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 ...

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 ...

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 ...

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 ...