Over the last decade, Pakistan has developed into an important source for many gem materials. A number of localities have been identified for emeralds in particular.

Investigating a set of six antique brooches set with diamonds and light blue cabochons.

On this occasion—the celebration of Richard T. Liddicoat’s 50 years guiding Gems & Gemology—it is fitting to review his enormous impact on the field of gemology.

A new type of Russian hydrothermal synthetic emerald is produced by seeded growth in steel autoclaves without noble-metal inserts; the seed slices have been cut parallel to a face of the second-order hexagonal dipyramid s (1121).

Gem-quality bright blue to green “Paraíba”-type Cu-bearing tourmaline is now known from deposits in Africa (Nigeria and Mozambique), in addition to three commercial localities in Brazil (in Paraíba and Rio Grande do Norte States).

The Anahí mine in southeastern Bolivia has enjoyed consistent production since 1990 and is best known for its ametrine.