Glossary
Afghanistan
Afghanistan is an old source of ruby and emerald; both are mined in the mountains of the Hindu Kush. Rubies come mainly from Jegdalek east of Kabul, emeralds from the Panjshir valley north-east of the capital.
Ruby from Jegdalek
As in Mogok, the rubies grow in marble. Slightly pink to raspberry-red tones are typical; fine stones can come close to rubies from Myanmar.
Emerald from the Panjshir
Emeralds from the Panjshir valley can resemble Colombian stones in colour and clarity. Production is small and fluctuates with the situation in the country.
Read more
- KnowledgeHow to read a gemstone dossierA dossier brings together everything that describes a stone – from the laboratory report to custody. Here is how to read it in the right order.Read more
- Laboratory reportsUnderstanding a laboratory reportA laboratory report is a gemstone's most important document. Which information it contains, how to read it and what it does not say.Read more
- GlossaryAbsorption spectrumWhen light passes through a gemstone, the stone absorbs certain wavelengths – the rest make up its colour.Read more
- GlossaryAsterismAsterism is the star effect of certain gemstones: on a domed stone a four- or six-rayed star appears and glides across the surface as the stone moves.Read more
Updated 2026-10-06