Peridot’s Story
Peridot’s Story About two thousand years ago, under the light of a full moon, a small group of sailors landed on the shore of the tiny Island of the Serpents in the Red Sea. Their attentionwas caught by glowing olive green crystals in the volcanic earth. At dawn’s first light, the glow turned to a […]
The Mogok Story
The Mogok Story At the beginning of time, so the legend goes, the giant serpent Naga laid three eggs. From the first egg came the King of Pagan. From the second, the Emperor of China. And from the last egg, all the Rubies. For more than 2000 years, the Mogok Stone Tract in Upper Burma […]
Five Legendary Spinels
Five Legendary Spinels A popular cliché declares, ‘it is what it is’. This simple assertion, once named the ‘cliché of the year’, seems merely to state the obvious. In the case of the spinel, however, there’s something seriously wrong with this small bit of conventional wisdom. Five legendary Rubies. These are not what they are. They are, […]
Gem Renaissance – Spinel’s 21st Century Revival
Gem Renaissance – Spinel’s 21st Century Revival Here is the story of a sleeping beauty. After seeing the spinel, it would be a challenge to understand how this vibrant stone stayed overlooked for so long. When Gemcal began introducing the spinel to the American market at the 1996 GJX in Tucson, we encountered raised eyebrows […]
Five Majestic Spinels Jewels – From Mongol To Modern
Five Majestic Spinels Jewels – From Mongol To Modern Exploring Badakhshan the ancient part of the Timurid Empire, Marco Polo mentioned “fine and valuable Balas Rubies” he could not stop admiring. Most probably named after the Barlas tribe who were remnants of the original Mongol army of Genghis Khan. These colossal rubies were actually spinels, […]
Spinels In Medicine Harbor
Spinels In Medicine Harbor Sometimes it’s good to remember the old days. Back in 2001, even though it was the dawn of the new, modern century, Burma was still relatively isolated. There were few tourists, mining was mostly done by traditional methods, and transportation was crude. Here’s an account of our first trip to Namya… […]
Trip to Mogok
Trip to Mogok Mogok has always been an important source for gems, probably the finest in the world. However, the people of Mogok, miners, dealers are fascinating just as much. Enjoy the following snaps of Mogok everyday life. These are the people who discover the most marvelous nature’s creations. No doubt that the beauty they […]
AGTA, JA Add Spinel As Official August Birthstone
AGTA, JA Add Spinel As Official August Birthstone In June 2016 the American Gem Trade Association (AGTA) and Jewellers of America (JA) added spinel as an official birthstone for the month of August. While this modern list of birthstones was devised during a meeting of the (American) National Association of Jewellers in Kansas City in […]
Spinels On The Block- Record Spinels Auctions
Spinels On The Block- Record Spinels Auctions In 2015, Bonhams, a leading luxury auction house in London, set a record with the sale of a spinel that hadn’t been seen in 98 years. The plum-colored, 50.13-carat Hope Spinel from the renowned Hope Collection was last spotted at auction in 1917, where it sold for about […]
An Endless Hallway With Reflective Mirrors: The Asscher Cut
An Endless Hallway With Reflective Mirrors: The Asscher Cut As Leonardo da Vinci once noted, simplicity is the ultimate sophistication. The truth of this statement shimmers in every angle of the Asscher Cut. The meticulous proportions in this simple Step Cut are the key to its incredible reflective mirrors effect, making it a classical, […]