I am so fortunate to have been able to visit Mogok. The last time I visited Myanmar in 2018, Mogok was closed so I could not complete my research. I was only able to visit Mandalay and Yangon. But, after a successful three-day event to celebrate the 800th anniversary of Mogok in March 2018, the Government in Myanmar re-opened the doors to Mogok (a city in the Pyin Oo Lwin District of the Mandalay Region of Myanmar), granting access to international tourists and visitors. I ju

Welcome to the world of tourmaline in part 2 of October’s birthstone blog! Tourmaline Tourmaline gets its name from a Sinhalese phrase ‘tura mali’, which means ‘stone mixed with many colours’ in this native language of Sri Lanka. The presence of different elements in tourmaline’s makeup produces its plethora of colour variations. A tourmaline rich in iron will be black, blue-black dark brown and one rich in magnesium will be mid-brown to yellow one. Add lithium, though, an

As a lover of gemstones, it always fascinates me how shifts in our world-view are reflected in gemstone jewellery trends.  As our modern urban life with its focus on technology impacts ever more on our sense of wellbeing, we are increasingly aware of the need to make time for mindfulness and reconnect with the natural world – you can see this idea taking hold in contemporary jewellery collections everywhere. Gold accents: A thin layer of gold pressed around an uneven edge or

You’ve probably come across jewellery that incorporates your birthstone – the gemstone associated with your star sign or month of birth.  For millennia, people have believed in the influence of the stars on the course of their lives.  They have sought the advice of astrologers, avoided certain colours or numbers, and worn specific gemstones in a bid to increase good fortune and ward off bad. But identifying your birthstone is a little more complicated than matching your star-