For all those born in this lovely month of May, we bring to you the Emerald! So sit down and let’s learn about your awesome Precious Birthstone. Did you know, it wasn’t always called an Emerald? Emerald comes from an ancient Persian word, which then transitioned into the Greek, Smaragdus. Through the centuries it has gone from esmaurde, esmralde, and in the 16th century to esmeralde.

This beautiful gemstone is ancient, even mentioned in the world's oldest book, Papyrus Prisse. "But good words are more difficult to find than the Emerald, for it is by slaves that it is discovered among the rocks." Although this book is 4500 years old, this is from a passage of writing 1000 years earlier!

Happy Birthday April babies! This is truly a time for love and celebration, because your birthstone is...drum roll please...the Diamond! Everybody know this is the most precious and therefore expensive of birthstones, but clearly, you’re worth it. The name of your stone comes from the late Latin name, Diamas, which derived from the Latin name, Adamas, which itself originated from the Greek term meaning invincible, and untamed.

In Sanskrit, the Diamond is called Vajra, which means lightning. In Hindu mythology this was the weapon used by Indra, the King of Gods. There is no denying that this Gem is fierce. Early uses for it were as a tool to carve into metal, and refract light, while others used it as a talisman of protection or ingested it for its healing properties. These healing properties are a myth however so do not try this at home. Many others recognized it’s beauty, and chose to adorn themselves with it.

Happy Birthday if you are born in March! Did you know that the name of the March Birthstone; Aquamarine, comes from two Latin Words, "Aqua" and "Marina", meaning “Water of the Sea”? The name is reminiscent of the beautiful shades of Blue that this Gemstone holds, light to dark and ever moving like the sea. Your Gemstone contains many extraordinary properties, utilized throughout history! The ancient philosopher Pliny was just one of many who praised Aquamarines’ name. Multiple uses were applied using Aquamarine to cure eye diseases, as well poisoning. In the 1300’s it became very popular with Royalty, who were constantly in danger of being poisoned.

Warriors also wore this Gemstone for protection in battles, while sailors wore Aquamarine to help guide them through the open seas. The Aquamarine is said to have powers of clarity, which is why it has been used in Crystal Balls since the Middle Ages. Queen Elizabeth I even used one with her advisor John Dee to help find her perfect date for her coronation.

So where does this wonder Gem come from? A modern day Geologist will tell you from the mines of Brazil, as well as Angola, Kenya, central Madagascar, Malawi, Nigeria, Mozambique, Pakistan, the Ural Mountains in Russia, Tanzania, Colorado / USA, and Zambia. However, if we asked one of our ancestors, you would be told to search for a mermaid's treasure box, not only this, but also the mermaids make them from their own tears before they treasure them.

Dancing dragons and firecrackers ... the Year of the Rooster is on!!! Find out where and how to celebrate in Chinatown this weekend!

To all you New Year babies out there, congratulations! Your birthstone is the Garnet. While Garnet comes in a myriad of colors, the most popular of Garnet colors is the deep red.

The name Garnet derives from the word, “gernet”. Not fluent in 14th century Middle English? It means dark red, and comes from the Latin word, “granatum”, meaning seed. This is due to the red garnets resembling pomegranate seeds! In fact, during the Victorian era, Garnets were made popular for their small red cluster jewelry resembling pomegranate.

A new article on Brides.com sheds some light on the question whether there is any reason to take off your engagement ring at night, including my very own humble opinion.

"Let's be honest, if you're like most girls, the only time you ever even think to take your engagement ring off is to hit the gym (which you absolutely should BTW, especially if you'll be lifting weights!). But what about when you hit the hay? Is it okay to snooze with a rock on your finger or should you really be giving it a rest? We talked to some jewelry pros to find out why or why not."

Here is a new must for your jewelry box. Close your eyes and think of the 90’s. No, its not platform shoes and high waisted denim, its those awesome choker necklaces! This is a major 90’s trend thats upon us again. Although, we associate chokers with 90’s fashion, this style has been around for hundreds of years, being predominantly regarded as high fashion.

We reserved one of our new Yaf Sparkle studded butterfly rings for one lucky winner ($195 value). Simply answer 14 short questions (ca.60-90 secs.), the winner will...

Don't miss out! Many Buddha to Buddha sale as many leather and cord bracelets are now on sale!

The next event and pretty much the best of all events all year anyway: Join us on Friday, December 16th, from 5-9PM for our annual holiday party! Amongst others we will welcome Lauren Harkness as a special guest. Lauren will show us her latest pieces - after moving back to NYC recently a sudden spurt of creativity...

Their famous pendulums are one of our bestsellers, and the variety of their gemstones keeps getting bigger.

 Meet the Gemstone Girls: Join us on Thursday, December 8th, from 5-9PM for a meet and greet with jewelry designer family Pound Jewelry!

Their famous pendulums are one of our bestsellers, and the variety of their gemstones keeps getting bigger.

Turquoise is the traditional birthstone of December, and the chosen stone for the 11th anniversary gift. A fascinating history follows this ancient stone. Follow me through time and space when we learn more about the Birthstone of the month December.

We felt like sharing this article with you for it's a) really interesting content and b) our 5 cents are in it, and a feature in the Huffington Post is something to be proud of after all ;-) Read on to learn which factors make "the Rich" pick their Diamonds, which shifts in traditions are changing engagement rings' designs, and which ...

The auction took less than 200 seconds. "The unique Pink", a pink diamond of rare color and clarity with an astonishing carat weight of 9.14 had found a new (undisclosed) home. Prices for such rare diamonds are on the rise, as ...

This week we have a nice adjustable hat from Buddha to Buddha for you...

How an ordinary carrot became the gift of a lifetime

Imagine this : An 82 year old man celebrates his 50th wedding anniversary with the love of his life. Just a few weeks later, he looses his band while gardening in his backyard. His wife is not worried at all, "it will come back" she says. She would be right. Six months after her passing, the man is in his garden to pick his carrots and finds his wedding ring grown into one of mother earths gifts.

This miraculous story is almost too good to be true. I cannot even imagine the emotions that overcame him, when his wife seemed so incredibly close all of a sudden. I am sure he smiled skywards and said "thank you my angel".

The new Fall/Winter collection is finally here, and we are very excited about these cool new pieces that fit into the Buddha to Buddha collection so nicely!! After cutting many established designs from their lineup we were eager to see how the dutch designer would move on with their styles. Many "classic" silver bracelets were discontinued as we learned during the summer months, and it was clear that BTB had some amazing new ideas up their sleeves to fill in the blanks.

Born in November? You literally are lucky - Citrine, one of your birthstones, is said to be the gemstone of the fortunate, as many people consider its energy as "bright"! In ancient times, Citrine was carried as a protection against snake venom and evil thoughts.

Today, Citrine (French for “lemon”) is known as the merchant’s stone and is associated with success and prosperity, but it is also known as the “healing quartz” for its ability to comfort, soothe and calm. It can release negative feelings, spark imagination and manifest fresh beginnings. From my experience, people with frequent back pain seek to wear Citrine on them, probably based on a word of mouth advice from friends, which many times seems to come from the fact that the Citrine is considered a solar plexus chakra stone. Citrine's nickname as the "Merchant / Success Stone" also has a deep meaning to many - you will find a Citrine as a staple lucky charm in many cash registers of the world.

You're invited: Join us on Thursday, November 17th, from 5-9PM for a meet and greet with jewelry designer Lauren Harkness!

Let's mingle over snacks and drinks, get mentally prepared for the holidays, chit chat and dance and do whatever else is fun!

A big thanks to Buddha to Buddha for providing us with some gifts during our recent visit to Amsterdam headquarters. Find out how to participate...

After the great success of last year’s Cider Week, NYC has another opportunity to support local orchards while reviving heirloom apple varieties that won't find a place in modern supermarkets. Starting today with multiple events all over Manhattan and Brooklyn (more infos), Cider Week NY will make a stop in the Lower East Side this Sunday, October 23rd (12-4), when the Lower East Cider Fest brings the Orchards back to Orchard. Read on to find out all you need to know about the trendy apple wine...

Two birthstones are assigned to the month of October, the fiery Opal and the colorful Tourmaline, which we will examine further in the following lines. To me, the Tourmaline stands for joy. Why? Well, it is available in a full rainbow of hues (look at this piece for example), in fact sometimes comes with all the colors of the rainbow combined in one piece. This property made the ancient Egyptians believe, that while traveling to the earth’s surface, these gemstones passed over a rainbow causing them to absorb all the colors of the rainbow in the process. The origin of this gemstones name is just as chaotic and lovable as its color scheme...

Wedding Photography has become a very distinctive art form. Pretty much everyone in the first world owns a camera nowadays, but when it comes to capturing one of the happiest moments of your life you probably will want to go with professional wedding photographers who understand the unique requirements of a once-in-a-lifetime situation. With a lifetime of capturing life through the lens and over five years of experience in professional wedding photography, Michelle and Towfiq from Wandermore Photography are not only able to keep their cool when everything gets a bit crazy, but also pick the right lens, composition and guidance to create unforgettable images. But truth be told, ...

Sapphire - a precious stone associated with royalty and romance for centuries, shone brighter than a Diamond back in 1981, when Prince Charles gave a blue Sapphire engagement ring to Lady Diana Spencer in front of an estimated global TV audience of 750 million people. Her Sapphire ring helped link modern events with the rich history and countless fairy tales surrounding Sapphires.

Tradition holds that the tablets containing the Ten Commandments were composed of Sapphire, so strong that a hammer swung against them would be smashed to pieces. The ancient Persians believed that the earth rested on a giant Sapphire and its reflection colored the sky. Many other cultures have believed that Sapphires imparted healing and calming properties.

Historically, Sapphire symbolizes nobility, truth, sincerity, and faithfulness. It is an excellent choice for an engagement ring. It is also the the official gemstone ...

The Summer/Fall edition of Martha's Vineyard Island Wedding Magazine has a beautiful feature on one of our favorite jewelry designers, Monika Knutsson, which we wanted to share. Monika Knutsson met with the editor on Martha’s Vineyard early this year, and later interviewed with journalist Erin Ryerson in New York! The article is beautifully written, and we’re thrilled to see Monika be a part of the wonderful magazine.

The birthstone of the month August, Peridot, comes in such a cheery, bright shade of green, it is no wonder that it has been symbolic of happiness, loyalty, and friendship. It has an interesting history throughout ancient cultures, including everything from preventing "terrors of the night" to being strung on donkey's hair and tied around the left arm to ward off evil.

Ancient Egyptians even believed that peridot disappeared in sunlight and glowed at night, so it was mined in darkness. Today, the majority of the world's production of peridot is mined on the San Carlos reservation in Arizona . . . but we are not sure whether it's mined during the day or night ;-) .

Cleopatra’s Favorite Gemstone: The ancient Egyptians treasured and valued green gemstones. It is believed that at that point in time, it was hard for the uneducated eye to tell the difference between the two beautiful green stones, Emerald and Peridot, so they occasionally mistook one for the other. Cleopatra however was said to favor the Peridot.

Long before Diamonds challenged our birthstone of the month in their role as the most prestigious gemstone, Ruby has been considered the unprecedented king of gems. For centuries, Rubies have graced the kings and emperors of the world and thus became widely associated with powerful words such as courage, power, love and passion. Ruby made for the perfect status symbol, for only the wealthiest leaders were able to show off a medium-dark vivid red stone (preferably with a slightly blue hue), as it was and is a very rare find.

Nowadays, the gemologist will refer to Rubies that appear too light or that have too much purple or orange in them as "fancy-colored", while the darker hues are many times referred to as "Burmese Ruby", reflecting the light in a beautiful "pigeon blood" color. The famous Mogok Valley mines in Myanmar are the origin for these associations. Rubies are said to ensure health, wisdom, wealth and success in love. Ruby is a stone that is considered in crystal healing to be very protective of home, worldly possession, children, as well as psychic protection. It is also said to protect against unhappiness and lightning.

Starting today, Hester Street Fair is back for the 2016 season. Now in it's 7th season, the artisan market will provide the Lower East Side with food, fashion and fun. “We want to embrace what the Lower East side has always been for artists; even if the rents continue to rise the park will always be for the people,” says the street fair team. A new focus this year will be

As the perfect gift idea for those born in May, precious Emerald stones are a great choice for May babies. Green is the color of Spring and has long symbolized love and rebirth. As the gem of Venus, it is considered to aid in fertility. Due to Emerald’s nurturing qualities a pair of Emerald earrings or a necklace with Emerald gems would be a lovely gift to any mother, even expectant ones. The history of emeralds can be traced back to antiquity, worn by royalty in Babylon and Egypt. Tools dating back to 1300 B.C., during the reign of Rameses II, have been found in Egyptian emerald mines. Queen Cleopatra’s emeralds were believed to originate from mines in Southern Egypt, near the Red Sea. When the conquistadors first arrived in South America from Spain, they saw indigenous rulers wearing emeralds. They stole large quantities of emeralds from the Peruvians during the invasion, but the source of the emeralds was not discovered. In 1537 the Spaniards found the location of an important emerald mine in Chivor / Colombia.

To this day, the most famous emerald mine in Muzo / Colombia is said to produce the world’s best emeralds. Through the ages, many myths were associated...

The LES Block Party season is about to begin anew, kicking it off with an old school open air jam in honor of Essex Street Markets' 76th birthday on May 21st, 12-5PM. The good taste of the party is guaranteed by local gourmet specialists such as Pies 'n' Thighs, Grey Lady, Cafe Katja, The Fat Radish/The Leadbelly, and Ice & Vice, who will be pulling out all the stops and creating a specialty ice cream flavor inspired by the Market. Furthermore, for all...