On The Fly

In this episode - Introducing The Adventures of Peridot . . . A peculiar collaboration unfolds in the dimly lit chambers of Professor Alister Peridot, that eminent sage whose keen intellect rivals the most illustrious minds of our time, a confluence of wisdom and youthful exuberance. Permit me, dear reader, to illuminate this curious partnership that embarks upon a global pursuit, unraveling the mysteries as elusive and enchanting as the very gemstones they seek to unveil. In the halls of academia, Professor Peridot, a man of revered learning and profound insight, found an unexpected companion in Adamas Bontemps—a name as rare as the jewels they endeavor to fathom. Young Mr. Bontemps, a burgeoning gemologist of fervent curiosity, embarked on a journey into the intricate tapestry of global intrigue and hidden mysteries. With his silvered hair and piercing gaze, Professor Peridot exudes an air of timeless insight: his mind, an intricate maze of deductive prowess, rivals even the great Sh...

Photo's Robert & Orasa Weldon In the world of gemstones, people desire rarity and beauty. There is no better  way to achieve both of these goals than with nature’s treasure, a fine spinel. Once distinguished as history’s most under appreciated gemstone, spinel’s eminence is rising meteorically. Spinel is a magnesium aluminum oxide occurring as octahedral crystals in a wide range of colors: red, orange, purple, pink, blue and black. Red spinels range from pure red to a purplish-red, not unlike the color of ruby, a gem with which it was sometimes confused. Today, collectors praise it’s rarity and pay enormous prices to obtain it.. The earliest known use of a spinel gemstone was in 100 BC, as an ornament on a Buddhist tomb in Afghanistan. It is believed that the first known systematic mining of spinel was in Afghanistan, around 750 AD. Some 500 years later, the Venetian merchant, Marco Polo, was to travel through the region, likely filling his pockets with the red g...