Dagny Solheim 
I spent six years hunched over a microscope in a grading lab, staring at inclusions that tell a much more honest story than any astrology book ever could. I’ve seen people spend hundreds on a “birthstone” only to realize it’s nothing more than dyed glass, and it always strikes me as odd when people get … Read more
I spent six years in a grading lab staring through a loupe at inclusions, and if there is one thing I’ve learned, it’s that people love to wrap simple things in layers of expensive, confusing jargon. I often see shops charging a massive premium for “astrological sets,” implying there is some cosmic physical property that … Read more
I spent six years hunched over a microscope in a grading lab, staring at stones until my eyes felt like they were full of grit. I’ve seen people walk into boutiques with eyes glazed over by marketing brochures, convinced that a bigger number on a certificate is the only metric that matters. They fall into … Read more
I spent six years hunched over a bench in a grading lab, peering through a loupe until my eyes felt like they were filled with sand. I’ve seen enough “miracle” stones to know that most of the sales pitch is just expensive smoke and mirrors. People often walk into a shop thinking they need to … Read more
I spent six years hunched over a microscope in a grading lab, and if there is one thing I’ve learned, it’s that the market loves to lie to you about color. You’ll walk into a shop and see a stone that looks like a sunset, but the moment you take it into the light, that … Read more
I spent six years hunched over a bench in a grading lab, staring through a loupe until my eyes burned, and if there is one thing I’ve learned, it’s that the jewelry industry loves to wrap simple minerals in layers of expensive nonsense. You’ll see shops claiming that certain hoops set with gemstones and what … Read more
I spent six years hunched over a microscope in a grading lab, and if there is one thing that makes my skin crawl, it’s the way the gemstone market uses “mysticism” to inflate a price tag. You’ve seen the listings: glowing descriptions of cosmic energy or ancient secrets, all designed to distract you from the … Read more