Gemstone Journal
About Our Guides
Who stands behind the Gemstone Journal, and how each guide is researched, sourced and dated.
Who is behind the guides
Founded by Gil Golan
Sapphire Row was founded by Gil Golan. Gil is a member of the GIA Alumni Collective, with extensive experience in the Bangkok gem trade.
When a guide carries a note "From Gil Golan, founder of Sapphire Row", the words are his own, taken from his answers to the questions customers ask most.
How the guides are researched
Published references, cited and dated
Published references
Our guides draw on published gemological references, chiefly GIA's Gem Encyclopedia and research from gemological laboratories and trade associations.
Sources you can follow
New and refreshed guides list their sources at the end, so you can read further.
Dated and updated
Every guide shows the date it was published, and a guide that has been revised also shows when it was last updated.
What the guides don't do
General guidance, never a valuation
A guide explains how to judge stones in general. It doesn't grade or value a particular stone. For a stone you're considering, its lab report and its product page carry the details, and you can ask us anything about it.
