The Microscope: A Guide for Gemologists
Sometimes, microscopic inclusions are the only way to distinguish natural from synthetic gems. This makes the microscope an essential lab instrument…
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Jade Toughness and Care
Jade toughness is legendary. However, this gem isn’t indestructible. Learn what makes jadeite and nephrite so tough and how to clean them.
How Does Jade Form?
The minerals known as jade, jadeite and nephrite, appear similar but have different properties. Learn how these materials form geologically.…
Variscite Value, Price, and Jewelry Information
With beautiful green to blue-green colors and interesting patterns, variscite is a popular hobbyist material for cabochons.
Destructive Gemstone Tests: Acid Testing
Acid testing is a destructive procedure gemologists can use to determine if some pieces are real or fake. Learn how to perform this test safely.…
Does Chrysoprase Jewelry Fade?
Should you wear chrysoprase jewelry only at night to protect the gem’s striking green color? Learn the facts here.
Legrandite Value, Price, and Jewelry Information
Too soft for jewelry use, legrandite is a popular collector’s mineral because of its intense yellow color and aesthetic crystal groupings.…
Sapphire Symbolism
Beautiful blue colors and the star stone effect have influenced sapphire symbolism through the ages. Learn more about the legends surrounding…
Gemstone Care Guide
Our gemstone care guide covers many popular gems. Learn how best to maintain your gemstone jewelry and what kinds of stresses and cleaning methods…
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January Birthstone
Although many associate January's birthstone, garnet, with the color red, they can come in a variety of colors including red, yellow, orange, green and even blue.
February Birthstone
Thanks to its beauty and relative abundance, the February birthstone, amethyst, is used in all types of jewelry: from the mass market to the finest custom couture pieces.
March Birthstone
The March birthstone is aquamarine. Famed for millennia for its pure and even blue or blue-green color, potentially large size, and sparkling clarity, the aquamarine has been a valued gem to many cultures. Aquamarine is a variety of the gem species beryl, making it a close cousin of emerald.
April Birthstone
April's birthstone is diamond. The vast majority of diamonds are transparent, colorless, and show an extraordinary display of well-defined white and multi-colored flashes. Rarely, diamonds also occur in a rainbow of exciting body colors.
May Birthstone
May's birthstone is emerald, a rich green variety of the diverse beryl gem group which must exhibit a dark enough tone and saturation to be called by that name.
June Birthstone
June's birthstone is the pearl. Pearls can only be grown by a very small percentage of mollusk species which may live in either saltwater or freshwater environments. Each species produces a distinctive-looking pearl that is characterized by a specific range of colors and sizes.
July Birthstone
This vibrant red gemstone is the July birthstone and is closely associated with love, passion, and romance. While there are affordable options to be found, the largest and most beautifully colored rubies can be very expensive; the best rubies may be sold for the highest cost-per-carat costs of any colored gemstone.
August Birthstone
Peridot is the August birthstone. It is also sometimes called the “evening emerald” because of its unique capacity to sparkle under natural or artificial light. However, it should not be confused with emerald because peridot has its own distinct characteristics setting it apart from other gemstones.
September Birthstone
The September birthstone is sapphire. Sapphires are members of the gem species corundum. Depending on the exact chemistry of individual stones, sapphires may present a whole spectrum of colors with the exception of red. This is because red sapphires are put into their own category and called rubies.
October Birthstone
Pink tourmaline is the modern October birthstone, loved for its breathtaking beauty and awe-inspiring variations of the color pink.
November Birthstone
The most common birthstone for November is yellow topaz however citrine, another lovely yellow gemstone, has been rising in popularity as an alternative and is much easier to purchase.
December Birthstone
Blue zircon is known a modern December birthstones alongside blue topaz and tanzanite. The more traditional December birthstones are lapis lazuli and turquoise.
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