This page gathers the stones in our collection whose geographic origin is Burma, one of the longest-established gem-producing regions in the world. Origin is recorded here as a point of provenance: it describes where a stone formed, not a guarantee of colour or quality, both of which vary considerably within any single source.
The varieties represented here are Burma Ruby, Blue Sapphire, Pink Spinel, Grey Spinel and Peridot. Ruby and sapphire are both corundum, coloured by trace elements — chromium giving ruby its red, iron and titanium contributing to blue in sapphire. Spinel is a separate mineral species with its own cubic crystal structure and singly refractive brilliance, appearing here in both warm pink and cool, smoky grey. Peridot, a gem-quality forsteritic olivine, is idiochromatic: its yellow-green comes from iron within its essential chemistry rather than from traces.
When choosing between them, weigh colour saturation and tone first, then clarity, cut quality and how each stone behaves under different lighting. Ask also about treatment status, which differs by variety.
