Buying, Cutting and Evaluating Rough Gemstones

Distinguishing African paraíba from Brazilian paraíba tourmalines is difficult. This gallery showcases bright neon specimens from Nigeria.…

There’s more to aquamarine color than blue. Most natural stones start bluish green and are heated to blue. Learn the pros and cons of this treatment.…

The minimum cutting technique will help you get the largest gems possible from rough. Learn how to deal with internal and external problems in gemstones.…

Gem stress can cause stones to break during faceting. Learn what techniques may reduce the odds of fracturing and how to spot problem rough before…

Can you tell if gem rough is too expensive? Learn how to estimate rough gemstone value by considering your gem yield and the prices for your faceted…

How can a custom gem faceter compete with commercial cutting houses? Learn how cut stone sizes, gem quality, and expert cutting can make a difference.…

Cutting crystals for the best gem yield is a critical skill for faceters. This walkthrough can help novices learn how to visualize the gems before…

Our gemstone care guide covers many popular gems. Learn how best to maintain your gemstone jewelry and what kinds of stresses and cleaning methods…

Gem rough orientation isn’t always simple. Sometimes the obvious cut may not be the best choice. Learn how orienting rough can affect gem yields…

Selecting and orienting rough gems can be challenging for new faceters. These tips can help you choose the right tools and resolve some common problems.…

Can you turn dark saturated rough gems into facetable material? Learn how to pick the right cuts and heat treatments and, importantly, when to just…

Telling synthetic rough from natural stones in a gem parcel can be challenging. These tips can help you find some telltale signs of lab-created…

Considering buying gems in Afghanistan? Learn which Afghan gemstones to seek out, which to avoid, and prepare for a “buyer beware” experience.…

Jeff R Graham shares his opinions and thoughts on various topics on Just Ask Jeff. Figuring rough cost on Just Ask Jeff: How do I figure rough cost?…

Jeff R Graham shares his opinions on the gem rough market. Read more on some very important perspective to be aware of on the gem industry.

Jeff R Graham shares his opinions on various topics on Just Ask Jeff. See what his answers are to How does the supply of gemstones and rough actually…

Jeff R Graham shares his opinions and thoughts on various topics in Just Ask Jeff. See what his answers are to What does Siberite Tourmaline look…

Jeff R Graham shares his opinions on various topics in Just Ask Jeff. See his answers to Why is some rough stone like Topaz the same cost of cut stones?…

Jeff R Graham shares about commercial and rough stone prices. See his answers to Why does rough cost almost as much as commercially cut stones sometimes?…

Just Ask Jeff shares his frustrations on customer multiple orders and returns which is a common customer problems among rough dealers.

Just Ask Jeff answers “Can I make money cutting that rough?”. Profit making from rough gems is an important issue for all who want to facet and make…