The Curator's Journal

The Perfection of Peridot, part 6: The Zephyrs of Zabargad

Despite the presence of peridot in mediaeval Europe, evidence suggests that mining operations of the island of Zabargad were still stagnant during the middle ages. The 12th-13th Century C.E. Arabic...

The Zing of Zircon, Part 8: Mystery of the Mountain

Most famous for its 79 C.E. eruption, which devastated the Roman settlements of Pompeii and nearby Herculaneum, Mount Vesuvius is a volcano located in southern Italy that has violently erupted nume...

The Zing of Zircon, Part 7: The Story of Starlite

One of the most valuable varieties of zircon, and certainly the most popular, is blue zircon. In some cases this zircon variety may be referred to as “starlite”, a trade name originally proposed by...

The Zing of Zircon, Part 6: Terrestrial Timepieces

Because zircon crystals often contain impurities of radioactive isotopes, zircon has been an important material used in the development of radiometric dating techniques, and it continues to partici...

The Zing of Zircon, part 5: Fable, Formation, and Function

Zircon has been treasured as a gemstone since ancient times. Evidence of zircon’s early use can be found in the Old Testament of the Judeo-Christian Bible, where the stone known as “jacinth” is lis...

The Zing of Zircon, Part 4: The Curse of Cubic Zirconia

In the history of gemstone jewellery, white zircon gemstones were long used as diamond simulants because of their striking resemblance to diamonds, with the untrained eye having virtually no way to...

The Zing of Zircon, Part 2: Curious Character and Causes of Colour

Zircon is somewhat unique among gemstones in that it occurs with a wide range of variable properties, namely its refractive index, birefringence, specific gravity, and mohs hardness. This variation...

The Perfection of Peridot, part 5: The Tale of Topazios

The written history of peridot gemstones begins sometime during the 5th Century B.C.E. when the ancient Egyptians are thought to have first discovered an island in the Red Sea which eventually beca...

The Perfection of Peridot, part 2: A Nuanced Name

The history of peridot’s nomenclature is even more complex than its current labelling. In the 18th Century, the mineral now known as “topaz” was officially given its name by Western scientists. Thi...

The Splendour of Spinel, part 6: A Recent Return

Spinel now holds an important place in the world of bespoke gemstone jewellery, but for a large portion of history the stone was underappreciated. Advances in the laboratory and changes in the land...