Beads are believed to be the earliest of jewels — their simple form could be carved easily out of soft gemstone material. The increase in bead manuf

Behind every beautiful gemstone is a highly talented designer, but the skill of the lapidary (cutter) is often overlooked as the gem takes centre stag

A ring makes a personal statement, reflecting the character and lifestyle of the wearer. It can represent an attachment to another person, as well as

Many retailers will tell you, that sourcing good quality silver gemstone jewelry was the key to their success. Why?

Gem carving and engraving has been performed since ancient times – jade has been carved decoratively in China for the last 3,000 years. Today, the mai

Where most consumers are familiar with the 4 C’s of Diamonds-cut, clarity, color and carat weight, which determine the desirability of a diamond in terms of prices. So how does a Diamond and a Moissanite compare in this areas. COLOR: Diamonds vary in color from D-E (colorless) to N-Z (noticeable color). Moissanite is comparable to…

There are many things to consider when designing jewllery, how big the piece will be, what the focal point will be etc.

Recent advances in gem treatments and synthetic stones have made buying gemstones much more of a challenge. As a consequence, finding a dealer or shop

Much of the beauty of gemstones is due to the way they react when light shines on them.

An understanding of the optical and physical properties of the material is a prerequisite to knowing the best ways of gemstones and making the most of

The majority of gemstones on the market are routinely enhanced using a range of treatments. You should be aware of the effects these may have on the w

The second group of faceted cuts includes straight-sided girdle shapes: squares, rectangles, octagons, triangles, trapeziums, hexagons and barrels.

Attitudes toward cabochon-cut gemstones vary from country to country. The United States and Britain view faceted stones as the more desirable form of

A stone setting is more than just a means of securing a gemstone. It plays an important part in the design of a piece of jewelry and needs to be con

Beads have enormous versatility. Along with faceted briolettes and pendeloques (plain drops), they can be incorporated into most forms of jewelry, i

There are two main categories of faceted stones: round shapes and straight-sided shapes.

When you are first presented with a tray of gemstones it is easy to feel dazzled and slightly overwhelmed, and to forget to look at the stones in deta

Sometimes it’s not possible to find what you want among available gemstones. You may have a design in mind that requires a specific material or type o