Gaslight Village Welcomes three new businesses - Grand Rapids Business Journal grbj.com - get the latest breaking news, showbiz & celebrity photos, sport news & rumours, viral videos and top stories from grbj.com Daily Mail and Mail on Sunday newspapers.
Tanzanite: The World’s Rarest Gemstone
January 21, 2021
Since the gorgeously violet-blue gemstone tanzanite was first discovered in the 1960s, it has become a popular stone for various types of jewelry, from rings and pendants to earrings and brooches. There’s no doubt that this gemstone has become increasingly popular in recent years, but despite that, it’s actually the rarest gemstone on the planet. Indeed, in a few decades, there could be no more tanzanite left to mine. Given its scarce supply, you might assume that this stone sells at a high premium, but even though it’s exceptionally rare, it still sells for far less than diamonds.
Symmetry Jewelers on Hampson Street in the Riverbend
Behind the glittering offerings at Symmetry Jewelers lies a pandemic story despite how very busy they are and have been.
Like other non-essential businesses, Symmetry Jewelers closed down when it was mandated on March 22. They reopened a couple of months later, on the first day it was allowed.
They bought masks for staff and customers alike, installed sanitizer stations and social-distancing markers, and developed a regimen for regular sterilizing. And like other local businesses, they had to register with the city to be permitted to open up.
During those two lockdown months, the business took out a line of credit to pay employees while they applied for the Paycheck Protection Program. They were approved for the program, but the rules prohibited paying any past expenses, so the line of credit could not be reimbursed.