Corundum

Chemical composition -- Aluminum oxide.

Color -- almost all colors. Medium to dark red stones are known as ruby; other colors, sapphire.

Optics -- R.I. 1.76-1.77.

Durability -- Hardness 9. After diamond, the next hardest gem material. Tough, but still subject to chipping and abrasion. Stones worn regularly in rings will periodically need repolishing to remove minor chips and pits.

Crystal structure -- Hexagonal .

Specific Gravity -- 4.0.

Sources -- Many locations, but the best known are in southeast Asia, Australia, and southern Africa. In the U.S., Montana and North Carolina are well known sources.

Quartz

Chemical composition -- Silicon dioxide.

Quartz is one of the most abundant minerals on Earth and is found in many different forms almost everywhere. There are two major classifications of quartz: crystalline quartz and cryptocrystalline quartz.

Color -- Very wide color range -- colorless, yellow, brown, purple, pink, greenish. Cryptocrystalline quartz often displays exotic color bands, swirls, and other patterns.

Optics -- R.I. 1.553-1.554. Uniaxial positive.

Durability -- Hardness 7.

Crystal structure -- Hexagonal.

Specific Gravity -- 2.651 for crystalline material, up to 2.91 for cryptocrystalline.

Sources -- Extremely widespread.

Rutile

Chemical composition -- Titanium oxide.

Color -- Brownish-red to black.

Optics -- R.I. 2.62-2.90. Metallic to adamantine luster.

Durability -- Hardness 6-6.5.

Crystal structure -- Tetragonal.

Specific Gravity -- 4.2.

Sources -- Brazil, George, Arkansas, North Carolina, other locations. Usually found as needle-like crystal inclusions in quartz (rutilated quartz) or agate (sagenite) and in many other materials.

The Garnet Family

Chemical composition -- The garnets comprise a family of complex silicates with widely varying chemical composition but similar structures. While everyone is familiar with dark brownish or purplish red garnets, many are unaware that garnets can occur in almost any color except blue (although there have been some recent reports of some color change garnets that are predominantly blue). Slight variations in chemical composition define the placement of a garnet within the family.

Optics -- R.I. varies with composition, but generally 1.74-1.94. Isometric.

Durability -- Hardness 6.5-7.5.

Crystal structure -- Isometric (cubic).

Specific Gravity -- 3.4-4.2

Varieties -- Many garnets are mixtures of the primary varieties and show variations in properties according to the specific composition.

Amber

Chemical composition -- An organic gem material, amber is the fossilized resin of pine trees that lived some 30 million years ago. Copal is a more recent fossil resin; its properties are very similar, but it is more readily attacked by solvents.

Color -- usually shades of yellow, brown, or red.

Optics -- Singly refractive. R.I. about 1.54. Typically displays internal stress patterns under a polariscope.

Durability -- very soft, hardness about 2 to 2.5.

Crystal structure -- amorphous.

Specific Gravity -- very low, about 1.05-1.096. Amber will usually float in a saturated solution of salt water, unlike most of its simulants, such as plastic.

The thermal conductivity of amber is low, so it feels warmer to the touch than non-organic gem materials.

If touched by a hot needle, amber releases a sweet, resinous odor. In contrast, plastic substitutes have an acrid odor.

Amber is particularly prized when it contains intact fossilized insects. If the insects are large and well formed and the amber is attractively colored and relatively free from other faults, it can command substantial prices.

Sources -- include the region around the Baltic Sea and the Dominican Republic, but it occurs in many other locales.

Recent news reports indicate that one researcher says he has successfully revived numerous strains of ancient bacteria trapped in amber! The May 29, 1995, issue of Newsweek (p. 69) described how microbiologist Raul Cano of California Polytechnic State University claims to have revived 25 million year old Bacillus bacteria from the guts of bees trapped in ancient amber. Shades of Jurassic Park!

Tourmaline is a real miracle of colour. It not only comes in green, red, blue, yellow, colourless and black, but also as a multi-coloured or colour-changing gemstone or as a cat's eye. There are, furthermore, innumerable mixtures of colour, in all nuances and depths, and some very unusual tones too. However, until recently, there were no pure yellows in the rich colour range of the 'gemstone of the rainbow', as this stone is also known. Most of the yellow tourmalines found thus far had a slight tinge of brown. But the tourmaline not only has many different colours; it is also good for a surprise now and then, as for example at the beginning of the 1990s, when some fantastic blue-green to turquoise tourmalines suddenly arrived on the market from a find in Paraiba, Brazil. Meanwhile, this colourful gemstone has taken the world by surprise again with another new variety, and this time it is a yellow one: in southern East Africa, in Malawi, a gemstone deposit with some wonderful yellow tourmalines was discovered in the autumn of 2000. The fresh, springlike yellow of these tourmalines is clear and pure and has just a very fine hint of green. Under the trade name 'canary', the new tourmaline variety has now begun to circulate. This is a particularly interesting kind of tourmaline. It is fine traces of magnesium that are responsible for the electrifying yellow colour. Since not all the raw crystals actually show that radiant yellow when they are found, some of the stones first have to submit to a period spent in the oven at approximately 700 degrees Celsius. Without this treatment, the colour would have a slight brownish tinge. The treatment only brings about the desired result because tourmalines typically display different colours and different colour intensities in different directions. By heat treatment, the tourmaline's second colour, in this case a light brown, is also transformed into the coveted radiant yellow. This is a kind of treatment customarily undertaken with many gemstones, the result of which is irreversible.Large yellow tourmalines are rare in Malawi too, the more so in view of the fact that only some 10 per cent of the yield is actually of gemstone quality at all. When cut, more than 95 per cent of the stones weigh less than one carat. However, they have wonderful wearing qualities, for like all tourmalines the canary-yellow beauties from Malawi have a good hardness of 7 to 7.5 on the Mohs scale. There is another speciality that distinguishes these gemstones from others, and that is their fine smell. It is an odour that the person wearing the stone will not notice, but the cutter will, while he is giving the raw crystals their final shape with his steady hand and taking great care that the fresh yellow is brought out to the best possible advantage. Experienced cutters are particularly fond of working on these gemstones, and say that these are the only gemstones that smell good. So why does a gemstone smell? The explanation is simple: tourmaline crystals are often embedded at the place where they are found in a black material which needs to be removed before cutting begins. One day, the owner of the gemstone mine in Malawi discovered that the unwanted black material was easier to remove if the raw crystals were first boiled in water to which lemon juice had been added. So since then, the yellow tourmaline crystals from Malawi have had not only the pleasant colour of fresh lemons, but also their fragrance. At least up to the moment when cutting starts.

Opals

All of Nature’s splendour seems to be reflected in the manifold opulence of fine Opals: fire and lightnings, all the colours of the rainbow and the soft shine of far seas. Australia is the classical country of origin. Almost ninety-five per cent of all fine opals come from the dry and remote outback deserts.Numerous legends and tales surround this colourful gemstone, which can be traced back in its origins to a time long before our memory, to the ancient dream time of the Australian aborigines. It is reported in their legends that the creator came down to Earth on a rainbow, in order to bring the message of peace to all the humans. And at the very spot, where his foot touched the ground, the stones became alive and started sparkling in all the colours of the rainbow. That was the birth of the Opals.The group of fine Opals includes quite a number of wonderful gemstones, which share one characteristic: they shine and sparkle in a continually changing play of colours full of fantasy, which experts describe as “opalising”. Depending on the kind, place of occurrence, and colour of the main body, we differentiate Dark or Black Opal, White or Light Opal, Milk or Crystal Opal, Boulder Opal, Opal Matrix, Yowah Nuts from Queensland – the so-called “picture stones“, and also Mexican and Fire Opal. Opal variations are practically unlimited. They all show in their own special way that unique play of colours – except for Fire Opal, which due to its transparency, however, is nevertheless also considered a Fine Opal specimen. If Opals are lacking the typical play of colours, they are simply named “Common Opal”.

Garnets

Aren't garnets those wonderful deep-red gemstones you often find in antique jewellery? Well yes, to a certain extent, a deep, warm red indeed being the colour most frequently found in garnets. Sadly, however, far too few people are aware that the world of the garnets is far more colourful than that. Spectacular finds, especially in Africa, have enhanced the traditional image of the garnet with a surprising number of hues - even if red does continue to be its principal colour. Thanks to their rich colour spectrum, garnets today can quite happily keep pace with changes of style and the colour trends of fashion. And thanks to the new finds, there is a reliable supply of them too. So in fact this gemstone group in particular is one which gives new impetus to the world of jewellery today.By the term 'garnet', the specialist understands a group of more than ten different gemstones of similar chemical composition. It is true to say that red is the colour most often encountered, but the garnet also exists in various shades of green, a tender to intense yellow, a fiery orange and some fine earth-coloured nuances. The only colour it cannot offer is blue. Garnets are much sought-after and much worked gemstones - the more so because today it is not only the classical gemstone colours red and green which are so highly esteemed, but also the fine hues in between. Furthermore, the world of the garnets is also rich in rarities such as star garnets and stones whose colour changes depending on whether they are seen in daylight or artificial light.And what else is there that distinguishes this gemstone group from the others? Well, first of all there is its good hardness of 7 to 7.5 on the Mohs scale. With a few minor exceptions it applies to all the members of the garnet group, and it is the reason for the excellent wearing qualities of these gemstones. Garnets are relatively insensitive and uncomplicated to work with. The only thing they really don't like is being knocked about or subjected to improper heat treatment. A further plus is their high refractive index, the cause of the garnet's great brilliance. The shape of the raw crystals is also interesting. Garnet means something like 'the grainy one', coming from the Latin 'granum', for grain. This makes reference not only to the typical roundish shape of the crystals, but also to the colour of the red garnet, which often puts one in mind of the seeds of a ripe pomegranate. In the Middle Ages, the red garnet was also called the 'carbuncle stone'. And even today, fantasy names like Arizona ruby, Arizona spinel, Montana ruby or New Mexico ruby are still rife in the trade.

Sapphire

some people believed that the firmament was an enormous blue sapphire in which the Earth was embedded. Could there be a more apt image to describe the beauty of an immaculate sapphire? And yet this gem comes not in one but in all the blue shades of that firmament, from the deep blue of the evening sky to the shining mid-blue of a lovely summer's day which casts its spell over us. However, this magnificent gemstone also comes in many other colours: not only in the transparent greyish-blue of a distant horizon but also in the gloriously colourful play of light in a sunset – in yellow, pink, orange and purple. Sapphires really are gems of the sky, although they are found in the hard ground of our 'blue planet'. Blue is the main colour of the sapphire. Blue is also the favourite colour of some 50 per cent of all people, men and women alike. We associate this colour, strongly linked to the sapphire as it is, with feelings of sympathy and harmony, friendship and loyalty: feelings which belong to qualities that prove their worth in the long term – feelings in which it is not so much effervescent passion that is to the fore, but rather composure, mutual understanding and indestructible trust. Thus the blue of the sapphire has become a colour which fits in with everything that is constant and reliable. That is one of the reasons why women in many countries wish for a sapphire ring on their engagement. The sapphire symbolises loyalty, but at the same time it gives expression to people's love and longing. Perhaps the most famous example of this blue is to be found in music, in George Gershwin's "Rhapsody in Blue". And the blue of the sapphire even appears where nothing at all counts except clear-sightedness and concentrated mental effort. The first computer which succeeded in defeating a world chess champion bore the remarkable name 'Deep Blue'.

Ruby

Which colour would you spontaneously associate with love and vivacity, passion and power? It's obvious, isn't it? Red. Red is the colour of love. It radiates warmth and a strong sense of vitality. And red is also the colour of the ruby, the king of the gemstones. In the fascinating world of gemstones, the ruby is the undisputed ruler.For thousands of years, the ruby has been considered one of the most valuable gemstones on Earth. It has everything a precious stone should have: magnificent colour, excellent hardness and outstanding brilliance. In addition to that, it is an extremely rare gemstone, especially in its finer qualities.For a long time India was regarded as the ruby's classical country of origin. In the major works of Indian literature, a rich store of knowledge about gemstones has been handed down over a period of more than two thousand years. The term 'corundum', which we use today, is derived from the Sanskrit word 'kuruvinda'. The Sanskrit word for ruby is 'ratnaraj', which means something like 'king of the gemstones'. And it was a royal welcome indeed which used to be prepared for it. Whenever a particularly beautiful ruby crystal was found, the ruler sent high dignitaries out to meet the precious gemstone and welcome it in appropriate style. Today, rubies still decorate the insignia of many royal households. But are they really all genuine rubies? Read on to find out more!

Photo gallert

The Gem Rock is the leading independent museum of its kind in the UK and is renowned worldwide. Owned and run by the Stephenson family it is regarded as one of the finest private collections of gemstones, crystals, minerals, rocks and fossils in Great Britain. Crystals and minerals are some of natures most outstanding creations and the collection demonstrates this with many fine specimens of world class standard on display.

The Museum is however, more than just a static display, it is a fully interactive experience with lots of things to do as well as to see. Tim Stephenson is a Fellow of the Gemmologists Association of Great Britain and along with his colleagues is normally around to offer advice and to answer any questions you might have on this fascinating subject. Whether you are in a large or small party, you will find your visit fun, relaxing and a thought provoking experience.
For the more serious visitor there is an opportunity to research your interest further. The Gem Rock began through a family interest and has evolved over 20 years through a continuous policy of improvement and development to provide... ...an experience you'll treasure forever.
Copyright Creetown Gem Rock Museum 2009. All Rights Reserved. Designed by SuperWebs Contact us Terms Links

Ratnapur (GEN CITY IN SRILANKA)

The gem-mining centre of Sri Lanka is also a major crossroad between southern plains and the hill country to the east. A bustling market city servicing most of the surrounding towns. Many of the prominent gem dealers in Sri Lanka operate from this town. Scenery around the town is excellent and charming.
There is a route to Sri Pada from Ratnapura direction. Excursions include Sinharaja Forest and Uda Walawe Wild Life Park. The route towards hill country is beautiful. The surrounding area is a popular trekking destination and a good place for bird watching. Visit traditional gem mining and cutting operations

The mining operation for gems has been virtually the same since the days of the Alexander the Great or perhaps the Pharaohs times except for the modern addition of the water pumps for dewatering of the pits. The supports for the excavations are still mostly the logs. Labour is provided as a share to the earnings as well as the equipment, materials as well as the daily expenses such as food too are contributed as a share.
Saman Devalaya

There are many public busses coming to Ratnapura from various destinations. Busses to Colombo are very frequent. There are busses to Panadura, Badulla, Ampara and Hambanthota and Matara to the south.

GEM Mining

Mining for ruby and sapphire began in Macon County in 1870. Called corundum, the minerals were mined commercially for abrasives and gave work to many men. Corundum and other minerals, mica and kaolin, were hauled to the railroad by horse and wagon and shipped out of Macon County in large quantities. Tiffany's showed an interest in the area in the 1890's but two other companies, American Prospecting & Mining Co. and US Ruby Mining Co., began work hoping to find the source of the rubies found in the corundum mines. Both companies ended the search in the early part of the 20th century leaving the area open to rockhounds and gem enthusiasts. The source hasn't been found - yet.

Nestled deep in the Hickory Nut Gorge, on the banks of the Rocky Broad River in historic Chimney Rock Village, there is a gemstone mine of great opportunity to prospect for your own gems. Your are invited to a riverside setting unparallel by any other mine in the area. Come experience the wonder and excitement of prospecting for gemstones in a pleasant and comfortable atmosphere. The friendly staff will happily assist you in any way possible, from discovery to cutting your gemstone.
Rock and minerals of all kinds have been found including Aquamarine, Emerald, Ruby, Garnet, Peridot, Quartz, Agate, Hematite, Amethyst, Sodalite, and many more. Children are fascinated by these stones and attendants are on hand to assist them in identifying, classifying, and educating each and every one.
The gemstone mine guaranties a gem find every time, so everyone can feel the thrill! Gemstone buckets are available in numerous varieties and prices. Small or large groups are always welcome at the gemstone mine. Many valuable gemstones are found each day and you keep what you find! All equipment is furnished and there is no experience necessary, we'll show you how! Just purchase a gemstone bucket from the attendant down at the flume, and we'll get you started. After you decide what stone you would like to cut you may watch artisans at work cutting and mounting your stone.

Zircon

Chemical composition -- Zirconium silicate.
Color-- Colorless, blue, yellow, green, red, brown, orange.
Optics -- R.I. 1.78-2.01.
Durability -- Hardness 6-7.5.
Crystal structure -- Tetragonal.
Specific Gravity -- 3.9-4.8.
Sources -- Sri Lanka (Ceylon), Burma, Thailand, Australia, Cambodia.
Zircon , when properly cut, produces lively, brilliant gems. Before the advent of manmade diamond simulants, colorless zircon was often used as a substitute for diamond . Large, fine zircons are scarce. Reddish-brown stones are often heat-treated to produce blue, colorless, and golden yellow, and the color change is stable.

Tourmalin

Chemical composition -- The tourmaline family is a group of closely related minerals with complex chemical formulas containing aluminum borosilicates and varying quantities of sodium, magnesium, calcium, iron, chromium, manganese, potassium, etc. They vary widely in color and physical properties but share a common crystal structure. Found in many locations throughout the world, they produce striking, relatively durable gems and show the widest color variations of any gemstone.
Color -- Extremely wide color range.
Optics -- R.I. 1.63-1.64, varying with the composition. Prominent pleochroism and pencil-shaped crystal often dictate cutting green tourmaline in long step cuts with steep pavilion ends to minimize black C axis effect.
Durability -- Hardness 7.0-7.5.
Crystal structure -- Hexagonal.
Specific Gravity -- 3.0-3.25, varying with the composition.
Sources -- Very widespread. Notable deposits include California, Maine, Brazil, Namibia, Madagascar, Mozambique, Zambia, Afghanistan.
Varieties --
Indicolite (blue or blue-green) -- moderately scarce and expensive in fine qualitities.
Rubellite (red) -- moderately scarce and expensive in fine qualitities. Often badly included.

Gem cutting

A few gemstones are used as gems in the crystal or other form in which they are found. Most however, are cut and polished for usage as jewelry. The picture to the left is of a rural, commercial cutting operation in Thailand. This small factory cuts thousands of carats of sapphire annually. The two main classifications are stones cut as smooth, dome shaped stones called cabochons, and stones which are cut with a faceting machine by polishing small flat windows called facets at regular intervals at exact angles.
Stones which are opaque such as opal, turquoise, variscite, etc. are commonly cut as cabochons. These gems are designed to show the stone's color or surface properties as in opal and star sapphires. Grinding wheels and polishing agents are used to grind, shape and polish the smooth dome shape of the stones.[9]
Gems which are transparent are normally faceted, a method which shows the optical properties of the stone’s interior to its best advantage by maximizing reflected light which is perceived by the viewer as sparkle. There are many commonly used shapes for faceted stones. The facets must be cut at the proper angles, which varies depending on the optical properties of the gem. If the angles are too steep or too shallow, the light will pass through and not be reflected back toward the viewer. The faceting machine is used to hold the stone onto a flat lap for cutting and polishing the flat facets.[10] Rarely, some cutters use special curved laps to cut and polish curved facets.

Synthetic Gems

Some gemstones are manufactured to imitate other gemstones. For example, cubic zirconia is a synthetic diamond simulant composed of zirconium oxide. Moissanite is another example. The imitations copy the look and color of the real stone but possess neither their chemical nor physical characteristics.
However, lab created gemstones are not imitations. For example, diamonds, ruby, sapphires and emeralds have been manufactured in labs to possess identical chemical and physical characteristics to the naturally occurring variety. Synthetic (lab created) corundums, including ruby and sapphire, are very common and they cost only a fraction of the natural stones. Smaller synthetic diamonds have been manufactured in large quantities as industrial abrasives. Larger synthetic diamonds of gemstone quality, especially of the colored variety, are also manufactured.[citation needed]
Whether a gemstone is a natural stone or a lab-created (synthetic) stone, the characteristics of each are the same. Lab-created stones tend to have a more vivid color to them, as impurities are not present in a lab, so therefore do not affect the clarity or color of the stone. However, natural gemstones are still considered more valuable on average due to their relative scarcity.[citation needed]

Heat

Heat can improve gemstone color or clarity. The heating process has been well known to gem miners and cutters for centuries, and in many stone types heating is a common practice. Most citrine is made by heating amethyst, and partial heating with a strong gradient results in ametrine - a stone partly amethyst and partly citrine. Much aquamarine is heat treated to remove yellow tones and change the green color into the more desirable blue or enhance its existing blue color to a purer blue. [12]
Nearly all tanzanite is heated at low temperatures to remove brown undertones and give a more desirable blue/purple color. A considerable portion of all sapphire and ruby is treated with a variety of heat treatments to improve both color and clarity.
When jewelry containing diamonds is heated (for repairs) the diamond should be protected with boracic acid; otherwise the diamond (which is pure carbon) could be burned on the surface or even burned completely up. When jewelry containing sapphires or rubies is heated (for repairs) it should not be coated with boracic acid or any other substance, as this can etch the surface; it does not have to be "protected" like a diamond.

Colour

Color is the most obvious and attractive feature of gemstones. The color of any material is due to the nature of light itself. Daylight, often called white light, is actually a mixture of different colors of light. When light passes through a material, some of the light may be absorbed, while the rest passes through. The part that is not absorbed reaches the eye as white light minus the absorbed colors. A ruby appears red because it absorbs all the other colors of white light - blue, yellow, green, etc. - except red.
The same material can exhibit different colors. For example ruby and sapphire have the same chemical composition (both are corundum) but exhibit different colors. Even the same gemstone can occur in many different colors: sapphires show different shades of blue and pink and "fancy sapphires" exhibit a whole range of other colors from yellow to orange-pink, the latter called "Padparadscha sapphire".
This difference in color is based on the atomic structure of the stone. Although the different stones formally have the same chemical composition, they are not exactly the same. Every now and then an atom is replaced by a completely different atom (and this could be as few as one in a million atoms). These so called impurities are sufficient to absorb certain colors and leave the other colors unaffected.
As an example: beryl, which is colorless in its pure mineral form, becomes emerald with chromium impurities. If you add manganese instead of chromium, beryl becomes pink morganite. With iron, it becomes aquamarine.
Some gemstone treatments make use of the fact that these impurities can be "manipulated", thus changing the color of the gem.

Diamond

Diamonds were first mined in India.[7] Pliny may have mentioned them, although there is some

debate as to the exact nature of the stone he referred to as Adamas;[8] In 2005, Australia, Botswana, Russia and Canada ranked among the primary sources of gemstone diamond production.[9][10]
The British crown jewels contain the Cullinan Diamond, part of the largest gem-quality rough diamond ever found (1905), at 3,106.75 carats (621.35 g).
Now popular in engagement rings, this usage dates back to the marriage of Maximilian I to Mary of Burgundy in 1477.[citation needed]

New CCTV images showing what police believe was an aborted bid to pull off Britain's biggest jewel heist two days before it was carried out were released yesterday.
The stills show the two men wanted in connection with the £40m raid at Graff Diamonds in London's West End on 6 August standing outside the store on the Tuesday before the robbery occurred.
They are pictured looking into the shop at around 5.40pm while other images show a blue BMW used in the raid driving through New Bond Street in Mayfair, where the store is located.
Detective Chief Inspector Pam Mace, head of Barnes Flying Squad, said: "We believe this was more than just a practice run, and that they were planning on committing the robbery on 4 August."
Insurers have offered a £1m reward for information leading to the capture of the thieves and the recovery of the 43 stolen necklaces, earrings and bracelets. International diamond dealers have been placed on alert, although experts suggest the stolen gems will be broken up and moved on the east Asian market.
In the new images, the two men are wearing similar clothes to the suits they wore during the heist, although one is wearing a purple shirt without a tie.
On the day of the robbery the thieves were let into the premises by a security guard before producing handguns and forcing staff to lie on the floor. They fired at least one shot during their escape and again as they got into a silver Mercedes in Dover Street when they were challenged by drinkers at a pub. They abandoned the BMW after it hit a black taxi.
Police have found a high-powered motorbike which may have been used to spirit away a bag containing the gems.
The first vehicle was a silver B-class Mercedes with the registration number LV06 HFA. It drove into Farm Street where it is believed some of the suspects got into another vehicle – a blue Volkswagen Sharan with the registration number RA07 XEV. A police spokesman said the registration plates were cloned.
One of the robbers was white, aged around 30, of slim build and with dark hair and light stubble. He was wearing a grey suit, white shirt and tie. The other was black, in his 30s, 6ft tall, and of a larger build than the first suspect, with short hair. He was also wearing a grey suit, white shirt and tie.
Both men, who spoke with London accents, had duped a makeup artist into altering their looks with latex masks.
A 50-year-old man arrested in east London on Monday in connection with the robbery has been released on bail.

Gems and jewellery sector: 16% GST waived to reduce cost of production
ISLAMABAD: The Federal Board of Revenue (FBR) has exempted the import and local supply of platinum, palladium, diamonds and precious stones from 16 percent general sales tax to reduce the cost of production for exports in gems and jewellery sector. It was noticed in the Trade Policy Framework 2009-12 approval process at the special meeting of the federal cabinet that to promote gems and jewellery sector, the cabinet in Trade Policy 2008, approved waiver of customs duties and sales tax on import of gold, diamonds, silver, platinum, palladium and precious stones. The waiver was not extended to pearls and other synthetic or reconstructed precious or semi precious stones though these are increasingly being used in jewellery production. Despite the cabinet’s decision, FBR didn’t comprehensively implement the decision.In the Trade Policy 2009-10 it has been decided to exempt natural pearls and other synthetic or reconstructed precious or semi-precious stones from customs duty and sales tax. It was also announced in the policy that implementation of the cabinet’s decision to be expedited. Keeping in view the instructions of the federal cabinet, FBR has allowed the exemption from GST on import and local supply of platinum, palladium, diamonds and precious stones. However, customs duty exemption is still awaited in the import platinum, palladium, diamonds and precious stones. sajid chaudhry

Campbell Bridges, a renowned Scottish gemstone miner and expert was killed in Kenya by an armed gang on Tuesday the 11th of August.
Bridges was ambushed and attacked by a group of about 30 men when they were approaching their mining camp. At the time of the attack Campbell Bridges was accompanied by his son, Bruce Bridge and 4 Kenyan employees. According to his son, Campbell Bridges was stabbed on the side.
The son was able to defend himself with a club that he kept in the car. The son also said that the Bridges family had received repeated death threats in the past. Bridges son also charges that the local miners with illegally digging for gems on the family’s 600-hectare property .
A dispute over mining rights at the Tsavo National Park probably led to the murder.
Six men were arrested near his mine in connection with the killing. The arrested men were also reported to be aware of the other attackers.
Related posts:

Color is all around us. We see it all the time. Most of us have no idea the impact color has on our lives. This impact of the many colors in our environment is usually not conscious. Sometimes we get an uneasy feeling in certain rooms or very relaxed in another, but we call this a mood. The "color of mood" can be what is surrounding us.
Color is a vibration of light. In dim light, the color we see will seem different than in bright sun light. Everyone doesn't see the color frequency in exactly the same way. For example, I see a color I call blue-green, which to me is blue with a touch of green. Someone else may call the color green-blue, because he sees more green than I do. Even color-blind people are affected by color.

A gemstone or gem (also called a precious or semi-precious stone) is a piece of attractive mineral, which—when cut and polished—is used to make jewelry or other adornments.[1] However certain rocks, (such as lapis-lazuli) and organic materials (such as amber or jet) are not minerals, but are still used for jewelry, and are therefore often considered to be gemstones as well. Most gemstones are hard, but some soft minerals are used in jewelry because of their lustre or other physical properties that have aesthetic value. Rarity is another characteristic that lends value to a gemstone.

Value of gemstones

Jewelry made with amber
There are no universally accepted grading systems for any gemstone other than white (colorless) diamond. Diamonds are graded using a system developed by the Gemological Institute of America (GIA) in the early 1950s. Historically all gemstones were graded using the naked eye. The GIA system included a major innovation, the introduction of 10x magnification as the standard for grading clarity. Other gemstones are still graded using the naked eye (assuming 20/20 vision).[2]
For the past several hundred years, gemstones have been broken down into two categories; precious and semi-precious. Though today we think primarily of diamond, ruby, sapphire, and emerald as "precious", these categories are based mainly on fashion and the composition of these two lists has changed frequently over time.[3]
A mnemonic device, the "four C's" (color, cut, clarity and carat), has been introduced to help the consumer understand the factors used to grade a diamond.[4] With modification these categories can be useful in understanding the grading of all gemstones. The four criteria carry different weight depending upon whether they are applied to colored gemstones or to colorless diamond. In diamonds, cut is the primary determinant of value followed by clarity and color. Diamonds are meant to sparkle, to break down light into its constituent rainbow colors (dispersion) chop it up into bright little pieces (scintillation) and deliver it to the eye (brilliance). In its rough crystalline form, a diamond will do none of these things, it requires proper fashioning and this is called "cut". In gemstones that have color, including colored diamonds, it is the purity and beauty of that color that is the primary determinant of quality.
Physical characteristics that make a colored stone valuable are color, clarity to a lesser extent (emeralds will always have a number of inclusions), cut, unusual optical phenomena within the stone such as color zoning, and asteria (star effects). The Greeks for example greatly valued asteria in gemstones, which were regarded as a powerful love charm, and Helen of Troy was known to have worn star-corundum.[5]
A factor in determining the value of a gemstone is called water. Water is an archaic term that refers to the combination of color and transparency in gemstones; used hierarchically: first water (gem of the finest water), second water, third water, byewater.[6]
Historically gemstones were classified into precious stones and semi-precious stones. Because such a definition can change over time and vary with culture, it has always been a difficult matter to determine what constitutes precious stones.[7]
Aside from the diamond, the ruby, sapphire, emerald, pearl (strictly speaking not a gemstone) and opal [7] have also been considered to be precious. Up to the discoveries of bulk amethyst in Brazil in the 19th century, amethyst was considered a precious stone as well, going back to ancient Greece. Even in the last century certain stones such as aquamarine, peridot and cat's eye have been popular and hence been regarded as precious.
Nowadays such a distinction is no longer made by the trade. [6] Many gemstones are used in even the most expensive jewelry, depending on the brand name of the designer, fashion trends, market supply, treatments etc. Nevertheless, diamonds, rubies, sapphires and emeralds still have a reputation that exceeds those of other gemstones.
Rare or unusual gemstones, generally meant to include those gemstones which occur so infrequently in gem quality that they are scarcely known except to connoisseurs, include andalusite, axinite, cassiterite, clinohumite and bixbite.
Gems prices can fluctuate heavily (such as those of tanzanite over the years) or can be quite stable (such as those of diamonds). In general per carat prices of larger stones are higher than those of smaller stones, but popularity of certain sizes of stone can affect prices. Typically prices can range from 1USD/carat for a normal amethyst to 20,000-50,000USD for a collector's three carat pigeon-blood almost "perfect" ruby.

6 Things You Should Know Before Buying a Ruby
1. Color: The closer the color is to bright blood red, the more valuable it is. Less valuable rubies can be dark wine color, or pink. Learn more about how COLOR affects the value of ruby
2. Size: The more carats a ruby gemstone is, the more valuable it is. A 1 carat ruby with good color and clarity is already quite valubale. Rubies larger than this a rare and very expensive.Learn more about How SIZE affects the value of a Ruby
3. Clarity: Most natural rubies have some cloudiness or imperfections inside: very few are perfectly clear. Better quality rubies are transparent, not opaque. Learn more about how CLARITY affects the value of a Ruby
4. Cut: The quality of a ruby's cut determines how well it sparkles. Perfectly cut rubies are very valuable and hard to find. Learn more about how CUT affects the value of ruby
5. Treatments, Synthetics and Imitations: Almost all rubies are treated to improve their clarity and color. Heat treatment is standard and widely accepted. The treatement that the ruby receives can affect its value and quality.In addition, lab created rubies are widely available and are worth much less than natural rubies. Some dishonest sellers might try to sell you a fake ruby. Read here to learn about ruby treatments, synthetics and imitations and how to tell the difference.
6. Meaning and Symbology: Rubies have been sacred to many cultures for centuries. Learn more about the meaning and symbology of ruby to see if it's something you relate to.

Agate - general protection and healing, increases courage, self-confidence, and energy and promotes longevity. Also good for gardening.
Alexandrite - renewal and regeneration, openness to higher self. Brings love, joy, and luck.
Amazonite - helps clarify and improve thinking.
Amber - healing, protection from negativity, attractiveness and energy.
Amethyst - increases vivid dreams, relieves depression, promotes calm, serenity, and spirituality. Helps with addiction and stress.
Ammolite
Apatite - helps stuttering and hypertension. Rids one of guilt and grief.
Aquamarine - improves sight, sharpens the mind, calms and clarifies emotions. More about Aquamarine
Aragonite - grounding and centering, facing truth and reality.
Azurite - increases psychic ability and aids in meditation. Relieves arthritis and joint pain.
Bloodstone - healing, especially related to the blood. Increases courage and charitability.
Carnelian - general healing stone. Restores the natural energy flows of your body.
Chrysocolla - soothes nervous tension.
Chrysoprase - soothes heartache and helps depression, promotes emotional balance, wisdom, and peace.
Citrine - helps digestion and aids in mental and intellectual functions. Increases self-esteem and energy. Balances and dissipates negative energy.
Coral - helps in childbirth and adoption. Wards off bad thoughts from others and promotes general well-being.
Diamond - manifests abundance. Used in conjunction, it strengthens the properties of other stones.
Emerald - a mind stone. Enhances memory, promotes clear and quick thinking, and right action stemming from right thought.
Flourite (multicolor) - enhances spiritual energy work, focuses the will and balances the psyche