If you benefit from what we're doing and want to give something in return, you can make a donation!
The Gem and Jewelry World's foremost Resource
on The Internet. Open to the public, Free of Charge! We are here to build a strong pool of
information for the benefit of Web's jewelers and craftsmen - and those
interested in jewelry and gemstones.
Beryllium diffusion typically brightens the color of ruby or sapphire, making a stone more yellow, orange, or red, depending on the original color. Because the color change can go all the way through the stone, the treatment is more difficult to identify than traditional diffusion, which is an easily-detected surface treatment. When beryllium diffusion was first introduced to the market in 2001, uncertainty about disclosure created a controversy that led to a sharp drop in prices for the diffused stones. Today, beryllium-diffused corundum sells for a fraction of the price of its natural or heated counterparts....
(2006) Complete Story
Well worth a fresh inspection under the loupe is some fine blue spinel currently on the market. An ancient group of related minerals, spinel likely owes its name to the Old Latin sintill -- from which the word scintillation was derived. And a good descriptive name it is. If you havent considered blue spinel for a fine jewelry piece, remember that its density assures a high polish when faceted. Rating an 8 on the Mohs scale, this gem doesnt need to be coddled in protective mountings, either.... (2006) 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
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
Author Richard W. Hughes discusses Gem and drug smuggling in Burma, along with the CIA and British involvement in the Burmese drug trade. The Author follows the smugglers routes and politics involved from the 17th century opium trade until present days.... (2004) Complete Story
