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 More
Chemically pure beryl is colourless, but trace elements give rise to green, blue and pink/red colours.
Read More
Collectors from around the world descended on Christie's Maharajas & Mughal Magnificence auction of the jewels from the Al-Thani Collection on 19 June.
Read More
Colombia is home to a rainbow of gems, but emeralds – and the tales of lore that surround them – are the country’s most well-known treasures.
Read More
Circumnavigate the boreal reaches of the globe to explore gems from polar regions.
Read More
A first-hand look at Colombia’s emerald mines and the cutting and trading industry in Bogotá.
Read More
Colombia’s unique trapiche emeralds exert a fascination for many gemmologists.
Read More
Chronicles the famed emerald source through the adventures of Peter W. Rainier, who directed the mine from 1926 to 1931 and restored its former glory.
Read More
An overview of the Spring 2016 Gems & Gemology content.
Read More
An overview of the Winter 2015 Gems & Gemology content.
Read More
