A gem dealer's journal — lotus gemology

Hey Loungers,  While some of you may have already read our 2016 article on the topic, we figured that a little refresher probably couldn't hurt.  It is undeniable that nowadays the attraction for colour gem is on the rise yet, very few actually know what they are buying and this could lead to a somewhat rude awakening.  In this article we intend on discussing some of the main points that one needs to know when purchasing a gem such as: treatment, cut, clarity, carat weight, origin and of course the importance of a serious gemological report backing your purchase as well...

Hey Loungers,  The last time we interviewed E. Billie Hughes was about two years ago, as Lotus Gemology was growing fast but, we kind of forgot to ask about one of the most talked about features of their lab: Hyperion Photo Library! Some of you may have heard of it here, others have visited it out of professional curiosity while others just wanted to take a look at the art that the Lotus Team, with Billie as their vanguard, produces with a photo camera and a microscope.  This said, few of us know how this amazing tool got created. Billie,...

Dear Loungers, We have been busy recently and couldn’t write as much as we wanted, but be sure that some market updates are on the way. I was recently asked what to look for while buying a gem and it got me thinking. Although I wrote an article on the topic about a year ago, with the extra experience I gathered in the meantime, I figured I could throw in a couple more tips. And so, as you may have heard already, nature hates empty spaces about as much as the gem market does and it delivered a few cookies on my doorstep....

Hi Loungers,  With "Journey through the Rough: The Making of a Gem" we discovered the very first step of the jewelry making process. Today, we'll see what happens when you contact the Creation Lounge in order to turn your dream piece of jewelry into a reality. To this end we will follow Lotus Gemology's Billie Hughes' journey with our team. Traditionally, there are two ways to start a jewelry project (either designing the piece of jewelry around a gem or, finding the gem that goes with a specific design). This time around, Billie asked us to come up with a design that would highlight her gemstones in...

Loungers, We are pleased to re- introduce you to our favorite gemologist, E. Billie Hughes but this time, we invite her not as the lab gemologist but as the multiple photography award winner. Today, days after being awarded the title of best photomicrographer of 2016 by the Gemological Association of Great Britain (Aka Gem-A), Billie is back with us for an interview on her favorite topic: Photomicrography!    Excuse me while I pierce the sky -By E. Billie Hughes (Award Winning shot of the 2016 Gem-A photomicrography contest)   AsiaLounges: Hi Billie. I'd like to extend our congratulations to you for...