Opals are unique because they don’t have a single solid color. When light hits the internal structure of an opal—which consists of tiny silica spheres—the light bends and splits, creating flashes of every color of the rainbow that seem to jump and dance as you rotate the stone. This phenomenon is strictly called “Play-of-Color.”
While most gemstones are minerals mined from the earth, organic gemstones are created by living organisms (plants or animals). Organic Gem Origin Pearl Formed inside the shells of mollusks (like oysters) to protect themselves from irritants. Amber Fossilized tree resin that has hardened over millions of years (often containing trapped insects). Coral Formed by the…
While high-quality Alexandrite and Padparadscha Sapphires from Sri Lanka are incredibly rare, the Red Diamond holds the title for the most expensive gemstone per carat globally. They are so exceptionally rare that only a handful of pure red diamonds are known to exist in the entire world, often selling for over 1 million USD per…
If you are planning to invest in a valuable gemstone, keep these rules in mind to protect yourself:
Inclusions are like a gemstone’s “fingerprints.” They are tiny bits of other minerals or liquids trapped inside the stone while it was growing underground millions of years ago. Common inclusions include:
Many gemstones undergo treatments after being mined to improve their color or clarity. This is a standard and acceptable industry practice, provided the seller discloses it to the buyer. Common treatments include: Heat Treatment: The most common enhancement. Sapphires and Rubies are often heated to extremely high temperatures to permanently brighten their color and dissolve…
A doublet or triplet is a stone that is composed of two or more pieces. Often, a thin slice of a high-quality, expensive, or naturally colored stone is glued to a base of a cheaper material (like black glass or plastic) to make it look larger or more expensive. Always check the sides of a…