transparency

To date, only one locality — Mont St. Hilaire, Quebec, Canada — has produced facetable serandite. These extremely rare gems are very small…

Clinohumites and chondrodites can make beautiful gemstones with rich colors, but these members of the humite mineral group are rare and little…

Revered for millennia, turquoise still has a dedicated following. Our turquoise buying guide can help you pick a gem for your own jewelry.

Truly a collector’s gem, weloganite is very rare and seldom cut. This stone can show pale yellow colors.

Silk inclusions in sapphires are hard to detect. Learn to pick the best orientation and cut for these gems. You might end up with a prize star sapphire.…

Traditional diamond cut grading methods prepare gemologists for making evaluations with minimal time, tools, and references. This step-by-step…

Compare the prices and philosophies of gem faceting classes from around the world. Learn if there’s a local club or a faraway school that’s…

Our opal buying guide can help you learn how opals are graded, what to avoid, and how to identify a high-quality stone or a bargain in the rough.

Although transparent dolomite crystals are fairly abundant and popular collector’s items, faceted gems are soft, fragile, and rarely seen…