Buying at the Source • Dick's Law and Other Sundry Maxims of the East • Lotus Gemology

An essay on buying gems at the source in Asia, with a discussion of how con men play on the greed of those who believe gems will be cheaper at the mines.

A 2006 mission to remote ruby and spinel localities in Tajikistan.

In search of ruby and sapphire on the lost Isle of Madagascar.

World auction records for ruby, sapphire and spinel.

A look at the geology of Myanmar's Mogok Stone Tract, home to pigeon's blood rubies and so much more…

An account of a 2013 visit to Mogok – Myanmar's fairy-tale wonderland.

In search of Thailand's last ruby miner.

One of the greatest gemological challenges is determining if a ruby or sapphire has been heat treated. UV fluorescence can assist in that identification, as well as detecting fillers in emerald.

Since the turn of the millennium, the price of fine spinel has risen at an incredible pace. No longer simply the poor man's ruby, spinel is finally getting the attention it deserves as one of the world's premier gems.

The mining of natural red andesine in Tibet has been a subject of controversy. This article describes RWH's second visit to the Tibetan deposit.