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Even in the wide and varied world of gemstones, cacholong is pretty obscure. The stone has certainly generated its share of confusion. Also known as kascholong, the stone is actually a variety of opal, but this hasn't stopped it from being listed as an agate on more than one occasion. It has also been described as either chalcedony or hydrophane opal. The fact that it is sometimes known as "mother of pearl opal" only adds to the complexity....
(2003) Complete Story
The marketing slogan 'All Natural' has been used for years to advertise products from cereal to shampoo. Now some gem dealers are using it to market their natural, unenhanced gem material - and to distance themselves from negative publicity over treatments. Why not take advantage of the fact that stones like garnet, peridot, and sunstone not only are unenhanced, but can't be improved with treatments? After watching the price of small-sized yellow and orange sapphires tumble because of the controversy over diffusion treatment, some gem dealers are creating a marketing niche for people who want an absolute guarantee their purchase is not enhanced.... (2003) Complete Story
The gemstone industry tends, for marketing reasons, to limit the definition of chalcedony somewhat more than mieralolgists. Among gemstone and jewelry sellers, the term chalcedony is usually used to refer specifically to semitransparent to translucent white, blue, pale grayish-blue, purple, pink, yellow, orange, red, or solid-colored materials other than carnelian, sard, or chrysoprase.... (2003) Complete Story
When Chinese freshwater pearls began flooding the market several years ago, craft artists took notice. It is not that pearls were new to them. Studio jewelers had been incorporating pearls into their designs for decades, long before the current wave of Chinese freshwater pearls reached these shores. But the growing availability of Chinese freshwater pearls has allowed artists to indulge their passion for pearls as they never could before.... (2004) Complete Story
A decade ago, emerald, ruby, and sapphire routinely topped Colored Stones annual best seller list, as befitted the colored stones known in the trade as the "Big Three." They were "precious" stones, while their equally colorful but lesser-known cousins held the dubious distinction of being "semiprecious."
But the Big Threes once-unassailable dominance has faded in recent years. In 1999, tanzanite cracked the top three, pushing emerald to fourth place. Pearl followed suit in 2001, when it appeared in the number two slot, as did fancy sapphire in 2004... (2006) Complete Story
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