Sign Up for the Jewelry Store Newsletter
If you would like to sign up for our newsletter, please fill out the short form below and soon you will get regular information about Reggie Akdogan’s jewelry store in Richmond.
Holiday Newsletter
From the Burg to the Beach – Carats Happenings
Reggie Designs Milestone Awards WHRO’s 50th Anniversary Celebration Reggie was honored to design the 8th Annual Pioneer Award, presented to WHRO on April 2 at the Hampton Roads Convention Center. The gala evening paid tribute to 50 years of public broadcasting excellence, with The Precious Gem offering support for the past two decades.
PICTURE: L-R – Bert Schmidt, Pres./CEO, WHRO, with Reggie & Lisa Akdogan
Inaugural ‘Run for the Dream’ Medals
If you were in Williamsburg the weekend of May 21-22, you could not miss The Achievable Dream and 4,500 marathon runners. Reggie designed the race medals and also donated a fabulous diamond necklace to the November ‘Tennis Ball’ Fundraiser.
Support the dream: www.AchievableDream.org
The King’s Official Jeweler
The Precious Gem is proud to be chosen once again as the Royal Jeweler to the Court of King Neptune. Reggie designs King Neptune’s ring and other pieces for the Chairman and members of the Court for this perennial Virginia Beach favorite: www.NeptuneFestival.com
Williamsburg Symphonia
Reggie says good music inspires his creative design process. So who better than The Precious Gem to host friends and donors of the Williamsburg Symphonia at in-store receptions. Get involved with Williamsburg’s own professional orchestra:www.williamsburgsymphonia.org. Reggie and Symphonia conductor/music director Janna Hymes
Glad Tidings from Jay Strongwater
Delight in Jay’s handcrafted collectibles. Fanciful boxes, pictures frames, figurines. A Virginia Beach exclusive, only at La Promenade.
Reggie’s fanciful handcrafted pin;
18K white & yellow gold; 14 carats in colored sapphires.
Say “sapphire” and the image of a velvety cornflower blue gemstone comes to mind.Yet sapphires come in a wonderful array of other colors, including vivid pink, violet, orange, yellow, and green. Sapphire is the mineral corundum (aluminum oxide). Occasionally, additional minerals found in nature mix with the aluminum oxide when the gemstone is crystallized, resulting in variations in color. A tiny amount of chromium with the aluminum oxide may form a sapphire that is pink. A trace amount of iron and chromium can result in the rare pinkish-orange “padparadsha” sapphire. Sapphires’ durability and brilliance along with colors make them a favorite of The Precious Gem and fine jewelers worldwide.
When selecting a fancy colored sapphire, first find one that “speaks to you”; one that you would feel wonderful wearing. Be sure to look at it in different lighting, as colored stones may change in appearance from indoor lighting to daylight. Learn about the stone and how it is valued; know its cut, color, and clarity. Quality is best understood by comparing several stones of the same type, noting variations between them. Unlike diamonds, where internally flawless may be the ideal, colored sapphires almost always have at least small visible-to-the-eye inclusions. The pattern of these crystals often gives clues to the origin of the gemstone. For example, sapphires from Sri Lanka tend to have long needle-like inclusions. Experience has shown us that the more our customers learn, the more they appreciate these fabulous gemstones. Intense pink, purple, orange, and yellow sapphires are featured in our jewelry designs. We look forward to sharing our knowledge and love of these fabulous stones with you soon.
