Gemstone Science

Crystal Growth: How Gemstones Form Over Millions of Years

Crystal Growth: How Gemstones Form Over Million...

Gemstones form over millions of years through igneous, metamorphic, hydrothermal, and sedimentary processes. This guide explains how crystal growth works, what geological environments produce different gems, and why large gem-quality...

Crystal Growth: How Gemstones Form Over Million...

Gemstones form over millions of years through igneous, metamorphic, hydrothermal, and sedimentary processes. This guide explains how crystal growth works, what geological environments produce different gems, and why large gem-quality...

Cleavage vs Fracture in Gemstones: Key Differences

Cleavage vs Fracture in Gemstones: Key Differences

Cleavage and fracture are two ways gemstones break, with very different causes and results. This guide compares them side by side, explains how each affects gem durability and identification, and...

Cleavage vs Fracture in Gemstones: Key Differences

Cleavage and fracture are two ways gemstones break, with very different causes and results. This guide compares them side by side, explains how each affects gem durability and identification, and...

Fracture in Gemstones: Conchoidal, Uneven and Splintery Types

Fracture in Gemstones: Conchoidal, Uneven and S...

Fracture is how a gemstone breaks when it does not cleave along a crystallographic plane. This guide explains conchoidal, uneven, splintery, and earthy fracture types, how they differ from cleavage,...

Fracture in Gemstones: Conchoidal, Uneven and S...

Fracture is how a gemstone breaks when it does not cleave along a crystallographic plane. This guide explains conchoidal, uneven, splintery, and earthy fracture types, how they differ from cleavage,...

Cleavage in Gemstones: Why Some Stones Split Perfectly

Cleavage in Gemstones: Why Some Stones Split Pe...

Cleavage is the tendency of a gem to split along flat planes of weak atomic bonding. This guide explains cleavage quality, directions, and how it affects gem durability, cutting, and...

Cleavage in Gemstones: Why Some Stones Split Pe...

Cleavage is the tendency of a gem to split along flat planes of weak atomic bonding. This guide explains cleavage quality, directions, and how it affects gem durability, cutting, and...

Crystal Inclusions in Gemstones: What They Are and What They Tell Us

Crystal Inclusions in Gemstones: What They Are ...

Inclusions are a gemstone's fingerprints, revealing its geological history, geographic origin, and whether it has been treated. This guide covers types of inclusions, what they tell us about ruby, emerald,...

Crystal Inclusions in Gemstones: What They Are ...

Inclusions are a gemstone's fingerprints, revealing its geological history, geographic origin, and whether it has been treated. This guide covers types of inclusions, what they tell us about ruby, emerald,...

Twinning in Gemstones: What It Is and How It Forms

Twinning in Gemstones: What It Is and How It Forms

Crystal twinning occurs when two crystals of the same mineral grow in a specific symmetrical relationship. This guide explains how twinning forms, famous examples in diamond, spinel, and feldspar, and...

Twinning in Gemstones: What It Is and How It Forms

Crystal twinning occurs when two crystals of the same mineral grow in a specific symmetrical relationship. This guide explains how twinning forms, famous examples in diamond, spinel, and feldspar, and...