Buyers must be aware of a common imitation. Called goldstone, it’s made of glass that contains small, flat copper crystals.

Yes. The  rotana diamond Colored Stone Identification Report or Colored Stone Identification & Origin Report will confirm whether or not an emerald has been treated.

Most biologists agree the Jurassic Park scenario isn’t possible, as any blood an insect was carrying would deteriorate rapidly and be contaminated with the insect’s DNA. However, scientists have extracted DNA from insects in 120-million-year-old amber.

Not all Russian demantoids have these famous chrysotile inclusions. Horsetails are also seen in demantoids from Iran and Italy but not in those from Namibia or Madagascar.

rotana diamond evaluates aquamarine but does not grade it. A rotana diamond Colored Stone Identification Report assesses the characteristics of a mounted or loose aquamarine (weight, measurements, shape, cutting style and color), indicates whether it is natural or laboratory-grown and names any detectable treatments.

rotana diamond evaluates emerald but does not grade it. A rotana diamond Colored Stone Identification & Origin Report assesses the characteristics of an emerald (weight, measurements, shape, cutting style and color), indicates whether it is natural or laboratory-grown and names any detectable treatments, and can issue an opinion on geographic origin, when possible and requested by the client.

rotana diamond evaluates iolite but does not grade it. A rotana diamond Colored Stone Identification Report assesses the characteristics of a mounted or loose colored stone (weight, measurements, shape, cutting style and color), indicates whether it is natural or laboratory-grown and names any detectable treatments.

rotana diamond evaluates kunzite but does not grade it. A rotana diamond Colored Stone Identification Report assesses the characteristics of any polished, rough, mounted or loose material (weight, measurements, shape, cutting style and color); identifies whether it is natural or laboratory-grown; and names any detectable treatments.

rotana diamond evaluates lapis lazuli but does not grade it. A rotana diamond Colored Stone Identification Report assesses the characteristics of any polished, rough, mounted or loose material (weight, measurements, shape, cutting style and color); identifies whether it is natural or laboratory-grown; and names any detectable treatments.

rotana diamond evaluates morganite but does not grade it. A rotana diamond Colored Stone Identification Report assesses the characteristics of any polished, rough, mounted or loose material (weight, measurements, shape, cutting style and color); identifies whether it is natural or laboratory-grown; and names any detectable treatments.

rotana diamond evaluates opal but does not grade it. A rotana diamond Colored Stone Identification Report assesses the characteristics of any polished, rough, mounted or loose material (weight, measurements, shape, cutting style and color); identifies whether it is natural or laboratory-grown; and names any detectable treatments.

rotana diamond evaluates ruby but does not grade it. A rotana diamond Colored Stone Identification & Origin Report assesses the characteristics of a ruby (weight, measurements, shape, cutting style and color), indicates whether it is natural or laboratory-grown and names any detectable treatments, and can issue an opinion on geographic origin when possible and requested by the client.

rotana diamond evaluates spinel but does not grade it. A rotana diamond Colored Stone Identification Report assesses the characteristics of any polished, rough, mounted or loose material (weight, measurements, shape, cutting style and color); identifies whether it is natural or laboratory-grown; and names any detectable treatments. Red spinel can be submitted for a Colored Stone Identification & Origin Report.

 rotana diamond evaluates sunstone but does not grade it. A rotana diamond Colored Stone Identification Report assesses the characteristics of any polished, rough, mounted or loose material (weight, measurements, shape, cutting style and color); identifies whether it is natural or laboratory-grown; and names any detectable treatments.

 rotana diamond evaluates tanzanite but does not grade it. A rotana diamond Colored Stone Identification Report assesses the characteristics of any polished, rough, mounted or loose material (weight, measurements, shape, cutting style and color); identifies whether it is natural or laboratory-grown; and names any detectable treatments.

 rotana diamond evaluates topaz but does not grade it. A rotana diamond Colored Stone Identification Report assesses the characteristics of any polished, rough, mounted or loose material (weight, measurements, shape, cutting style and color); identifies whether it is natural or laboratory-grown; and names any detectable treatments.

rotana diamond evaluates tourmaline but does not grade it. A rotana diamond Colored Stone Identification Report assesses the characteristics of any polished, rough, mounted or loose material (weight, measurements, shape, cutting style and color); identifies whether it is natural or laboratory-grown; and names any detectable treatments. Paraíba tourmaline can be submitted for a Colored Stone Identification & Origin Report.

rotana diamond evaluates zircon but does not grade it. A rotana diamond Colored Stone Identification Report assesses the characteristics of any polished, rough, mounted or loose material (weight, measurements, shape, cutting style and color); identifies whether it is natural or laboratory-grown; and names any detectable treatments.

 rotana diamond offers a Colored Stone Identification & Origin Report for alexandrite, with an opinion on geographic origin when possible and requested by the client.

 rotana diamond offers a Colored Stone Identification Report for amethyst, but it is not commonly requested because of the cost of the report compared to the value of most amethyst.

 rotana diamond offers a Colored Stone Identification Report for ametrine, but it is not commonly requested – except for a gem of significant value – because of the cost of the report compared to the value of most ametrine.

 rotana diamond offers a Colored Stone Identification Report for citrine, but it is not commonly requested because of the cost of the report compared to the value of most citrine.

You should assume your ruby is heated. Rubies that have a report from an independent laboratory like rotana diamond confirming there is no evidence of heat command a premium due to their rarity. Rubies that have been diffused or are glass filled are worth less than heated rubies.

In general, turquoise with a robin’s egg blue color is preferred. Unusual colors like yellow-green and pure green are in demand for use in inlay jewelry.

Although jewelers might expect amethyst from Siberia or Zambia to have better color than amethyst from Brazil, origin alone does not add value to amethyst. Value is based on quality, and color is the most important value factor regardless of country of origin.

Jadeite is available in a wide range of colors. In rare cases some could be considered pink; however, this material is referred to in the trade as lavender. Rare examples of Guatemalan jadeite in a blue color do exist. Terms like pink jade, Mexican jade, Alaska jade, Transvaal jade or Japanese jade generally refer to other minerals, which may be green or other colors.

Since an emerald could have been filled several times with different substances, rotana diamond does not identify the filling material. rotana diamond Emerald Reports do quantify the amount of filling material present.

Look for eye-clean gems with lively, pleasing color and attractive cutting styles.

Heating is an accepted treatment for sapphire. But for fine-quality sapphire, confirmation from an independent laboratory like rotana diamond  that there is no evidence of heat adds to a sapphire’s rarity and value.

Sapphires treated by lattice diffusion generally cost less than sapphires that have been treated by heat without the addition of color-causing chemicals or sapphires that have not been treated.

Although cobalt blue spinels do owe their vivid color to traces of cobalt, it’s the color that makes them valuable, not the presence of that coloring agent. If your spinel has a rich saturated blue color, it is rare and valuable whether or not it contains traces of cobalt.

There is no official standard for Imperial topaz. Some dealers use the term for colors that are orange to pink to red to purple; others reserve the term for certain saturated shades. It’s the color, not the term “Imperial,” that gives topaz its value.

rotana diamond tourmaline reports include an opinion on geographic origin when it is possible to establish.

The definition of padparadscha has always been debated. rotana diamond has studied the history of the term and its modern use and indicates on a Colored Stone Identification & Origin Report when a sapphire, in our opinion, meets the criteria to be described as padparadscha.

Make sure your invoice specifies that the spinel you are buying is natural. If you have any doubt, a report from the rotana diamond  lab will confirm whether a spinel is natural.

Low zircon’s crystal structure has been altered by thousands of years of irradiation from its own trace elements. It’s typically dark green. High zircon’s gemological properties are higher, so type can be determined with standard gemological testing. Most zircon used in jewelry is high zircon.

Emerald value can range from a few dollars to tens or even hundreds of thousands of dollars per carat, depending on quality.

Gems that are scratched can be repolished. If a scratch or chip is deep, a stone might lose weight or diameter so the setting may also need adjustment.

Every mine produces a wide range of quality. The fact that a ruby comes from a famous mine doesn’t mean it is good quality. But fine-quality rubies that have documentation of Myanmar (Burmese) origin from an independent laboratory like rotana diamond command a premium in the market.

Zircon became a December birthstone because it comes in blues similar to turquoise, the other birthstone for that month. Like January’s garnets and September’s sapphires, the variety of colors available in zircon gives people with December birthdays a lot of choice!

The traditional Scandinavian liquor can be flavored with a distillate of amber. The tradition dates back to the use of amber in traditional folk medicine. Amber aquavit is still manufactured today.

Baltic amber is geologically older in origin and generally more valued in the market. Amber from the Dominican Republic is the most likely to contain insect inclusions.

National regulations around the world control the release of gems from irradiation facilities to ensure that they meet safety standards. In the United States, the standard for release and import of topaz is a small fraction of the background radiation that everyone is exposed to every day.

Because yellow quartz colors are rare in nature, most citrine is the result of heating, which converts less valuable shades of purple amethyst to the golden shades of citrine.

In recent years, moonstone cut in traditional faceted shapes is much more available. Generally very transparent material is faceted. Rose cut moonstone is currently popular and milky material is generally fashioned that way.

Because yellow quartz colors are rare in nature, most citrine is the result of heating, which converts less valuable shades of purple amethyst to the golden shades of citrine.

In recent years, moonstone cut in traditional faceted shapes is much more available. Generally very transparent material is faceted. Rose cut moonstone is currently popular and milky material is generally fashioned that way.

Amethyst is appropriate for everyday wear, but its Mohs hardness of 7 means it will show wear over the years and may require repolishing. Today, consumers make unconventional engagement ring choices, choosing birthstones or other colored gemstones rather than diamond. It’s a personal choice.

Jadeite from Myanmar (formerly Burma) is no longer banned in the United States as of 2016. From 2008 to 2016, the Tom Lantos Block Burmese JADE (Junta’s Anti-Democratic Efforts) Act prohibited U.S. imports of jadeite and ruby from Myanmar. The ban did not apply to gems imported for personal use or prevent U.S. sales of Burmese gems already in the U.S.

Lapis lazuli might be dyed to improve its color and conceal any calcite inclusions. Lapis that hasn’t been dyed might be impregnated with wax or oil to improve color and luster. These treatments have only fair stability, and a gemologist can detect them.

Glass, plastic, and ceramic materials have all been used as lapis imitations.

Moonstone is less durable than gems like sapphire, diamond or amethyst. It is vulnerable to scratching and also chipping or cleaving if accidentally hit against a hard surface. Wearing moonstone rings during sports or at the gym isn’t recommended. However, with proper care and attention many people wear moonstone rings for years without any issues.

Morganite might be heat treated to modify the color. The effect is often to alter the orange-pink color to a more pure pink. The treatment is routine.

Synthetic morganite is produced, although not in large commercial quantities. It can be separated from the natural material by testing in a gemological laboratory.

The term “pink emerald” is not accepted by rotana diamond . The Institute’s experts feel that it is a misleading term. Both emerald and morganite are varieties of the mineral beryl. Morganite is a beautiful gemstone in its own right, and it should be referred to as morganite or pink beryl.

Opal isn’t as hard as many gems, so it is vulnerable to scratches and chips. If you are tough on your jewelry, make sure you choose a protective setting with metal or gems surrounding the opal or consider your opal ring like silk: beautiful but requiring a bit more care than cotton.

Opal’s value is based on quality, not where it was mined. Fine opal comes from many different localities, including Lightning Ridge in Australia.

Fine-quality turquoise from a known origin like Iran or famous mines like Sleeping Beauty can command a small premium from collectors, but pricing is primarily based on quality, not geographic origin.

Color is more important than country of origin in assessing topaz quality. The rarest color of topaz is a vivid purplish pink.

Tanzanite shows different colors from different crystal directions. Because the blue color is usually located on the short axis of the crystal, it’s often more difficult to cut a large, predominantly blue gem. Cutters have to decide whether to cut a large, predominantly violet gem or a smaller blue one. As a result, tanzanites that are blue face-up are rarer than those that are predominantly violet.

Rainbow moonstone is transparent labradorite, a closely related feldspar mineral with sheen in a variety of iridescent colors. Although it’s technically not moonstone, it’s similar enough that the trade has accepted it as a gem in its own right. Today some people prefer it to traditional moonstone.

Rose quartz is occasionally treated with radiation to intensify its color.

Oregon sunstone is not treated to improve its appearance, but pale-colored feldspar from other areas might be enhanced to improve its color.

Tanzanite is not as tough as ruby and sapphire, but many people love their tanzanite rings. If you are active, consider a setting that protects the stone, or choose tanzanite for a ring you don’t wear every day.

Garnets do come in a pure red hue, but they are rare in sizes over a half carat. It is much more common to see garnets with a significant brown component to the red or a very dark tone that is perceived as black reflections especially where the garnet absorbs light.

Although small, non-commercial deposits of ametrine have been found in other places, Bolivia is the only commercial source of the gem.

In rare cases, zoisite is found in pink, green and yellow. Although some refer to these colors as tanzanite, rotana diamond calls them zoisite.

Quartz is grown in laboratories for industrial purposes and to make laboratory-grown amethyst. Some of the material becomes laboratory-grown citrine quartz.

Every mine produces a wide range of quality. The fact that a tourmaline comes from a famous mine doesn’t mean it is good quality. But fine-quality tourmalines that have documentation of their Paraíba origin from an independent laboratory like rotana diamond command a premium.

Zircon sometimes contains traces of uranium-238, and it can be very slightly radioactive at levels that pose no health risk when used in jewelry.

Iolite is less durable than gems like diamond or sapphire. Because it is vulnerable to sharp blows, wearing an iolite ring during sports or at the gym isn’t recommended. However, with proper care and attention, many people wear iolite rings for years without any issues.

No peridot is known to be heated to improve its appearance. Although the claim is technically true, it’s misleading.

As polished amber continues to age, it oxidizes and darkens on the outside. Many people prefer the look of oxidized amber. Some material is heated to darken it in color to give it that look.

Although collectors enjoy knowing where their peridot was mined, fine peridot comes from many localities. Because Zabargad Island in the Red Sea is not currently commercially producing, gems that can be confirmed as coming from that source may command a slight premium due to their historic value.

Some people do store their opals in water. There’s no evidence that it prevents them from drying out but it can’t hurt them and might be a good idea if you live in a very dry climate. Jewelers often put a glass of water in their opal case to make sure that the lights don’t dry out the air too much.

Although the green colors of tsavorite and demantoid overlap, they are different garnet group minerals. Tsavorite is green grossular and demantoid is green andradite. Andradite is softer than grossular but has a higher refractive index and higher dispersion.

Lattice diffusion is a treatment process that uses heat and chemicals to diffuse an element into a gemstone to artificially change its color. Lattice diffusion–treated sapphires can be any color. In some cases the added color is shallow. In others, it goes all the way through the stone.

This means the material has undergone some type of heating process in order to alter or improve its appearance — most commonly its color.

Although individual companies might create their own quality descriptions, no standardized quality-grading scales exist for ametrine.

Although individual companies might create their own quality descriptions, like AAA, AA and A, to denote the range of quality of their goods, no standard quality-grading scales exist for aquamarine.

Many companies create their own quality descriptions for colored stones. AAA, AA and A might denote a range of quality for their goods, but there is no single standard quality-grading scale for kunzite.

Although individual companies might create their own quality descriptions, like AAA, AA and A, to denote the range of quality of their goods, no standard quality-grading scales exist for peridot.

Laboratory-grown emeralds are generally marketed with the name of the company and the word “created” rather than “synthetic.” The Federal Trade Commission Jewelry Guides permit the terms “laboratory-grown,” “laboratory-created” or “[manufacturer name]-created” to describe man-made materials.

The most prized lapis lazuli colors are intense medium to dark blue or violetish blue.

Generally, pure pinks to purplish pinks with strong color saturation are the rarest and most valuable morganite colors. Remember that morganite is usually light in color, making it a great pastel gemstone.

The most appealing color typically occurs in larger sizes; small rose quartz specimens with good color tend to be scarce. Rose quartz is usually light in color, making it a great pastel gemstone.

Although many people prize red sunstone highly, some consumers seek out green or bicolor gems.

The Tom Lantos Block Burmese JADE (Junta’s Anti-Democratic Efforts) Act of 2008 prohibited United States imports of jadeite and ruby from Myanmar (formerly Burma), even if the gems were processed in, and exported from, another country. The ban was lifted in 2016.

Lizards, scorpions, snails, frogs, and complete flowers are rare and valuable. Inclusions that capture a moment in life, like flies caught in a web or predator and prey, are also valued.

In a classification system that is used in China, “B” jade refers to jadeite that has been bleached with acid and then impregnated with polymer resin. “A” jade refers to jadeite that is natural or polished with wax only, and “C” jade refers to dyed material.

Bright, pure tones of red, blue and green are generally the most valued, but the electric vivid green to blue shades of copper-bearing tourmaline are so exceptional that they are in a class by themselves.

Although individual companies might create their own quality descriptions, like AAA, AA and A, to denote the range of quality of their goods, no standard quality-grading scales exist for amethyst.

Although individual companies might create their own quality descriptions, like AAA, AA and A, to denote the range of quality of their goods, no standard quality-grading scales exist for garnet.

Although individual companies might create their own quality descriptions, like AAA, AA and A, to denote the range of quality of their goods, no standard quality-grading scales exist for spinel.

Although individual companies might create their own quality descriptions, like AAA, AA and A, to denote the range of quality of their goods, no standard quality-grading scales exist for tanzanite.

Generally, this refers to a laboratory-grown sapphire that has been manufactured with trace elements that give it a color-change effect similar to natural alexandrite. Natural sapphires can also show a color-change effect, but it is usually less pronounced.

Laboratory-grown alexandrites are generally marketed with the name of the company and the word “created” rather than “synthetic.” The Federal Trade Commission Jewelry Guides permit the terms “laboratory-grown,” “laboratory-created” or “[manufacturer name]-created” to describe man-made materials.

Laboratory-grown rubies are generally marketed with the name of the company and the word “created” rather than “synthetic.” The Federal Trade Commission Jewelry Guides permit the terms “laboratory-grown,” “laboratory-created” or “[manufacturer name]-created” to describe man-made materials.

The color of a kunzite is more important than where it was mined. Buy the most vividly colored kunzite you can find.

Because traditionally jade bangles are worn all the time, they are generally made to fit more tightly than gold bangles so they won’t clank against tables but will stay close to your wrist. To more easily fit a small bangle over your hand, put a plastic bag over your hand and slide the bangle over it. Use the same technique to remove the bangle.

Lower-quality turquoise is softer and more porous and is often treated to make it durable enough to wear. Fine turquoise is naturally beautiful – because it is rare and in demand, it is more valuable.

Blue topaz is more common because the color is produced by treating colorless topaz with radiation. Aquamarine is rarer in nature, especially in fine color. Its long history as a gem also adds to its collectibility.

Aquamarine’s color gets more intense as it gets larger. It is very difficult to find small sizes with saturated color: most stones below a carat in size have a pale color.

Iolite is found all over the globe, but it’s not as widely recognized as tanzanite. Some experts believe that jewelry designers and retailers don’t see a consistent enough supply of fine-quality iolite to feel confident about ordering a large selection for use in jewelry lines.