If you enjoy rare and precious gemstones and their related stories, here you will find a litany of gemstone ramblings, gemological observations, and useful and time-wasting trivia bought from behind-the-scenes in the rough and cut gem markets of Asia and Africa.
I n late 2016, a sapphire deposit was found in Madagascar that yielded the most beautiful, soft yet intense-blue colors found for years. So attractive was this material, that the SSEF even produced a Trade Alert warning that some dealers and labs were passing this fabulous new material off as Kashmir-origin sapphire. A few months later, and far to the…
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An unusual and huge 166 carat tricolor rough sapphire with apple green, royal blue, and black sections. It will have to have the black sections cut and ground out to make two sapphires. What is very unusual is that the rich blue and vivid green are in the same orientation direction. Most unusual.
The Identification of Rough Gem-Quality Grandidierite In December 2016 and January 2017 a rich pocket of large gem-quality Grandidierite was found in the Tranomaro region of Southern Madagascar. What set this seam of Grandidierite apart from the 2015 and early 2016 finds, was its clean genuine gem-quality crystals found. Called by some the “World’s Rarest Gem”, the previous year’s finds…
Ethics, Eco-Credentials and Price Discovery for Synthetic Diamonds Diamond synthesis has been technically possible for decades, but over the past few years, slowly but slowly, the the subject of commercially viable synthetic diamods has become more prominent but never dominating the press or the anxious thoughts of retailers and diamantaires. Until now. lat years, DeBeers announced the opening of LighBox…