People like the concept of jewelry representing "forever." But what does a forever symbol look like to you? Well... for thousands of years there was one popular and revered icon of eternity: the ouroboros, or "tail-devourer" Let's break away from the stigma of snake fear, and walk through time and history to meet this ancient and complex jewelry motif.  Please leave a rating/review if you're enjoying the podcast! It makes a huge difference in the algorithm to help the show Patreon for exclusive bonus episodes & merchandise: https://www.patreon.com/teaandgemstonespodcast Writer, Pro ..read more

When life gets big and scary and we feel overwhelmed... how do we seek daily comfort? What restores us when we are stressed and tired? Science says: Nature! How does the rejuvenating power of plants connect to the rise of a trendy aesthetics-only movement birthed from the collective anxiety of 2020? Let me introduce you... to Cottagecore. It's the specific niche of nature jewelry you maybe never knew existed, but it is here to stay. Please leave a rating/review if you're enjoying the podcast! It makes a huge difference in the algorithm to help the show Patreon for exclusive bonus episodes &a ..read more

Welcome to Season Three! Let's dive into the world of sparkly masquerade; the stones we prize because they're "like" a diamond. But these imitators deserve to stand and shine on their own merit. Come in and meet them; you might just fall in love. Please leave a rating/review if you're enjoying the podcast! It makes a huge difference in the algorithm to help the show Patreon for exclusive bonus episodes & merchandise: https://www.patreon.com/teaandgemstonespodcast Writer, Producer, Host - Jennifer Sieverling  Music - Joseph McDade & Audionautix  ---Stay Sparkly ..read more

Opals may reign supreme as the most popular iridescent gemstone... but labradorite is coming for their throne. Let me introduce you to this gorgeous feldspar. It is a stone with a galaxy of visual magic within it, believed by legend to be the birthplace of the Aurora Borealis. How is this stone created, where is it found and what are it's believed metaphysical properties?  There's also a "best" version of labradorite found only in one place in the world and it is so special it has it's own name... what is it? Come listen and find out this and more... we're all about Labradorite.  Pl ..read more

The rich red of the ruby is a well-established representative of love. But one astoundingly exquisite ruby in the Smithsonian National Gem Collection has a particularly interesting romantic history. Let's journey to uncover the origins and not-so-ancient psychology of rubies, how this gem is caught up in modern day political turmoil, and what it means to ensure a loved one's name is not forgotten.  "The Smithsonian National Gem Collection - Unearthed: Surprising Stories Behind the Jewels" https://a.co/d/hi4NPJn Please leave a rating/review if you're enjoying the podcast! It makes a huge ..read more

The notion of assigning a gemstone to represent a specific calendar month is a concept both ancient and modern, with shifting definitions through time.  Let's pull birthstone's origins from the fog of history, talk about who exactly made the current month assignment lists (and why) and how birthstones as an entity play into the psychology of healthy self-definition. Please leave a rating/review if you're enjoying the podcast! It makes a huge difference in the algorithm to help the show Patreon for exclusive bonus episodes & merchandise: https://www.patreon.com/teaandgemstonespodcast ..read more

It is my pleasure to introduce you to jewelry designer Daniela Villegas.  She flawlessly and creatively mixes together the natural world, exquisite materials and a lot of imagination. The first thing you see on Daniela's Instagram bio is a list of 17 colorful emojis ranging from a hedgehog, to a caterpillar, a crab and a crystal ball.  Come discover her unique inspirations and jewelry philosophy. Let's experience the glittering reminder that you can stay whimsical, stay in touch with nature and creativity, and yes... have a fondness for the tyrannosaurus rex.  Please leave a ra ..read more

Aquarius, Pisces, Aries, Taurus, Gemini, Cancer, Leo, Virgo, Libra, Scorpio, Sagittarius and Capricorn. These are the 12 signs of the Zodiac. Whether or not you believe in the power of astrology, the unshakable fact is the stars were in a certain alignment when YOU were born. But did you know each of the zodiac signs has a corresponding representative gemstone? Do you know yours? As we welcome in a new year, let's  learn about the Gemstones of the Zodiac.  Please leave a rating/review if you're enjoying the podcast! It makes a huge difference in the algorithm to help the show Patre ..read more

Take flight! There is no other creature so dually harmonizing pure aesthetic beauty and meaningful imagery than the bird. We discuss the origins of bird jewelry (about 130,000 years ago) and trace mankind's fascination with birds rendered into bling through ancient civilizations, Napoleon, World War II and into the modern high jewelry houses like Tiffany & Co's iconic "Bird on a Rock" and a certain controversial Cartier flamingo... The combination of symbolism and beauty (plus they can fly!) makes the bird an enduring, favorite jewelry motif worthy of analysis.  Please leave a rating ..read more

This episode tackles the topic of jewelry that is emotionally, societal and culturally controversial. Can a piece of jewelry not just be inappropriate, but offensive and straight-up WRONG? In part two, we’re going to talk about some heavier topics of jewelry controversy like blackamoor jewelry, Native and Indigenous appropriation, and jewelry focused around victims of social injustice.  Please leave a rating/review if you're enjoying the podcast! It makes a huge difference in the algorithm to help the show Patreon for exclusive bonus episodes & merchandise: https://www.patreon.com/t ..read more