From the day we moved into the new store, the biggest complaint that my customers (and I) have had is the lighting. The building started as a bank and, let's face it, bank customers don't really care what color their money is, or want it to match the color of their shoes or a particular dress, do they?
We resolved some of the lighting issues by installing new light fixtures with parabolic reflectors at the front of the store, and added "daylight" (like giant Ott Lights) in the classroom and workbench areas. But, those darned things are expensive and the idea of upgrading all of the lighting went on the back burner until we win the lottery or have a long lost relative will us a couple of million dollars!
Today, we had a gentleman come in and tell us about a program that the utility companies have to help commercial businesses modernize their lighting to improve visibility and to help reduce their electricity bills. You can bet that got our attention! Mike is all for saving energy - we replaced our A/C unit, the light bulbs and added insulation at home, long before the government started giving rebates for it. Boy, did we lose out on a lot of money by being that far ahead of the curve.
IF we qualify for this program, it looks like we'll be able to get all of the lighting in the store upgraded to more energy efficient fixtures and better lighting for color matching. The Swarovski crystals will really show their fire and you'll be able to tell if that stone is bluish-green or greenish-blue or maybe not even blue at all!
From what the man said, the changeover should only take about 1 day, so we will have minimal interruption of business.
I'll post updates as we know them - especially if we have to change the store's hours for the changeover process.
Monday, August 9, 2010
Thursday, August 5, 2010
August birthstone - Peridot, an Arizona Treasure
Peridot (prounounced PAIR-eh-dough or PAIR-eh-dot) is a light green gemstone variety of olivine. Peridot is one of the few gemstones which is only found in one color. The green color comes from the traces of iron in it's chemical makeup. Traces of peridot and olivine have been found in meteorites, making peridot the only gemstone which has come from outer space.
Peridot has been confused with emerald and in fact, archaeologists have discovered many gemstones in royal jewelry and adornments which were called "emerald" are actually peridot. During the Ottoman empire, sultans amassed a large quantity of peridot in their treasure stores - as loose stones and in jewelry and other decorations. Peridots were introduced to Europe via the Crusades. Peridot has been called the "evening emerald" because it still appears green in dim light. Other stones confused with peridot are green garnets and moldavites and green tourmaline,
Peridot has its origins in fire, created under high pressure and extremely high temperatures deep in the Earth's center. It is sometimes extruded in basaltic lavas. Natives of Hawaii long ago discovered peridot nuggets in the black lava sands on the beaches and declared them to be tears shed by Madame Pele, the volcano goddess.
Peridot mining dates back to somewhere around 4,000 years ago. 80 to 95% of the world's peridot comes from the San Carlos Apache Reservation in Arizona, near a little town which bears the same name - Peridot. Other locations in the US where peridot may be found are New Mexico, Colorado and Hawaii. Recently, China and Pakistan are becoming rivals in peridot production. It is also found in Myanmar, Australia, Brazil and Norway. There are records showing that peridot has been mined on St. John's island off the coast of Egypt since 79 AD.
Peridot is sometimes treated with resins, wax or oil to fill voids and improve the appearance. One may safely presume that any inexpensive peridot is treated. Peridot beads are usually cut in India and may be irregular in shape or size. Because peridot is relatively soft, it does require special handling. Avoid contact with acids, quick temperature changes and scratches. A sharp blow could also damage a peridot gemstone. When cleaning peridot jewelry, do not use an ultrasonic cleaner or a harsh chemical dip. Warm water and a soft cloth are best and most gentle cleaners for peridot.
Peridot as a healing stone has many properties. It has been used by natural healers to heal the heart and lungs, though healers say it should not be used during chakra work. Peridot is purported to slow the aging process - no wonder it is reported to have been a favorite of Cleopatra! It is purported to aid in the birthing process, as well as to help find lost or misplaced things. It is a "speaker's stone" - helping to improve eloquence and confidence in speech.
At AZ Bead Depot, we have peridot available in several shapes and qualities - from relatively inexpensive chips to AAA grade beads. If you are in love with the peridot color, but not with the price of the genuine stone, we have peridot colored Swarovski crystal, Czech fire polished crystal and even seed beads in that lustrous yellow green color which so entranced the Ottoman sultans. You won't even have to pay a king's ransom to take them home.
Next month - Sapphire - September's birthstone.
Peridot has been confused with emerald and in fact, archaeologists have discovered many gemstones in royal jewelry and adornments which were called "emerald" are actually peridot. During the Ottoman empire, sultans amassed a large quantity of peridot in their treasure stores - as loose stones and in jewelry and other decorations. Peridots were introduced to Europe via the Crusades. Peridot has been called the "evening emerald" because it still appears green in dim light. Other stones confused with peridot are green garnets and moldavites and green tourmaline,
Peridot has its origins in fire, created under high pressure and extremely high temperatures deep in the Earth's center. It is sometimes extruded in basaltic lavas. Natives of Hawaii long ago discovered peridot nuggets in the black lava sands on the beaches and declared them to be tears shed by Madame Pele, the volcano goddess.
Peridot mining dates back to somewhere around 4,000 years ago. 80 to 95% of the world's peridot comes from the San Carlos Apache Reservation in Arizona, near a little town which bears the same name - Peridot. Other locations in the US where peridot may be found are New Mexico, Colorado and Hawaii. Recently, China and Pakistan are becoming rivals in peridot production. It is also found in Myanmar, Australia, Brazil and Norway. There are records showing that peridot has been mined on St. John's island off the coast of Egypt since 79 AD.
Peridot is sometimes treated with resins, wax or oil to fill voids and improve the appearance. One may safely presume that any inexpensive peridot is treated. Peridot beads are usually cut in India and may be irregular in shape or size. Because peridot is relatively soft, it does require special handling. Avoid contact with acids, quick temperature changes and scratches. A sharp blow could also damage a peridot gemstone. When cleaning peridot jewelry, do not use an ultrasonic cleaner or a harsh chemical dip. Warm water and a soft cloth are best and most gentle cleaners for peridot.
Peridot as a healing stone has many properties. It has been used by natural healers to heal the heart and lungs, though healers say it should not be used during chakra work. Peridot is purported to slow the aging process - no wonder it is reported to have been a favorite of Cleopatra! It is purported to aid in the birthing process, as well as to help find lost or misplaced things. It is a "speaker's stone" - helping to improve eloquence and confidence in speech.
At AZ Bead Depot, we have peridot available in several shapes and qualities - from relatively inexpensive chips to AAA grade beads. If you are in love with the peridot color, but not with the price of the genuine stone, we have peridot colored Swarovski crystal, Czech fire polished crystal and even seed beads in that lustrous yellow green color which so entranced the Ottoman sultans. You won't even have to pay a king's ransom to take them home.
Next month - Sapphire - September's birthstone.
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