Gemstone Insights

Today's bespoke gem I'm cutting is a piece of morganite (pink beryl). The plan is to cut an 8mm round brilliant. Here is the original peice of rough... i'm preforming it by hand to shape it before dopping it. Doing this removes any surface flaws and inclusions and allows me to see exactly what I'm working with. Now I make...

The blue colour of sapphire has been long connected to the idea that earth was positioned on a big sapphire and we all lived in the beautiful glow of it. I love this idea! But well, we know now things are a little different. But sapphire’s never lost their attraction and are still a very beloved gem today.Kate Middleton Ever...

Zircon is often confused with cubic zircona, and while these two materials may sound similar in name, that’s where the similarity ends. Since the late 1970s, cubic zircona has become a household name.  Cubic zircona is zirconium oxide (ZrO2), a mineral which is synthesised for use as a diamond simulant. Cubic zirconia has been used in the jewellery trade as...

Widely used in Roman times as both an abrasive and for use in jewellery, garnet has long been a revered gemstone. There are many varieties of garnet; indeed, garnet is actually a group of minerals, each of which exhibits its own unique characteristics. The colour of garnet varies considerably, from totally colourless specimens, to vibrant olive-greens, stunning reds, black, and...