There I was gazing at the finest gems and jewels on the planet. I had landed a plum job as gemologist at Christie’s, the world-renowned auction house in New York. Working behind the scenes, hunched over a microscope, my role was to examine and test the world’s finest precious gems to make certain they passed muster – 20+ carat…
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10 Days that Shook Our World: Reflections on Our Most Recent Tour of St. Petersburg
I’ve just returned from an amazing journey with our guests to the glorious city of the Russian tsars – St. Petersburg Russia. They accompanied us on our September 2017 Walking Tour of St. Petersburg Jewelers on the Centennial of the Russian Revolution, and it was indeed 10 days that shook our world! Our first stop: a private visit to…
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What Surprises Await Guests of Our September St. Petersburg Jewelers Walking Tour
In just two days I head to Russia to meet our group of guests for our St. Petersburg Jewelers Walking Tour – some of whom are coming from as far away as California, Colorado and Canada! I’m thrilled as this tour combines two of my greatest passions: Russian jewels and treasures, and sharing them with you. Our exciting line…
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Russian Gold Pen by Friedrich KOECHLI, St. Petersburg, 1890s
I bought this pen not knowing who made it. I knew it was Russian and that it was made before the Revolution. It had the right look, feel and heft, with a wonderful rose gold patina. I picked it up, pretended to sign a document with it and I knew one thing: I had to have it. So you can…
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Diamonds & Rhubarb Features Marie Betteley
I was honored to be featured by Debra Healy in her outstanding blog “Diamonds & Rhubarb” in which she writes about all types of beautiful treasures and the artists and craftspeople behind them in the areas of jewelry, design, fashion, decorating and more. As part of her exploration into the world of beauty, Debra regularly talks with experts of various…
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Tea in St. Petersburg – A Tour Guest’s Experience
This year, we embarked on the maiden voyage of what is sure to become one of our most popular tour experiences – our Walking Tour of St. Petersburg Jewelers. During our remarkable journey guests retraced the steps of the renowned Jewelers to the Romanov Court, including Bolin, Friedrich Koechli, Carl August Hahn and Carl Fabergé, to name but a few….
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