Petra Blue – a magnificent rough blue diamond
Petra Mining announces the sale of a 39.34 carat type 11b, blue diamond. This diamond was recovered in the Cullinan mine in Gauteng, South Africa in April 2021. The Cullinan mine is renowned for producing large blue diamonds. The gem will be sold on auction in July and viewings will be held in Antwerp, Dubai, […]
Skills Development in SA’s Gem industry
It is an accepted fact that skills development in SA is essential to the economic growth of almost all industries in the country and goes hand in hand with job creation. The diamond and jewellery industry is no exception.Exploration for minerals and gemstones, mining them, cutting and polishing gems, manufacturing jewellery, identifying and grading diamonds […]
Gem Courses Online
To say that our world has been turned upside down is an understatement. The new “normal” is a far cry from what we all were used to. All businesses have had to re-evaluate and adjust their business models and how they are going to operate to be successful in the changed environment. The necessity for […]
Clarity Grading
When we talk about the clarity of a diamond, what exactly do we mean? Clarity of a diamond refers to presence or absence of imperfections that may be in the diamond, or on its surface. The amount, position, colour, and type of imperfections individually or collectively can affect how the gem is polished and plays a […]
Loupes
A loupe is essentially a magnifying glass specifically designed for viewing gemstones. Loupes are available in a variety of magnifications, for instance, seven times magnification indicated as 7X, ten times magnification indicated as 10X, 20 times magnification indicated as 20X. The world standard for loupe magnification when viewing diamond is 10X and therefore is the […]
Why is the hardness of a gem important?
The relative hardness and therefore durability of a gem can influence what gem you choose, what setting you use, when you wear the gem and how best to store your jewellery. Some gems have a far greater value than others and are used predominantly for expensive to top end jewellery. Price or value is a […]
Synthetic ( laboratory grown) coloured gemstones
There are a significant number of precious and semi-precious gemstones that can be manufactured by man. These synthetic gemstones have essentially the same optical, physical, and chemical properties as the natural counterpart. However, there is a large difference in price between the natural and synthetic, particularly when it comes to the precious gems. Click here […]
Gems by colour range
Did you know that when choosing a gemstone for a piece of jewellery that you will have a choice of gems that fit into the colour range you are looking for? If you were looking for a blue gemstone, and depending on the depth of colour you require, you would have nine different gemstones that […]
Diamond – the birthstone for the month of April
The most sought-after gem in the world and regarded as the gem for engagements and major family events. Diamond is the birthstone for April and the anniversary gem for the 10th and 60th year of marriage. Click here to view full article. Diamond – April birthstone
Treatment of gems – accepted or not accepted?
Some gemstones are routinely treated, and the treatment is well known and accepted in the gem and jewellery industry. However, there are some treatments that are not routinely done and must be disclosed to the buyer by the seller. The common treatments that must be disclosed by the seller include glass filling, oiling, resin filling, […]
