Gem Junkies Parle Jewelry Design's Jonathan and Brecken Farnsworth.

In this long-awaited comeback episode of our podcast, "Is Anyone Listening?", we enthusiastically announce our return from a brief hiatus! We're thrilled to be back on air, ready to dive into the fascinating world of gemstones once again. This episode is particularly special as we cover two distinct regions: the tropical paradise of Hawaii and our very own home state, Idaho.

First up, Hawaii! We'll explore the island's unique geological features and the captivating gemstones they produce. Expect to hear about Hawaii's vibrant and rare minerals that reflect its rich cultural heritage and stunning landscapes.

Then, we turn to Idaho, the Gem State. We discuss why Idaho earned this nickname, delving into the state's diverse and plentiful gemstone deposits. From the famous Idaho star garnets to opals and more, we uncover the hidden treasures beneath our feet.

As always, we share personal anecdotes, fun facts, and our adventures during the hiatus. Whether you're a gemstone enthusiast, a curious listener, or just happy to have us back, this episode promises to be a gem-packed journey across two of America's most intriguing states.

Stay tuned, and let's sparkle together in this exciting new chapter of our podcast!

Transcription here: https://www.parlegems.com/blog/way-to-go-idaho/

It’s been a while! Between (2) quarantines and a terrible case of a stomach bug, we’re back on track to bring you Florida and Georgia.

00:00:00 Name that bool
01:30:00 Long time, no chat
03:18:00 So Florida
05:07:00 Moonstone (For more details on moonstone check out our episode – “Phenomenon-phe-no-me-no-me-non !!!”)
06:45:00 Popularity
07:06:00 Florida state stone
10:41:00 State shell
12:11:00 Georgia – Quartz
13:36:00 2nd most abundant mineral on Earth
14:38:00 Most common mineral on Earth’s crust
15:18:00 Most common mineral in Earth
16:34:00 The core of the Earth
18:42:00 Onto the state mineral—Staurolite
20:33:00 Fairy crystal
20:55:00 Good luck
22:00:00 The legend of the Fairy Crosses

Hello, 2021!! It’s already been off to a crazy start but we will kick things off with the continuation of our “Gems of the US” series. Up next we’ve got Connecticut and Delaware.

00:00:00 Rabbit hole
00:25:00 We’re back
01:45:00 Storytime – wallpaper
O3:00:00 Onto Connecticut and Delaware. Neither of which has a state gemstone.
04:12:00 Connecticut State Mineral = Almandine Garnet
05:10:00 The role that Garnet has in Connecticut
05:52:00 The geology of Connecticut
08:40:00 The Garnet trail
09:42:00 Where to collect Garnet
11:19:00 Connecticut has gem-quality material and should have a state gemstone
11:46:00 Understanding mining in CT
12:24:00 Feldspar
12:42:00 Mica
13:25:00 Beryl
16:20:00 Morganite = JP Morgan
18:26:00 Onto Delaware . . . Sillimanite
19:16:00 Where does the name come from?
20:01:00 Why Sillimanite?
21:02:00 Sillimanite as a gemstone
21:56:00 What’s out on the market?

Up next on our journey exploring gemstones across the US we’ve got Colorado. Not only does Colorado have a state gemstone but it also has a state mineral we haven’t covered yet – rhodochrosite. Pull up a chair as we look into into this double-gemmy episode.


00:00:00 Notes
00:29:00 Colorado
01:10:00 The Charlemagne connection
03:52:00 Ranking in most hated states
05:30:00 Aquamarine
05:47:00 1880’s
08:20:00 The discovery at Mt. Antero
09:30:00 About Mt. Antero
09:55:00 High altitude gemstones
12:07:00 Mining story
14:34:00 Commercial mining
16:07:00 Largest aquamarine crystal to be found in CO
18:43:00 Renewed interest in mining
19:46:00 Get a claim
20:41:00 Rhodochrosite
22:13:00 Single-crystal versus an aggregate specimen
23:23:00 Sweet Home Mine
25:52:00 The 1960’s
26:11:50 The Alma Queen
27:03:00 1991
27:26:00 Alma King discovery
27:44:00 The Crystal Wall
29:07:00 Smithsonian
30:13:00 Off-limits
31:31:00 Other gemstones found in Colorado

Continuing with our series Gems of the US and up next we have California. A state that encompasses a plethora of gemstones we focus dabble about Spodumene, Tourmaline, and of coarse, it’s state gemstone--Benitoite. It's a big state so it is only fair to recognize these two influential gemstones.

00:00:00 Calimocho/ Kalimotxo
01:58:00 Cookie Monster + Wednesday Addams = Happy Halloween
03:24:00 This week –California
04:41:00 Benitoite
05:16:00 Its discovery
09:10:00 What is it?
12:44:00 Gemstone matrix and removing the crystals
14:40:00 You can visit the site it was discovered at
16:24:00 Cost of benitoite
17:28:00 All other minerals in California
18:10:00 Leading gemstone mined in California
18:47:00 All the Tourmaline colors
18:57:50 Rubellite Tourmaline
19:11:00 The Chinese connection
20:24:00 Spodumene = Kunzite
21:19:00 Highschool drama w/ Kunzite
26:30:00 Color fading
27:24:00 JP Morgan + George Kunz
28:07:00 Other California Gemstones
30:24:00 [SIDE NOTE] What is California’s ranking in the most hated states?

Working our way down the alphabet which means we’ve got Arizona and Arkansas up next. These two states bring a plethora of gemmy goodness.

00:00:00 Deck issues
00:58:00 “The United States”
02:10:00 Arizona & Arkansas
03:02:00 Arizona = Turquoise
03:20:00 Rich history in Arizona
03:37:00 State neckwear
05:15:00 First mined in 200 BC
06:06:00 Turquoise legends
06:35:00 It’s found throughout the state
07:31:00 Native American translation for turquoise
08:17:00 Usage with Native Tribes
08:49:00 Healing properties
09:50:00 Famous turquoise mines
12:21:00 Sleeping beauty
14:12:00 Kingman Mine
15:12:00 Other cool gemstones in Arizona
25:37:00 Alright, Arkansas
24:55:00 State gemstone = DIAMONDS!
25:05:00 State flag
25:23:00 Feb. 22nd, 1967
27:02:00 The geology of Arkansas
28:16:00 The discovery of diamonds
29:47:00 The largest diamond found in Arkansas
30:47:00 The start of Arkansas
34:11:00 The early 90’s
35:08:00 The appearance of the diamond in their rough
36:03:00 Average diamond findings
38:25:00 Other gemstones found in Arkansas