Gemstone Detective Blog

June is Pride Month , a month to celebrate LGBTQ+ communities all over the world, so let’s have a look at some gemstones that reflect the colours and meaning of the famous rainbow Pride flag! Gemstones for Pride: a symbol of Pride , the colours of the striped Pride flag echo the colours of the rainbow, with each colour symbolising a positive concept. The colours come together to represent humankind’s diverse community. Red: life Red garnet has been associated with the hear

Pearls are what we call organic gemstones: gemstones that are produced by a living organism. Pearls are formed inside molluscs such as oysters, clams and mussels, and occur when a small piece of grit or sand becomes lodged within the mollusc’s soft insides.

5 of the best gemstone and jewellery museums around the world

The majority of American gemstones are produced by 13 states, with the greatest concentration in the west of the country—states like California, Nevada, Arizona and Utah. And it is to these 13 states that the USA’s passionate community of rockhounds, collectors and enthusiasts flock to mine, trade and hold gemstone conventions.

So how and where do you start to market your books? Here are my Top 10 book marketing ideas to get you going:

To truly appreciate a colour change garnet, the gemstone should be viewed in different lighting conditions, including early morning daylight, late afternoon daylight, incandescent light, fluorescent light and candlelight.

On one of my trips last year to Mogok, Myanmar, I had the opportunity to sit and watch a gem-painting being made.

So, as of today I’m going to start a gratitude journal. Every day, for the foreseeable future, I’m going to write down 5 things I’m grateful for that day. It should be very interesting to look back on it in 20 years’ time!

Even if you’re an introvert, you may find it difficult to manage the blurring of boundaries between your professional and home life.  Tiger’s Eye is the perfect gemstone to declutter your mind, allowing you to focus on the task at hand.  Because Tiger’s eye is also said to instil confidence, it will help you feel that you’ve got this – you can cope with the changes to your life!

Funnily enough, yesterday, one of my readers, Kathy, emailed me to say that she is thinking about writing a book on pink diamonds. How wonderful!  I was really touched that she contacted me, asking “Where do I start?”  It’s a great question and I’m so happy to be able to share my experience with you.

This got me thinking about women in the gemstone and jewellery industry, from the pioneering women of the Gemmological Insitute of America, to mining company CEOs, to the hard-working artisanal miners in all the countries I’ve visited on my research trips. As a female gemmologist and solo traveller, I’d like to take a moment to name and celebrate some of these inspirational women.

While preparing to write this blog, I was intrigued to discover that the phrase ‘luck of the Irish’ actually has its origins in the 19th century American Gold Rush. So many of the prospectors who struck gold in the Californian mines were of Irish descent, that people began to associate good fortune with Irish ethnicity.

I’ve marvelled at the intricate craftsmanship of traditional jewellery in India, been dazzled by golden Buddha statues in Thailand, Sri Lanka and Myanmar, and panned for gold in the USA.

Gemstones for Men. Why should men be stuck with a simple metal band while women get to flash the sparklers?

Attach the gemstones (safely) to a collar, position them under a favourite bed or hold in one hand while petting your furry companion with the other.  Try these 5 gemstones for a healthy pet:

It’s surprisingly tricky to buy jewellery for someone else, so buying a ‘Love Yourself Ring’ means that you’re guaranteed to get the perfect ring for you. Think about what message you want to convey to yourself and the world and choose a style to match.

Her guidebooks will be invaluable to travellers wishing to purchase precious gems, even inspiring those who may not have had an interest before.

If your new beginnings involve a business venture, citrine is a good choice for your crystal collection. Citrine, a yellow variety of quartz, is used by proponents of crystal therapy to attract wealth and abundance. This sunshine-bright gemstone is said to increase motivation and physical energy—two properties you will definitely need when starting a new business!

Of course there are far too many Native American myths, legends and beliefs about turquoise to list here. Nevertheless, I hope that after reading this blog post you’ll think of turquoise as much more than a mere fashion statement!

For those of you seeking a blue gemstone that’s a little more unusual, how about silky, blue kyanite?  Increasingly seen in jewellery since reserves of excellent quality were found in Nepal, kyanite is used as a less costly alternative to sapphire.  Kyanite is an interesting gem because it’s the most anisotropic of all gemstones.