Jewels, birthstones, gemstones—so many names for the glitzy, glamorous stones so many of us love to wear each and every day. This got us thinking: Is there a difference between jewels and gems?

Many minerals form beautiful crystals, but the most prized of all are gemstones. Uncut gems often look fairly ordinary–like rocks. It's only when they are cut and polished that they obtain the ...

In September a cushion-shaped 5.44-carat Paraiba tourmaline ring flew past its US$60,000 upper estimate in auction at Bonhams ...