Gemology

Moonlight crystals, also known as moonstone, are a semi-precious stone that is said to be associated with purifying emotions. Because it is tied to emotions, it is said to be able to lift...

River rocks are smooth and tumbled from thousands of years of moving downstream after originating in mountains. These rocks can originate from many types of stone, some much harder than others....

Faceting is a process of achieving geometric patterns on a gemstone by polishing and cutting. This is accomplished using a faceting machine. Diamonds were the first gemstones to be faceted...

Using a stone and a setting, you can fashion your own ring instead of going to a jeweler. With the right tools, common setting metals such as silver, sterling silver, karat gold and pure gold are...

Rhodochrosite is manganese carbonate, a pink mineral with white bands, and is used in jewelry and as an ornamental stone. Rhodochrosite, which has the chemical formula of MnCO3, is found in a...

A popular and beautiful way of shaping both precious and semi-precious gemstones is forming the stone into a cabochon. The cabochon form is ideal for transparent, translucent, and opaque stones....

A semi-precious stone is a natural gem, mined from the earth. The difference between precious and semi-precious stones are the availability and quality. Although rubies, emeralds and diamonds,...

Arrows and arrowheads have played an instrumental role in human history. These weapons served tactical applications for the military, in both an offensive and defensive manner. They also served as...

Drilling a hole in a cabochon can be a bit tricky. It is easy to ruin a diamond bit by applying too much pressure. Follow these steps to be successful in drilling a hole in a cabochon or...

The brilliance of a diamond is made up for four components: flash, dispersion, blend and scintillation. These components all affect how a stone reflects light. Diamonds sparkle because white light...

Grading opals is sometimes challenging as they exhibit strange and beautiful colors across a broad spectrum. Opals come in vast quantities of rainbow colors, and most are mined in Australia....

There are few tasks more challenging than grading gemstones, diamonds in particular. The diamond industry is a close-knit society of dealers and appraisers. Between the two groups, a diamond's...

Grading rubies is a centuries-old profession and a necessity for dealers and others looking to understand this gem's beauty. The red intensity of a ruby has always been associated with deep...

Grading sapphires is very similar to grading others gems. The common color range for sapphires consists of primarily blues, yet sapphires can come in many hues and variations depending on the...