Rutilated quartz gemstones from Ceylon (Sri Lanka). Please Click on the images for an enlarged view.
Please note that the rough gemstone gallery is included in our Mineral Galleries. This is because there is no clear distinction between rough gemstones and minerals. More and more minerals are been introduced as gemstones almost everyday, some people also use minerals for setting in jewelry. Some of the softer minerals are cut en cabochon […]
Famous faceted topaz gemstones greater than 1,000 carats in weight, arranged in descending order of weights S/N Name Source Carat Weight Cut/Shape Color Present Owners 1 El-Dorado Topaz Brazil 31,000 emerald yellowish-brown Programa Royal Collections 2 Lua de Maraba Brazil 25,250 octagonal gray Programa Royal Collections 3 American Golden Topaz Brazil 22,892.5 cushion yellowish-brown NMNH […]
Chemistry of the mineral Topaz Topaz is a silicate mineral which is the largest and most important class of rock-forming minerals. Topaz belongs to the sub-class Nesosilicates, the simplest of all silicates in which the tetrahedral SiO4 units exist separately, but are held together by metal cations as in Garnets, Andalusite and Olivine, or form […]
This article is reproduced with kind permission from the National Gem and Jewellery Authority. There are three main ways in which gems can be used -firstly as body ornaments, or to show rank and status and secondly, as a symbol of wealth.Thirdly- depending on ones superstitious beliefs -to bring blessings and good fortune ; to […]
Origin of name © Smithsonian Institution The “American Golden Topaz” which is of Brazilian origin, and resides in the Natural History Museum of the Smithsonian Institution, at Washington DC, is the largest faceted golden topaz and perhaps the largest faceted gemstone of anykind in the world. The name of the stone seem to reflect both […]
This Article is Reproduced with kind permission from the National Gem and Jewellery Authority Editorial It is encouraging to note that the gem and jewellery sector has recorded an overall growth of US$87.6 Million during the first 2 months of 2008 in comparison with the corresponding figure of 2007. The National Gem and Jewellery Authority’s […]
Origin of name The Michael Scott Collection, arguably the most important private gem collection in the United States, with a few rivals in the world outside of the royal families, was started by Michael Scott, the first president of Apple Computer (1977-81), in 1987 and almost completed within a record-breaking period of 14 years. The […]
Origin of name
The historical “Prince’s Ruby” on display at the Bower’s Museum of Cultural Art at Santa Ana, California, gets its name from Prince Khurram – the third son of Mughal Emperor Jehangir (1605-27) – who ascended the Mughal Throne as Shah Jahaan in 1628, after the death of his
List of gem-quality faceted rubies greater than 10-carats in weight arranged in descending order of weights S/N Name Carat Weight Origin Cut-Shape Present Owner 1 Prince’s Ruby 174.67 unknown unknown Bowers Museum 2 Rosser Reeves 138.70 Sri Lanka cabochon star NMNH Smithsonian 3 DeLong Star 100.32 Burma cabochon star AMNH New York 4 Nga Mauk […]