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How to Tell if a Gemstone is Real: 7 Checks a Gemmologist Does Without a Gem Lab!
How to Tell if a Gemstone is Real | 7 checks you can do at home You've bought a gemstone and something isn't sitting right. The colour looks a bit too even. The price was suspiciously good. Or you've inherited a piece and you simply don't know what you're...
Freeform vs Calibrated Cabochons: Which Cabochon Should You Choose for Making Jewellery?
Should you choose a freeform or calibrated cabochon for your jewellery design? The simple answer is: choose a freeform cabochon if you want to design around an individual gemstone, and choose a calibrated cabochon if you need the gemstone to fit a predetermined...
Are Gemstones Better from China or India? A Gemmologist Explains the Difference
Are gemstones better from China or India? It's a question I'm asked regularly as a gemmologist and gemstone buyer. I go buying in both countries at least once a year, and I am not talking trade shows....I mean going into the market places and visiting manufactures and...
How it works
During our India trips, we source gemstones directly from manufacturers. This gives you access to newly released Gemstones from the marketplace, with the reassurance of buying from a UK-based business. All Gemstones are: Checked for authenticity Quality controlled by...
How India Works
During our India trips, we source gemstones directly from manufacturers. This gives you access to newly released Gemstones from the marketplace, with the reassurance of buying from a UK-based business. All Gemstones are: Checked for authenticity Quality controlled by...
Our Story: From the Dining Room to a Thriving Gemstone Community
Every great venture starts somewhere and for Chalmers Gems, it all began in Marie’s dining room. Armed with her expertise as an award-winning Gemmologist, Gemstone-testing equipment and her loyal dog, Chrissie, Marie laid the foundation for what would become a...
Bespoke Cabochon Service: Creating Tailored Gemstones for Your Designs
If you’re a Jewellery designer looking for unique Gemstone Cabochons to take your creations to the next level, our Cabochon Live Shows are here for you. Happening every Tuesday at 1PM, Live on Instagram, these shows offer a personalised and interactive way to...
Three Unique Ways to Shop at Chalmers Gems
At Chalmers Gems, we pride ourselves on offering a shopping experience as unique as our Gemstones! With three distinct ways to shop, we make it easy for you to find exactly what you’re looking for. Whether you’re tuning into our Live Sales, browsing our online...
Why We Travel: From Miner to Designer
At Chalmers Gems, we believe that every Gemstone tells a story, a story that we get to share with our community through the magic of social media. From lively Gemstone markets to remote mines, we travel far and wide to bring you the rarest and most popular...
Opals Uncovered: Revealing the Hidden Wonders of Nature’s Gems
By Sheena Gill & Marie Chalmers For Marie, it has been a career-long ambition to go down under and visit the Opal fields that produce over 90% of the world's gem-grade Opals. As a Global Gemstone Buyer, she has seen many mines across the globe. Yet, the Australian...
How to tell the difference between Sodalite and Lapis Lazuli…
By Marie Chalmers FGA DGA I'm Marie Chalmers, I'm a Gemmologist, but I've been working in the Jewellery and Gemstone industry for over 20 years, and I can help you! Sodalite and Lapis Lazuli look quite similar in appearance. They are both a beautiful bright blue...
Lapis Lazuli | A Crystal Healing Guide
By Danni Saint Lapis Lazuli is a Crystal that has been used for centuries as part of various spiritual and healing rituals, but what makes this Gemstone so special? What makes it the go-to Stone when it comes to Crystal Healing? This deep blue Stone contains flecks of...
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