Man-made and enhanced stones SELL—when you tell the story. This guide gives shop owners clean definitions (natural vs. enhanced vs. man-made), then an A–Z, skimmable catalog of what to stock...

Gem vs. mineral vs. rock — the simple, staff-ready explanation. Train your retail team to speak geology with confidence and sell smarter. Includes buyer tips, assortments, and pricing ladders.

Mineral collecting is more than just a hobby—it’s an exciting journey into nature’s hidden treasures. Whether you’re just getting started or looking to expand your collection, knowing where to begin...

Gemstones are shiny, smooth, and simply beautiful. They can make any place look better and help us feel calm when things get a bit hectic. But did you ever wonder...

So you've just decided to try rockhounding. And you're armed with the basic tools and safety equipment you need for your first rock hunting expedition. But where are you going...

Updated July 14th, 2023 by original author Chalcedony vs. quartz… What's the difference? These 2 minerals may be related to each other (in terms of chemical composition) but each has...

Gemstones are so diverse in form and appearance. We could spend days exploring every species and variety and we still wouldn't be able to cover everything! Classifying them based on...

In our previous blog, we talked about the optical properties that make rocks and crystals a wonderful sight to behold. We learned that colour, lustre, transparency, and behaviours of light...

Optical properties describe the physical characteristics produced by the behaviour of light in and on a gemstone. You can notice some of these properties (e.g., lustre, colour, and transparency) just...

New to the world of gemstones? You don't need to learn everything from the get-go and risk overwhelming yourself with a bunch of technical information. Let us help you ease...

People would often rave about the gorgeous play of colours and healing powers when they talk about their favourite gemstones. But what about a stone's durability and wearability features? Now...

Everything we see, touch, use, and even ingest consists of raw materials. The food we eat, the cars we drive, the house we live in, and the gadget you're reading...