Frail materials: Pearls, turquoise and opals

Not all natural materials are created equal, and some, while stunningly beautiful, are more temperamental than others. The unholy trinity in this respect is, I believe, pearls, turquoise and opal, and they are as difficult […]

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Rubies and sapphires

If the diamond is the queen of the gemstones, corundum is her consort. A red corundum is known as a ruby, and while sapphires are mostly associated with a particular deep blue colour, all non-red […]

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