A DEEPER DIVE INTO THE WORLD OF GEMSTONES

The Gachalá Emerald, an 858-carat emerald from Colombia, on display at the Smithsonian
The 752-Pound Emerald That Survived a Hurricane, a Heist, and 20 Years in Court
In 2001, miners in Brazil unearthed the Bahia Emerald: a 752-pound boulder of emerald crystals valued at up to $400 million. It survived Hurricane Katrina, a Los Angeles vault heist,... Read more...
Two vivid pink diamonds photographed by Roy Fuchs
The 9-Carat Pink Diamond Stolen From French Royalty — and Found Inside an Apple
On October 17, 2026, the 9.01-carat Grand Condé pink diamond went on public view at the Château de Chantilly for the first time since its 1926 theft — hidden inside... Read more...
Inside an amethyst mine in Artigas, Uruguay
The Complete Gemstone Guide: Every Stone at Lumière Gems — Properties, History, Iconic Uses and Real Value
One pillar guide to every gemstone at Lumière Gems: what each stone is, its verified history and iconic moments, its traditional meaning, and what actually drives its price. Read more...
The 45.52-carat Hope Diamond on display at the Smithsonian — a famous blue diamond shown for comparison with the Ocean Dream
The $17.4 Million Diamond That Gets Its Color From Radiation
The Ocean Dream — a 5.50-carat Fancy Vivid blue-green diamond — sold for CHF 13.6M at Christie’s Geneva, a world auction record. Here is the science behind its color. Read more...
Faceted oval-cut ruby gemstone showing deep red colour
The 101-Carat Ruby That Broke Two World Records in One Night
The 55.22-carat Estrela de FURA sold for $34.8 million at Sotheby's in June 2023 — the most expensive ruby ever auctioned. The story of a 101-carat Mozambique rough. Read more...
Kylie Jenner at the 2026 Met Gala; she debuted the $50 million Jacob & Co. Fantasy Bra at the Victoria's Secret Fashion Show on October 18, 2026
The $50 Million Bra: Inside the Most Expensive Fantasy Bra Ever Made
Jacob & Co.'s $50 million Fantasy Bra — 4,410 diamonds and a 75.54-carat Fancy Vivid Yellow centrepiece — debuted on Kylie Jenner at the 2026 Victoria's Secret show. Read more...
The 45.52-carat Hope Diamond on display at the Smithsonian's National Museum of Natural History — a famous blue diamond whose blue color comes from trace boron
The $25.5 Million Blue Diamond That Lost $7 Million in 11 Years
The Mellon Blue diamond sold for $25.5M at Christie’s Geneva — 22% less than its $32.6M 2014 record. The story of Bunny Mellon’s famous blue diamond. Read more...
The Stone That Cost More Than Gold: Lapis Lazuli's 6,500-Year Journey from an Afghan Mine
The Stone That Cost More Than Gold: Lapis Lazuli's 6,500-Year Journey from an Afghan Mine
Mined in Afghanistan for over 6,000 years, lapis lazuli went from King Tut's mask to Vermeer's blues — and was once worth more than gold. Read more...
The $3.4 Million Neon Stone That Started With One Man's Seven-Year Dig in Brazil
The $3.4 Million Neon Stone That Started With One Man's Seven-Year Dig in Brazil
From a 7-year Brazilian desert dig to a $3.4M Sotheby's sale — inside the electric glow, copper secret and new Ethiopian mine of Paraíba tourmaline. Read more...
A vivid blue cushion-cut sapphire set in a diamond brooch, showing the cornflower-blue colour Kashmir sapphires are famed for
The Sapphire Mine That Lasted Five Years — and the $9.5 Million Stone It Left Behind
Kashmir sapphires command the highest per-carat prices of any sapphire. From a five-year Himalayan mine to a US$271,515-per-carat record — why they rule auctions. Read more...
The $18 Million Pink Diamond That Hid for 70 Years
The $18 Million Pink Diamond That Hid for 70 Years
A 24-carat Fancy Intense Pink diamond hidden for 70 years headlines Christie's Geneva on November 10, 2026 — its provenance, pressure-formed colour, the Argyle shutdown, how it compares to the... Read more...
Moldavite: The Cosmic Gem Born from a 15-Million-Year-Old Asteroid Impact
Moldavite: The Cosmic Gem Born from a 15-Million-Year-Old Asteroid Impact
Born from a catastrophic asteroid impact 15 million years ago, moldavite is one of Earth's rarest and most extraordinary gemstones. Discover its cosmic origins, grading system, auction records, and why... Read more...