Gabriela Farfan, the Smithsonian's curator of gems and minerals, answers the internet's burning questions about gemstones. Are all minerals crystals? How are diamonds cut? How do geodes form? Is the ...

If you buy through a BGR link, we may earn an affiliate commission, helping support our expert product labs. Pink diamonds are some of the rarest gems you’ll find on the planet. In fact, these ...

The origins of vivid colors within the gemstone ammolite—a rare type of brightly colored fossilized ammonite shell—are ...

Nature has a lot to offer to humans. Most precious jewelry is made from metals and stones buried deep within the Earth’s surface but the discovery of these rare jewels is not just limited to land. The ...

Provided you have ever been amazed by the shine of a diamond, then there must have been a moment when you questioned how it entered your jewelry box instead of remaining under the Earth’s surface.

In Virgin Valley, Nevada, it's possible to spend an afternoon digging for rare black fire opals, while visitors to Coalinga, California, can scour the dirt for pieces of the state's official gemstone, ...