Gemstone Detective Blog

his is about you, the buyer, and how to protect your money, your milestones, and your legacy purchases.

As I step into 2025 I'm reminded that every challenge crafts a stronger spirit, and every adventure is a story waiting to be told.

In today's world, where being "ethical" is more than just a buzzword, it's crucial to understand the concept of ethical mining.

Today, we delve deeper into gemstone and jewellery scams by providing a list of active forums and resources where you can seek help.

Upon closer inspection, this diamond turned out to be synthetic. What’s worse, it had a GIA (Gemological Institute of America) inscription.

So, how do we get these gemstones out of their hiding places? There are various methods, and all depend on where the gemstones are found.

There are several types of gemstone scams, but they all share a common goal: to convince the person to buy overpriced or worthless gemstones

What do you check for when buying a quality gemstone? What is a good quality gemstone?

If you read about my field gemmology trip with Vincent Pardieu in April 2017, you’ll know how I learned about the existence of composite gemstones and lead glass filled rubies. Lead glass filled rubies entered the market in 2004, but since many people (especially hobbyists and tourist collectors) are still unaware of their presence, I wrote about them in ‘Buying Gemstones and Jewellery in Thailand.’ After all, Thailand is a world hub for gemstone treatment and continues to

A synthetic gem could be a good choice if you would like a gemstone with few flaws.  Some gemstones, such as sapphire, ruby and emerald, have many inclusions (flaws) in their natural form.  As synthetic gemstones are formed in the lab, it’s easier to control the process.  This means fewer inclusions.