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Some special gems display multiple colors under the same viewing conditions. These bicolor and multicolor gems often have regions or zones of different colors. Tourmaline especially is noted for this property, though it can also be found in other varieties, such as Ametrine and Fluorite.

We now are pleased to offer a small number of very rare gem-quality Cobaltocalcite pieces to collectors. These include GIA reports and special Notable Letters.

A pure saturated blue is one of the rarest and most treasured colors in the gemstone world. There are a number of gem varieties found in blue. But really only Sapphire is found in a pure saturated blue. Tanzanite may occasionally come close, though even the finest blue Tanzanite always has a tinge of violet.

Gem aficionadoes prize Spinel for its brilliance, hardness and wide range of spectacular colors. In addition to beautiful rich reds, Spinel can be found in a range of lovely pastel shades of pink, orange, purple and blue. Spinels displaying a star are unusual and very rare.

Why are natural Rubies so valuable? The color red, long associated with fire, passion and energy, is one of the rarest colors in the gems world. The purest reds are the Rubies from an area in Burma known as the Mogok Stone Tract, about 200 km north of Mandalay. This region has been famous for centuries for fine pigeon blood ruby with a distinctive fluorescence.

We have just acquired some fabulous Pink Morganites from Madagascar, the finest we've seen in our many years trading in fine beryls.

The term trillion or trilliant is used to describe a gemstone cut that is triangular in shape. The trillion cut can show impressive brilliance and sparkle.

Our collection of matched pairs and suites is always changing, but we currently have an excellent selection of pairs in a number of varieties, including Aquamarine, Black Star Sapphire, Imperial Topaz, Morganite, Royal Purple Garnet, Blue Tourmaline and Spessartite Garnet.

In the world of colored gemstones, brilliance is a good thing. So is fire. But they are actually not the same thing, and if you want to be a gems expert, it's worth knowing the difference. The term "brilliance" refers to the light that is reflected from the interior of a gem, not from its surface. The term "fire" refers to the ability of a gem to split light into the colors of the spectrum. The technical term used in gemology for fire is dispersion.

High quality Garnets are completely natural and untreated, with very good clarity and transparency and outstanding brilliance. The rarer Garnets in bright and vivid colors are the favorites of designers of fine jewelry. The colors range from the emerald green of Tsavorite to the mandarin orange of Spessartite to the rich red of Rhodolite and the intense violet of Royal Purple Garnet. Fabulous!

If you are looking for a fine gemstone for a holiday gift -- or want to treat yourself to something special -- Tourmaline offers a rainbow of choices unmatched by any other gem variety.

Mexican Opals are known for their vivid yellow, orange or orange-red colors. The intense color has earned this gem the nickname Fire Opal. Unlike precious opal, Mexican Opal does not usually exhibit a play of color. But it makes up for this with its remarkable body color. It is the one of the few varieties of opal that can successfully be faceted, as some specimens exhibit considerable transparency.

Though most of the Kunzite you will see is a pastel pink or lilac, we occasionally find unusually saturated material that goes beyond pink to to colors that can be described as magenta or fuschia.

Pink Sapphires are nearly as rare as rubies and are sought after by collectors, especially for special occasion jewelry like engagement and anniversary rings. One reason is that pink sapphire can have a similar look to the very expensive pink diamond, with excellent brilliance and sparkle. But pink sapphire is not only more affordable than pink diamond, it can also be found in larger sizes and with much better color saturation.

In the world of fine gems, most gems are one-of-a-kind. A matching pair or suite is rare and special.

There are few gifts as romantic as a fine piece of jewelry, and few gems as romantic as a heart shaped stone. With Valentine's Day approaching, let's look at what makes heart shaped gems so special.

If you're looking for a meaningful gift for someone special in your life, a fine gemstone is a unique gift of lasting value. This month we share some of the outstanding gems we've collected in 2018.

This month's newsletter is all about Ruby, the Queen of Colored Gems. We feature fine Rubies from our collection, including some special jewelry pieces that we've designed for some of our best Rubies

We have recently acquired some exceptional Rubellite Touramalines from Nigeria in a pure red. These are unusual for Rubellite, which is typically a pinkish or purplish red. We have a number of fine pieces over 5 carats, including several exceptional stones over 20 carats.

Recently some extraordinary blue tourmaline has been discovered in Namibia in southern Africa. They include some pure blues, some teal blues and some vivid bicolor blue-green gems that display blue on the table and green on the ends.

The Ethiopian opals are really quite inexpensive, given the quality of the gems, and prices are probably as low as they will go. If you've ever considered adding a fine opal to your collection, there has never been a better time to acquire one of these beautiful gems at a great price.

The Pantone color the year for 2018 is Ultra Violet, exemplified in the gems world by Amethyst. Since Amethy is also the birthstone for February, we have 2 reasons this month to celebrate the most famous of violet gemstones.

If you're looking for a meaningful gift for someone special in your life, a fine gemstone is a unique gift of lasting value. This month we share our ideas on the best values in fine gemstones.

Natural pink imperial topaz is one of the rarest of all jewelry gemstones. The color is reminiscent of pink diamond or pink sapphire, and they have wonderful sparkle and luster. Truly a rare gem for the discerning collector.

We supply rare stones to fine jewelers and collectors around the world. But in recent years we've seen a growing interest in rare and unusual, even obscure, gem varieties.

High quality Peridot can be a spectacular gem, especially in larger sizes. But Peridot is notable not only for its beauty. It has some unusual properties that make it quite unique in the gems world.

This month we feature Royal Purple Garnets from Mozambique. These rare and special gems display an intense purple with red flashes, with a fascinating color change as well.

This month's feature is on Natural Zircon, a gem prized by collectors and gem dealers for its high refractive index and excellent fire.

For gemstone connoisseurs and investors, Burmese ruby and jadeite are the ne plus ultra of colored gems. We are delighted that it is once again possible to ship these rare stones to collectors around the world.

The most valuable citrines are the natural gems in the saturated colors, known in the trade as Madeira Citrine. The name derives a fortified Portuguese wine made in the Madeira Islands. The color of Madeira ranges from golden to golden-orange to reddish-brown to brown.

Pink is one of the most popular hues in colored gemstones, and few other colors offer such a wide range of choice. Learn about the choices in pink gems.

One of the rarest -- and least known -- colors in tourmaline is a vivid yellow known in the trade as Canary Tourmaline.

Rubellite is the name used for the pinkish-red to violet-red tourmaline. It is one of the rarest of all tourmalines and is valued for its intense color. Recently we acquired some bright pink reds from Mozambique that are wonderfully vivid.

There are certain rare tsavorite garnets that combine a medium tone with an intense saturation. Some of these so-called Mint Garnets are so remarkably vivid that they are as striking as any emerald.

This month we feature fine Mineral Specimens from around the world. Fine uncut gem crystals are natural works of art and are sought after by collectors.

This month we feature rare Sphalerite from Spain, a rare gemstone with a fire or dispersion rating higher than diamond. The finest Sphalerite comes from the Aliva mine in northern Spain.

Red is one of the rarest colors in the gems world, and the vivid raspberry color of rhodolite garnet is quite unique in the gems world.

Now you can view our website on your smartphone -- this month we introduce the mobile version of AJSgem.com. Browse fine gemstones wherever you happen to be.

This month we look at one of the most fiery of colored gemstones, natural zircon. The most popular color of zircon is blue, Blue zircon is produced by low temperature heating, but only some of the Cambodian and Burmese zircon will turn blue when heated.

This month we look at quality factors for appraising Tanzanite, the rare violet-blue form of the mineral zoisite.

This month we feature unique Gemstone Suites from our collection. These have been carefully matched by our staff and include earring sets, pendant/ring/earrings suites and some elaborate necklace layouts.

This month's feature is on Oregon Sunstone, the finest sunstone in the world. The finest specimens occur in vivid orange or red, with fine-grained copper inclusions that display a glitter or schiller.

This month we have a special offer on Fine Burma Ruby -- 20% on all the rubies in our collection! Take advantage of our one time offer to acquire a rare investment gem.

This month we look at the rare Malaia Garnet, a hybrid of pyrope, almandite and spessartite.

This month's feature is on Aquamarine, the blue or turquoise variety of beryl. Learn about color, clarity and cutting grades for this fine gem.

This month we discuss one of the maxims of the colored gem trade -- "buy it while you can." Fine gems are in short supply and increasing demand from China has made it more difficult and expensive to acquire good stones.

This month we feature fine matched pairs from our collection. Perfect for gifts!

This month we feature a very rare gem -- a 5.46 ct unheated ruby from Mogok, Burma with special certificates from GemResearch Swisslab and Gubelin Gemlab.

This month's feature is on Fine Sapphire from Madagascar. See our latest acquistions, read all the news from the gems world and get answers to your questions from our gem experts.

This month's feature is on Investing in Fine Gems. Also this month: notable gems from our collection; news from AJS and the gems world; and answers from our gem experts to customer questions.

This month we look at the rare garnets from East Africa; tsavorite, umbalite (rhodolite), color change and malaia.

This month our feature is on the Tucson Gem Show. Also: Notable Gems, Gem News from around the world, and our gem experts answer your questions.

This month we feature a very rare 75 ct Yellow Star Sapphire from Ceylon. Also: Notable Gems, Gem News from around the world, and our gem experts answer your questions.

This month we report on the September Hong Kong Gem Fair. Also this month: Notable Gems, Gem news from around the world and our gem experts answer your questions.

This month we introduce our new website -- welcome to the new AJSgems.com. Also in this month's newsletter: notable gems from our collection; news from AJS and the gems world; and answers from our gem experts to customer questions.

This month's feature is on Arnold's recent trip to Kenya and Tanzania. Plus the latest news on Burma sanctions and a new corundum find in Madagascar.

This month's feature is on a major new sapphire find in Sri Lanka. Material from the new mine should start to reach the market soon.

This month we look at natural zircon, one of the the most brilliant but underappreciated species in the gems world.

This month we cut the last of our rough stone from the original deposit of Mahenge spinel. This material is no longer available in the market. Own one of the rarest and most beautiful spinels ever discovered!

This month our feature article looks at gemstone trends based on our experience at the recent Hong Kong gem fair. The Asian market is driving gem prices higher and the investment community is starting to notice.

This month our feature article is on fine gemstones under $500. Yes, it is actually possible to buy fine gems under $500 without compromising on quality! Also in this month's newsletter: the discovery of a vast gemstone treasure under an ancient temple in South India and information on the upcoming Hong Kong gem show.