Field Trip: A Visit to Gem-A ATC Institut de Gemmologie de Madagascar
Gem-A tutor Barbara Kolator B.Sc. M.Sc. FGA DGA EG shares some highlights from her recent trip to the Institut de Gemmologie de Madagascar in Antananarivo, which is a proud Gem-A Accredited Teaching Centre (ATC). Last month I visited Madagascar and was fortunate enough to be invited to visit the IGM (Institut de Gemmologie de Madagascar) […]
Journal Digest: Bumble Bee Stone from Indonesia
Getting to grips with The Journal of Gemmology Volume 36, No.3, Guy Lalous ACAM EG offers us an edited breakdown of a feature on Bumble Bee Stone from West Java, Indonesia. Bumble Bee Stone (BBS) is an attractive bright yellow-to-orange and black patterned gem from West Java, Indonesia. Production has been ongoing since 2003, yielding […]
Retail Focus: Exploring the Emeralds of Colombia
From the Summer 2018 issue of Gems&Jewellery, Gem-A gemmology tutor Beth West FGA DGA EG explores the Musica people and the emeralds of Colombia. There is a brooch displayed at the heart of the Geology, Gems and Minerals Gallery in the Smithsonian Institution in Washington, USA. It is centred on a large luminous green emerald surrounded […]
Interview: Steve Moriarty of Moriarty’s Gem Arts on a Lifetime in Gemstones
From the Summer 2018 issue of Gems&Jewellery, Gem-A Associate Member and co-owner of Moriarty’s Gem Arts, Steve Moriarty, shares his fascinating career in gemmology. Although a gem specialist’s career can often start confined to a classroom or a lab, pouring over stone samples and peering through a microscope, our industry also offers wonderful opportunities to travel […]
Birthstone Guide: Citrine for Those Born in November
As we enter the dark winter months, November’s birthstone citrine offers rays of warm yellow-orange sunshine. Here, gemmology tutor Lily Faber FGA DGA EG explores the properties and folklore around this sunny gemstone. Citrine is a type of crystalline quartz that comes in many different hues of yellow, from pale buttercup shades to a stronger […]
Investigating Fake Rough with Gem Testing Laboratory Jaipur
From the Summer 2018 issue of Gems&Jewellery, Gagan Choudhary FGA, deputy director of Gem Testing Laboratory Jaipur, describes the various types of fake gem rough that has passed his desk in recent months, including mica rock presented as emerald rough, cubic zircona and topaz fashioned as diamond octahedtrons, and synthetic quartz mimicking aquamarine. Reaching directly to […]
Birthstone Guide: Opal for Those Born in October
The captivating opal is the birthstone for all those born in October. Here, Gem-A tutor Lily Faber FGA DGA EG explores the history and properties of this iridescent and rainbow coloured gemstone. Opals have been valued for millennia, even before Ancient Greek and Roman times. There are two main types of opal: precious and common. […]
Focus on Gemstone Fluorescence: Looking for the Light
Most of us know about fluorescence in gemstones, but how many use it as part of their gemmological testing routine? Here, Gem-A gemmology tutor Lily Faber, FGA DGA EG, delves deeper into fluorescence and explains why it can be both enlightening and enjoyable for gemmologists. Luminescence in Gemmology When we use the term luminescence in gemmology, […]
The Fascinating History of Platinum Jewellery
As a gemstone and jewellery grading and identification expert at Lang Antiques in San Francisco, Starla Turner FGA GG has seen her fair share of exceptional pieces, both historic and contemporary. Here, she delves into the history of platinum and explores how it has influenced jewellers since the 1700s. Our illustrious platinum jewellery evolved from […]
Understanding Spinel: The Alternative August Birthstone
The varied hues of spinel have been admired for hundreds of years, but this gemstone only recently found its place on the list of ‘alternative birthstones’. Here, Lily Faber FGA DGA EG explores the alternative birthstone for the month of August and some of its synthetic counterparts. Spinel is a relative newcomer to the ‘official’ […]
