Brush, ink, paper and ink stone are known in China as the “four treasures.” Long ago, the Chinese recognized that these simple tools allow human beings to communicate ideas, even beyond the grave. They have changed our world more than any other. Thus we have christened the Lotus Gemology reference database after the most important human tools of all time.
At Lotus Gemology, we believe knowledge is the common property of all humankind. Towards that goal, we are making our internal reference database—created with thousands of hours of work over a period of nearly four decades—available to the entire world free of charge. It is our way of giving back to those who have come before us, and going forward, providing tools to researchers who are working to push gemology ahead.
The Lotus Gemology Four Treasures database contains over 6300 references relating to gems and gemology. It is particularly strong in citations relating to ruby, sapphire, spinel and jade.
Got a reference you’d like to see included? Feel free to send it to us for consideration. Find a mistake? Again, let us know so we can correct the database.