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Photo provided by Gina Cobb

Gina Cobb uses her hands when she talks.  Her love of jewelry is obvious by the glint in her eyes and the timbre of her voice.  The signature line on her emails reads: “with excitement.”

Gina the Gemologist, Jewelry Whisperer, Stylist, and Appraiser struck out on her own after nearly two decades in the jewelry business.  She worked for Shane Co. where in 2006 she was named the US’ #1 salesperson.  During her tenure at Ben Bridge Jewelers, she was the first person to sell over $1 million of goods in one year.  More recently, she worked for Margulis Jewelers, a premier, high-end shop in Portland, Oregon.  If that weren’t enough, in 2018 she graduated summa cum laude from George Fox University.

Ms. Cobb focuses her energy on finding just the right piece of jewelry for her clients.  “It’s not about what I think,” Gina noted, “it’s about you, the client.”  She recalled a client who came into Shane Co. looking for an engagement ring.  He had a small budget and when Gina helped him find the perfect ring for his prospective bride, he quietly said, “What if she says no?”  In that moment Gina knew her job was to show the utmost sensitivity to the man’s concerns, not to sell him a ring.  She treats all her clients with integrity and kindness.

Gina is a Graduate Gemologist (GIA) and Appraiser (AGS) who can do everything from grading jewelry for purchase or sale to cleaning every ring in a client’s jewelry box.  She has good relationships with local jewelers and does not take any commissions on sales so that she can truly represent her clients’ needs.  She will shop and curate pieces to meet the client’s specifications, regardless of price range.

Pearls are the June Birthstone and known as the “Queen of gems.”  They form naturally in the bodies of mollusks, although cultured pearls–invented in the early 1900’s—are less expensive and more widely available.  It takes anywhere from six months to 10 years to form a pearl.  Tahitian pearls, known for their large size and unique shape, take about 5 years to form. 

Grading pearls for quality is notoriously difficult and requires special training.  The only way to truly know a pearl’s quality is to cut it open to observe the layers of nacre inside.   Gina advises pearl shoppers to look for reflectivity and shine–the ability to see oneself in the surface of a pearl.  The greater the luster the better quality the pearl.  She displayed several strands of pearls and challenged Rotary Club members to guess their respective values.  The examples she provided included Akoya saltwater pearls, pink freshwater pearls, white freshwater pearls, cultured pearls, snail shells, and plastic pearls.  A beautiful strand of well-matched Akoya pearls turned out to have the greatest value in the bunch.