Gemmological photojournalist Robert Weldon shares the stories behind some of his favourite photos.
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Amber has been found in various parts of the world, but the main historical source is the land that surrounds the Baltic Sea.
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Within a few years of their discovery, the diamonds deposits of South Africa produced more diamonds than had come from India in two millennia.
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The discovery of diamonds in South Africa in early 1867 marked the start of an historic period of diamond exploration.
Read MoreThe California gold rush − the largest gold rush in the history of the world − changed the social, economic, political and cultural history of the American West.
Read MoreImitation diamonds such as CZ and moissanite have been popular for decades. Learn about their properties and how they compare to diamonds.
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While more people are becoming familiar with lab-grown diamonds, many still don’t know how they are actually made. Learn about the two diamond growth processes, HPHT and CVD.
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Learn how the structure, inclusions and properties of some gemstones interact with light to create unusual visual effects.
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Ruby and sapphire (usually blue, but also in every other colour) have been the most important coloured gemstones for several thousand years. Originating historically in south-east and central Asia, and more recently in eastern Africa, these coloured varieties of the mineral corundum have been much sought as gems because of their rarity, colour and durability. Gem corundum can display asterism and chatoyancy due to the presence of oriented mineral inclusions, and in some cases, a change of colour when viewed under different light sources.
Read MoreIndividual opals are as diverse as snowflakes or fingerprints and can vary widely in appearance and quality. Learn about the factors that make opals so desirable!
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