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FotogFocus In this occasional series, we focus on the artists behind the camera. In our premier installment, we feature French photographer Bruno Cupillard, whose image, entitled Atoll, is pictured at left. |
| The Internal World of Gemstones This an ode to Dr. Eduard Gübeln—a pictorial guide to a microscopic world that lets us further appreciate gemstones’ external beauty. We’ll update this feature as new photos become available. Updated 1/16/08 |
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Flashes of Colour: Legendary Wines and Gemstones In late June 2007, Pala International supplied over $1 million worth of gemstones and mineral specimens to a remarkable exhibition of fine wines and gemstones in Dijon, France. In September, Pala’s Bill Larson received an unusual ”knighthood.” |
| The Path to Paraiba Winds Through Mozambique Pala’s Jason Stephenson recounts the history of gems in southern Africa and traces the steps of Moussa Konate (pictured at right), who discovered paraiba-type tourmaline in Mozambique. See also this update |
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Sainte-Marie-aux-Mines 2007 A report from Pala International President Bill Larson on his favorite mineral show. This great show just keeps getting better and better! |
| Red Hot and Blue: Irradiated Topaz Blue topaz is achieved by a combination of irradiation and (often) heat treatment. But what happens when “hot” material isn’t allowed to cool? The issue has got some industry insiders seeing red because health effects on handlers and cutters—and resultant adverse publicity—could likely be avoided by a little foresight and self-regulation. Updated 2/21/08 |
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Pala’s Gabrièl Mattice Consults for Houston Museum Gem Vault A look behind the scenes of a new addition to one of the world’s finest gem and jewelry collections. Also, Gabe’s snapshots from the Cullen Hall of Gems and Minerals. |
| Melo Pearls from Myanmar All you ever wanted to know about melo pearls, from the gastropods that produce them to a few fishermen’s anecdotes (imagine playing marbles with them!). Poster session delivered at the 2006 GIA Symposium. Co-authored by Pala International President Bill Larson, Han Htun (Yangon), and Jo Ellen Cole (Carlsbad, CA). |
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Larsons in China – 2006 Pala’s Bill Larson and son Will Larson made presentations on tourmaline and collecting at a first-ever China mineral and gem crystal conference in Beijing. They also brought back photos from the Forbidden City’s Palace Museum. |
| Burma Gem Sales and Statistics Burma’s many official gem, jade, and pearl sales since 1964 now total over $1.28 billion. Palagems.com has combed the Web for historical data on production, exports, and sales. Updated 4/17/08 |
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World’s Foremost Buys the World’s Finest: GIA Acquires Gübelin Collection Bill Larson recalls his own work with this important collection, recently acquired by the Gemological Institute of America. |
| Paraiba at Pala Pala brings you up to date regarding the “name game” for copper-bearing tourmaline. This stone, first produced in Brazil, now has cousins in Nigeria and, most recently, Mozambique. They’re at the center of a debate regarding whether Paraiba, the name given to the Brazilian stones, should be applied to the African gems as well. Updated 5/15/07 |
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Painite Comes to Pala Bill Larson recounts his thirty-year quest for a mysterious stone, finally concluding, “no painite, no gainite.” |
| Gemstones in Vietnam The variety and quality of gemstones in Vietnam has been recognized by savvy dealers and collectors since the late 1970s. Pala International is pleased to reprint this substantial article from The Australian Gemmologist entitled “Gemstones in Vietnam.” Written by Vietnamese and French researchers, the article covers corundum as well as aquamarine, tourmaline, peridot, and pearl. |
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The odd, the unusual, the beautiful |
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Pala International
912 So. Live Oak Park Road 
Fallbrook, CA 92028 USA
Tel: 800-854-1598; 760-728-9121 Fax: 760-728-5827 E-mail: info@palagems.com
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Page updated
May 8, 2008
