by Chris Abbatecola | Dec 17, 2021 | gem identification
Victorian almandine garnet brooch. Photo by Charles J. Sharp When most people think of garnet, they think of a shiny red gemstone and, while they wouldn’t exactly be wrong, there’s actually a lot more to the world of garnets than just a single color....
by Chris Abbatecola | Dec 7, 2021 | gem identification
A large emerald-cut imperial topaz. Photo by Icon Jewels As the name implies, imperial topaz is a member of the topaz family of gemstones. Though it does not have an official GIA standard, the gem is still highly prized both for its beauty and its rarity. It is...
by Chris Abbatecola | Nov 28, 2021 | gem identification
Topaz is a rare silicate mineral, and one of the hardest naturally occurring minerals in the world. It is also one of the most popular gemstones around, due in no small part to the wide variety of colors it can be found in. While Topaz is normally clear or colorless,...
by goodpep | Dec 28, 2011 | gem identification
Alexandrite is the color-change variety of Chrysoberyl. Named after Czar Alexander II, Alexandrite is one of the rarest gem materials on earth! The best quality alexandrite is forest green in natural day light and changes to blood red in incandescent light. To truly...
by goodpep | May 24, 2011 | gem identification
Did you know up until the 19th century three different gemstones where all called Ruby? Spinel, Garnet and ‘corundum’ Ruby, were all considered to be the same gem material. Ruby as we recognize it today is from a group of gemstones called Corundum. A distinct red...
