slow for all the provinces in the land of Gementia. But we keep plodding along, hoping for the best, and lately, seeing signs that the economic downturn may be rebounding.

The busiest place for us during this slow time has been Etsy.com, where we opened a new shop just a few months ago. We offer both vintage jewelry and handmade artisan jewelry at our Etsy shop, which you can find by clicking this link:

http://www.gementia13.etsy.com/

The handmade artisan jewelry is made by Gem, who would love to spend all her time on this aspect of the business, and while things are slow, she's getting her wish, for the most part, as we aren't doing much buying right now. Lately, she has been working on some "Heart of the Ocean" style pendants, faceting hearts out of some wonderful light blue Andara obsidian we acquired last year and hanging them from necklaces made of clear rock crystal beads. She jokingly refers to these as her "Heart of the Ocean Lite" necklaces. There was such a fervor over the J. Peterman Company reproduction we handled last year that we're confident Gem's "lite" version will do well. She should be unveiling the first of these within a couple weeks.

We've gained about a dozen new clients on Etsy since we opened, including one famous client (though we never drop names) who may be wearing an item or two of ours on TV sometime in the future, as she's become quite a regular at our Etsy store. We've had several sales at our main webstore as well - we're including the link below for your convenience, so you won't have to go back to our oldest posts to find it.

http://www.gementia13jewels.com/

The slowest locale in the land of Gementia has been the eBay store, Absolute Gementia, which doesn't surprise us too much. Owing to the drastic (and ill-advised) changes made by the current management of eBay, sales there have fallen considerably across the board. We've seen quite a number of our fellow Powersellers leave eBay in search of greener pastures. (Note to newcomers: We left our old Powerseller ID, gementia13, and switched to advanced.gementia when we opened our store, to start fresh without the worries and complications of Powerseller status, which far outweigh the benefits.) We've closed our stores on Atomic Mall and Bonanzle, as there just isn't enough traffic to these sites to make the upkeep worthwhile. We've delayed opening the store on Overstock.com for the same reason. It takes a lot of work to keep a store updated and stocked, and if the items aren't moving, the time is better spent elsewhere.

Tax week notwithstanding, we've seen signs of an economic upturn recently, with sales increasing steadily. We've gained some wonderful new clients and have had a very positive first quarter both on Etsy and at the main webstore, and the few eBay buyers we've had have given us resoundingly positive feedback. We look forward to an even better quarter this spring, once everyone has recovered from the April 15th stresses and scares. Wish us luck!

Blocking annoying pop-ups and ads on eBay

2009-01-03T11:07:00.000-08:00

One thing we've heard a lot recently from customers is that they don't like shopping on eBay because of the annoying ads and pop-up windows that demand zip code and other information or try to get you to download malicious files. Gem, our resident computer wiz kid, has figured out how to stop these from appearing, so we're passing the info on to our customers to provide you with a more pleasant, less annoying shopping experience when you visit us on eBay.

There are two types of ads that are particularly bothersome, and this is how you block each type.

#1 - Flashing or animated ads (top and side banners that move to get your attention) :

In Internet Explorer, click on Tools, then Manage Add-ons. Look for Shockwave Flash Object by Adobe and click the box at the bottom that says "disable."

#2 - Pop-up windows asking for zip code or suggesting file downloads, etc. :

In Internet Explorer, click on Tools, Internet Options, and open the Security tab. On the bar across the top, select "Restricted Sites." When the "Sites" button becomes available, click on it and add to your list of restricted sites:

http://cdn.fastclick.net/
http://include.ebaystatic.com/

Click OK, and again click on the "Restricted Sites" icon. Click the "Custom" button. Go down the list, and for everything that has a disable/enable/prompt option, select disable. Click OK to close all windows.

No more annoying or dangerous ads to ruin your shopping!

**Just a note about #2 above - if you sell on eBay, you'll need to remove http://include.ebaystatic.com/ from restricted sites in order to use the listing tool. There may be other functions on eBay that also use this URL. So if you use it to block ads, just bear in mind that if things stop working, you may need to delete it. I have a sticky note on my monitor that reminds me to delete it right after I'm finished browsing. (The fastclick.net you can just leave in there - it's only for ads.) You may also have to enable Shockwave again for pages on other sites to display correctly. ==gem==

Thanks, Gem!

Sigh . . .

2008-12-31T04:44:00.001-08:00

Well, the 2008 Christmas season wasn't everything we'd hoped it would be. As you all know, the economy isn't doing too well, and in addition, we had a temp working with us while Marcus was on vacation (Robbie, pictured) who somehow managed to re-file all our inventory photos in the wrong places. So it was quite a job getting them back in order, and unfortunately, it didn't happen in time for us to get all our Christmas inventory added to the web store and to eBay. Needless to say, Robbie won't be staying on with us. It may have been a blessing in disguise, though, because our fellow eBay sellers tell us that it was a DISMAL season, the worst they've seen. So in retrospect, Robbie may have actually saved us some expense - it did take quite a bit of work to get the mess back in order, though.

Sapphire, our beloved CEO, took everything in stride. She tried to keep us light-hearted and unstressed by playing Santa Claus and treating us to Christmas carols while we worked. What a singer! We had no idea she was so talented. And we can say that she was, hands down, the best Santa ever! Thank you, Sapphire, for keeping us all merry during a stressful season!

Our plan, after the first of the year, is to get more of our
v-a-s-t inventory posted in the store and on eBay. We've got
some amazing items, both costume and fine jewelry, sitting in
boxes in the shop, waiting to be seen. We're hoping that the
economy will be improving in 2009 (we're counting on you, Mr.
President), and now that things are less chaotic, we'll be ready
for Valentine's Day and spring fever. Oh, spring - after this very
cold, snowy winter, we are so, so ready.

Well, that's it for this installment. Happy new year to all of you,
and our very best wishes for a wonderful 2009!

Warm regards,

==G=E=M==

News, News, and More News!

2008-11-18T15:14:00.000-08:00

Breaking news item #1 - we are INDEPENDENT!!!!

Yes, we have finally outgrown all our little shops - and even our big eBay shop has become confining - so we have set up our own website and are madly, crazily, desperately adding items for the Christmas rush. You can find our new store, Gementia13 Jewels, at:

http://www.gementia13jewels.com/

Stop in and see what's new - we have some FABULOUS items in store for you! Check back frequently, too, because we will be adding items every day, and some of them will send your WOW meter straight to the top!

Breaking news item #2 - we have a new model!

Her name is Jennifer, and she's working out beautifully! We'll miss all the little "dolls" who have modeled for us in the past, but unfortunately, they just couldn't overcome the stereotyping of their previous engagements. And though Barbie and Bratz jewelry might be a little niche we'll explore some day, we are currently offering no doll jewelry items in our inventory. So, off they go with our warm wishes and thanks for all their hard work on our behalf. And in comes . . . Jennifer! Isn't she gorgeous?

Well, that's all our news for now - back to the grind, busily scurrying about like little Christmas elves, putting all the pretty sparkly things into the proper places so that they can find their new homes under the Christmas trees.

Oh, and in case we don't have time to say it later . . .

Warm wishes to all of you for a safe and happy holiday season!

Until next time, all the best,

==GEM==

Sneak Peeks At Our Special Christmas Items!!!

2008-10-13T15:36:00.000-07:00

Hi, it's Gem. That holly-jolly-jingle season is once again right around the corner, and I've been running around like a crazy woman trying to get all the wonderful items we know you all love to buy during the holidays. It's taken us some time to get all the kinks worked out and settle into our new home(s), and it's kept us so busy that we really didn't have much time for inventory shopping. But I have spent this last week on a mad treasure hunt - and boy, did I find some treasure!!! Just a few li'l peeks:

Now, if you didn't gasp and your jaw didn't drop wiiiiide open at the sight of those beauties, there is most definitely something wrong with your wow meter, and you should have it re-calibrated right away. Remember, now, these are just a few of the new items on their way to you for the sparkly season. Lots more to come! Stay tuned, and watch for one of those "Gem's Gemented Unbelievable Blowout Sales" to clear out some space for all the new stuff. Till next time,

==GEM==

All Tuckered Out!

2008-10-07T15:27:00.000-07:00

Well, we finally finished pasting the new name stickers all over everything, and boy, are we tired. We even managed to get a few new items listed, and added a couple to our store inventory. We might just be ready for Christmas by about, well, Christmas. We're too tired to write any more, but we'll get you another update in the next few days. Right now, we're going to sleep - for about two days. Till then, all the best,

==GEM==

Wow! News Flash!

2008-10-05T15:17:00.001-07:00

WAIT! HOLD THE PRESSES!

Keep those credit cards out and ready! We've had a little glitch in the works here. We have just been informed that the name of our eBay store is frighteningly similar to another store! Well, we certainly can't have that. Marcus would go into a frenzy doing double-duty trying to keep our customers straight on who's who, what's where, when's what...oh, no! Marcus is quite frenzied enough, thank you.

So, the unavoidable conclusion:

We are changing our name!!!!

Our eBay store and the province heretofore known as Totally Gemented will now and forever after be...

hem, haw, hmm, lessee...

Advanced...? Oh, no, wait, we have one of those already.

Absolute! That's it! ABSOLUTE GEMENTIA!

...shall now and forever after be known as Absolute Gementia. Yes. That's it. Yep. Whew. Glad that's done.

And our new URL is:

http://stores.ebay.com/Absolute-Gementia

Now, off we all go to change the cards, change the stationery, change the logos, the pages...oh, Maaaaaaarcus!!! We'll all be quite busy for a while, but we'll stop in here and give you all an update when we finish pasting all the new labels on everything.

Until then, all the best,

==GEM==

Company Spotlight: Director of Acquisitions / Public Relations Officer

2008-10-05T09:13:00.000-07:00

Another essential component to Gementia's success is Gem, one of the founding members of the company, who serves in a double capacity as director of acquisitions and public relations officer. Gem is the one who buys all those wonderful items that go into our inventory, and she's also the one who handles most of our customer service matters. If you've ever had a question about one of our items, the answer probably came from Gem. She's frightfully busy, skittering about from one place to another in search of beautiful and rare items to bring to you, tapping out customer service emails on her trusty laptop as she goes. But no matter how overwhelmed she might be, she always greets everyone with a smile!

Next time in the Company Spotlight: New Additions to the Roster!

Company Spotlight: Office Manager

2008-10-05T08:42:00.000-07:00

When it comes to our day-to-day operations, it's our office manager, Judy Snelling, who keeps everything running smoothly and makes sure the ceiling doesn't come crashing down on our heads. Judy is definitely the most sophisticated one of the bunch. She has a fondness for pearls of all shapes and sizes, and she's affectionately known around the office as "Minnie Pearl."

Company Spotlight: Marketing Director

2008-10-05T08:28:00.000-07:00

Our most spirited staff member is Marcus Anders, our marketing director. Marcus is the one who designs all our web pages and graphics, decides what to sell, when to sell, and how to sell it.

If we had to make a gemstone analogy for Marcus, it would be - of course - labradorite, because of his fondness for multi-color outfits. He can be a bit rambunctious, and we do sometimes question his rather psychedelic sense of style, but the Land of Gementia just wouldn't be the same without him!

Company Spotlight: CFO / Head Accountant

2008-10-05T08:24:00.000-07:00

Another essential cog in the Gementia wheel of fortune is Randy Gold, our CFO and head accountant. We call him Jingles, because he's the only one of us who ever has two dimes to rub together. Jingles is the quiet type, and rarely has much to say, but when it comes to crunching the numbers, there's nobody better!

Company Spotlight: CEO

2008-10-04T10:29:00.000-07:00

We thought it was time we let you get to know some of the company's movers and shakers, and where better to start than at the top?

In our first "Company Spotlight," we profile the genius behind the scenes, our beloved CEO. We like to call her Sapphire because of her beautiful blue eyes. She's near and dear to our hearts, but take our word for it, she is very much in charge and runs a tight ship! She never hesitates to let us know if we're missing the mark, and though she rarely bites anyone, her bark is formidable enough! We think of her as the much-adored queen of the lovely Land of Gementia.

Sneak Peek

2008-10-01T15:10:00.001-07:00

We promised you a sneak peek at our new style, and here it is! After much debating and soul-searching, this is the design we've decided on for our non-jewelry auction items. Of course, this is just a peek - the new page will of course have our banner on top, photos of our wonderful items, and all of the little blurbs that our regular pages have. Feel free to let us know your thoughts!

Until next time,

==GEM==

New Look

2008-09-29T11:53:00.000-07:00

If you've visited our eBay store recently, you've noticed a big change - we've updated our logo, storefront and item pages. It was time for a more professional, more refined approach, and we're quite happy with the result. We've also hired a new model! We can't say enough good things about her - she's easy to work with, doesn't complain, never asks if she gets to keep what she models . . . We haven't named her yet, but we'll let you know when we decide on one. If you have any suggestions, please feel free to post a reply, and we'll consider it. Thanks for stopping in - more to come!

==GEM==

How to Find Us

2008-09-23T13:23:00.000-07:00

We are currently in what you might call a "remodeling" process. Due to a much higher volume of business than we had originally anticipated, our Overstock and iOffer stores are inactive at the moment while we revamp our marketing strategy & redesign our sites to accommodate a larger clientele. We will also be opening a shop on Ruby Lane in the near future, which we are very excited about!

In the meantime, don't despair! You can still find us. Our eBay store, Totally Gemented, is open! You'll find it here:

http://stores.ebay.com/Totally-Gemented

Our Atomic Mall store, Advanced Gementia, is open for business, and we are adding new items all the time. Visit Advanced Gementia here:

http://www.atomicmall.com/seller.php?id=10863

Our Bonanzle booth, Just Gemented, is also up and running. You can visit us on Bonanzle here:

http://www.bonanzle.com/booths/Gementia

We will be adding new items to all of the stores - or "provinces," as we like to think of them - in the Land of Gementia in coming days and will be offering some fabulous items at amazing prices. Stop in often! More to come as things develop - and they are developing so quickly! We also recommend stopping in and saying hello to our fellow eBay PowerSellers at:

http://www.powersellersunite.com/?sid=501fd64356834354fbe5d892440ea5e8

Tell 'em Gem sent ya!

==GEM==

Introduction

2008-09-23T05:39:00.000-07:00

Hi, world!

This is the blog for Gementia13Jewels.com, Absolute Gementia on eBay, Gementia13 on Etsy, and all the provinces in the Land of Gementia! Anything having to do with our stores and items will likely be found here. You can call me Gem - I'm what you might call the overseer of Land of Gementia. I will probably be the one writing most of the entries on our blog.Feel free to ask questions, post comments and responses.

Who are we, you ask?
We are a small company specializing in vintage and upscale handmade jewelry. Oour company's founder was the original owner of the Northern Light, a celebrated 464-carat aquamarine (blue emerald) with opalescent multicolor dispersion resembling the Aurora Borealis.

Uncut Northern Light

Every member of our company has been involved in the jewelry business, in various capacities, for at least ten years. Gementia13 was founded on the notion that all jewels are unique, special, and precious, not just those that are traditionally considered "fine jewelry." Every jewel, or collection of jewels, is a reflection of its owner's character, style, and soul, whether it be comprised of diamonds, rhinestones, agate, or even plastic. Each piece is part of a puzzle, a hint at the secrets hidden within the heart of the woman it adorns. In our webstore, and in our stores on eBay and Etsy, we offer upscale and collectible costume jewelry, fine jewelry, and handmade artisan jewelry. A few examples of our wares:

Etruscan era (600 B.C.) solid gold & ruby amulet

Goldtone full parure with handpainted roses

God's eye rhinestone necklace

2.96 carat platinum and diamond double staircase ring

We also have our own lapidary shop where we create our own unique jewels, and we offer a personal shopper service whereby a customer tells us what he or she is looking for and we do the shopping. You can find more information on custom orders and the personal shopper service at our web store, located here:http://www.gementia13jewels.com/Thanks for stopping by to get acquainted - all the truly gemented are welcome here!