Colour, Origin, Clarity, Transparency and Value Emeralds are among the world’s most admired and valuable coloured gemstones. Their distinctive green colour has been treasured for thousands of years, from the ancient emerald mines of Egypt to the famous deposits of Colombia and the major producing regions of Zambia, Brazil and beyond. But what makes one […]
If you’ve ever looked closely at a faceted gemstone, you may have noticed that it is made up of several different sections. Terms such as table, crown, girdle, pavilion and culet are commonly used by gemologists, gemstone cutters and jewellers to describe these different parts. Understanding the anatomy of a gemstone can help you better […]
Gemstone Clarity Grades Explained | I, SI, VS, VVS, IF & FL When buying a natural gemstone, one of the most important things to understand is clarity. Clarity describes the presence, size, position and visibility of inclusions and surface characteristics within a gemstone. Some gemstones can be almost completely free from visible inclusions, while others […]
Opal is one of the most fascinating natural gemstones, famous for its incredible play of colour. Unlike many gemstones that have a relatively consistent colour, opals can display flashes of blue, green, yellow, orange, red and even violet as the stone moves in the light. But are some opal colours rarer than others? The answer […]
When shopping for natural gemstones, one of the first things you’ll notice is that gemstones are available in different cuts. Two of the most common styles are faceted gemstones and cabochon gemstones. While both can be cut from the same type of gemstone, they offer very different appearances, characteristics, and uses. Whether you’re a jeweller, […]
