The true meaning of keshi is a talking point in seemingly every discussion or class about pearls. The original Japanese definition has been broadened by some authorities causing confusion to the trade. We examine the history…
Featured ArticlesIf there’s one thing this year’s 29th Annual Intergem in Idar-Oberstein, Germany maintains, it is the region’s standing as a superior stone cutting and carving center and source for the finest gems in the world…
Featured ArticlesBurma has been, and still is, the most famous ruby and sapphire source. There are three mining areas for ruby and sapphire: Mogok, Nanyaseik, and Mong Hsu. Mogok has a long history of having foreigners…
Featured ArticlesOrigin reports are in high demand but the science behind the reports has changed over the years. Are reports now given too much prominence overshadowing the important quality of beauty? Geology knows no borders and…
Featured ArticlesVegas was all about fancy color diamonds. Demand for melee and single stones in color is strong. Colorless diamond prices are stable despite rising cost of rough. Manufacturers are angry at mining companies for the…
Diamond MarketWhile this is an article about a recent visit to the Four Peaks amethyst mine in Arizona, it is also about amethyst in general. The February birthstone is one of few purple gems that consumers…
Featured ArticlesDr. George Harlow, curator of minerals and gems at the American Museum of Natural History, New York explained the mineralogy and the geochemistry of the Mogok metamorphic belt. Mogok has been the source of fine…
Featured ArticlesBlack stones have been in vogue for some time even sold as loose stones on the TV or Internet. See figure 1. While originally these may have been black diamonds set in expensive jewelry, we…
Featured ArticlesThe best known localities for precious opal have long been Australia, although, among others, Mexico, several states in the west of the USA and Slovakia have yielded precious opal over the years. Only recently a…
Featured ArticlesThe Milenyum Diaspore mine is the world’s only known deposit of gem quality Diaspore. The mineral diaspore is mined in many locations around the world, but no other are currently known that produce this beautiful…
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