Fantasy cut gemstones exhibit so many unique optical characteristics that they often appear to live up to ancient lore – that gems are imbued with magical properties.
So called fantasy cut gemstones often owe their spectacular beauty to unique faceting artistry that is achieved through cutting non-traditional design elements. These techniques cause light to reflect and refract differently, surging into view as stunning displays of light and color along the gems’ surface and interior. (more…)
Perhaps the most popular and frequently purchased yellow gemstone, citrine is a variety of quartz, and a November birthstone. While it’s an attractive alternative for topaz as well as yellow sapphire, natural citrine is actually quite rare, and those without color zoning or visible inclusions are highly sought after. (more…)
Consider the changing beauty of the humble leaf: it is a tender shoot in spring…a lush green canopy in summer…a blaze of reds, yellows, and purples in autumn. Jewelry designers have been captivated by them for centuries, turning Mother Nature’s displays into bejeweled creations. (more…)
One of November’s birthstones, topaz has the unique ability to show different colors in different crystal directions. Ancient civilizations believed that topaz gave them strength, long life, beauty, and intelligence. (more…)
Everyone loves a good Halloween scare, so we scoured the gemological literature for stories about cursed gemstones. Here are a few tales we dug up about these bone-chilling beauties.
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With Halloween creeping up on us, black diamonds seem a fitting subject.
Black diamonds, much like brown diamonds, were once outcasts in the diamond world. In the 1928 book, Diamond: A Descriptive Treatise, author J.R. Sutton noted: “Ordinary black diamond is not greatly unlike black sealing wax. Opinions differ as to its virtues as a gemstone.” And until relatively recently, this negative impression still persisted.” (more…)
Featuring one of the widest color ranges of any gem, tourmaline is one of October’s two birthstones. A favorite of mineral collectors everywhere, tourmalines come in all shapes, sizes, color saturations and tones – from expensive electric blues to affordable olive greens.
If you’re thinking of buying a colored diamond, you’ll want to know if its color is natural or is the result of a treatment process. (more…)
Gems & Gemology (G&G), GIA’s award-winning peer-reviewed journal, is celebrating 80 years of publication, 1934-2014. The venerable journal has long been respected for sharing invaluable information with gem and jewelry professionals – and for its breathtaking photography. (more…)
Buying a piece of jewelry is always exciting. But it can be stressful, if you don’t know what to look for. Before you begin shopping, start by reading these 10 tips to help you when you are buying jewelry. We want you to come home relaxed and happy, with a precious keepsake you’ll be proud to wear for a long time. (more…)
We’ve been wearing coral jewelry for at least 30,000 years – an impressive testament to its timeless appeal.
Coral comes in an array of colors: white, cream, various shades of red and orange, blue, a light grayish violet called “lavender” in the trade, and a light, vivid pink color sometimes referred to as “angel’s skin”. There is also black and golden coral. Red coral (sometimes called “ox blood” in the trade) has historically been the most expensive. Gem-quality coral has uniform color. (more…)
