Gemstone buying guides
How to Buy a Sapphire: Colour, Origin, Heat and Price
A gemologist's guide to buying a natural sapphire online — the 4Cs for coloured stones, heated vs unheated, Ceylon vs Madagascar, and what a fair price per carat looks like.
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Ruby Buying Guide: Pigeon Blood, Treatments and Value
What 'pigeon blood' really means, how to read a ruby lab report, and why Mozambique rubies now dominate the fine-quality market.
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Emerald Clarity and Oil Treatment Explained
Why almost every emerald is oiled, what 'minor' and 'insignificant' mean on a report, and how to care for an emerald ring.
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Buying Gemstones Online Safely: Certificates, Shipping and Duties
How to verify a lab report, what import duties apply in the EU, UK, USA and Asia, and the red flags that separate trusted gem sellers from the rest.
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How Gemstone Certification Works: Reading a Lab Report
What an independent gemological report from GIA, GRS, SSEF, Gübelin or IGI actually confirms, what it does not, and how to check one before you buy.
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