Opals & Gemstones Blog
Did this 255-carat crimson stone really belong ...
In 1703, Dutch merchants trading out of Ceylon (the former colonial name for Sri Lanka) returned home with a curious pink stone with even more curious properties. When placed near...
Did this 255-carat crimson stone really belong ...
In 1703, Dutch merchants trading out of Ceylon (the former colonial name for Sri Lanka) returned home with a curious pink stone with even more curious properties. When placed near...
The Town That Lives Underground
The Aboriginal people of South Australia's desert had a straightforward name for the place: kupa-piti. It translates, with characteristic directness, to ‘white man in a hole.’ The Kokatha weren't being...
The Town That Lives Underground
The Aboriginal people of South Australia's desert had a straightforward name for the place: kupa-piti. It translates, with characteristic directness, to ‘white man in a hole.’ The Kokatha weren't being...
3 Things to Never Use on your Opals
There is nothing quite like the fiery, mesmerizing dance of a one-of-a-kind opal. Because these stones are literal time capsules of the earth, they deserve a little extra reverence and...
3 Things to Never Use on your Opals
There is nothing quite like the fiery, mesmerizing dance of a one-of-a-kind opal. Because these stones are literal time capsules of the earth, they deserve a little extra reverence and...
Inspired by nature's invisible engineering
In 1999, mathematician Thomas Hales proved that a hexagonal grid is the most efficient way to divide a flat surface into regions of equal area. While his ‘Honeycomb Conjecture’ is...
Inspired by nature's invisible engineering
In 1999, mathematician Thomas Hales proved that a hexagonal grid is the most efficient way to divide a flat surface into regions of equal area. While his ‘Honeycomb Conjecture’ is...
Not an end, but a chance for a new beginning
In the heart of Namibia’s ancient Namib Desert lies a place so still it feels suspended in time. Beneath its endless blue sky rests a brilliant white clay pan, bleached...
Not an end, but a chance for a new beginning
In the heart of Namibia’s ancient Namib Desert lies a place so still it feels suspended in time. Beneath its endless blue sky rests a brilliant white clay pan, bleached...
Every goal is within reach when you're pointed ...
I'm a firm believer that with devotion, hard work, and a little luck, almost any dream can be achieved… even when the odds are stacked against you. Case in point:...
Every goal is within reach when you're pointed ...
I'm a firm believer that with devotion, hard work, and a little luck, almost any dream can be achieved… even when the odds are stacked against you. Case in point:...
Anatomy of an Heirloom
Anatomy of an Heirloom: The Exacting Journey from Earth to Atelier Tucson 2026: A Reunion of Trust There is a specific cadence to the Tucson Gem Show—a blend of desert...
Anatomy of an Heirloom
Anatomy of an Heirloom: The Exacting Journey from Earth to Atelier Tucson 2026: A Reunion of Trust There is a specific cadence to the Tucson Gem Show—a blend of desert...
A NASA physicist, a paper insect, and your stee...
In the early 1990s, car engineers were stuck: they needed to fit a massive, life-saving airbag into the tiny, cramped column of a steering wheel. The problem? They couldn’t figure...
A NASA physicist, a paper insect, and your stee...
In the early 1990s, car engineers were stuck: they needed to fit a massive, life-saving airbag into the tiny, cramped column of a steering wheel. The problem? They couldn’t figure...
Shining Our Way Through Life
Humans have been creating fire for nearly half a million years. This illuminating discovery provided early people with a sense of security, helping them ward off the dangers of the...
Shining Our Way Through Life
Humans have been creating fire for nearly half a million years. This illuminating discovery provided early people with a sense of security, helping them ward off the dangers of the...
Up, Up, and Away
Imagine relying on gusts of wind to navigate your car from home to the grocery store and back. It would seem an impossible task, but high above the streets of...
Up, Up, and Away
Imagine relying on gusts of wind to navigate your car from home to the grocery store and back. It would seem an impossible task, but high above the streets of...
The mysteries of the sea, revealed
I stepped on the most venomous fish in the world! Yes, that’s it right there in the center! It happened during my family’s trip to Australia last summer. Come low...
The mysteries of the sea, revealed
I stepped on the most venomous fish in the world! Yes, that’s it right there in the center! It happened during my family’s trip to Australia last summer. Come low...
What Does Ethical Mean to You
You’re probably accustomed to seeing words like natural, fresh, and clean printed on product packaging during your weekly trips to the grocery store. Because these terms are not regulated, they...
What Does Ethical Mean to You
You’re probably accustomed to seeing words like natural, fresh, and clean printed on product packaging during your weekly trips to the grocery store. Because these terms are not regulated, they...
A Glimmer of History: Understanding the World o...
At NIXIN, we often talk about the soul of a stone—the way an opal captures a galaxy or a sapphire holds the deep blue of the sea. But today, I...
A Glimmer of History: Understanding the World o...
At NIXIN, we often talk about the soul of a stone—the way an opal captures a galaxy or a sapphire holds the deep blue of the sea. But today, I...
Love isn't Always Perfect
When you think of the symbols most often associated with love, the first to come to mind are likely hearts, roses, doves, and cupids… probably not a building. But for...
Love isn't Always Perfect
When you think of the symbols most often associated with love, the first to come to mind are likely hearts, roses, doves, and cupids… probably not a building. But for...
A Magical Reawakening
Do you remember the snowfall scene in the original The Wizard of Oz film? It’s a scene that always felt magical to us. Just as the Emerald City comes into view,...
A Magical Reawakening
Do you remember the snowfall scene in the original The Wizard of Oz film? It’s a scene that always felt magical to us. Just as the Emerald City comes into view,...
An Ancient Story Frozen in Time
If I were to step about 100 million years back in time, the Australia that I visited this past summer would look like a very different place. In fact, much...
An Ancient Story Frozen in Time
If I were to step about 100 million years back in time, the Australia that I visited this past summer would look like a very different place. In fact, much...
A captivating transformation of color
What do you see when you look at this image? If you guessed a tie-dyed fabric, you're correct. But it’s not the type you likely made as a kid at...
A captivating transformation of color
What do you see when you look at this image? If you guessed a tie-dyed fabric, you're correct. But it’s not the type you likely made as a kid at...
There's a Rainbow Within us All
"There is a light that shines bright in every one of us. To see that light in others, you don't need glasses, just compassion." — Charles F. Glassman In Thailand,...
There's a Rainbow Within us All
"There is a light that shines bright in every one of us. To see that light in others, you don't need glasses, just compassion." — Charles F. Glassman In Thailand,...
A Rather Peculiar Thing Happened
“After James Henry Trotter had been living with his aunts for three whole years there came a morning when something rather peculiar happened to him. And this thing, which as...
A Rather Peculiar Thing Happened
“After James Henry Trotter had been living with his aunts for three whole years there came a morning when something rather peculiar happened to him. And this thing, which as...
Honey-Kissed Halos Capture the Essence of Commu...
When thinking of ways to help your community, acts of service like running an errand for a neighbor or volunteering at a local organization might come to mind. Though it’s...
Honey-Kissed Halos Capture the Essence of Commu...
When thinking of ways to help your community, acts of service like running an errand for a neighbor or volunteering at a local organization might come to mind. Though it’s...