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 ...

The 75.47-carat Hooker Emerald was worn by Ottoman Sultan Abdul Hamid II, the last sultan of the Ottoman Empire. Photo by Chip Clark, courtesy Smithsonian Institution, National Museum of Natural ...

Ruby is the July birthstone – and it’s one of the most coveted of gems. The name is derived from the Latin word ruber, meaning “red” – the color of love and passion. Few things catch the eye like the ...

Pietersite has been described as a brecciated variety of tiger’s-eye. This study examined pietersite specimens from Namibia and China (the main sources) using powder X-ray diffraction, optical ...

Bluish green tourmaline crystals and white calcite on a Burmese ruby. Photo by Charuwan Khowpong; field of view 2.48 mm. During a GIA field expedition to Mogok, Myanmar, a tiny but interesting sample ...

Figure 1. Faceted manufactured glass beads measuring approximately 8 mm in diameter. Photo by Robison McMurtry. A collection of lovely faceted blue beads was presented to author EAS during an annual ...

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Over the last two decades, knowledge of the formation of gem deposits has improved significantly. This article reviews the state of our knowledge of the geology and genesis of gem corundum and emerald ...

Liddicoatite, a calcium-rich lithium tourmaline, was recognized as a separate mineral species in 1977, and named in honor of Richard T. Liddicoat. Most of the remarkable polychrome tourmalines with ...

This article examines the sophisticated techniques and equipment currently used to fashion a polished gem from a rough diamond. The basic manufacturing techniques— sawing, bruting, blocking, and ...

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 ...

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 ...