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GemSelect Newsletter - February 2010In our newsletter this month:
GemSelect Search Engine Back to Top
As our website has grown to include over 20,000 gemstones and more than 500 pages of gemstone information, we want to make it easier for you to find what you're looking for. In the last year we've made major improvements to the navigation on our site with the addition of our 'shop by' menu system. But one of the things we discovered while researching how people use GemSelect.com is that a surprising number of people prefer to type their request into the search box rather than use the menu system. Conventional wisdom in user interface design is that it is always better to let users navigate by pointing and clicking rather than typing. But the use of clever search engines like Google may be having an effect on that behavior. With a good search engine you can often find exactly what you're looking for with the right search phrase, without having to click your way through a series of choices. Typing is more work, but if it takes you right where you want to go, it may well be worth the effort. To that end, we've recently enhanced our text search capabilities, especially for finding gemstones. You can search by gem variety, color, size, weight, clarity, price and country of origin, and any combination of these. Just enter your search string in the search box, which can be found on the right-hand side of every page. Here are some examples:
When you enter a size or weight, we will show you all the gems that match your search, plus or minus 4%. If you need to search for a weight range, such as sapphires between 1.5 and 2.0 carats, you'll need to use our 'shop by weight' option. You can also use the search for finding information on rare gems that we might not have in stock, such as benitoite, bixbite or uvarovite. Additionally, you can easily find reference material, such as our charts for refractive index or density, our list of calibrated gem sizes, or the list of birthstones by month. In fact you can search for any term or phrase to do with gemstones. If we don't have an exact match, we'll give you a short list of pages from our website that include your search phrase and you can choose the most relevant. Rare and Unusual Gems Back to Top
Each month we feature a rare and unusual gem from our inventory. This month we would like to present a very large deep blue sapphire from Madagascar: ![]() Deep Blue Madagascar Sapphire
Deep blue sapphire is one of the most classic of colored gemstones. They are especially rare in large sizes because the large stones tend to be too dark or lack brilliance due to poor clarity. This 5.95-carat oval from the Diego Suarez region of Northern Madagascar is deep blue, but not so deep that it turns black under artificial light. With a clarity grading of VVS, it displays considerable brilliance and scintillation. This rare sapphire would make an outstanding ring set in white gold or platinum with diamonds. Customer Questions Back to Top
Every month we answer questions of general interest from our customers. Please feel free to send your questions or suggestions to our support team at help@gemselect.com! Question
Do you have any rubies that have NOT been glass-filled? If so, how do I find them? Thanks for your help. JP, Norway.
Answer
Yes, we do have quite a number of rubies which have not been fracture-filled, at the last count there were over 160 pieces. They include rubies which have heat-treated only, as well as some completely untreated rubies from Mozambique that we recently acquired. Click the link to see all of our non-fracture-filled rubies.
Question
I bought some gems at an estate sale and left them with a jeweler to check. He wasn't in when I picked them them up but he left me a note that said the gems are "paste". Can you explain? GG, USA.
Answer
We're sorry to tell you that the news may not be good, though it may depend on the age of your stones. The term "paste" is the traditional term in the jewelry business for gems created from cut glass. Today paste is created for inexpensive costume jewelry and has a very low value. But during the 18th and 19th centuries, there were jewelers such as Georges Frederic Strass who designed extraordinary paste jewelry for the court of Louis XV. That jewelry is very valuable today. So if your paste gems are antiques they could indeed be valuable.
Keep up with our new arrivals before they hit the newsletter by joining our thousands of fans and followers on our social networking pages. We love interacting with our customers - you can visit us on Tumblr, LinkedIn, Twitter, Facebook or Pinterest! To ensure you can receive our emails, please be sure to add help@gemselect.com to your list of safe contacts, or you add us into your email address book! Please feel free to contact us with any questions, comments and queries! We respond to each and every email we receive. Happy Gem Hunting!
About Us
Overall Rating -> 10 I have found GemSelect to have the best selections of quality stones at a reasonable price. I like the packaging and the report availability. Posted By Sam in March, 2025 Source: Bizrate Overall Rating -> 10 It was my second time so I understand what it is to do Posted By Ibie in February, 2025 Source: Bizrate Overall Rating -> 9 Gemselect is a good website with a great selection of loose gems for sale. The prices are fairly decent, with the only negative being the cut quality of the gems. This is my go to retailer for gemstones and will continue to be, given that the packages arrive in a timely manner. Posted By Lunchies in April, 2024 Source: Bizrate Overall Rating -> 10 Good selection, trusted quality. What I have purchased has always been as discribed. Posted By Sterling in November, 2024 Source: Bizrate Related Articles Sapphire Info Sapphire Gemstone: What is Sapphire? Sapphire Color and more Tourmaline Gem Info Tourmaline Information - The most colorful gem on Earth Aquamarine Info Aquamarine Information - Get the facts, figures and stories behind... Fire Opal Info Fire Opal Gemstone - A Mexican sunset captured in a gem Iolite Info Iolite Gemstone Information - Facts & Benefits Jade Info Jade Gemstone Information - GemSelect Kunzite Info Kunzite Gemstones - The must-have pink gem for evenings Orthoclase Info Orthoclase Gemstone Information: Unveil Its Natural Beauty Peridot Info Peridot: Properties & Value, Peridot Meaning & Healing Rhodolite Garnet Info Rhodolite Garnet Information - An elegant rose among thorns Ruby Info Ruby Information - The gemstone of passion and seduction Ruby-Zoisite Info Ruby-Zoisite Information - A unique gemstone mixture Spessartite Garnet Info Spessartite Garnet: The Best Orange Garnet, A Detailed Guide Sphene Info Sphene Gemstone Information - GemSelect Spinel Info Spinel Gemstone Information - An often overlooked Beauty Tanzanite Info Tanzanite Information - Africa's wonder risen from the ashes Topaz Info Topaz Gemstone Information – Take a look beyond the blue Zircon Info Zircon Information - A gemstone as old as the earth itself Lapis Lazuli Info Lapis Lazuli Information - The timeless deep blue gemstone Moss Opal Info Moss Opal Gemstones - Intriguing branch-like inclusions Mystic Topaz Info Mystic Topaz Information - A kaleidoscope of colors Star Ruby Info Star Ruby Gemstone Information - GemSelect Birthstones by Month Birthstones by Month, Every Birthstone, Zodiac & Anniversary Caring for Gemstones Gemstone Care - Gemstone Information - GemSelect Color Basics Gemstone Color - A Quick Guide to Colors Diffusion Treatment Diffusion Treatment for Gemstones - GemSelect Irradiation Treatment Irradiation Treatment - Gemstone Information - GemSelect Gemstone Hardness Explained Gemstone Hardness | Mohs Scale with Images and Charts Precious and Semi-Precious Gemstone Glossary Gemstone & Mineral Glossary - Gemstone Information - GemSelect Medicinal Gemstones Medicinal Gemstone Information - GemSelect Gemstone Treatments All About Gemstone Treatments - Information - GemSelect Fracture Filled Fracture Filled Treatment - Gemstone Information - GemSelect Gem Market Chanthaburi International Gemstone Market in Chanthaburi, Thailand: Shopping f... Gemstone Prices Gemstone Prices - A review of what influences the amount you pay Loose Gemstones from Mine to Market Loose Gemstones From Mine to Market - Gems and Jewelry Information... Precious Stones Precious & Semi-Precious Gemstone History, Legends & Myths Rare Tourmaline Rare Tourmaline Gemstones - Unique and distinctive varieties The Secret of Spinel The Secret of Spinel Gemstones Allure of Yellow Sapphire Yellow Sapphire: Meaning, Properties, Details and More Kunz and Tourmaline Kunz and Tourmaline - Creating the colored gemstone market Sources for Fine Ruby Gems Sources for Fine Ruby Gems Gem Mining in Madagascar Sapphire and Ruby Gemstone Mining in Madagascar Rare Garnets Rare Garnets: Tsavorite, Spessartite and Rhodolite Colored Gemstone Business Understanding the Colored Gemstone Business Tanzanite Prices Tanzanite Prices - Limited supplies of this stunning stone Star Gemstones Star Gemstones Labradorite Iridescence Labradorite Iridescence: Discover the Mystic Glow Prong Vs. Bezel Settings Prong Vs. Bezel Settings Discover the Beauty of Aventurine Gemstones Aventurine Gems Paraiba Tourmaline Gems Paraiba Tourmaline Gemstones - Brazil's dazzling discovery Chalcedony Quartz Chalcedony Quartz Guide: Facts, Colors, Care & Value Princess-Cut Gemstones Princess-Cut Gemstones Rare Ammolite Rare Ammolite Howlite Gems Howlite Gemstones |
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