Read before you buy

Gemstone guides

Written from what we actually see at the bench, not from a brochure. Read them before you buy anywhere — you do not have to buy from us.

Diamonds

The 4Cs, and which one actually deserves your money

A working jeweller's guide to reading a diamond report — which of the 4Cs the eye can see, and which you can trade down without anyone noticing.

7 min read

Metals

96.5% gold, 18K and platinum — which belongs on which piece

Thai gold and 18K are not better or worse than each other, they are built for different jobs. Hardness, resale, and why a diamond ring should never be 96.5%.

6 min read

Coloured stones

Siam rubies — how to tell what you are actually buying

Chanthaburi is one of the world's coloured-stone capitals. It is also where heated, glass-filled and synthetic rubies sit side by side. Here is how to tell them apart.

6 min read

Blue sapphire — reading colour, origin and treatment

How Kanchanaburi, Ceylon and Kashmir sapphires differ, why the darkest stone in the tray is rarely the best buy, and what makes sapphire the most practical everyday gem.

5 min read

Boost Positive Energy with Gemstones

Fill your life with positive energy and good fortune with genuine gemstones from Bijouxteria Jewelry. Choose the right stone for you, attract wealth, love, and success, with premium jewelry designs.

2 min read

Pearls

Judging a pearl without a certificate

Pearls have no grading report system the way diamonds do, so the buyer has to see for themselves. Lustre, surface, shape, and how to spot an imitation.

5 min read

Jade

Jade Type A, B and C — the only classification that matters

Jade is among the most heavily treated gems on the market. Understanding the A/B/C system is what stops you paying untreated prices for bleached, resin-filled material.

5 min read

Commissions

How to measure ring size accurately at home

A five-minute method using thread or an existing ring, the mistakes that throw the measurement off, and how to size a partner's finger without giving away the surprise.

4 min read

Auspicious gems

Thai birthstones by day of the week — all eight days, and how to buy the real thing

Thailand assigns a colour to each day of the week, and the gem that carries that colour is worn for luck by people born on that day. This guide covers all eight days, including the Wednesday-night split, with buying notes for each stone.

7 min read

Birthstones for all twelve zodiac signs, and the international birthstones by month

The zodiac sign is set by day and month of birth. Zodiac gems come from the ruling planet of each sign in Western astrology. This guide covers all twelve signs with their dates, plus the international birthstone-by-month table used by jewellers worldwide.

7 min read

Gems for the twelve Thai zodiac years, from each animal's element and lucky colours

The Thai–Chinese zodiac sorts people by birth year into twelve animals. Each animal has an element and a set of lucky colours, and the gems that carry those colours are worn for luck. This guide covers all twelve years, with a warning for anyone born early in the year.

6 min read

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