Gemstone Buying Guide

Topaz is a classic silicate mineral prized for its high clarity. But buying it requires a sharp eye for market realities. For jewelry ma...

When you source fire opal for a production line or custom piece, a pretty photo isn't enough. It is a fragile, heat-sensitive gem that v...

Variscite has great visual impact, but it comes with serious physical variables. It is a softer, heavily matrixed stone, so evaluating i...

The ruby market is notoriously complex. Price per carat can swing based on a slight shift in hue, making it easy to overpay if you don't...

Carnelian is a staple of the commercial jewelry trade. It offers rich red-orange saturation and Mohs 6.5–7 toughness. As with any gemsto...

Amazonite is a striking blue-green variety of microcline feldspar. But buying this stone for a jewelry line is different from choosing a...

Genuine kyanite is highly prized for its vibrant saturation. It’s the same reason why it is one of the most frequently imitated stones i...

Discovered in Africa just over a decade ago, Aquaprase has quickly become a favorite for statement pieces. Unsurprisingly, it is also a ...

Buying ammolite is completely different from buying a traditional faceted gemstone. It is cut from fossilized shells rather than mined a...

Kyanite stands out as one of the most distinctive gemstones in jewelry making, admired for its vibrant deep blue color, striking bladed ...

Kyanite is a typically blue aluminum silicate mineral that forms long, blade-like crystals in high-pressure metamorphic rocks.  It is an...

Buying peridot is simple. But only when you know exactly what separates a high-value jewelry stone from average commercial material.  Fo...