French Quarter Gem & Lapidary

09/16/2024

French Quarter Gem and Lapidary will be open TODAY, Monday September 16th for your shopping pleasure from 10:00am to 6;00pm!

08/26/2024

😎Hi everyone! Just a heads up that we will be taking our late summer break very soon 😎

😊This coming week we will be OPEN our usual days of Wednesday through Sunday, from 10-6, but we’ve added an extra day and will be OPEN LABOR DAY from 10-6 also.😊
After that we will be CLOSED from Tuesday, September 3rd-Thursday, September 12th. We will REOPEN Friday, September 13th! Just in time to get ready for our busy Fall season of Festivals and Fun!! We look forward to seeing you soon!😊

08/15/2024

The August birthstone is truly a “cosmic gem”!
Peridot(however you pronounce it is ok😊) has been found on meteorites, in comet dust as well as on the surface of Mars! Wow! It is a variety of the mineral Olivine and has been prized since the time of the Ancient Egyptians who mined it from the island of Zabargad in the Red Sea.Known as a stone of good fortune and prosperity, it is still very popular today.
We have a lovely variety of peridot jewellery in both sterling silver and gold settings as well as some pretty raw crystals.
We continue to be open Wednesday through Sunday from 10-6.It may be HOT outside but it’s always COOL at the Lapidary! 😎

07/29/2024

French Quarter Gem and Lapidary now hiring retail personnel. Please bring résumé in person Wednesday through Sunday 10 AM to 6 PM. A knowledge of rocks, gems and jewelry sales appreciated . The shop will reach out to all qualified applicants. 

07/28/2024

Do you really need a reason to visit our beautiful city over the next few months? Okay….take your pick and we’ll see you soon!! 💛⚜️🖤

07/17/2024

😎Well summer is definitely here and, as usual, it’s a hot one! July’s birthstone is pretty hot too! RUBY is a member of the corundum family of minerals(as is sapphire)and is considered rare.
One of the oldest recorded sources of rubies is Burma(and famously so)but today it can also be found in Madagascar, Vietnam, and India. Once believed to be a stone of protection, rubies were often carried into battle by medieval warriors! Today we’re more likely to associate ruby as a stone of nurturing and health.
We hope to be able to share our beautiful examples of rubies, in sterling or gold settings, with you soon. We also have some amazing carvings of ruby in matrix.
Remember, it might be hot outside, but it’s always cool at the Lapidary!! 😎

07/02/2024

🇺🇸💥🇺🇸Just in case you were wondering….we will be OPEN on Thursday, July 4th from 10-6! 🇺🇸💥🇺🇸

06/05/2024

If you’re lucky enough to be born in June you have a choice of three very different birthstones!
ALEXANDRITE is known as the “chameleon” of gemstones.A colour-changing member of the chrysoberyl family of minerals, it is now extremely rare.The original spectacular deposits of Alexandrite were found in the Ural Mountains of Russia and these were eventually mined out.It can now be found in Brazil and Sri Lanka.
PEARLS are organic “gems” which “grow”inside a living mollusk.The majority of pearls we see today are cultured, that is, raised on pearl farms where the mollusks are cleaned and protected from predators.Associated with purity and innocence, pearls are always a popular choice!
MOONSTONE is a more contemporary addition to the June line up of birthstones.One of our most popular stones, it is a member of the feldspar group of minerals.Found today in several areas of the world, it exhibits a special glow known as adularescence!
We are fortunate to have fine examples of all the June birthstones and we look forward to sharing them with you soon!
We continue to be open Wednesday through Sunday from 10am-6pm.

06/05/2024

😎Hi everyone! We are back from our Summer Break and will reopen today from 10-6, resuming our regular days and hours. We look forward to seeing you soon!😎

05/26/2024

Always a popular event here in the French Quarter.We hope you’ll take time to enjoy this and then come and see us too! We are open today from 10-6.

Online tickets have closed but you can still buy tickets tomorrow, the day of the event, at the Cabildo portico, starting at 11:00 AM until 3 PM.

05/20/2024

😎Hi everyone! Just a heads up that we will be taking an early summer break very soon! The store will be CLOSED FROM MONDAY, MAY 27th to TUESDAY, JUNE 4th.We will REOPEN on WEDNESDAY, JUNE 5th…..just in time to get ready for the Creole Tomato Fest!! 🍅Hope to see you soon! 😎

05/09/2024

💚May’s beautiful birthstone is a member of the Beryl family of minerals that also includes Aquamarine and Morganite.💚
💚The first known Emerald mines were in Egypt dating as far back as 330BC….so it’s no surprise that Cleopatra was a big fan!💚
💚Emeralds have been found in several areas of the world over the centuries, but most famously from Colombia.When Spanish explorers invaded the New World in the 16th century, the Incas had already been using Emeralds in adornments and rituals for 500 years!💚
💚Once believed to protect against illness and evil spells, Emeralds are now more commonly known as a stone of prosperity and optimism.
💚Of course we have some beautiful examples of Emeralds in gold or sterling silver jewellery, as well as raw and tumbled specimens.We look forward to sharing them with you soon!💚

🌺We will be open through Saturday this week but CLOSED ON MOTHER’S DAY🌺

05/07/2024

🌺💐🌸We will be open Wednesday through Saturday this coming week but CLOSED FOR MOTHER’S DAY, Sunday May12th🌸💐🌺

🌼🌻We have, as always, an amazing selection of items that are perfect for Mother’s Day gifts! As well as our fabulous gold and sterling silver jewellery, we have our hand-knotted pearl necklaces(perfect for any occasion), wonderful bracelets, crystal tea light holders, onyx wine goblets, framed butterflies and SO MUCH MORE! We look forward to seeing you and helping you choose that perfect gift.🌻🌼

04/13/2024

🌞French Quarter Fest is in full swing and the weather is perfect! We are open Saturday and Sunday from 10-6.Have a great weekend!🌞

04/09/2024

Diamonds are well known to be a “girl’s best friend” but we know how popular they are with guys too! At a perfect 10 on the MOHs scale of hardness, they are perfect for everyday wear and still one of our favourites.Diamonds are the only gem classified as “precious”! Known as a stone of clarity and strength, diamonds are formed from a single element, carbon, and most diamonds found today are over a billion years old….wow!!
The largest cut diamond known today is the Star of Africa and is and an amazing 530.20 carats! It is set in the Royal Sceptre and housed safely in the Tower of London with the other Crown Jewels.While we do not have a diamond quite that large we do have an exceptional choice of diamond jewelry which we look forward to sharing with you!

Festival Season is upon us!! We’re excited about French Quarter Fest this coming weekend and Jazz Fest later this month.It’s a great time to be in New Orleans!! We continue to be open Wed-Sun from 10-6.

03/26/2024

🐇🐣💐All of us at French Quarter Gem would like to take this (early!) opportunity to wish you a very Happy Easter! 🌼The store will be CLOSED ON EASTER SUNDAY🌼 but open Wed.March 27th-Sat.March 30th our usual hours of 10am-6pm.We look forward to seeing you soon!💐🐣🐇

03/16/2024

☘️🇮🇹Bobo is waiting for you to come in and see him! Lots going on with the Italian and Irish parades, Saturday and Sunday.We are open all weekend from 10-6.🇮🇹☘️

03/08/2024

Just when you thought parade season was over, here comes March with its own selection of festivities and to celebrate further two very special, and diverse, birthstones!
AQUAMARINE is a member of the Beryl family of minerals, that also includes Emerald and Morganite.At a 7.5-8 on the MOH’s scale it is perfect for everyday wear and, as it has the same refractive index as a diamond, it really sparkles! 🤩 Ancient mariners used aquamarine as a talisman to guarantee calm seas but nowadays it is more commonly known as a stone of harmony and peace.
BLOODSTONE(also known as heliotrope) is a dark green jasper with red, iron oxide, inclusions.It is found in several areas of the world today, including India and the U.S.It is known to be a stone of protection and strength, often used by athletes to increase their stamina!
We are very fortunate to have some fine examples of both stones in jewellery and mineral specimens.
We continue to be open from Wednesday through Sunday from 10am to 6pm 😊

⏰DON’T FORGET TO “SPRING FORWARD” this Saturday night(or Sunday morning if you’re up late!😁)⏰

02/14/2024

💗HAPPY VALENTINE’S DAY everyone!💗We are OPEN TODAY from 10-6💗

02/12/2024

💜💚💛We would like to wish everyone a very Happy and Safe Mardi Gras!!💜💚💛
We are closed today(Lundi Gras)and tomorrow(Mardi Gras) but will reopen on Wednesday just in time for all your Valentine’s Day needs!!❤️❤️❤️

02/10/2024

💜💚💛It’s the time of year when our native trees are in full bloom!! We are OPEN ALL WEEKEND from 10-6💜💚💛

02/08/2024

💜From Catherine the Great to the Duchess of Windsor to many of our customers, February’s beautiful birthstone has always been a perennial favourite! A member of the quartz family of minerals, Amethyst is found in many areas of the world today from Brazil to the United States.Often called “the Sobriety Stone” and worn or carried to prevent over imbibing of alcohol(no guarantees during Carnival season!!), Amethyst is also known as a healing stone and an anxiety reliever.💜
We have many beautiful examples of Amethyst in sterling silver or gold settings as well as bracelets and hand-knotted necklaces and raw mineral specimens in a variety of sizes💜

💜💚💛We will be CLOSED Lundi Gras and Mardi Gras as per our usual schedule💜💚💛

❤️❤️Valentine’s Day is just ahead and we will be open on Wednesday, February 14th to help you choose the perfect for that special someone!❤️❤️

02/01/2024

💜💚💛Hi everyone! Our Winter Break is almost over and we will reopen this Saturday, February 3rd at 10am! We are well rested and looking forward to seeing you all! 💜💚💛

Locally owned and operated, French Quarter Gem & Lapidary specializes in affordable quality gemstone

01/15/2024

❄️Hello everyone! It’s that time of year again and that means a Winter Break!❄️
This coming week our hours will be
MONDAY, Jan 15th CLOSED
TUESDAY, Jan 16th CLOSED
WEDNESDAY, Jan 17th OPEN 10-6
THURSDAY, Jan 18th OPEN 10-6
FRIDAY, Jan 20th OPEN 10-3(Closing early!)
SATURDAY, Jan 20th-FRIDAY Feb 2nd CLOSED.
💜💚💛We will REOPEN SATURDAY, Feb 3rd….just in time for the first big parade weekend!!💜💚💛

Locally owned and operated, French Quarter Gem & Lapidary specializes in affordable quality gemstone

01/03/2024

💥What a great way to start the New Year with Garnet as January’s beautiful birthstone!
Garnets are mined today in many places around the world from Africa to Russia to the U.S! They’re found in an interesting variety of colours from traditional red, to orange, purple, yellow and green! Garnets have a long history dating back to Ancient Egypt where a red garnet necklace was found in a 5,000 year old tomb! In the Middle Ages they were worn or carried into battle as a protection stone.Today they tend to be associated with good health and happiness!
We have a beautiful collection of garnet jewellery in sterling silver or gold settings as well as some gorgeous hand-knotted necklaces and some raw specimens too.We look forward to sharing them all with you!💥

🌟Looking ahead, we will be taking our annual Winter Break towards the end of January. Details coming soon!!🌟