Palagems.com Site Map

About Pala	Home – Home page of Palagems.com About Pala – Information about Pala International Meet the Larsons – A visit with Bill and Jeanne Larson, Pala’s globe-trotting owners Credentials – Pala's memberships and other credentials Pala’s Amazing Cast of Characters – A fun photo op of Pala’s staff, past and present The Mailbag – Some of the funny letters we’ve received over the years
Precious Stones	Precious Stones – Entrance to the world of precious stones Birthstones – Background and history of birthstones and calendars Collector’s Corner – Special section of Palagems.com just for gem collectors Featured Stones – Featured stones from Pala’s monthly Gem News e-bulletin—in one place Find an Appraiser – How to locate an appraiser in your area Find a Jeweler – How to locate a jeweler in your area Gem Enhancements – Information on gemstone enhancements Gem News – Gem news from around the world Get a Password – Obtain a trade password to view wholesale prices at Palagems.com Judging Quality: The Four C’s – Determining the quality of a gemstone Search Pala’s Inventory – Find gems on the Palagems.com site Trade Entrance – Site entry point for members of the gem and jewelry trades What’s New? – New items at Palagems.com
Mineral News	Mineral News – Mineral news from around the world Featured Mineral Specimens – From Pala’s monthly Mineral News e-bulletin—in one place See also Mining & Minerals
Business Policies	Privacy and Security – Notes on how we protect you while shopping at Pala Questions – Answers to common questions about doing business with Pala
Buying & Selling	Sell to Pala – Got something to sell? We buy fine gems and minerals Your Wants – Tell us your gem or mineral needs and we'll see if we have it, or can find it Our Wants – A list of our permanent wants. We need fine Burma ruby, sapphire, alexandrite, etc. Let us know if you have something to sell
The Collector	The Collector – Link to Pala’s retail outlet for fine jewelry and mineral specimens
Gem Cutting	Gem-Cutting Services – Pala’s world-class gem cutting services Gem Cutter Romances the Stone – Meet Meg Berry, Pala’s master cutter
The Learning Vault	The Learning Vault – Links to Palagems.com’s educational material Book Reviews Burma Ruby: A History of Mogok’s Rubies from Antiquity to the Present – A book review by William Larson Gemstones (see also Localities) The Internal World of Gemstones – A pictorial guide to a microscopic world that lets us further appreciate gemstones’ external beauty On Kunz and Kunzite – An excellent historical look at the discovery and naming of kunzite. By Lawrence Conklin Painite Comes to Pala – Pala International President Bill Larson recounts a thirty-year quest for a mysterious stone, finally concluding, “no painite, no gainite” Paraiba at Pala – An overview of the latest regarding copper-bearing tourmaline Passion Fruit: A Lover’s Guide to Sapphire – Pala’s resident ruby and sapphire expert discusses sapphire connoisseurship. By Richard W. Hughes 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, who discovered paraiba-type tourmaline in Mozambique Seeing Red: A Guide to Ruby – Palagems.com’s ex-webmaster Richard Hughes examines the elements of quality in ruby. Fully illustrated Spinel: A Description of Two Large Spinel Rubies… – Discussion of engraved spinels. By Valentine Ball. Also includes a Buyer’s Guide to Spinel by Richard W. Hughes Walking the Line in Ruby & Sapphire – A connoisseur’s search for meaning with padparadscha and pink sapphire. By Richard Hughes. Fully illustrated. This article includes a Buyer’s Guide to Padparadscha by Richard Hughes 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. Fully illustrated Industry and Trade Articles (including Trade Shows) 2001 Munich Mineral Show – The Munich Mineral Show is Europe’s finest. For an insider taste of just what it’s all about, one of the world’s great mineral collectors, Bill Larson, has written up a report of the 2001 show American Travels of a Gem Collector – Part 1 of the reminiscences of George F. Kunz of Tiffany’s. This is one of the best introductions to gem collecting that we know of. Incredible stories from an incredible man. Complete with period photos Part 2 – Kunz travels through Mexico and also discusses jade. Complete with period photos Buying and Selling Gems: What Light is Best? – Part 1 of an excellent analysis of how lighting affects the color and appearance of gems. By William Sersen and Corrine Hopkins. Fully illustrated Part 2 – Artificial light options are discussed. By William Sersen. Fully illustrated 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 A Historical Study of Precious Stone Valuations & Prices – Scholarly analysis of gem prices is as rare as a fine gem itself. Here we present probably the best ever written. By Sydney H. Ball. Illustrated. Reprinted from Economic Geology, 1935 Is Your Jewelry At Risk? A Guide to Choosing a Professional Jewelry Appraiser – By Charlese Ellias Judging Quality: The Four C’s – Determining the quality of a gemstone, involving color, clarity, cut, and carat weight. By Richard W. Hughes Sainte-Marie-aux-Mines 2006 – A report by Bill Larson on one of his favorite mineral shows. Fully illustrated Localities (see also Mining & Minerals) Alexandrite from Russia – By Peter Bancroft. Description of the Russian alexandrite mines. Also includes an Alexandrite Buyer’s Guide by Richard W. Hughes Bill Larson in Burma and Vietnam, 2005 – A pictorial Burma Gem Sales and Statistics – A Gem News item that collects the most recent stats and links in one place Burmese Jade: The Inscrutable Gem – Part 1: Burma’s Jade Mines – A groundbreaking article on the second-most valuable gem in the world – Burmese jade. By Richard Hughes, Olivier Galibert, George Bosshart, Fred Ward, Thet Oo, Mark Smith, Tay Thye Sun and George Harlow. Fully illustrated Part 2 – The cutting, grading, trading and faking of Burmese jadeite is detailed. Fully illustrated. Includes a Jadeite Buyer’s Guide by Richard Hughes California Gem Mining: Chronicle of a Comeback – One of the finest articles ever written about gem mining in San Diego County, California. By David Federman Ceylon’s Gem Mines – Ceylon’s storied gem mines are detailed in this segment from Dr. Peter Bancroft’s Gem & Crystal Treasures The Emerald Deposits of Muzo, Colombia – Scholarly examination of these famous emerald mines. By Joseph E. Pogue. Illustrated. Reprinted from Transactions of the American Institute of Mining Engineers, 1917 Fire-Hearted Pebbles from Burma – A wonderful look at mining rubies in Mogok, ca. 1930, by C.M. Enriquez. Complete with period photos. Also includes a Ruby Buyer’s Guide by Richard W. Hughes From Russia with Jade – Pala’s ex-webmaster Richard Hughes, together with Nickolai Kuznetsov, make an epic journey to Russia’s jadeite mines in the Polar Urals and Khakassia. Fully illustrated Gemstones in Vietnam – A reprint from The Australian Gemmologist written by Vietnamese and French researchers. Covers corundum as well as aquamarine, tourmaline, peridot, and pearl. Fully illustrated Imperial Topaz from Brazil – Tanzania’s tanzanite mines are detailed in this segment from Dr. Peter Bancroft’s Gem & Crystal Treasures. Also includes a Buyer’s Guide to Topaz by Richard W. Hughes Kashmir Sapphires – The first eyewitness account of the fabled Kashmir sapphire mines in northern India, 1889, by T.D. LaTouche. Complete with period and modern photos Lapis Lazuli from Afghanistan – Afghanistan’s storied lapis lazuli mines are detailed in this segment from Dr. Peter Bancroft’s Gem & Crystal Treasures. Also includes a Lapis Lazuli Buyer’s Guide by Richard W. Hughes Larsons in China – 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 Longido Ruby – We are proud to present this article courtesy of Edward Swoboda, on the ruby mines of Longido, Tanzania Melo Pearls from Myanmar – 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). Fully illustrated Pakistan: A Year in Review – A look at select developments in 2006: A follow-up on the 2005 earthquake, progress on a new initiative for gems and jewelry, a gemology school partnership, and a visit to the mines Pakistan’s Gemstones: An Overview – The past, present, and future of the challenges that face Pakistan in its development of a gemstone industry 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, who discovered paraiba-type tourmaline in Mozambique The Queen Reigns Again – A great description of mining the Tourmaline Queen mine near Pala, California Red Sea Peridot – Zabargad’s peridot mines are detailed in this segment from Dr. Peter Bancroft’s Gem & Crystal Treasures. Also includes a Buyer’s Guide to Peridot by Richard W. Hughes Reds Turn to Green: Russia’s Stunning Demantoid Discovery – Russia’s new demantoid strike are detailed in this report from Bill Larson. Also includes a Buyer’s Guide to Demantoid by Richard W. Hughes Ruby & Sapphire Deposits of Moung Klung, Siam – 1894 account of mining ruby and sapphire in Thailand. By Henry Louis Tanzanite from Tanzania – Tanzania’s tanzanite mines are detailed in this segment from Dr. Peter Bancroft’s Gem & Crystal Treasures. Also includes a Buyer’s Guide to Tanzanite by Richard W. Hughes Treasures from the Palace Museum – Photos taken in 2006 by Bill and Will Larson, from the Forbidden City’s famous museum Tsavorite from Kenya – Kenya’s tsavorite garnet mines are detailed in this segment from Dr. Peter Bancroft’s Gem & Crystal Treasures. Also includes a Buyer’s Guide to Tsavorite by Richard W. Hughes Personalities Remembering John Sinkankas – Memorial for noted author/gemologist, John Sinkankas Photographers FotogFocus – An occasional series featuring gemstone and mineral photographers Treatment and Testing Fluxed Up: The fracture healing of ruby – Pala’s ex-webmaster, Richard Hughes, takes a look at a little-known, but common treatment. Illustrated, with an Appendix by John Emmett Gods, Graves & Sapphires – Pala’s President, William Larson, waxes philosophic on the impact of treatments on the ruby and sapphire market. Illustrated LIBS: A New Beryllium Testing Method – The SSEF adds a powerful new weapon to the gemological arsenal. Illustrated Questions About Treated Sapphires from Thailand – Answers to questions regarding the outside-in diffusion of coloring agents used in these treatments 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 Skin Game – Richard Hughes covers all the latest developments on the new treated orange sapphires in a comprehensive article. Fully illustrated Suspect Blues: Coming in from the Cold? – In 2003, certain blue sapphires in Sri Lanka were the cause of great debate. Read about them here Understanding the New Treated Pink-Orange Sapphires – Experiments reproduced the Thai gem treatment. By John Emmett and Troy Douthit
Gem Spectrum Newsletter	The Gem Spectrum – Back issues of Pala’s fabulous newsletter Vol. 1, No. 1 Vol. 1, No. 2 Vol. 2, No. 1 Vol. 3, No. 1 Vol. 4, No. 1 Vol. 6 Vol. 7 Subscribe to The Gem Spectrum
Mining & Minerals	California Gem Mining – Chronicle of a comeback Ceylon’s Gem Mines – Ceylon’s storied gem mines are detailed in this segment from Dr. Peter Bancroft’s Gem & Crystal Treasures Emerald Deposits of Muzo, Colombia – Scholarly examination of these famous emerald mines. By Joseph E. Pogue. Illustrated. Reprinted from Transactions of the American Institute of Mining Engineers, 1917 Featured Mineral Specimens – Featured specimens from Pala’s bi-monthly Mineral News e-bulletin—in one place Fire-hearted Pebbles from Burma – A wonderful look at mining rubies in Mogok, ca. 1930, by C.M. Enriquez. Complete with period photos Letter from Pakistan – True adventure from Pala International’s daring suppliers Mineral Specimens – View Pala’s world-class minerals at the Collector web site Mining at Pala – A history of Pala International’s various gem mining projects around the world On Kunz and Kunzite – An excellent historical look at the discovery and naming of kunzite. By Lawrence Conklin Pakistan’s Gemstones: An Overview – The past, present, and future of the challenges that face Pakistan in its development of a gemstone industry Pala District Pegmatite Opens Wide – New discoveries at the 49er pocket; also see Part 2 Pegmatites of Laghman, Nuristan, Afghanistan – By Pierre Bariand and J.F. Poullen The Queen Reigns Again – True adventure story of Pala International mining the Tourmaline Queen mine during the early 1970s Reds Turn to Green: Russia’s Stunning Demantoid Discovery – Russia’s new demantoid strike are detailed in this report from Bill Larson Ruby & Sapphire Deposits of Moung Klung, Siam – 1894 account of mining ruby and sapphire in Thailand, by Henry Louis Tanzanite from Tanzania – Tanzania’s tanzanite mines are detailed in this segment from Dr. Peter Bancroft’s Gem & Crystal Treasures Tsavorite from Kenya – Kenya’s tsavorite garnet mines are detailed in this segment from Dr. Peter Bancroft’s Gem & Crystal Treasures
Miscellaneous	Contact/Visit Us – How to get in touch with Pala Links – Links to other sites of interest regarding gems, minerals and jewelry Merci – Thanks to all the people who have supported us over the years
Gem Shows	Show & Lecture Schedule – A list of gem and mineral shows at which Pala exhibits each year.
Your Account	Your Shopping Cart – A view of your shopping cart contents

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Pala International is home to some of the planet’s finest gems, precious stones and mineral specimens. Here you will find colored stones of every persuasion, including fine Burma ruby, Burma sapphire, Ceylon sapphire, Kashmir sapphire, alexandrite, cat’s eye, tourmaline (including rubellite tourmaline), spinel, garnets such as tsavorite, demantoid, rhodolite and spessartite, imperial topaz, aquamarine, emerald, and a plethora of others. Palagems.com also features educational articles on all aspects of gems, gemology, and mineral specimens.

Page updated February 4, 2008