The Curator's Journal

The Splendour of Spinel, part 4: Tajik Treasures

During the centuries in which the spinel mines of the Pamir Mountains were at their peak of productivity, countless high quality gemstones were unearthed and trafficked across Eurasia. Many of thes...

The Splendour of Spinel, part 3: Early Exploitation

Even though it is a lesser known gemstone, spinel’s history still stretches at least as far back as pre-Christian antiquity; some of the oldest known spinel gems were found in ancient buddhist tomb...

The Splendour of Spinel, part 2: Types and Treatments

Spinel is one of many gemstones for which there are numerous varieties. Just like its cousin corundum, spinel gems can occur in a myriad of different hues Very much like rubies and sapphires, spine...

The Splendour of Spinel, part 1: A Cousin to Corundum

Species Spinel Chemical Formula MgAl2O4 Mohs Hardness 7.5 - 8 Cleavage None Luster Vitreous to Subadamantine Refractive Index 1.719 - 1.920 Birefringence N...

Jewellery District Walking Tour with David Saad of Skyjems.ca

Join David Saad for a free guided walking tour of Toronto's Jewellery District. Learn about Toronto's rich history as a jewellery, diamond and gemstone powerhouse. Location: South Benches D...

Star Sapphire: A Stellar Corundum

From the Curator's bench — watch on YouTube   Species Corundum var. Star Sapphire Chemical Formula Al2O3 w/ TiO4, Fe2O3, and/or FeTiO3 Mohs Hardness 9 ...

The Allure of Aquamarine, part 2 - Legends and Lore

Aquamarine has a long history as a revered gemstone. Blue and colourless beryls are thought to have been known to the Sumerians and Semitic peoples of antiquity, although definitive evidence of thi...

The Allure of Aquamarine, part 1 - Beautiful Blue Beryl

Species Beryl var. Aquamarine Chemical Formula Be3Al2Si6O18 with Fe2+ Mohs Hardness 7.5 - 8 Cleavage Indistinct Luster Vitreous Refractive Index 1.567 - 1.590 ...

An Overview of Belle Epoch Jewellery

            The Belle Epoch (Original French: “La Belle Époque”; English: “The Beautiful Era” or “The Beautiful Age”) was a historical period that stretched from the end of the Franco-Prussian war ...

An Overview of the Lost Wax Casting Process

Lost wax casting is a popular technique for producing intricate pieces of metal-based artwork. This method of metalworking has been around for thousands of years, with the oldest known items produc...