Sapphire is one of the classic gems. In this article, Lotus Gemology's resident connoisseur casts a discerning eye at the factors that contribute to quality in this legendary precious stone.

A loving look at ruby – the gem of passion – from the standpoint of the connoisseur.

Since the late 1960's, East Africa has been home to some of planet earth's greatest gem discoveries. And yet, little has been written about certain of these finds. In the autumn of 2007, the authors set out to fill in the gaps, specifically regarding Tanzania's Mahenge, Songea and Tunduru regions.

An over-and-underground look at the tanzanite mines of Merelani, Tanzania, where the First World meets the Third, and graphite-covered miners pull glittering blue gems from black earth.

Traditional gemology considers itself a science, but typically omits a key element of the scientific method. And is gemology simply a science, or something more? Read on to learn the answer…

An investigation into nephrite and imitation nephrite pebbles purchased in Guangzhou, China's Hualin Street jade market.

A discussion of how inclusion patterns mimic crystallographic symmetry in ruby and sapphire.

The role of fiber-optic lighting in gemological microscopy.

The history of glass-infilling in blue sapphire, along with a description of the latest treatment generation developed in Chanthaburi, Thailand.

A discussion of the definition of padparadscha sapphire, from early to modern times, along with the difficulty in standardizing such definitions.