Entirely by chance, Dunstan accidentally chipped the tip-off a gypsum clump. Among the red, brown, dusty rubble of the Australian desert, a small sparkle of fire peeped out. The more he chipped away...

It’s fantastic when women are acknowledged in the male-dominated world of gems, gemmology, mineralogy and geology. A few years ago, I had the opportunity to listen to Dr. Barbara Dutrow speak on tourmalines....