Gemstone Guides
Every Journal story filed under gemstone guides — guides, comparisons and care notes from the people who make the rings.
Amethyst Meaning: Symbolism, History & Spiritual Properties
What amethyst really means — the Greek root, the Bacchus myth that was actually...
Sapphire Stone: The Complete Guide to Colors, Quality, Origins, Value and Care
What sapphire is, how trace elements create every color, how blue is graded, Kashmir...
Emerald Stone: The Complete Guide to Color, Clarity, Value, Origins and Care
What emerald is, why its green is rare, the jardin and clarity treatments, Colombian vs Zambian origins, how much emerald is worth...
Aquamarine Stone: The Complete Guide to Color, Quality, Value and Care
What aquamarine is, the Santa Maria blue, heat treatment, quality factors, price per carat, world sources, the Dom Pedro, durability, natural vs...
Alexandrite Stone: The Complete Guide to the Color-Changing Gemstone
What alexandrite is, why it changes from green to red, how it is graded and priced per carat, natural vs lab-grown vs...
Pearl Meaning: Symbolism, History & What Each Color Signifies
What pearls mean and where the symbolism came from — four thousand years of history from 2206 BC to the cultured pearl,...
Pink Gemstones: A Complete Guide to Every Pink Gem
Every pink gemstone worth knowing — from pink sapphire and morganite to spinel, tourmaline, kunzite and rhodochrosite — with verified hardness, honest...
Topaz vs Citrine: How to Tell Them Apart
Topaz vs citrine: how the two golden November birthstones differ in mineral, hardness, color, price, and meaning, plus five practical ways to...
Citrine Meaning: Symbolism, History & Properties
Citrine meaning explained: the merchant's stone symbolism of abundance and joy, its history, colors, believed benefits, natural vs heat-treated citrine, and care.
Mystic Topaz: What It Is, Meaning, Value & Care
Mystic topaz explained by a jeweler: what it is, how the PVD rainbow coating is made, whether it's real, its names, meaning,...
Topaz Meaning: Colors, Symbolism & History
Topaz meaning explained: its symbolism of strength and clarity, every topaz color, blue topaz and London blue topaz, white topaz, durability, and...
Blue Zircon: Meaning, the December Birthstone & vs. Cubic Zirconia
One of the oldest, most brilliant gems on Earth — and one of the most misunderstood. What blue zircon is, its meaning,...
