gem indentification

Ruby is the birthstone for July. This rich, bold colorful gemstone is perfect for ruby rings including your ruby engagement ring. Rubies are a 9 out of 10 on the Mohs hardness scale making them a perfect gemstone for everyday wear. The only stones harder than rubies are moissanite and diamonds. The ruby color ranges from purplish or bluish red to a yellowish red. The very best ruby for your...

Emerald is the green variety of beryl. Only red emeralds are rarer. An emerald ring is hard, a 7 ½ to 8 out of 10 on the Mohs hardness scale, but is very brittle. It is under more stress because of the possibility of fractures. It is for that reason that emerald gemstone rings are not good everyday rings to wear. It would be better to have emerald earrings or...

Mexican Fire Opals are considered some of the most beautiful opals in its species. There are three species of opals: precious opal, fire or red yellow opal and common opal. Each species has its own characteristics. “Mexican fire opal can have a water clear base, any degree of yellow to orange to deep red-brown, white and very rarely seen…and perhaps only rumored…black”, as described by Paul B. Downing, Ph.D in...

As technology advances, synthetic gemstones are becoming more and more popular in the jewelry industry. One of the most popular synthetic gemstones is synthetic rubies and synthetic sapphire. These gemstones are affordable, durable, and indistinguishable from their natural counterparts to the naked eye. But how did these synthetic gemstones come to be? The history of synthetic rubies and synthetic sapphire dates back to the early 19th century. In 1801, a...