Birthstone Guide: Amethyst for Those Born in February
Gem-A gemmology tutor Lily Faber FGA EG explores the history of amethyst and its significance as the February birthstone. Amethyst is a well-known, purple variety of quartz that is February’s birthstone. Fashioned pieces can vary from a lighter lavender to a deep, saturated purple. In ancient Greece, it was believed that if worn or used […]
Glass Simulants of Gems and Enhancement of Natural Gem Materials in the 16th Century
Guy Lalous ACAM EG, summarises the state of making glass simulants of gems in the 16th Century, as well as exploring the historical information we have available on the enhancement of natural gem materials. What about gem treatments? Many gemstones can be treated to alter their colour and clarity. Today, gemmologists are confronted to a broad […]
Birthstone Guide: Garnet For Those Born In January
If you’re lucky enough to be born in January, vibrant garnet is your birthstone. A rainbow jewel of the gem world, garnet displays the greatest variety of colour of any mineral and is very often untreated, making it a rarity in the gem world. Garnet is recognised for its rich history as a favourite gemstone […]
Discover Two Bewitching Cameos at the Natural History Museum, London
First published in The Journal of Gemmology Vol.35/No.8, Robin Hansen FGA, gem curator at the Natural History Museum, London, takes us through the gemmological, mineralogical and historical background of two fascinating cameos from the late 1800s. The collections of the Natural History Museum (NHM) in London include minerals, gemstones, worked objects and carvings. I recently had the pleasure […]
Challenging Perceptions: Meet the Gem Cutters Thriving in Newcastle
Sarah Steele FGA DGA, visits a growing community of gem cutters in Newcastle who are quietly, but effectively, pushing boundaries. When we think about the great gem centres of the world, Newcastle in the North East of England wouldn’t necessarily spring to mind. There is however a growing community of gem cutters who are challenging […]
Discover the Storytelling Powers of Master Gem Carvers
Deborah Mazza FGA explores how contemporary gem carvers are continuing an age-old artistic tradition of storytelling through gemstones. Once upon a time, in a land far, far away, there was…How often have we all heard these words? This is the most common beginning to a story that fires the imagination, transporting one into a magical […]
Discovering Agates on the Shores of Cornwall, England
Cally Oldershaw FGA DGA describes the thrill of finding agate on the shores of Cornwall and reveals how these subtly-toned gemstones are shaping her jewellery collections in collaboration with geologist and lapidarist, Ben Church. With many more people choosing to stay in the UK for their ‘staycations’ rather than going abroad for the holidays, the […]
The Source of Garnets Found at The Arikamedu Archaeological Site in South India
Guy Lalous ends the year with his final Journal Digest of 2017 by exploring the chemical and mineralogical characterization of garnets found at the Arikamedu archaeological site in South India and their linkage to the rough material sourced from the Garibpet Deposit, roughly located 640 km away in Telangana State, east of the city of […]
Gold Fever in Arizona: Searching for Gold in the United States
With its legends of gold seekers and treasure hunters, Arizona is still drawing the gaze of gemmologists and history enthusiasts to this day. Gem sculptor Helen Serras-Herman FGA takes us on a journey to this ‘gold fever’ state. Living in a state where gold in abundance had been discovered in the nineteenth and early twentieth […]
Greenland Ruby: The Mighty Aappaluttoq Arises
With an opulent supply of rubies and pink sapphires, mining company Greenland Ruby is set to become an influential supplier of coloured gemstones. Here, International Women in Mining board member, Deborah Craig FGA DGA, shares her experiences in Greenland. Greenlanders call the buried treasure of blood red rubies and vivid pink sapphires Aappaluttoq or “Big […]
