Opals, unlike many other precious stones, aren’t a type of crystal at all but a mineraloid which is typically found in the crevices and fissures of stones. Most true opals come from Australia, with only about 3% of them coming from other areas of the world. Naturally white in color, opals can reflect and refract [...]
A lab created sapphire is actually pretty common in jewelry today, and in more than just the blue tone that sapphires are most often known for. Sapphires actually come in a wide variety of colors including clear stones. Lab created sapphire engagement rings are often used as a substitute for diamond rings because clear sapphires [...]
Diamonds are our most prized precious gem. But brown diamonds have never enjoyed the popularity of the clear variety. Although diamonds come in a range of light to strong yellow browns, clearer diamonds are usually seen as more desirable. However true chocolate diamonds, which have a stronger hue than found on the normal diamond color [...]
Many people turn their noses down at any kind of synthetic gem like lab created emeralds, rubies or diamonds. In the battle of lab created emeralds vs natural emeralds, jewelry purists believe that lab created stones can’t stand up to the natural gems. They’re often considered cheap fakes, when in reality they’re anything but fake. [...]
Historically, rubies are among the most prized gemstones. However with the popularity of diamonds increasing, these interesting gemstones are often overlooked – a real shame! Many people don’t realize that rubies and sapphires are composed of the same basic materials; only rubies are red in color while all other colored sapphires are simply called sapphires [...]
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Alexandrite is an interesting gemstone, being one of the most recent gems discovered in nature. Named for Alexander II after it was first identified in Russia in the 1830s, the most unusual property of this gemstone is its ability to change color dramatically depending on lighting. The color can vary between purple-reds through to blue [...]
Moissanite jewelry is a popular choice for many consumers looking for an alternative to more expensive diamond jewelry. A beautiful stone in its own right, Moissanite is similar enough to a diamond that it can be used in place of the more expensive stone. It pays to do your research though, and the question of [...]
Just a few more points to consider, following my previous article about Moissanite. Identifying Moissanite Because of the higher dispersion factor (ability to split light into rainbow colors) that gives Moissanite its signature fire, it can be easily identified when compared to a natural diamond. Anyone who has seen a few real diamonds would also [...]
Moissanite (pronounced moy-sun-ite) is an alternative simulated diamond that has been of increasing interest over the last few years. With a fascinating history – it was discovered in meteorite fragments in 1893 – this mineral is actually extremely rare in nature. In fact there is so little, and the pieces are so small, that any [...]
Of all man made gems, lab created Emeralds benefit the most from being produced artificially. Emeralds that have been sourced naturally are known for their high level of inclusions, which is the technical term for imperfections in the stone. Most natural Emeralds must have these cracks filled in using silicon or other industrial sealants. Not [...]
The term Russian diamonds conjures up some romantic images. The history and culture of the country, at least from what is shown in western media, is of secrecy, invention, and outlandish technology. Mixing these themes with the romantic ideas of diamonds as possessions of the fabulously rich and wealthy, leads to some dramatic mental images [...]
It is very important to understand the difference between lab created diamonds (and other created gems) and their imitation counterparts. Unfortunately, many dealers sell the latter under the banner name of “lab created” but this is in fact untrue. This is because they do not fit the definition of being made of 100% of the [...]