Gemstones in the rough look more like rocks than the polished stones used in jewelry. Anyone interested in seeking out and identifying rough gemstones, should start by buying an illustrated guide or looking up images online of rough gemstones. If your locality has a museum that displays gemstones...
There is a wealth of information online, such as our diamond-buying guide and this overview of colored gemstones for engagement rings. The buying guides of the Gemological Institute of America (GIA), searchable by stone type, are also a widely trusted source for consumers venturing into the wor...
There is a lot of synthetic quartz on the market. We have to take special care to ensure that all the quartz we sell is natural. Gemologists can usually identify the presence of seed crystals in synthetic quartz. The best way for consumers to identify synthetic quartz is by size, color an...
Chalcedony is the noncrystalline form ofquartzthat is found exclusively in sedimentary settings and as a secondary mineral in igneous rocks. Usually milky to clear, it takes on red and red-brown colors from iron impurities, and it forms the gemstones agate and carnelian. Luster waxy; hardness 6...