CathedralGems

CathedralGems Welcome to Clydes Cathedral of Gems! 💍
I am a student at the GIA and am studying to become a gem broker and gemologist. Join me on my gemventures!

Please follow my instagram! 🌟

16/03/2026

My friend and I decided to choose some rough stones from the gemstone market in Luc Yen, Vietnam to have them faceted by the local cutter. I chose this interesting pink sapphire (no-heat.) I have never bought rough before so I was happy to try something new :)💖
Watch from start to finish as this skilled gem cutter transforms my selected piece into a beautiful gem! Gemstone cutting/lapidary work takes great skill, experience and talent. I have so much respect for gem cutters of all kinds.
Not only that, but being able to select rough is a skill too! It’s a bit of a gamble, you’ll never really know what the stone looks like until it’s complete. When selecting rough, everything matters: shape, color, clarity, and many other factors have to be considered.
Would you try your luck buying rough gemstones? 💎 Let me know down in the comments :)
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14/03/2026

The Colors of Luc Yen, Vietnam 💖
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13/03/2026

I visited the Luc Yen gemstone market in Vietnam! 🇻🇳💖💎
This market was absolutely insane, the sheer amount of sparkling colored gemstones was nearly overwhelming. I was having so much fun! 🤩 Each stone was layed out meticulously in organized rows instead of being displayed in a showcase. They were easy to pick up and inspect.

Alongside faceted stones, there were also piles of rough, and even crystals like aquamarine and spinel! You could even see some beautiful mineral specimens! The market was much smaller than I had expected and lasted for a much shorter (3 hours a day) time than I had expected too. I felt a bit rushed to view every stone, but with some help from my Vietnamese speaking friends in the industry I was able to make some good purchases!

I am so glad I was able to visit this market, stay tuned for more videos : next up - I choose a rough stone from the market and see how it turns out after being faceted into a gemstone!
I also visit the source - a gemstone mine in the Luc Yen area! 👀
Would you visit this gemstone market? Let me know down in the comments :) ✨
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27/02/2026

I’m pleased to show you the behind the scenes process of how this particular batch of gorgeous high quality Spessartine Garnet from Tanzania went from rough to sparkling faceted gemstone.💖🧡

They’re smaller and still affordable, but still nice quality stones for jewelry or a collection! Grab these beauties while they’re still available. 🧡🧡
What do you want to learn about next? Commend down below 👇 :)

As colored stones are becoming more popular, the demand for high quality stones is increasing! Spessartine garnets are rising in value, popular for its vivid orange color. Some are known as “Fanta” or “Mandarin” in the trade. Their popularity is increasing as garnets provide a cheaper alternative to the Big 3: Sapphires, Rubies and Emeralds, or other more expensive gemstones. High jewelry brands are shifting towards colored stones to appeal to this demand as well.
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26/02/2026

My 2nd Bangkok Gem and Jewelry Fair! 💎 : I was unfortunately sick for most of the show, but was able to visit for a bit on the final 2 days! Here’s a little vlog of my activities at the show 🥹.

I was just playing catchup most of the time I was back, and due to a bunch of unfortunate life events happening, I’ve been a bit tired and decided to take it easy after completing my work. So, I am very happy I was able to get these super awesome custom laser engraved tweezers AND loupe done for myself!

My friend whipped out his loupe and tweezers a few months back with his name on them - I said “wow I need that, that is so awesome.” 😂😆 I made it a mini life goal.

I wish I had more time and energy to visit all my friends booths and explore the show more, as well as meet with more people, attend events, etc. Hopefully for the next show I won’t be so sick!!! 🤧 But at least I still got all my work done, got to attend for the last 2 days, and got my name lasered into my new loupe and tweezers. Haha😎✨
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08/02/2026

I was so lucky to be able to have an exclusive tour of this private, large-scale gemstone mine in Sri Lanka! ✨💎

Most of the mines in Sri Lanka are small-scale and artisanal. Only some mines operate at this scale, so I feel so privileged to have been able to visit, film, and create this video for you all to see! 🤩💖
It’s an incredible look behind how our most prized gemstones are pulled from the ground, and displays just how much work goes into acquiring these pieces.

Sri Lanka is known as “The Island of Gems” because it is a significant and famous locality for so many different gemstones. It’s known for its blue sapphires, Padparadscha sapphires and star sapphires. It also produces incredible sapphires in general!!, alexandrites, cats-eye chrysoberyls, spinels, tourmalines, zircons, moonstones, garnets and much more. ✨

Let me know down below: did you learn anything in this video? AND what is your favorite Sri Lankan gemstone?💙
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19/01/2026

Montage of the Galle Gem Market! 💖
This was my favorite gem market in Sri Lanka so far, because compared to the China Fort one in Beruwala, it was much smaller and more calm. However I didn’t feel like I was missing out on good material either. 🫣😊✨

I was able to visit this market several times during my trip, and even saw some familiar faces from my gem trading adventures. :) I will definitely be wanting to return next time I visit Sri Lanka.

Please enjoy a little montage to see some pretty stones and experience the happy vibe of being immersed in what I love to do.
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17/01/2026

I visited the famous gem markets in Sri Lanka! 🇱🇰 ✨
I went to Beruwala - the oldest open-air gem market in the world called the Chinafort Gem Market! I also visited the gem market in Galle, which I ended up liking more than the market in Beruwala because it was smaller and much more calm.
In the Chinafort Gem Market there were labs, offices and stores, whereas in Galle it was much smaller with just some tables.
I have always wanted to visit these markets, so I feel so lucky and accomplished to have gone and even bought some stones! 💖😁

You wouldn’t expect thousand dollar products like stones to be dealt in the literal street, but this is the normal in these markets. Honestly, it’s so much fun being there. I love a good hands-on experience and this certainly was the most hands-on you could get. 🫡
I learned so much about pricing, how the market works and so much more. :)
Would you visit these markets? Let me know in the comments below. 👇💖🫣

P.S. please excuse my horrendous pronunciation of Beruwala I really tried. 😭🫡
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12/01/2026

I visited the Beruwala Gem Market in Sri Lanka! 🤩
I’ve always wanted to visit this gem market, so I was very excited. It was packed with people eager to show us their stones. I will post a full video about the Beruwala gem market and the market in Galle soon! Stay tuned!
In Beruwala, cut stones are being traded. You can sit at tables, hire brokers and you can even just sit or stand on the street to see stones- like what I did.
There is no professional lighting or fancy cases, only the sun and my hand to hold the stones. Thousands of dollars worth of stones are traded here, just in the street! 😎
Such a special experience, can’t wait to show you guys what else I got to see in Sri Lanka! 🇱🇰

If you’re interested in having a gemstone sourced, please fill out the sourcing form in my bio! ✨ :)
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09/01/2026

We are at Gem Sri Lanka! ✨A large gem show in Sri Lanka with 100+ vendors! gem.travel and I go around the show and ask vendors what their favorite stone is/to show us an interesting stone! 💖
Follow our little show vlog to see what we saw and learned :)

Which stone was your favorite? 👀 Comment down below! 👇
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26/12/2025

I’m finally an Accredited Gemologist! 🥹💖 I am so lucky and happy to finally feel like I’m on my true path.
✨ Since I’m now officially a gemologist, I wanted to share with you my journey of how I got here… Yes the video is a bit cheesy, but it’s a big milestone in my life and wanted to explain a bit about why this is so exciting for me.

- I’ve been so passionate about and obsessed with gemstones, minerals/crystals, jewelry, and even fossils since I was around 3 years old. This has been my true passion all along, I just never realized that this career path was an option until later.

- I worked at the amazing where I learned and grew so much, and got to put my love for making videos to good use💖 I am so grateful for my time with them. So once I realized I wanted to become a gemologist- nothing could stop me! I saved up money for 3 years or so to fly to Bangkok and become a gemologist!

- I had already been working on my Diamonds Graduate diploma online and completed it once I flew to Bangkok. And I chose for my full gemological accreditation because of how hands on the experience was, and I couldn’t be more happy with my decision. :) 💖✨

- I made so many incredible friends while in Bangkok, and I feel so lucky to have such an amazing connection with my AIGS class. You are all such incredible people. And I am so lucky to have such a supportive family, who encouraged my love for gems and minerals throughout my life. ✨

I cannot wait to continue to build my career and share with you all my lifelong passion. What a dream come true this is. 🥹💖
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