Why are diamonds cut in this shape?

 

We think diamonds are cut that way to look distinct. But actually, the shape is purely functional. It is a light trap. The bottom of a diamond (the Pavilion) is designed to act as a mirror. But unlike a bathroom mirror, it doesn’t have a silver coating on the back. It relies on physics. Because diamond is so dense, light travels slowly through it. This creates a critical angle of roughly 24.4 degrees. If light hits the inner wall at any angle steeper than that, it cannot escape. It is forced to bounce off the wall like a skipping stone on water. It reflects 100% of the energy back up to your eye. I mentioned “windowing” in the video. This happens when a cutter tries to save weight. They cut the diamond too shallow or too deep to keep the carat weight high. But by missing that perfect angle, the light doesn’t skip. It leaks out the back. The result is a diamond with a dark, dead centre that you can see right through (like a window). A great diamond isn’t just a clear rock. It is a calculator made of carbon.

 

 

Videos

https://www.youtube.com/shorts/AwfYDxdrrJM?feature=share

https://www.youtube.com/shorts/UNsKvkwz54A?feature=share

Megalithic Site in Nova Scotia?

Scroll to 06:12, 16:20 and 21:10 in the video, several people in the comment section suggest that the dolmens are not man-made.

They need to dig and lift the rocks to find out what's underneath. 

Video

https://youtu.be/RlutABKGj6w

Bagan: the legendary city with golden roofs

 

This vast Buddhist archaeological site stretches over 40 km² and contains more than 2,000 temples, pagodas and stupas, built between the 11th and 13th centuries. It is the largest concentration of Buddhist monuments in the world, reflecting Sri Lankan, Indian, Tibetan, Mon and Burman influences.

Among Bagan’s most iconic landmarks are the towering Thatbyinnyu Temple, the sacred Shwezigon Pagoda, and the magnificent Ananda Temple, renowned for its harmony and Indian-inspired architecture. Other treasures include the fresco-filled Gubyauk gyi Temple and the finely decorated Htilominlo Temple.

Bagan remains one of Southeast Asia’s most breathtaking spiritual landscapes, where history, faith and architecture merge in a timeless setting.

Directed by Jacques VICHET

 

 

Video

https://youtu.be/FQOELCd-jss

Myanmar - A World Unseen // Bagan, Mandalay, Dawei and Yangon in 4K // Cinematic Travelvideo

 

It was an unique experience to travel in this adventurous and natural country. Kind people, stunning nature, ancient temple - there is so much to discover! During our 18 days trip we got a lot to see and learn. This video was my final project for university. It shows the part of Myanmar which fascinated me the most. What is your favorite place in Myanmar?

/// Locations:

► Yangon - 0:50

► Bagan - 1:52

► Mandalay - 2:02

► Dawei - 2:23

 

 

Video

https://youtu.be/PRtpP5O8_4Q

Shwedagon Pagoda, Myanmar

Video

https://youtu.be/SJwO7V_Y6LQ

Most beautiful beach in Myanmar 

Video

https://www.youtube.com/shorts/GIbDu43mStU?feature=share

Richard T. Nowitz//Getty Images

Gear-obsessed editors choose every product we review. We may earn commission if you buy from a link. Why Trust Us?

Here’s what you’ll learn when you read this story:

• Archaeologists from the Center for Historic Shipwreck Preservation discovered a 1721 shipwreck off the coast of Madagascar.
• The Portuguese ship was overtaken by pirates in a known piracy region.
• The ship was loaded with gold, diamonds, and emeralds when the pirates attacked.

This story is a collaboration with Biography.com.

When famed pirates overtook a Portuguese ship in 1721 once laden with treasure (now valued over $138 million), the battle went well for the pirates, who eventually sank the ship off the coast of Madagascar.

A pair of American archaeologists now claim they’ve discovered the final site of the lost vessel.

Known as the Nossa Senhora do Cabo—translated as Our Lady of the Cape—the ship left India with a Portuguese viceroy and the Archbishop of Goa, 200 slaves, and treasure aplenty. Pirates were ready and Olivier “The Buzzard” Levasseur led an ambush of the ship near Reunion Island in the Indian Ocean with a fleet of pirate ships aiming to take down the larger Portuguese ship.

Already tossed about by a storm, the pirates easily took control of not only the ship, but the treasure aboard, eventually sailing it roughly 400 miles west of Reunion Island before ditching it in what is now Nosy Boraha—then known as Ile Sainte-Marie. After 16 years of searching off Madagascar’s northeast coast, American archaeologists Brandon Clifford and Mark Agostini from the Center for Historic Shipwreck Preservation wrote in Wreckwatch magazine they discovered the wreck and over 3,300 artifacts.

While not confirmed beyond the two archaeologists, Clifford told Live Science the identification is “supported by multiple lines of evidence,” including analysis of the ship itself and how historical record and artifacts found at the site match the ship’s history.

The loot—dubbed “an eye-watering treasure, even by pirate standards,” according to the hunters—would fetch at least $138 million in today’s money, they pair claimed, with records noting gold and silver bars, coins, silks, and more than 400 gemstones, including 110 diamonds and 250 emeralds, part of the ship’s store, as reported by ZME Science. Denis Piat, in his 2014 book Pirates & Privateers in Mauritius, wrote the ship carried blocks of gold and chests crammed full of pearls, Live Science reported.

 

The find came some 400 miles from the site of the historic attack, the archaeologist said, near the harbor of Nosy Boraha. It took more than a decade of sonar and remote sensing to locate a ship on the seafloor. From there, they team found a bevy of artifacts, including religious statuettes and plaques—some of the Virgin Mary and others honoring “Jesus of Nazareth, King of the Jews”—the experts believe were likely created in Goa, India, and bound for use in Lisbon’s cathedrals.

The team also found plenty of pottery fragments and Arabic-inscribed gold coins now buried under the sand and silt of the seafloor.

Of course, the bulk of the treasure never made it to the bottom of the sea. The feared “The Buzzard” and his crew picked off much of the value. They eventually ransomed the viceroy and some of the valuables back to Lisbon, although the historical record has no account of the fate of the 200 slaves or the archbishop.

Known as the Golden Age of Piracy, the island once known as Ile Sainte-Marie was a pirate hotbed thanks to the calm waters and freedom from colonial authority, according to ZME Science, and dozens of pirates made the island a launching point for patrolling the shipping channels.

Clifford said that there could be as many as 10 ships wrecked around the island and he believes at least four are in the same harbor as the Nossa Senhora do Cabo.

 

“The site has historically been overlooked by researchers,” Agostini said, “and so there’s ample room for more discoveries that give us a glimpse into the past.” He hopes to make it happen. “Ideally,” Agostini told Live Science, “future fieldwork will lead to more analysis of the many wrecks there.”

 

Article

Two Explorers Say They Found $138 Million in Lost Pirate Treasure

Primary Locations: 

Most gem-quality material is mined in

Sri Lanka and Tanzania (Tunduru), with occasional finds in Myanmar (Mogok).

Evidence of a lost Global Civilization

Video

https://youtu.be/RUjCpJOyg20

From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

 

 

Sri Lanka’s gem industry has a very long and colorful history. Sri Lanka was affectionately known as Ratna-Dweepa which means Gem Island. The name is a reflection of its natural wealth. 

Marco Polo wrote that the island had the best sapphires, topazes, amethysts, and other gems in the world.

 Ptolemy, the 2nd century astronomer recorded that beryl and sapphire were the mainstay of Sri Lanka’s gem industry.

Records from sailors that visited the island state that they brought back “jewels of Serendib”. Serendib was the ancient name given to the island by middle eastern and Persian traders that crossed the Indian Ocean to trade gems from Sri Lanka to the East during the 4th and 5th century. Often the historical word "Ceylon" is used within gem industries to denote stones that come from the island.

 

Is Sri Lanka an island?  True or false?

 

 

 

 

Sri Lanka, officially the Democratic Socialist Republic of Sri Lanka, formerly known as Ceylon, is an island country in South Asia. It is located in the Indian Ocean, southwest of the Bay of Bengal, and is separated from India by the Gulf of Mannar and the Palk Strait.

 

3749

 

3750  

 

 

 

According to Pliny the Elder’s Natural History, formal contact between Sri Lanka and Rome was established during the reign of Emperor Claudius (AD 41-54). Ancient Roman authors documented Sri Lankan trade goods:

pearls, gems, transparent stones, muslins, tortoise shells, rice, honey, ginger, cinnamon, beryl, and elephants. Among these valuable exports, gems held a special place.

 

 

The most famous medieval witness was Marco Polo, who visited the island in 1292 or 1293 during his epic journey through Asia. The Venetian explorer wrote with evident awe of the abundance and quality of the gems he encountered. In his travels, he documented ruby, sapphire, topaz, amethyst, and garnet, declaring that the island possessed “the best sapphires, topazes, amethysts, and other gems in the world.” He even wrote of seeing a “flawless ruby the size of a man’s arm”—whether this was literal truth or traveler’s exaggeration, it speaks to the island’s reputation.

Article

Ratna-Dweepa: The Ancient Gem Trade of the Island of Jewels - Ceylon History Stories

 

The island country has a long history of being known for its diamonds, earning it the nicknames “Gem Island” and “Jewel Box of the Indian Ocean.” Due to the numerous deposits of precious and semi-precious gems that may be discovered throughout Sri Lanka, the country’s gem industry has prospered.

 

 

 

 

Sri Lanka, historically known as "Ratnadeepa" (Island of Gems), boasts a 3,000-year history as a premier source of precious stones. Renowned for its rich alluvial deposits and high-quality blue sapphires, the island has been a global gem trade hub since antiquity, mentioned by Ptolemy and favored by ancient traders for its rich sapphire, ruby, and cat's-eye chrysoberyl deposits.

GIA +4

 

Key Historical Highlights:

 

• Ancient Fame (500 BC - 500 AD): Known as "Serendib" to early traders, Sri Lanka's gems were highly sought after by Roman, Greek, and Arab merchants. Legends suggest King Solomon used Sri Lankan gems to woo the Queen of Sheba.
• Royal Control (3rd Century BC - 13th Century AD): The gem trade was tightly controlled by Sinhalese kings, with mining concentrated in the "City of Gems," Ratnapura.
• Colonial Period (1505–1948): European powers (Portuguese, Dutch, British) expanded the trade, further cementing the island's reputation for sapphires and other gems.
• Modern Era: Today, the industry is regulated by the National Gem and Jewellery Authority(NGJA), with a focus on sustainable, largely hand-mined, high-quality, and heat-treated, or untreated stones.
  GIA +6
•  

Famous Gemstones from Sri Lanka:

• Sapphires: Known for vibrant blue, yellow, pink, and white (white sapphire) colors.
• Others: Topaz, amethyst, garnet, tourmaline, and the uniquely Sri Lankan blue moonstone.
  GIA +4

The country continues to be a world leader in gemology, producing rare "no-heat" sapphires and maintaining traditional, low-impact mining methods.

 

 

 

Sri Lanka

is one of the world's most significant sources of high-quality gemstones, famously nicknamed the "Gem Island" for its immense variety and density of deposits. The island produces over 75 types of gemstones, most notably the world-renowned Ceylon Sapphire.

 

3765  

 

 

Popular Gemstone Varieties

 

Sri Lanka is best known for its corundum family (sapphires and rubies) and unique varieties like the Chrysoberyl Cat’s Eye. 

• Blue Sapphire: Often considered Sri Lanka's "gem supreme," these stones are prized for their vibrant hues and exceptional clarity. Notable examples include the sapphire in Princess Diana’s engagement ring.
• Padparadscha Sapphire: An extremely rare and valuable orange-pink sapphire found specifically on the island.
• Chrysoberyl Cat’s Eye: Known for its distinct "eye" effect (chatoyancy), Sri Lanka is a leading source of this rare gemstone.
• Moonstone: Sri Lankan moonstones are famous for their unique blue sheen and milky hue.
• Other Species: The island also produces significant quantities of Spinel, Tourmaline, Zircon, Garnet, Topaz, and Alexandrite. 
  GIA +5

 

Famous Historical Gems

Many of the world's largest and most famous gemstones originated from Sri Lankan mines. 

• Blue Giant of the Orient: A 466-carat sapphire found in Ratnapura.
• Logan Blue Sapphire: A 423-carat specimen currently housed in the Smithsonian Institution.
• Star of India: A 563-carat star sapphire discovered in Sri Lanka and now at the American Museum of Natural History.
• Rosser Reeves Star Ruby: A 138-carat star ruby also featured in the Smithsonian collection. 
  GIA

 

Key Locations and Shopping

Most gemstone activity is centered in the "Highland Complex," a geologically rich band running through the middle of the island. 

• Ratnapura: Known as the "City of Gems," it is the traditional heart of the industry for mining, cutting, and trading.
• Beruwala: Famous for its gem market (China Fort) and diverse gemstone offerings.
• Trusted Retailers: Experts from Tripadvisor and local guides recommend reputable shops such as Lihiniya Gems in Galle Fort or established names like Zam Gems and Sifani in Colombo.
• Authentication: Buyers are advised to visit the National Gem and Jewellery Authority (NGJA) or use the Gem Exchange in Colombo to verify stones with official certification to avoid fakes. 

 

Notable Gemstone Products

• 1.05 Ct. Blue Sapphire from Ceylon: A transparent pear-shaped natural sapphire available at The Natural Sapphire Company.
• Sri Lankan Blue Sapphire Cushion Cut (1.04 Carat): A premium rich blue gemstone sold by Leibish.
• 0.86ct Natural Lively Green Kornerupine: A rare green oval-cut gemstone mined in Sri Lanka, available at GemSelect. 

 

 

 

What jewels is Sri Lanka known for?

 

 

Sri Lanka stands out in the world of precious gemstones, with sapphires constituting 85% of the 130 varieties mined there. Among these, none rival the global appeal of Ceylon Blue Sapphires, renowned for their hue reminiscent of cornflowers.

 

3760

Sri Lankan Gemstones

(click on images to increase size)

 Logan Blue sapphire

Blue Bella of Asia

Empress Maria's Sapphire

 Naleem Alexandrite

Sri Lanka: World's Largest Purple Star Sapphire Unveiled; Rare 3,563-carat gemstone valued at $300 Million 

January 18, 2026

Video

https://youtu.be/2BhBas38d8s

Million year Stone collection worth

 

Empress of Uruguay sold at 75 million dollars. Geode height was almost 3-1/2 Meters.

 

 

Video

https://www.youtube.com/shorts/avi5rI9tzoY?feature=share

The IMPOSSIBLE Megalithic City Hidden in the Pacific Ocean

 

Something in the middle of the Pacific Ocean shouldn’t exist — a vast stone city built from colossal basalt blocks, arranged with geometric precision, sitting in shallow water and dense jungle. This mysterious ancient megalithic complex was constructed from stones weighing several tons each, transported across water with no clear explanation of how or why it was done. Even today, engineers and archaeologists struggle to explain the logistics behind its construction.

In this short documentary, we investigate the origins of this hidden Pacific city, the people who may have built it, and the engineering methods that made it possible. From massive stone walls and artificial islands to legends of lost civilizations and forbidden ruins, this deep dive explores why Nan Madol is considered one of the most mysterious and unexplained megalithic sites on Earth.

 

 

Video

https://youtu.be/--NzZgttLdQ

The Most Devastating Volcano Eruptions in History Explained

 

TIMESTAMPS:

 

0:00 Mount Tambora

1:22 Krakatoa

2:45 Mount Vesuvius

4:11 Mount Pelée

5:32 Nevado del Ruiz

6:51 Mount St. Helens

8:21 Mount Pinatubo

9:49 Laki Fissure Eruption

11:11 Mount Unzen

12:32 Kelud

13:52 Santa María

15:08 Mount Nyiragongo

16:29 Mount Merapi

17:51 Mount Thera / Santorini

19:14 Hunga Tonga-Hunga Haʻapai

 

Video

https://youtu.be/oPhikTbPGgU