Tea & Gemstones Jennifer Sieverling, Jewelry Historian

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 showPatreon for excl...

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! ...

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 showPatreon for exclusive bonus episodes & merchandise: https://www.patreon.com/teaandgemstonespodcastWriter, Producer, Host - Jen...

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 o...

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"...

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 showPat...