Natural glass gemstones are caused by extraordinary geological events, such as intense heat and cataclysmic impacts. Natural glass...

Silica, or silicon dioxide (SiO2), occurs in the Earth’s crust, the microcosm and daily life. Silica makes ancient glass such as...

The Indus Valley Civilization of the Bronze Age is one of the earliest urban societies, famous for trade, inventiveness and extraordinary...

Carbuncle has many meanings. Today it most often describes a deep red almandine garnet gemstone cut with a smooth, convex face or...

Precious stones are made by economic supply and demand. First, however, they're formed by fire and pressure for millions of years. Prized...

Corundum is a mineral composed of aluminum oxide. Living deep within the Earth in an environment of intense heat and pressure, the...

Synthetic sapphires and lab-grown gemstones mimic the brilliance and allure of natural gems while often surpassing them in quality and...

Exquisite gems, sapphires are beautiful stones known for stunning colors and unique properties. Greeks wear sapphire for guidance when...

In alchemy, science and mysticism intertwine. Among the practical alchemical skills is dyeing of metals and gems. Alchemists from early...

"Hematite" comes from the ancient Greek for blood. The stone makes red dust when cut and polished. The red color isn't always visible at...

Although alchemy is often associated with gold-making, another essential skill of the alchemist is to color or dye stones like quartz...

Alchemy symbolism is an ancient and fluctuating system of intertwined elements compounded over more than 2000 years. A cornerstone of...

Alchemy has origins in ancient medicine, metallurgy and gemology. As metallurgy evolves to coloring metals the goal is to make base...

Ruby is one of the five cardinal gems, together with diamond, amethyst, sapphire and emerald. From bright pink to deep blood red,...