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Thomas Michaels Designers, Inc.

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Camden, ME
Thomas Michaels Designers, Inc.

A third generation of contemporary American jewelry design. Creators of designer jewelry in precious metals and gemstones.

Expert and experienced brokers of white and natural fancy color diamonds.

10/15/2026

A spectrum of natural color, set in platinum. ✨

This one-of-a-kind multi-color sapphire bracelet features 18.17 carats of unheated sapphires, each individually basket-set in platinum to showcase its unique color and brilliance.

From soft pastels to rich jewel tones, every sapphire brings something different to the piece, a celebration of natural gemstones, thoughtful craftsmanship, and timeless design

10/07/2026

Exceptional gemstones, meticulous craftsmanship, and original design, the signature of Thomas Michaels Designers.

10/04/2026

Bezel Set Solitaire with Channel Set Side Diamonds

A modern take on the classic solitaire, this 18KT white gold engagement ring features a 0.82 ct. round brilliant diamond secured in a sleek bezel setting.

Along the cathedral-style shank, 0.15 ct. of channel set side diamonds add subtle brilliance without taking attention away from the center stone. Clean lines, secure setting and beautifully balanced proportions give this bezel set diamond engagement ring a refined, contemporary feel.

An original, copyrighted design by Thomas Michaels Designers.

09/29/2026

Tanzanite is one of the world’s most distinctive blue gemstones, prized for its rich blue-violet color and remarkable rarity.

First discovered in 1967 in the Merelani Hills of Tanzania, near Mount Kilimanjaro, Tanzanite was initially mistaken for sapphire before being identified as a blue variety of zoisite. To this day, it is still found in only a very small area of Tanzania.

Its color ranges from pale blue to deep ultramarine, often with beautiful violet undertones. Most Tanzanite is heat treated to enhance those blue and violet tones.

With a hardness of 6.5–7, Tanzanite is especially well suited to fine jewelry such as pendants and earrings, where its striking color can truly shine.

09/27/2026

Thomas Michaels Designers on
the 4C’s of Diamonds: The Fourth C: Diamond Carat Weight

Carat refers to a diamond’s weight, not simply how large it looks. One carat equals 100 points, so a 0.50-carat diamond is 50 points and a 0.25-carat diamond is 25 points.

Because diamonds are three-dimensional, a 2-carat stone will not necessarily look twice as large as a 1-carat stone. Some of that extra weight may come from the diamond’s depth rather than its visible surface. Larger diamonds are also rarer in nature, which is why value can rise significantly as carat weight increases.

But bigger is not always better. The most beautiful choice often comes from finding the right balance between carat, cut, color, and clarity, rather than focusing on weight alone.

And one small distinction worth remembering:

Carat = gemstone weight

Karat = gold purity

09/17/2026

Thomas Michaels Designers on the 4C’s of Diamonds: The Third C : Diamond Cut

Of the 4C’s, cut is the only one shaped by the human hand.

A diamond begins as a natural crystal, but it is the skill of the cutter, the precision of every angle, proportion, and facet, that determines how beautifully it interacts with light. When light enters a well-cut diamond, it travels through the stone, reflects from its facets, and returns to the eye as the brilliance, fire, and sparkle we associate with an exceptional diamond. Think of those facets as tiny mirrors.

When they are positioned in a precise relationship to one another, light is reflected back through the top of the diamond. If a stone is cut too shallow or too deep, some of that light escapes through the sides or bottom instead, leaving the diamond appearing less brilliant. That means a diamond can have exceptional color and clarity, yet still lack life if the cut is poorly executed.

A diamond’s cut considers several elements, including:
Proportion: the relationship between the diamond’s dimensions and angles.
Symmetry: how precisely its facets align with one another.
Polish: the quality and finish of each facet’s surface.

Together, these details determine how efficiently the diamond handles light and ultimately how alive it appears. The classic round brilliant, developed around mathematical proportions to maximize light performance, contains 58 facets. But regardless of a diamond’s shape, successful cutting is always a balance of mathematics, craftsmanship, and an understanding of the individual stone. Because with cut, even the smallest adjustments can make an extraordinary difference.

09/05/2026

Thomas Michaels Designers
The 4C’s of Diamonds: The Second C: Diamond Color

When we talk about color in a white diamond, we’re actually looking for the opposite: the absence of color.

The closer a diamond is to completely colorless, the rarer it becomes. Most natural diamonds contain subtle traces of yellow or brown, often so slight they are difficult to detect without comparing stones side by side.

White diamonds are graded alphabetically, beginning with D, the highest color grade:

D–F | Colorless
Exceptionally rare, with little to no detectable color.

G–J | Near Colorless
Subtle warmth begins to appear, though many still look beautifully white to the eye, particularly once set in jewelry.

But a D-color diamond is not automatically the most beautiful choice. Cut, shape, setting and surrounding metal all influence how color is perceived. A thoughtfully selected near-colorless diamond can offer extraordinary beauty and value without a visible compromise.

And then there are diamonds where color becomes something entirely different.

Natural fancy color diamonds occur in remarkable shades of yellow, pink, blue, green, orange, violet and red. Here, instead of absence, it is the presence and intensity of color that creates rarity and value, from Fancy Light through Fancy, Fancy Intense, Fancy Vivid and Fancy Deep.

Whether nearly absent or wonderfully abundant, color is one of the qualities that gives every diamond its individual character.

08/28/2026

Thomas Michaels Designers on the 4C’s of Diamonds
The First C: Clarity

Every natural diamond carries a story of how it was formed deep within the earth. Part of that story shows up in its clarity.

Clarity refers to the presence of internal characteristics, called inclusions, and external characteristics, known as blemishes. These may appear as tiny crystals, feathers, lines, or other markings created during a diamond’s natural formation. Like a fingerprint, their unique placement can help identify an individual diamond.

Most inclusions are microscopic and invisible to the naked eye. Unless they interfere with the way light travels through the stone, they may have little effect on its visible beauty. Generally, however, the fewer and less noticeable the inclusions, the rarer, and therefore more valuable, the diamond.

Diamond clarity is evaluated under 10× magnification and graded on a scale:

FL / IF: Flawless & Internally Flawless
Exceptionally rare. No inclusions are visible to a trained grader under 10× magnification.

VVS1 / VVS2: Very, Very Slightly Included
Minute inclusions that are extremely difficult to locate, even under magnification.

VS1 / VS2: Very Slightly Included
Minor inclusions visible under magnification, but generally not noticeable to the unaided eye.

SI1 / SI2: Slightly Included
Inclusions are more readily visible under magnification and, depending on the individual diamond, may sometimes be visible without it.

I1 / I2 / I3: Included
Inclusions are obvious under magnification and may be visible to the naked eye.

But clarity is only part of what makes a diamond beautiful.

A higher clarity grade doesn’t automatically mean a diamond will look more beautiful to the person wearing it. The location, size, and nature of the inclusions, as well as the diamond’s cut, color, and overall character, all matter.

Understanding those subtleties is where an experienced jeweler’s guidance becomes invaluable.

08/19/2026

The Enduring Beauty of Emerald

Emerald has been treasured for thousands of years, admired for a green so distinctive that few gemstones can rival it. As the birthstone for May, it has long been associated with rebirth, growth and renewal, while historically symbolizing wisdom, good fortune, love and fidelity.

The ancient Egyptians were mining emerald as early as 1500 BCE, and for centuries Egypt remained one of the world’s most important sources. By the 16th century, the celebrated emerald deposits of Colombia, particularly the mines of Muzo and Chivor, had become renowned for producing exceptional stones. Today, fine emeralds are also found in Brazil, Zambia and Afghanistan.

Emerald belongs to the beryl family, alongside aquamarine. Its remarkable green color is created by trace amounts of chromium, vanadium and iron. The most desirable stones display a strong, evenly distributed bluish-green to green color with rich saturation.

Unlike diamonds, most natural emeralds contain visible inclusions. These internal characteristics are part of the gemstone’s identity, and exceptionally transparent emeralds with high clarity are particularly rare and valuable. Because emerald is naturally more brittle than diamond or sapphire, cutting and setting the stone requires considerable skill.

The classic emerald cut developed in part to complement the crystal’s natural structure while protecting its more vulnerable corners.

Ancient, distinctive and unmistakable, emerald remains one of the great gemstones of fine jewelry.

08/03/2026

The Enduring Beauty of Sapphire

Sapphires have captivated people for more than 2,000 years. Prized by ancient civilizations and European royalty, these remarkable gemstones have long been associated with loyalty, trust, wisdom and enduring love, making them a meaningful choice for an engagement ring.

Sapphire belongs to the corundum mineral family, alongside ruby. Although best known for its rich blue color, sapphires can also be found in shades of pink, yellow, green, purple, orange, black and even colorless varieties. Their beautiful hues are created by different trace elements within the stone.

With a hardness of 9 on the Mohs scale, sapphire is one of the hardest natural gemstones, second only to diamond. This exceptional durability makes it wonderfully suited to jewelry designed to be worn and treasured every day.

This striking three-stone ring pairs a deep blue sapphire with brilliant diamond accents, showcasing both the beauty of the gemstones and the craftsmanship of its setting.

A timeless gemstone. A symbol of lasting devotion. A design created to endure.

Address

11 Elm Street
Camden, ME
04843

Opening Hours

Tuesday	10am - 5pm
Wednesday	10am - 5pm
Thursday	10am - 5pm
Friday	10am - 5pm
Saturday	11am - 5pm

Website

http://www.thomasmichaels.com/

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