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Cobaltocalcite refers to a stunning pink-red to slightly purplish-red cobalt-rich calcite mineral. Another name for this stone is cobaltoan calcite. Crystals often form as drusy masses and when faceted, gems are rarely seen in sizes greater than 2 carats.

Siderite was discovered in 1845 and derives its name from the Greek sideros (iron). Siderite has perfect cleavage in three directions and comes in a wide variety of crystal habits and colors.

The word "drusy," is a mineralogical term used as both a noun and an adjective. The noun refers to a mineral coating of thin layers of tiny, tightly-packed crystals that resemble glittering sugar granules. The adjective refers to any such granulated crystal layers in reference to a given mineral; in this case, drusy quartz. Drusy quartz is usually found in the inside of geodes. When fashioned into loose gemstones and jewelry, it is often coated with a metallic color to capitalize on the glittering natural crystal facets and give it a more bold appearance.

Smoky quartz is an earth-toned transparent quartz that comes in a variety of shades, including cognac. Smoky quartz gets its rich warm colors from color centers when aluminum replaces silica in the crystal lattice of the quartz after exposure to gamma rays. A popular ornamental stone, it is often carved into figurines and ornate statues, but makes quite a statement when faceted into stunning gemstones.

Cuprite is a secondary mineral formed by the oxidation of copper sulfide veins. It is commonly found with native copper and malachite, and forms as both transparent red and lustrous, submetallic crystals. Transparent crystals may be faceted if large enough, but specimens are also commonly displayed as a glittering bed of crystals.

Olmiite was officially named as a new species in 2006. It is the Manganese dominant analog of poldervaartite. It is named after the Italian mineralogist Filippo Olmi. The only known location where olmiite is found is the N’Chwaning II mine, Kalahari field, Republic of South Africa.

Roman Glass is actual glass that has been buried for 2,000-years in mineral-rich soil. Archeological sites located near Jerusalem serve as the main source of Roman glass, notably because Israel once served as a major glass-making center. A thin layer of patina naturally forms on the glass as minerals in the soil react with the glass. The natural process of oxidation creates the various shades of blues and greens on the surface. As the coloration depends on the mineral condition to which the glass is exposed, each piece is unique.

The first grossular garnet specimens discovered were pale green and similar in color to the gooseberry. This species of garnet gets its name from the Latin name for gooseberry "Grossularia". Not all grossular garnets are green. Most grossular garnets are better known by their variety names hessonite, tsavorite, mint, leuco garnet, and hydrogrossular.

Gadolinium gallium garnet, thankfully abbreviated to GGG, is a man-made diamond simulant that entered the market in the 1960's. Today it is rarely used as a gemstone, and is instead manufactured for optical and industrial uses. The Czochralski method of gem synthesis involves the melting of various elements in a platinum crucible. A small gem crystal (called a seed) and attached to a rod is then dipped into the melt and slowly pulled away as the crystal grows around the seed. For this reason, the Czochralski method is also known as crystal pulling. Synthetic gems have the same chemical, optical, and physical properties of their natural counterparts, but are a more cost-effective alternative to a natural gem.

Cloisonné is an enameling or inlay technique used to decorate jewelry or other metallic objects. The enamel or gemstones are applied to create patterns or geometric designs. The colored material is placed in compartments or in between raised strips of metal. The earliest examples of the technique can be found in Egypt, Mycenae, and Mesopotamia and date to around 1200 to 1101 BC. Cloisonné has been used as a decorative technique by many cultures around the globe.

Radiant zircon is the oldest known gemstone, with some crystals dating back 4 billion years, but also perhaps the most misunderstood. Unfortunately, due to the similarity of zircon's name to the lab created diamond simulant cubic zirconia, many people don't realize that zircon is a beautiful, naturally occurring stone with its own merits. Thanks to its tremendous fire and dispersion, it has been considered a less-expensive stand-in for diamond for many years, although zircon gives us many reasons to sing its praises and appreciate it in its own light.

Smithsonite is named for James Smithson, the English founder of the Smithsonian Institution who first identified the mineral. Although it rarely forms crystals, smithsonite is most commonly found as botryoidal or stalactitic masses or as honeycombed aggregates. A member of the calcite group of minerals, smithsonite is prized for its variety of crystal forms. Smithsonite comes in a wide variety of colors depending on the impurities present. The presence of copper gives smithsonite its green to blue coloring. Trace amounts of cobalt are responsible for pink to purple hues while cadmium makes smithsonite yellow, and iron gives it a brown to reddish-brown color.