Birthstone Guide: Turquoise For Those Born In December

Beautiful blue turquoise is one of three birthstones for the month of December (in addition to zircon and tanzanite). It is enriched with real cultural significance that can be traced back thousands of years. Here, we explore the blue shades of turquoise and explain what makes this gemstone so special Read more: Zircon from Vietnam […]

Birthstone Guide: Topaz for Those Born in November

Gem-A gemmology tutor Lily Faber FGA DGA EG takes a closer look at topaz, the birthstone of November, and explains why this gem should be high up on your Christmas wish list. For those born in the cold month of November, topaz is a well-known and hopefully well-loved gemstone. For those born during the rest […]

Inclusions Acting as Geological Fingerprints in Yellow Danburite from Vietnam

Guy Lalous ACAM EG summarises an article on inclusions in yellow danburite from Luc Yen, Vietnam, by Le Thi-Thu Huong, Kurt Krenn and Christoph Hauzenberger, originally published in Gem-A’s The Journal of Gemmology. His report also examines optical characterisation of danburite and micro-Raman spectroscopy. Danburite is a calcium borosilicate, CaB2Si2O8, belonging to the orthorhombic crystal system. It is genetically […]

The Role of Fingerprinting Technology in the Fight Against the Ivory Trade

At New Scientist Live, Barbara Kolator B.Sc. M.Sc. FGA DGA EG met with Dr. Leon Barron, senior lecturer in Forensic Science at Kings’ College London about some innovative fingerprinting technology with implications for gemmologists, antique dealers, collectors and wildlife conservationists worldwide. As you may have recently seen in the news, the UK Government intends to ban […]

Graff Diamonds buys 1,109ct Lesedi La Rona Diamond for $53m

The second largest gem-quality diamond ever discovered has been sold privately to Graff Diamonds for a staggering $53 million.  First unearthed by the Lucara Diamond Corporation in the Karowe mine in Botswana, the Type IIa Lesedi La Rona diamond weighs in at 1,109 carats. It was initially put up for auction in June 2016, but […]

Ancient Sapphires and Adventures in Ceylon

Helen Molesworth FGA, managing director of the Gübelin Academy and a professor of the history of jewellery, takes the reader back in time to Seilam, now Sri Lanka. ‘From here…we reach the island of Seilam, which is, for its size, one of the finest islands in the world…This island produces many precious gems, amongst which […]

An Interview with Diamond Artist Angie Crabtree

Painter Angie Crabtree has built a reputation as one of the most sought-after diamond artists, literally recreating every sparkling facet in incredible detail. Here, she shares her passion for painting gemstones (and the occasional watch movement) with Gems&Jewellery… With the job title ‘Diamond Portrait Artist’, Angie Crabtree has turned the facets of diamonds and gemstones […]

The Ethics of Coral Jewellery and Sourcing for Gemmologists

December 2017: An Update from the Author  No matter how much any information has been checked prior to publication, it is always possible that – sooner or later – some facts are proved incorrect. An author may be contacted by a person who has read an article and has more information on the subject, and […]

The Lifecycle Of A Sapphire Rush

In the last 12 months, an exceptional sapphire rush in eastern Madagascar saw thousands of people searching for precious treasure in one of the poorest places on earth. Rosey Perkins GG, an independent gemmologist based in London, shares this report from two visits to the island nation. A sapphire rush that started in September 2016 […]

Sapphires of Ethiopia: The Forbidden Road to Chila

Simon Bruce-Lockhart FGA DGA EG, travels to Ethiopia to uncover the truth behind the Aksum sapphire fields and find out why this restricted-access area is such a fascinating place for gemstone discovery. You may be forgiven for thinking Africa’s only ‘Sperrgebiet’, a restricted access wilderness of gemstone-bearing lands, is solely Namibia’s claim to frame. It […]