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What's New at the Gem Gallery
Join Our VIP Rewards ClubApril 30, 2018
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.
After Five Years, The Vortex Yogo Mine is ReopeningAugust 18, 2017
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.
More Information
Our story has been featured in several nation jeweler publications. Check out the articles by JCK, National Jeweler, and Instore Magazine.
In Memory of Sharon VoelkelAugust 16, 2017
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.
Choosing Your Jewelry: Gold vs PlatinumMay 27, 2016
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
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!
Announcing our Montana Collection GiftsApril 9, 2016
Our Maid in Montana collection features pendants and earrings for your bridesmaids...or even yourself! You can have them special made in your choice of 14K gold or sterling silver. They can feature a Montana Yogo Sapphire, a Fancy Montana Sapphire, a Diamond, or no gemstone at all.
The Men's Collection also comes in a range of options. These awesome cufflinks can be made with the same metal and gemstone options. All the jewelry can be made with a polished or satin finish.
Our 14K rose gold jewelry is especially an exciting edition to our new collections! Rose gold is one of the top jewelry trends of 2016 and will make a statement at your wedding!
All purchases of three or more of the same jewelry item will receive a 15% discount! Special orders for your wedding party or event will take about 3-5 weeks.
Happy New Year! 2016January 23, 2016
Cheers!
Our Holiday Open HouseDecember 14, 2015
Happy Holidays!
Staff Christmas PartyJanuary 3, 2015
Happy 2015!December 31, 2014
Merry Christmas!! December 25, 2014
