Who doesn't love a little sunshine? November's two birthstones, citrine and topaz, bring warmth and golden color to the world of gemstones. Discover their fascinating histories, intriguing legends, and the special qualities that have made them treasured for centuries.

Opal and tourmaline give October an extraordinary range of color, from shifting flashes of rainbow to soft pink and vivid blue-green. Two very different gemstones, one very colorful month.

Markets are weird. Customers are fascinating, my sister is a great saleswoman, the husband is the best sherpa around, friendships abound, and apparently I now own far too many pairs of artisanal alpaca socks.