A Gettysburg Gem

By Kerry Mullen 
Photography by Picture This Portraits & Special Events

John J. Bradshaw presents rare gemstones during ALDavid's Gemstone Roundtable

Highly distinguished gemologist John J. Bradshaw chose Gettysburg as the location for an exclusive Gemstone Roundtable earlier this month. Handpicked to participate, attendees shared an appreciation and affinity for custom jewelry. Attendees were given the opportunity to touch and evaluate precious and rare gems while hearing from an expert in gemology and enjoying cocktails and hors d’oeuvres. Gettysburg’s newest and only fine custom jeweler ALDavid hosted the event.

Gemstone Roundtables are a unique opportunity for the general public to discover stones they normally wouldn’t see on display in a jewelry store. This event featured colored gems, which include everything except diamonds. Gemstone Roundtables reflect the excitement and diversity of minerals, which Bradshaw says prevent him from picking just one favorite stone.

Along with well-known gems, Bradshaw brought some stones to the event that “many jewelers have never seen let alone know how to spell,” including Sphene, Sphalerite, and Haüyne. Some stones purchased at the October Gemstone Roundtable included Peridot, which is normally produced in Arizona, but Bradshaw’s collection originated from Pakistan and was larger and richer in color than the more common stone. The most unusual stone purchased was Chrysoberyl, selected because of its beautiful yellow coloring and unique fastening.

From an early age, Bradshaw had an affinity for gems and stones. “As a kid before I even graduated high school, I always had an interest in rocks and minerals,” he says. “A friend of the family was a mineralogist, and every time he went somewhere he would bring me back a specific rock.”

Bradshaw has come a long way since those days, building an impressive track record in the gemology world. He started his career at the Harvard Mineralogical Museum as the very first gemologist on staff. The 1985 curator of the gemologist department recognized Bradshaw’s talent and invited him to examine the museum’s collection. During his time here, Bradshaw went through each and every mineral and gem in the collection to confirm their grade and classification. Currently, Bradshaw is on call for the Smithsonian and the U.S. Department of Justice as a gemologist consultant.

Guest Nicole Bucher looks at a rare stone through the loop.

The venue for this exclusive event, ALDavid Custom Jeweler opened its doors on Oct. 15 to this new Gettysburg location after operating a successful studio in New Hampshire for 26 years. The store is centrally located at 18 S. Carlisle St., Suite 201 across from the Majestic Theater. ALDavid Vice President Michelle Manahan says, “The majority of people that purchased a gemstone at the event left the stones here at ALDavid to be custom made.”

The Gemstone Roundtable was ALDavid’s first introduction into the community, an exclusive sneak peak before opening day. ALDavid has another Gemstone Roundtable planned in January with esteemed gemologist Sherris Cottier Shank. If interested in attending, contact ALDavid at 800-253-6801 for an invitation.