Gemstone Malaysia

08/09/2026

Mineral(s) of the day 💎🇲🇦

Two very different minerals from Morocco. 🙂

Vanadinite 🧡
One of Morocco’s classic minerals, especially from the Mibladen mining area. This one is orange, but vanadinite can range from yellow and orange to red. What I find more interesting is its specific gravity of around 6.9. For its size, vanadinite feels surprisingly heavy in the hand. It is also quite soft, at only 2½–3 on the Mohs scale.

Prehnite 💚
This one is from Midelt Province, an area well known for its green prehnite. It has a hardness of 6–6½ on the Mohs scale, and Moroccan specimens are commonly found as green crystals and botryoidal or globular aggregates. The more intense apple-green colour can also make prehnite attractive as a gemstone when the material is sufficiently transparent and clean.



Reference: Anthony, J.W., Bideaux, R.A., Bladh, K.W. & Nichols, M.C. (eds.). Handbook of Mineralogy, Volume II: Silica, Silicates. Mineralogical Society of America. (Handbook of Mineralogy)

06/09/2026

05/09/2026

There’s a reason Sri Lanka has been closely associated with sapphire for centuries. 🇱🇰💎

Historically known as Ceylon, the island is one of the world’s most important sapphire sources, and its blue sapphires are particularly recognisable for their lighter, often cornflower-blue colours, sometimes with a subtle violet component. 💙

What I find fascinating is the geology behind it. Sri Lanka’s gem deposits are largely associated with ancient Precambrian rocks, with sapphires and other gemstones concentrated in alluvial gravels formed as these rocks weathered over time. That’s also why gemstones can be found across such a surprisingly small area of the island. 🏝️

And Sri Lankan sapphire isn’t always about deep, saturated blue. Some of the most beautiful stones are valued precisely for that softer, luminous blue that gives Ceylon sapphire its character. 💍

A small island, an ancient geology, and an incredible amount of sapphire. 🪨💙



Reference: GIA, Sri Lanka: The Gem Island, Peter C. Zwaan, Gems & Gemology, Vol. 18, No. 2, 1982.

24/08/2026

A gemstone is a small piece of geological history you can hold in your hand. Like this 272 g amethyst, which took millions of years to form. 💜

22/08/2026

Meet the Conch Pearl, one of the rarest pearls in the gem world. 🩷🐚

Conch Pearls are formed by the Queen Conch, a marine gastropod found mainly in the Caribbean. Their beautiful flame-like patterns and natural pink colour make each pearl truly unique.

Unlike cultured pearls, Conch Pearls cannot be commercially cultured, making fine quality specimens highly sought after by collectors and gem enthusiasts.

Each Conch Pearl is a one-of-a-kind creation from nature, with no two pearls showing exactly the same patterns.

With its rarity, unique appearance and natural origin, the Conch Pearl remains one of the most fascinating pearls in the world. 🌊

17/08/2026

Paraíba tourmaline, my kind of Monday blues. 🩵

One of my favorite gemstones in the world. That electric blue to green colour is mainly the result of copper, with manganese and iron also contributing to the colour variations seen in these fascinating tourmalines. 💎💚

This one in particular might be the best tourmaline I’ve had the privilege to see and work with so far. 🙂

27.12 carat heated Paraiba tourmaline by Mishal Jewels (2023)



References: GIA, “Geographic Origin Determination of Paraíba Tourmaline” (2019); SSEF, “The Colour Range of Paraiba Tourmalines” (2024).

15/08/2026

One year teaching gemstones at Gemological Institute of Malaysia | 马来西亚宝石学院 🙂💎

13/08/2026

I could look at these inclusions for hours. 🙂💎

Nature is amazing 💙

09/08/2026

A few stones that caught my eye at the last gem show. 🙂💎

These are a few that made me stop and have a closer look. 👀

Some just looked really good under the lights, some were familiar, some I had never seen in person before, and some were just WOW. Literally speechless. 😶

07/08/2026

Never lose your sense of wonder. 🌍💎