The standard “Round Brilliant Cut” is the most popular style for diamonds and many other gems because it has been mathematically designed to reflect the maximum amount of light back to the viewer’s eye. It creates the highest level of brilliance and sparkle compared to other shapes.
Would you like to know anything else, perhaps about specific famous gems, or how to spot fake stones in more detail?
Sri Lanka is famous for its traditional, relatively eco-friendly mining methods, most commonly known as pit mining or Pathal.
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…
Scientifically, there is no difference! Both Sapphire and Ruby are exact same mineral: Corundum. The only difference is the trace elements present during their formation. If corundum has traces of chromium, it turns red and is called a Ruby. If it has traces of iron and titanium, it turns blue (or yellow, pink, green) and…
Geuda is a semi-transparent, pale, and cloudy form of corundum found abundantly in Sri Lanka. For centuries, it was considered low-value, useless gravel. However, in the 1970s, it was discovered that applying specific high-heat treatments to Geuda transforms these dull stones into brilliant, deep Blue Sapphires. This groundbreaking discovery revolutionized the Sri Lankan and global…
Some gemstones, particularly diamonds, have a fascinating property where they emit visible light when exposed to invisible ultraviolet (UV) rays. If you place a diamond under a UV light (often called a “black light”), it might glow a soft blue, or occasionally yellow or green. It’s like the stone has a secret glow-in-the-dark hidden life!
Criteria Description Color The hue, tone, and color saturation of the gem. For colored stones, this is usually the single most important factor. Clarity The absence of internal flaws (inclusions) or surface blemishes. Clearer stones reflect light better and are more valuable. Cut How skillfully the stone has been shaped and faceted to maximize its…