Laser sawing of diamonds is beginning to revolutionize the diamond-cutting industry. Not only does the laser saw offer savings in time and money, but it also enables the cutting of material virtually ...

Synthetic emeralds grown hydrothermally in an alkali-free, chlorine-bearing solution have been manufactured in Guilin, China, since 1987. Diagnostic microscopic features include growth and color ...

The world's first commercially available synthetic cat's-eye alexandrite chrysoberyl is now being manufactured and marketed by the Kyocera Corporation in Kyoto, Japan. Kyocera markets synthetic ...

Following up on Nassau's 1981 article on the technical aspects of heat treating ruby and sapphire, the author reports his personal observations of the actual heat treatment process in Bangkok. He ...

Since Robert Crowningshield's discovery in the late 1950s that diamonds that have been artificially colored by irradiation and subsequent annealing could be identified by their characteristic ...

Although the Art Deco period extends roughly from 1910 to well into the 1930s, it was primarily a product of the "Roaring '20s." This was a wonderfully decadent era. It was an age of Prohibition and ...

CARLSBAD, Calif. – April 7, 2025 – In response to logistics challenges related to recently announced tariffs affecting global shipments of gemstones, GIA (Gemological Institute of America) will ...

However gem quality diamonds are fashioned from the original crystal shape they possess a combination of brightness, sparkle, fire, and sense of purity not matched by other gems. - Jeff Scovil, ...

Opal can range from 5 to 6.5 on the Mohs hardness scale. Hardness and toughness Gem and mineral hardness is measured on the Mohs scale. The numbers are based on the relative ease or difficulty with ...

The green turquoise cabochon, from an American mine, might become part of a designer’s unique jewelry piece. The even blue color of the cabochon on the right would be called “Persian blue” in the ...

Jadeite comes in a wide range of colors. The most valuable is an intense green called Imperial. - Courtesy Mason-Kay Fine Jade Jewelry To understand the value of jade, you have to look beyond its ...

Established in 1931, the Gemological Institute of America (GIA) is the world’s foremost authority on diamonds, colored stones, and pearls. A public benefit, nonprofit institute, GIA is the leading ...