The market value of jadeite has risen dramatically in recent decades, often rivaling that of fine ruby and sapphire. Understanding the color origin of jadeite and reliably determining treatments have ...

Diamonds are known for their hardness – their ability to resist scratches and abrasions. But diamonds are not impervious to damage, since their hardness is uneven along different crystal directions.

Diamonds have a long history as a premier gemstone—a natural consequence of their beauty, rarity, and superlative physical properties such as extreme hardness. Diamonds that are mined for use as ...

Figure 1. Sapphires from Madagascar: a beautiful 3.29 ct untreated faceted stone and an assortment of rough in the background. Madagascar has produced many high-quality stones in the last few years ...

Figure 1. Glass in a silver brooch, hallmark from 1866. Private collection, photo by Jaroslav Hyršl. Tectites are members of a large group of impact glasses, formed by the collision of a meteorite on ...

Raman spectroscopy confirmed the identity of the material as pezzottaite by an intense peak at ~1100 cm –1, which is not present in beryl. Fourier-transform infrared spectroscopy showed features ...

Once upon a time, gem cutting was a strict craft bound by centuries of tradition. The job of a lapidary was to cut a gemstone to ideal proportions while preserving as many carats as possible. Then ...

Diamonds are the most amazing of gems. Just as amazing, however, is how natural diamonds reach Earth’s surface. Diamonds are formed 150 to 700 km deep in Earth, and are then carried upward in a rare ...

Gem inclusions are mineral crystals or cavities filled with fluid and/or gas that occur in a host gemstone. Many gems contain microscopic inclusions (ranging in size from >1 mm down to submicroscopic ...

Vietnam is a land of great diversity and beauty. From the hustle and bustle of Ho Chi Minh City to the beauty of Hạ Long Bay and Hoi An (both UNESCO World Heritage Sites), there are innumerable places ...

This raspberry-and mint-colored tourmaline—nicknamed the “Steamboat”—is one of the world’s finest and most valuable mineral specimens. Photo by Duncan Pay ...

Ask anyone what the most important characteristic of their diamond is and they’re likely to say it’s the “Wow” factor. You want your friends and family to stop, stare and admire the stone dancing on ...