Round brilliant-cut amethyst in a vivid reddish purple with violet-purple flashes around the crown, photographed face-up on a pale gray background at Sapphire Row
Amethyst
Sapphire Row

Purple Gemstones: A Gemologist's Guide to Choosing the Right Purple

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Round precious opal cabochon photographed against black at Sapphire Row, showing vivid green, blue, orange and red play-of-color across a translucent grayish white body - the traditional October birthstone Birthstones
Sapphire Row

October Birthstone: A Gemologist's Guide to Opal and Tourmaline

October has two birthstones, and they could hardly be less alike. A gemologist explains how opal's play-of-color actually works, why...

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Unheated round brilliant-cut Tanzanian parti sapphire held in stainless steel tweezers at Sapphire Row, showing a medium bluish green teal body with yellowish green and blue-green color zoning across the crown Color Zoning
Sapphire Row

Parti Sapphires and Teal Sapphires: The Beauty of Color Zoning

Parti sapphires show two or more colors in a single natural crystal. A gemmologist explains what causes the zoning, how...

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Round brilliant-cut violetish blue tanzanite photographed face-up at Sapphire Row, showing bright, evenly distributed light return across the crown facets — tanzanite is a species that is almost always heat treated Colored Gemstones
Sapphire Row

Gemstone Treatments Explained: What's Normal and What's Not

Almost every colored gemstone on the market has been treated in some way. Here is a gemologist's guide to which...

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Round brilliant-cut unheated Tanzanian sapphire in a medium bluish green teal, held in stainless steel tweezers at Sapphire Row, showing yellowish green and blue-green color zoning across the crown — the September birthstone beyond classic blue Birthstones
Sapphire Row

September Birthstone: A Gemologist’s Guide to Sapphire

Sapphire is the September birthstone — and it comes in every color except red. A working gemologist’s guide to sapphire...

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Pear-shaped brilliant-cut sapphire in a medium slightly violetish blue, held tip-down in fine steel tweezers at Sapphire Row, its color strongest across the shoulders and point with a softer grayish cast through the table Buying Guide
Sapphire Row

Gemstone Shapes Explained: How to Choose the Right One

Shape is the first decision a cutter makes and the last thing most buyers think about. A working guide to...

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Emerald-cut vivid slightly bluish green Zambian emerald held in warm gold-toned tweezers at Sapphire Row, showing whitish jardin veils and mossy internal texture across the table Colored Gemstones
Sapphire Row

Gemstone Origin: Why Where a Stone Was Mined Changes Its Value

Origin is the one value factor you cannot see in a stone. Here is how Burma, Mozambique, Kashmir, Colombia and...

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