What a Gem

Lois Melbourne

Jewelry is not just wearable art. Our jewelry can carry stories of love, life milestones, travels or artistic appreciation. My jewelry brings me great joy. I’m continually learning about gemstones, designers, and styles of jewelry. I’m a novice with a quest for knowledge and the stories of other people’s jewelry journeys. I decided I’d share my exploration with other jewelry lovers by creating this podcast: What A Gem.

Episodes

  1. 4d ago

    Who Gets Mom's Bracelet?

    So many women tell me their inherited jewelry just sits in a box, so I had to talk with someone families call when they do not know what they have or what to do with it. Krista Cavanaugh left corporate leadership, executive coaching, and mediation for fine jewelry, and she soon found a gap nobody was filling. Estate lawyers and wealth planners told her jewelry was not part of their business, while families were left holding a shoebox or a baggie of pieces with no idea what was real, what it was worth, or who had been promised what. At Spoleto Designs she helps people document what they own, brings in the right appraisers and designers, and guides the family conversations that can get hard fast. She also privately sources fine jewelry for clients. In this episode we talk about how one bracelet gets promised to two sisters, why equal is not always fair, why an insurance appraisal will not tell you what a piece can sell for, when melting a piece down would be a crime, and why your stories disappear if nobody writes them down. In this episode 00:04 Welcome to What A Gem00:26 Lois's jewelry: ceramic beads from Nairobi, her mother in law's wedding band, an antique amethyst ring, and Georgian earrings02:42 Meet Krista and Spoleto Designs04:53 From corporate leadership and mediation to buying and selling estate jewelry07:13 The gap estate lawyers and wealth planners leave, and jewelry handed over in a baggie or a shoebox09:13 The mistakes families make: no real plan, casual promises, and pieces that are easy to walk off with11:39 Why equal is not always fair, and when a gold band means more than a $50,000 piece13:10 Do you need a plan if you only own one ring?15:07 Appraisals, and why an insured value is not a selling price17:30 What your insurance really covers, and lessons from the Pasadena fires20:01 Inherited jewelry you will never wear: keep it or redesign it?22:10 When melting it down would be a crime, and how to find a jeweler who redesigns24:48 Lois's stash of stones for future redesigns26:14 AI mockups, and why a good designer will not copy someone else's work28:32 Art value, mystery metals, and other reasons to think before you repurpose30:15 Auction, consignment, or private sale: what is your goal?31:28 When a piece is worth less than you think, and buying jewelry as an investment33:06 Watch chains, raging trends, and the joy of affordable estate finds35:11 The tennis bracelet Lois calls her armor37:13 Get your stories documented37:30 Three daughters, three picks, and how to plan a fair distribution40:10 Talking about it, and a grandmother's Sharpie on the bottom of the coffee mugs42:54 When stress brings out the worst in families, and who to trust44:20 Krista's last piece of advice: wear your jewelry45:04 Where to find Krista46:02 Thanks for listeningFind Krista and Spoleto Designs: Website: https://www.spoletodesigns.com Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/spoleto_designs Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/Spoleto-Designs-61567701066842 LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/spoletodesigns/ Follow What A Gem New episodes every other week. If you enjoyed this one, follow the show so you never miss an episode, and leave a quick review to help other jewelry lovers find us. Listen on Spotify: open.spotify.com/show/033EEG7wBiuaCEyJcmRMQO Watch on YouTube: youtube.com/@PodcastWhatAGem Instagram: instagram.com/PodcastWhatAGem Facebook: facebook.com/profile.php?id=61576520276933

  2. Oct 21

    Wear Your Vote: Suffrage Jewelry from Lois's Collection

    No guest this time. I'm opening my own jewelry box to share the pieces I wear when I vote and the women who made that vote possible. Jewelry has always sent signals, from a professional pin to a class ring, and some of the most meaningful pieces I own are tied to the long fight for the right to vote. I share the peridot and amethyst pendant I had made in 2020 for the centennial of the 19th Amendment, and why I chose to leave the diamond off. I bring out my replica of the Jailed for Freedom pin, designed by Nina Allender for the suffragists who were jailed after picketing the White House in 1917. And I finally introduce Clasps, the iPhone app Ross and I built so collectors can keep the stories behind every piece. In this episode I talk about the colors linked to the suffrage movement, campaign buttons going back to George Washington, a VOTE necklace that is now on order, and why one tiny heart on a padlock means so much to me. In this episode 00:04 Welcome to What A Gem00:27 A floral beaded set in green, white, and violet, and why there's no guest today01:13 Safety pin flags for the 1976 bicentennial, peace signs, and painted flag earrings01:57 Jewelry that signals membership, from professional pins to class rings02:37 Green, white, and violet and the women's suffrage movement03:37 Key dates on the road to the 19th Amendment04:21 My 2020 centennial pendant and the stone I chose to leave out05:29 The VOTE necklace now on order05:57 Campaign buttons from George Washington to McKinley and Bryan, plus a Pat for First Lady find07:25 The Jailed for Freedom pin and the Silent Sentinels08:56 Searching for suffragette jewelry today09:19 Introducing Clasps, the app Ross and I built for jewelry collectors12:10 Be educated and vote12:24 Thanks for listeningFind Clasps: Website: https://clasps.app App Store: https://apps.apple.com/us/app/clasps/id6808417815 Follow What A Gem New episodes every other week. If you enjoyed this one, follow the show so you never miss an episode, and leave a quick review to help other jewelry lovers find us. Listen on Spotify: open.spotify.com/show/033EEG7wBiuaCEyJcmRMQO Watch on YouTube: youtube.com/@PodcastWhatAGem Instagram: instagram.com/PodcastWhatAGem Facebook: facebook.com/profile.php?id=61576520276933

  3. Oct 7

    Jewelry You Can Live In

    I met Zanny at the Fort Worth art festival, then spent months watching her set sapphires into molten gold on Instagram, and I had to know how she does it. Zanny Cox is the goldsmith and weaver behind Estudio Zanny, working out of an artist studio in East Austin. Her work draws on her Mexican, Kickapoo, and Irish heritage and on a lifelong love of ancient history, so her pieces have the organic shapes and molten textures of something unearthed. She makes bespoke fine jewelry and talismans in solid gold and silver, often mixing the two, and she builds everything heavy enough to wear on a river float. Her great grandfather was a gem dealer, she still hammers on his anvil, and she works with stones and rough inherited from his collection. She has also spent six years teaching herself to set diamonds and sapphires directly into molten gold. In this episode we talk about how that molten setting works, why gold is so well behaved at the bench, what the Mohs scale means for everyday wear, and why heirloom jewelry belongs on your body, not in a box. In this episode 00:04 Welcome to What A Gem 00:30 Lois's jewelry: a fabric necklace from the Craft Guild of Dallas and blue glass earrings 01:30 Meet Zanny, the story behind the name, and a studio in East Austin 02:59 A gem dealer great grandfather, an amethyst pendant, and learning at naptime 05:26 Why gold is well behaved, and her mixed metal chain 07:18 Ancient history as inspiration, and jewelry you can wear off a waterfall 09:42 Hammering near a gemstone: won't it scratch? 10:50 The Mohs scale, why opals stay out of her rings, and the molten setting 15:22 Where her stones come from, including a cutter in Utah 16:41 The Tucson Gem Show and why you need more than a week 18:55 Take a class and see jewelry differently 21:10 Canopy, first Saturday open studios, and the Austin art scene 23:29 The Austin Studio Tour, and why the city needs one big art show 24:47 Her first major juried show as an emerging artist 26:32 Art isn't meant to be experienced through a screen 28:30 Saving for heirloom pieces and remaking grandma's ring 31:01 Use the good dishes, wear the good jewelry 32:22 Working with fire in an Austin summer 34:38 The physical side of goldsmithing, from grain to anvil 36:25 Shop safety and the hidden hazards of making jewelry 38:11 Where to find Zanny 39:48 Thanks for listening Find Zanny and Estudio Zanny: Website: https://estudiozanny.com Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/estudiozanny Follow What A Gem New episodes every other week. If you enjoyed this one, follow the show so you never miss an episode, and leave a quick review to help other jewelry lovers find us. Listen on Spotify: open.spotify.com/show/033EEG7wBiuaCEyJcmRMQO Watch on YouTube: youtube.com/@PodcastWhatAGem Instagram: instagram.com/PodcastWhatAGem Facebook: facebook.com/profile.php?id=61576520276933

  4. Sep 23

    Made to Be Worn with Tania Valrani of The Jewels Jar

    Made to Be Worn I kept seeing The Jewels Jar's pearls and claw earrings on Instagram, and I wanted to know how a mother in Dubai and a daughter in San Francisco are building a brand made to be worn every single day. Tania Valrani spent five years as a software engineer before she quit to help her mom, Mamta Valrani, grow The Jewels Jar, the fashion jewelry brand Mamta started in Dubai in 2017. Mamta is a certified gemologist and a former abstract painter, and she still designs every piece herself, bringing that trained eye to romantic, vintage inspired jewelry built around pearls and the highest grade cubic zirconia. Tania leads the US side from San Francisco, where pieces sell online for $80 to $200. Everything is meant to leave the jewelry box, with extra thick plating and simple care habits that keep a piece looking good for years. In this episode we talk about what cubic zirconia is and why you should always get a diamond certified, how the same earrings are office wear in Dubai and wedding wear in the US, the hand chain trend, and what it takes to turn a company that sells jewelry into a jewelry brand. In this episode 00:04 Welcome to What A Gem 00:30 Lois's jewelry stories, including a blue topaz necklace that came out of a lonely Christmas Eve and earrings from a shop on a bridge in Bath 02:22 Meet Tania and The Jewels Jar, the family brand her mom started in Dubai 02:50 Growing up surrounded by traditional Indian jewelry, and why it did not feel wearable to her 04:04 Stainless steel, sterling silver, plated brass, and how extra thick plating makes a piece last 05:29 Keep the perfume and lotion away: care advice for almost any jewelry 05:45 What cubic zirconia actually is, and why you should always get a diamond certified 07:14 The claw earrings, and the pearl line that made the brand take off 08:35 The Orchid Bloom earrings: office wear in Dubai, special occasion wear in the US 09:40 How shoppers in the US and the Middle East buy differently 10:30 Gifting, bridesmaids, and a customer who wore her pearl earrings down the aisle 11:05 Mamta's path from abstract painter to jewelry designer 11:53 Four collections a year and something new every month 13:00 Hand chains, explained 14:19 Where to buy, from thejewelsjar.com to the Abu Dhabi airport to Bloomingdale's 15:15 Why Tania left her corporate job to work with her mom 16:43 Star signs, younger sisters, and who shapes the designs 17:45 The dream: a tennis partnership at an accessible price point 18:41 Going from a company that sells jewelry to a jewelry brand 19:56 Where to find The Jewels Jar 20:24 The elevator pitch: soft, romantic, and made to be worn 21:53 A discount code for What A Gem listeners 22:21 Thanks for listening Find Tania and The Jewels Jar: Website: https://thejewelsjar.com Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/thejewelsjar TikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@thejewelsjar Listener offer: use code WHATAGEM20 for 20 percent off your order at thejewelsjar.com Follow What A Gem New episodes every other week. If you enjoyed this one, follow the show so you never miss an episode, and leave a quick review to help other jewelry lovers find us. Listen on Spotify: open.spotify.com/show/033EEG7wBiuaCEyJcmRMQO Watch on YouTube: youtube.com/@PodcastWhatAGem Instagram: instagram.com/PodcastWhatAGem Facebook: facebook.com/profile.php?id=61576520276933

  5. Sep 9

    Discover the Allure of Opals with Christine Ryan

    I met Christine at an art festival, looked into a case full of opals, and realized not one of them would ever exist again. Christine Ryan makes one of a kind jewelry from natural Australian opals, and she is the first to tell you the stone refuses to cooperate. Opal does not cut to a standard. It does not mass produce. No two stones have ever carried the same arrangement of color. Christine melts her own silver, forges every piece by hand, and buys straight from Australian miners, and fifteen years ago she was not a jeweler at all. She thought jewelry was a box you checked, something you put on because you were supposed to, until her husband handed her a handcrafted ring on an ordinary Tuesday. In this episode we talk about why a vivid blue can outvalue a weak red, the softness myth that keeps people from wearing the stone they love, setting an opal with a hammer on camera, and why she turned the traditional hoop earring sideways so the art finally has room to show. In this episode 00:04  Lois opens wearing her own opals, including a shadow box necklace she found in a small family owned shop in Australia more than twenty years ago 01:53  Why Christine works almost exclusively in opal, and the ring from her husband that started it 02:40  One customer, one ring design, and a different opal for every woman in her family 03:59  White, blue, and red opals, and the fireworks analogy that explains the difference 04:22  Why 95 percent of opal comes from Australia, and where Mexican fire opal fits in 06:15  October has the most exciting birthstone available and most people do not know it 06:29  The softness myth, the hardness scale, and why nobody worries about pearls 09:00  The real reason opal intimidates jewelers, and it is not fragility 10:10  Setting an opal with a hammer, on camera, on purpose 11:28  Silver, gold, and the copper bracelet that surprised her 14:38  What makes one opal more valuable than another, and why difference beats perfection 16:39  The party stone: confetti, glitter, and why you should take your opal into the sunshine 17:39  Balancing art festivals with bench time, and what she learns eavesdropping in her own booth 20:20  Does she ever struggle to part with a piece 21:40  Jewelry as an evolution rather than a starting point 23:05  YouTube university, one real class, and learning by trial and error 25:16  The Garden Party earrings and why turning the circle beats the traditional hoop 27:33  Where to find her work, plus the fall art show schedule 30:01  Fifteen years in and still having fun Find Christine and Christine Ryan Designs: Website: https://www.christine-ryan.com/ Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/christine_ryan_designs Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/christineryandesigns Fall art show schedule: listed on her website

  6. Aug 12

    Jewelry Inspired by the Outdoors

    Michele has always been drawn to the outdoors. What started as a childhood spent digging in the dirt became Sidhe Designs, a jewelry line where landscapes, trees, and tiny wandering figures are cut by hand from silver and mixed metals. In this episode Lois and Michele talk about Sidhe Designs and the stories built into every piece. Michele shares how a tree bending in ninety mile an hour Colorado wind became a symbol of being rooted and flexible at the same time, and how a dragonfly came to represent transformation after a loss at the school where she taught. Michele's life has been built around nature, curiosity, and the people who shaped her. That comes through in the mentors she credits, the students she now teaches, and her husband Dan, who is her partner in the business and the one who keeps the books and the finish work moving. She talks about reversible jewelry, the patience of hand piercing metal, and what it really takes to get into a juried art festival. Blending traditional metalsmithing with an ancient Korean gold technique called keum boo, Sidhe Designs is known for sterling silver landscapes, hand cut nature scenes, and pieces that start conversations between strangers. Find Michele and Sidhe Designs: Website: https://www.sidhedesigns.com/Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/sidhedesigns

  7. Jul 30

    Your Life, Written in the Language of Jewels with Cynthia Renée Marcusson

    Cynthia Renée Marcusson has stood in the pitch black of a gem mine 165 million years deep, washed the dirt off a stone no human had ever seen, and then figured out how to turn it into something a woman would wear for the rest of her life. She started as a gem mine geologist, wrote her undergraduate thesis inside a working mine in Southern California, and founded Cynthia Renée, Inc. in 1990 as one of a handful of colored gem wholesale companies owned and run by a single woman. Today she works directly with private collectors, many of them for decades, sourcing rare colored gems and designing bespoke pieces around the stories of the people who wear them. In this episode she and Lois get into what actually happens underground, why she asks clients about the shape of their dining room table before she designs anything, and why she calls the rise of colored gemstones a renaissance rather than a trend. She shares the story behind a pair of tanzanite earrings built around a sunrise over the Serengeti, explains the difference between hardness and durability before you buy that emerald engagement ring, and warns you that the way you clap your hands may be quietly wrecking your jewelry. @CynthiaReneeJewels www.cynthiarenee.com

  8. Jul 14

    Bringing Joy with Jewelry

    Veda Kalro has always been drawn to stories. Three years ago, she took a leap of faith and turned that passion into Anamśa Designs; a brand born from emotion, heritage, and a love for timeless beauty. In this episode Lois and Veda talk about Anamśa Designs and how it is created for those who believe jewelry should feel as timeless as the memories attached to it. Veda shares how both her and her mother contribute to the brand with their unique styles which keep the collections both rooted in tradition and feeling fresh. Veda’s life has been built around connection, creativity, and understanding people deeply. This depth shines through both the jewelry she designs and the joy she gives and receives when interacting with her customers. She shares trends she sees and her love for bringing women happiness as they Blending traditional Indian craftsmanship with a contemporary eye for design, the brand is known for its intricate Kundan, Polki, Meenakari, antique gold, and statement bridal pieces that feel both regal and deeply personal. Instagram: @anamsa.designs

  • 8 Episodes

About

Jewelry is not just wearable art. Our jewelry can carry stories of love, life milestones, travels or artistic appreciation. My jewelry brings me great joy. I’m continually learning about gemstones, designers, and styles of jewelry. I’m a novice with a quest for knowledge and the stories of other people’s jewelry journeys. I decided I’d share my exploration with other jewelry lovers by creating this podcast: What A Gem.

Information

  • Creator
    Lois Melbourne
  • Years Active
    2026
  • Episodes
    8
  • Rating
    Clean
  • Copyright
    © 2026 Lois Melbourne
  • Show Website
    What a Gem