The Curator's Journal

Origins of Ametrine, Part 2: The Legend of Bolivianite

There are a number of locations where ametrine has been known to occur naturally, but the stone is somewhat rare and there is only one place where a significant quantity of gem-grade ametrine can b...

Which Sapphire is Right for Me?

A Comprehensive Guide By Ella Masciulli     Blue Sapphire Blue is the most well-known and widely recognized variation of sapphire. After all, these gems are named after the Greek word sappheiros...

The Colours of Garnet, Part 5: Hybrid Garnets

By Yaĝé Enigmus   Due to the high degree of similarity between the chemical structures of various garnet minerals, there exist garnet gemstones which owe their beauty to a mixing of different garn...

The Colours of Garnet, Part 4: Andradite Garnet

By Yaĝé Enigmus   The final member of the ugrandite garnet series is the mineral andradite garnet. One of  the most valuable gem garnet species, andradite garnet is prized among mineral collectors ...

The Colours of Garnet, Part 3: Uvarovite and Grossular Garnet

By Yaĝé Enigmus   The second series of major gem garnets is more diversely coloured and somewhat less common than the pyralspite garnets. This series is known as the “ugrandite” garnets, and it co...

The Colours of Garnet, Part 2: Pyralspite Garnets

By Yaĝé Enigmus   In the jewellery trade, six nesosilicate garnet minerals are valued as gemstones. These minerals each display their own ranges of colour, and some species also occur as distinct v...

The Colours of Garnet, Part 1: What is Garnet?

By Yaĝé Enigmus   For most people, the word “garnet” is synonymous with the colour red. In truth, red is merely one colour that garnet gemstones are known for. Now the contemporary Western birthsto...

The Colours of Tourmaline, Part 4: Other Tourmaline Species

By Yaĝé Enigmus   While the majority of coloured tourmaline gemstones encountered are composed of elbaite tourmaline, there are other tourmaline minerals which are occasionally seen in jewellery. T...

The Colours of Tourmaline, Part 3: Fancy Colours of Elbaite

By Yaĝé Enigmus The right combinations of trace impurities in elbaite can cause the perception of unique colours that are somewhat unique or especially rare. These colours of tourmaline may have th...

The Colours of Tourmaline, Part 2: Primary Colours of Elbaite

By Yaĝé Enigmus   Elbaite tourmaline accounts for the majority of tourmaline gemstones and is the most notably mutlicoloured tourmaline species. Elbaite is a sodium lithium aluminum tourmaline m...