Gemstone Guides

Buying guides written at the source: what to look for, what a stone is worth, and what the trade rarely says out loud.

A pear cut diamond ring in yellow gold held between two fingers over a bench pad, with polishing cloths and setting tools on the workbench behind

Pear Cut Bow Tie Effect: How to Spot One Before You Buy

Ratio, bow tie, karat and the sapphire question, answered by the sourcer who buys the rough in Ratnapura rather than by the shop trying to sell you the setting.

PAR Ilyes Makria•AUG 1, 2026

Engagement Ring With an Emerald Stone: How to Choose, Set and Care for It (2026)

engagement ring with emerald stone — Joalys Paris

guides

Ilyes Makria•August 1, 2026

Something Old, Something New, Something Borrowed, Something Blue: The Tradition, and the Version You Keep

A loose blue sapphire resting on blue silk dress fabric, the something blue tradition in one frame

Guide

Ilyes Makria•July 18, 2026

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Gemstone Guides

Pear Cut Bow Tie Effect: How to Spot One Before You Buy

Engagement Ring With an Emerald Stone: How to Choose, Set and Care for It (2026)

Aquamarine Ring Emerald Cut: A Buyer's Guide That Skips the Sales Talk

Blue Spinel vs Blue Sapphire: How to Choose (and Why Spinel Usually Costs Less)

Ruby vs Pink Sapphire: Where the Line Is Drawn and What You Pay For

White Sapphire: An Honest Guide to the Icy Diamond Alternative

Something Old, Something New, Something Borrowed, Something Blue: The Tradition, and the Version You Keep