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Deciphering the diamond and gem district

Even the pros have trouble with certain pieces of jewelry. But there's at least one reliable way to verify what you're buying.
Dave Bindra, of B&B Fine Gems, is our guide to the gemstones and jewelry.
David Brancaccio/Marketplace

Scientific gems are having a sparkly moment

Mar 20, 2023
Exotic crystals grown for science and industry that don't make the cut for the lab are being repurposed as jewelry.
Lutetium aluminum garnets, normally used in scientific and medical instruments to detect invisible radiation, have been fashioned into gem stones after being repurposed by Stephen Challener and faceted by Eric Bardawil at House of Sylas.
Eric Bardawil