Celebrate summer with our radiant rainbow gemstone jewelry collection! As a proud queer-owned business, we're counting down to June's Pride Month with anticipation and joy!
We’re excited to announce that starting June 1st, 25% of our profits on all rainbow-colored jewelry sales will go to local non-profits that make a meaningful impact on our queer community. We’re kicking this off during Pride Month but will be a way we give back year-round.
The first non-profits that we will be focusing on will be Queer Bozeman and the Countship. We’re thankful for all the great work these organizations do for our community.
Diamond Enchantment This month's spotlight shines on a beautifully hand-fabricated salt and pepper diamond engagement ring, a perfect blend of classic elegance and distinctive character. It's truly a testament to the unique beauty that comes from blending traditional aesthetics with a personal touch.
Road Work Ahead
Please note, starting May 30th, road construction around three sides of our block may impact your route at various points during the summer. Fear not, our back parking lot, accessible via the alley between Gem Gallery and the Salvation Army, is open and ready for your arrival. Plan your visit accordingly and we can't wait to see you this summer!
Mother's Day is just around the corner, and we know how important it is to find the perfect gift for the amazing moms in our lives. That's why Gem Gallery has partnered with local favorites to create an elegant one-stop-shop solution for all your Mother's Day needs!
Introducing our exclusive Mother's Day Elegant All-In-One create your own Gift Bundles, featuring timeless jewelry from Gem Gallery's distinguished collection, a one-month Wine Club special to Vino Per Tutti for a delightful wine experience, delicate fresh flowers arranged by The Flower Bar, and decadent chocolates crafted by La Chatelaine.
The deadline for ordering is the 10th, and pickup is available on the 13th.
Meet Julie, the newest addition to our Gem Gallery family! With 21 years of experience and a passion for hand engraving, Julie's expertise is set to elevate our custom jewelry collection and increase our capacity.
Our heartfelt thanks to all who attended the spectacular Something Blue Bridal Event last Saturday! The event buzzed with excitement as brides-to-be explored our stunning bridal jewelry collection, tried on exquisite pieces, and consulted with our expert staff. Guests enjoyed scrumptious hors d'oeuvres and sparkling beverages, while mingling with other brides and sharing wedding inspirations. We're truly honored to have played a part in helping so many soon-to-be-married couples take the first steps in planning their dream weddings!
Oh snap!
Feast your eyes on our featured custom piece of the month: the Montana Yogo Sapphire Signet Ring from our Aurum collection. This breathtaking ring features a 1.05 carat natural rough Montana Yogo Sapphire, set in a luxurious platinum and 18 karat yellow gold flush bezel setting. Its unique Double Snap hinged shank ensures captivating elegance and unmatched convenience.
If you are interested in creating a custom design for yourself, we have a custom jewelry page on our website that outlines our processes like CAD design, hand fabrication, and wax carving. You can also check out our gallery of custom projects like these!
Feast your eyes on our featured custom piece of the month: the Montana Yogo Sapphire Signet Ring from our Aurum collection. This breathtaking ring features a 1.05 carat natural rough Montana Yogo Sapphire, set in a luxurious platinum and 18 karat yellow gold flush bezel setting. Its unique Double Snap hinged shank ensures captivating elegance and unmatched convenience.
If you are interested in creating a custom design for yourself, we have a custom jewelry page on our website that outlines our processes like CAD design, hand fabrication, and wax carving. You can also check out our gallery of custom projects like these!
Valentine's Day is a special day dedicated to celebrating love and affection between partners, family, and friends. It is a time to show appreciation and gratitude for the important people in our lives, and what better way to do that than with a thoughtful and meaningful gift.
Sapphires are a popular choice for jewelry and have been appreciated for centuries for their beauty and significance. The rich blue color of sapphires symbolizes trust and loyalty, making it a perfect choice for an engagement ring or a special piece of jewelry for your loved one. However, it's worth noting that sapphires come in a wide range of colors, including blue, pink, yellow, and more. With so many options to choose from, you're sure to find the perfect sapphire to suit your taste and style.
If you're looking for a unique and beautiful gift idea for Valentine's Day, consider a sapphire engagement ring or a pair of sapphire studs. These timeless pieces are a thoughtful way to express your love and commitment to your partner. They also make a wonderful gift for those who you hold close to your heart.
When it comes to choosing the perfect sapphire jewelry piece, there are a variety of styles and designs to choose from. You can opt for a simple and classic design, such as a solitaire ring or stud earrings. Or, you can choose something more intricate, such as a ring with diamonds or a pendant with a unique design. And with a range of shapes and sizes available, you can find the perfect piece to suit your loved one's style.
We are lucky to have our manager, April, for many reasons and one of them is that she is a phenomenal cook. On our birthdays she bakes our favorites, and she often surprises us with treats just because. Yeah we know, she's awesome.
This will be the first of a new series of blog posts were we will share April's favorite recipes! This one is special because she picked and pitted all the cherries from her own backyard. A true chef!
Cherrypiefilling
4 cups tart cherries-pitted
3/4 cup sugar
1/2 tsp vanilla
Zest of 1/2 lemon
1 TBS lemon juice
2 TBS cornstarch
1 tsp Amaretto
Add all ingredients into sauce pan, bring mixture to a boil, simmer until thickened, about 5 minutes. Remove from heat and allow to cool while working on the crumble.
Crumble topping
1 cup rolled oats
1/2 cup flour
1/2 cup brown sugar
1/8 tsp salt
1/2 tsp cinnamon
1/2 cup butter- melted
Add all dry ingredients together, mix together with a fork, then stir in melted butter
Pour filling into 9x9 pan, top with crumble mixture. Bake at 350* for 30 minutes until top is crispy and filling is bubbling.
For over 20 years The Gem Gallery has built a strong reputation for quality because of YOU—our loyal customers. Our VIP Rewards Club is our way of saying thank you.
Rewards & Benefits
Earn VIP Rewards when you present your rewards card or number with every purchase of jewelry. Redeem $5 for every $100 spent to use toward future purchases, repairs, or custom projects. You can use your rewards online or in-store. Additionally, you will receive exclusive members-only offers online and in the mail—be the first to know! Come in and talk to one of the sales staff or give us a call to join the rewards club.
Free appraisal included on individually purchased jewelry over $1,500.
Our VIP Rewards Program is FREE—no fees to you!
Our VIP Rewards do not expire.
By enrolling in our VIP Rewards Club, you agree to the terms and conditions of this program.
Rewards cannot be earned on repair services, custom work, or discounted jewelry unless otherwise noted. Rewards are non-transferable and not redeemable for cash. Points do not expire. Points can be redeemed in store or online. Rewards credits are earned on fully-paid merchandise purchases only. Layaway and special orders will earn reward credit when paid in full. Shipping and tax are not included in rewards earned from purchases. No adjustments on prior purchases. For returns, any rewards used will be refunded as store credit. Rewards on returned merchandise will be removed from your account. The Gem Gallery reserves the right to terminate the Rewards Program at any time. In the event that this program is discontinued, members will be allowed to redeem rewards that have already been issued.
There’s a good reason the official nickname for Montana is
“The Treasure State.” Montana is rich in gold, silver, platinum and palladium.
It also boasts a wide array of precious and semi-precious gemstones. But one of
its riches, and most beloved treasures is the Yogo Sapphire: a gemstone known
for its deep blue color. The world contains only one source of Yogo Sapphires,
and it is here in Montana. More specifically, the mine resides in Judith Basin
County near the middle of the state. The mine, however, has laid dormant for
years. Demand for Yogos, on the other hand, has been anything but sleepy. Because
of this, we are ecstatic to announce: Don Baide has purchased the Vortex mine
and will begin operations soon.
For a full explanation of the one of a kind
geological formation as well as the entire history of the mine, read through
our Sapphires of Montana page and our Yogo Sapphire Gemology article.
Purchase
After nearly a year of
negotiations, Don has closed on a deal with Laurie Roberts, widow of former
owner operator Mike Roberts, to buy the Vortex Mine, including all claims, rights
and equipment. The
Vortex mine has been closed for the last five years. The previous owner, Mike
Roberts, died tragically in an accident while inside the sapphire mine. He was
a good friend of the Baide's. By reviving the Vortex Mine, Don
hopes to continue his friend’s legacy. After Mike’s death, the mine went
through rigorous safety updates. After passing all inspections, it was reopened
for a brief season. We will continue improving the mine’s infrastructure to
guarantee that it is a safe, sustainable operation.
Our Plan
Don has
started a new company, Yogo Mining Company, that will operate the mine,
organize the stone cutting, and distribute Yogos. We intend to run the mine as
a small but effective operation. Our six-person team will use drill and blast
mining techniques 350 feet underground to extract Yogos from its unique linear
vein formation. We intend to run the mine on a seasonal basis. This should
produce a sustainable flow of Yogos that will supply jewelers around the state
without creating a shock to the market. We will cut all of our larger stones
domestically, including using several local Montana gem cutters. All small
stones will be cut internationally. Don has over 40 years of experience
organizing cutting operations in Thailand and will use his experience to
guarantee all Yogos are cut to the highest standards.
As
anyone who knows Don can vouch for, he is not a greedy man. We now have the
only operation producing Yogos on a large scale, however, we don’t intend for The
Gem Gallery to be the only seller of Yogos. Yogo Mining Company will supply
other jewelers with the entire range of size, color and quality. Don believes
that this is not only healthy for the Yogo loving community, but that it is
only fair. He started out of college building jewelry in a rented basement. Yogos
have allowed him to build a business, buy a house, raise a family, and now
purchase the mine. He hopes they will do the same for other aspiring jewelers.
The Gem Gallery will continue to have to widest collection of Yogos as well as
the most exquisite specimens that the mine produces.
Environmental Impact
The Gem
Gallery, under Don’s leadership, has always
been committed to giving back to our community. Yogo Mining Company will be no different.
While mines by their very nature disrupt their environment, we will do
everything we can to minimize our impact and ethically produce the sapphire we
all love.
Because
the Vortex mine is a hard-rock underground operation, there is very minimal
surface disturbance. The entire above ground impact of the mine is confined to
under five acres of land. That includes all wash plants, ponds, ore weathering,
waste rocks, roads and equipment storage. In the mining world, that is tiny. We
have already made an agreement with the Forest Service to use our waste rock as
road fill to continue Mike’s deal. This means we don’t have to clear forest to
create large waste dumps and prevents the need for additional gravel pits to
mine for road fill. It’s win-win for the
environment. We also commit to never using any damaging chemicals in our mining
process that would have a harmful impact. Our wash plant has a recycling water
pond to minimize our impact on the nearby Yogo Creek. We will be pursuing
various environment certifications so our clients can have confidence that
Yogos are as environmentally friendly as possible. Because there is only one
source for Yogos, and we know its entire history, we can also guarantee that
all Yogos ever mined have been conflict free.
The Gem Gallery
Don has
dreamed of owning the Yogo mine for most of his career. Now that his dream has
become a reality, the mine will be his primary focus. He will still be actively
involved at The Gem Gallery, but his time in the store will be limited. Jason
Baide, Don’s son, has worked his way up from sweeping floors to doing repair
work and custom design work. For the past year Jason has been the store
manager. He will be taking over many of Don’s responsibilities at the store.
Don will still be available for appointments on limited days during the mining
season.
The Gem
Gallery has been known for its Yogo collection for twenty-two years. We have
prided ourselves on having one of the largest collections of Yogos in the
world. With the mine closed, even we have started to feel the pressure of fewer
stones being available. We have been very fortunate this past year to acquire
two large collections that replenished our inventory. Even before purchasing
the mine, we have more large stones now than we have had for many years. Now
that we have the mine, we will expand our signature design line, use more Yogos
in our curated collections from vendors and of course have even more loose
Yogos to create with.
We will
be having a Yogo Gala event to celebrate the reopening of the mine on September
15th, 5-7pm at The Gem Gallery. Come celebrate with us! There will
be live music, catered food, Champagne, and more.
Future
Words
are insufficient to say how over-the-moon excited we are. This will change the
jewelry industry of Montana and beyond. Our goal is to provide a sustainable, stable
supply of Yogos to the entire state. We will start small and continue to grow. In the meantime, for a taste of what’s to
come, stop by our store and check out our already large selection of Yogos. We
look forward to keeping you up to date on the latest develops in the long,
bright future of Yogo Sapphires.
Sharon Voelkel, a long time gem cutter at The Gem Gallery, has passed away. She died August 16, 2017 after suffering a major stroke. She was surrounded by friends and family at the time of her passing. Sharon was one of the most skilled gem cutters out there. She cut some of the largest Yogos mined in the last fifty years. She developed innovative polishing techniques and loved teaching her art to anyone that was interested. The Gem Gallery staff and friends will all miss her.
We invite all friends and family to celebrate her life on Saturday, August 19th from 4:00pm to 6:00pm at Dahl Tribute Center, 300 Highland Boulevard.
An important part to picking out your new jewelry piece is understanding what meets your needs. Beautiful, sparkling gemstones and a unique design should be considered for the atheistic of your piece. But the elements of how your jewelry is made is just as important. Different types of metals, such as gold and platinum, are used for various purposes in jewelry making.
Gold
Gold is commonly used for all types of jewelry, although there are multiple types and purities of gold. 14 karat gold, which is 58.3% pure, is the most common because it is the American standard. Although 18 karat gold, which is 75% pure, is used often as well. Because gold is naturally a soft metal, 24 karat gold (the purest form), is not usually used for making jewelry. Although The Gem Gallery does sell 24 karat gold nugget earrings.
Multiple colors of gold are available, the most common being yellow, rose, and white. Gold is naturally yellow, but still requires to be mixed with other metals to create an alloy hard enough for everyday wear. The alloy metals in gold can differ, which is a science of itself. A good example of this is rose gold, which is alloyed with copper to get its warm, pink color. Rose gold is more durable because copper is a very tough metal. White gold contains alloy metals that make it’s color similar to white, but never a true white. It always contains hints of yellow because of the natural color of gold. “It’s like mixing paint,” says Jason Baide of The Gem Gallery. You can never get a pure white from a vibrant color. White gold is commonly plated with rhodium, a hard, white metal that has a beautiful mirror finish. Rhodium plated jewelry usually requires more maintenance than other jewelry types.
Platinum
Platinum is a naturally true white metal. It is in the same family as rhodium and palladium. Because it has no hints of other colors, it does not require rhodium plating. It is more dense than gold, containing 95% platinum. It also wears slower than gold. When gold gets scratched, it actually looses metal (18 karat gold scratches easier than 14 karat). But when platinum gets scratched, the metal moves and shifts. Overtime, this creates a patina that is desirable by some. Because of platinum’s strength, it holds gemstones better than gold. The prongs are stronger than other metals. Rings often have a gold shank and a platinum head for this purpose. Another advantage of platinum over gold is that it does not contain nickel, so it is hypoallergenic. A major platinum mine is located in Montana!
Although the price of platinum is currently less than the price of gold, a piece of platinum jewelry will generally be more expensive than the same piece in gold because it will weigh more. Platinum also requires more labor to create a custom piece. It takes 50% longer than gold to polish and work with. That being said, platinum is The Gem Gallery’s goldsmith favorite. Jason Baide says it is “a labor of love.” It engraves well and is an excellent choice for your custom engagement ring!
Considering the color and durability of your jewelry will help you decide what metal to choose. If you desire a white colored ring that is very durable, platinum is the way to go. But if you want a warm color, such as rose or yellow, 14 karat gold will better fit your needs. Our sales team will be happy to help you decide what type of metal is right for you!
