Emerald

I recently had a chat with opal expert Joel Ragan about all things opal. This “opal-holic” has 45 years of experience cutting opal and designing…

An assembled gemstone is constructed from two or more combined materials. Gemstone doublets and triplets, intarsias, and rhinestones are all…

Some beautiful gems, like pearls, opals, and tanzanites, are very vulnerable to impacts and scratches, especially when worn on rings. Even more…

Even though diamonds make elegant and durable gems, you may find two stones that look alike. In contrast, no two opals look alike. Their beauty is…

For centuries, opal symbolism included associations with royalty and good luck. However, in modern times, this gemstone has become the object…

Opal expert Joel Ragan has worked with these gems for 45 years. Learn how he got started and his top tips for cutting opals and designing opal jewelry.…

Why are some gems so rare in nature? Learn which elements in the Earth’s crust are the rarest and how these ingredients help form uncommon gemstones.…

This table contains a selection of minerals gemologists may encounter as jewelry stones or gem specimens. The gems are sorted by their crystal…

Measuring specific gravity helps gemologists identify gemstones. The following table lists the specific gravity values for a variety of gem…