Journal · 177 notes
Stones & grading
Written for buyers rather than for search engines: what a specification actually means, where an order usually goes wrong, and what to ask before you pay a deposit.
Stones & grading · Sep 2026
Tourmaline Gemstone Guide: Colors, Value & Heat Treatments
From watermelon to paraiba, tourmaline comes in more hues than almost any gem family. Here is what the bench knows about cuts, treatments, and value.
Stones & grading · Sep 2026
Spinel Gemstone Guide: The Royal Red & Blue Underdog
Some of history's most famous 'rubies' were actually spinel. Discover this underrated gem's colors, hardness, price, and why it punches above its weight.
Stones & grading · Sep 2026
Citrine Gemstone Guide: Heat Treatment, Color, and Value
Most commercial citrine begins as amethyst before heat brings out its golden color. Learn what that treatment means for value, care, and everyday wear.
Stones & grading · Sep 2026
Rhodium Plating: Why White Gold and Silver Get It, and How Often It Really Needs Re-Doing
Rhodium plating thickness, wear pattern, and realistic re-plate intervals for rings vs earrings, plus EU nickel-release notes.
Stones & grading · Sep 2026
Rutilated Quartz: The Golden Needles Inside a Clear Stone
Rutilated quartz is clear quartz laced with golden rutile needles. Here is what makes a good piece, how it cuts, and how durable it really is.
Stones & grading · Sep 2026
Jewelry Stone Matching: Color and Grade Selection
How matched stone lots are built for wholesale programs: color, clarity, carat, and why a matched bag beats loose picks.
Stones & grading · Sep 2026
How Jewelry Plating Thickness Is Actually Measured
Microns, microinches, XRF and beta backscatter: how plating thickness on gold- and rhodium-plated jewelry is measured, and what the numbers mean.
Stones & grading · Sep 2026
Goshenite: The Colorless Beryl You Have Probably Never Heard Of
What is goshenite? The colorless variety of beryl, its history as a diamond simulant, durability, and how jewelers use it today.
Stones & grading · Sep 2026
Carnelian: The Ancient Orange-Red Quartz, Explained
Carnelian is the orange-red chalcedony used since antiquity. Learn its color, common heat treatment, durability, and how to set and care for it.
Stones & grading · Sep 2026
Tsavorite Garnet: The Durable Green Alternative to Emerald
Tsavorite is the clean, tough green garnet from East Africa. We cover color, carat ceiling, treatments, and why bench jewelers recommend it.
Stones & grading · Sep 2026
Cabochon vs Faceted Gemstones: Which Cut Is Right?
Faceted stones sparkle; cabochons show color and light play. We explain why opal, turquoise and moonstone are almost never faceted.
Stones & grading · Sep 2026
Epidote: The Deep Green Mineral With a Glassy Luster
Epidote is a deep green calcium aluminum silicate, sometimes cut as cat's-eye or in clear faceted stones. Learn its properties and value.
