I'm an independent gemstone expert helping collectors and buyers source gemstones ethically and safely. Welcome to Gemstone Detective!
Concierge sourcing and insider guidance from mine to market. I’m Kim Rix, a GIA qualified gemmologist and published author. With 10 years of experience in the industry, I specialise in uncovering the beauty and stories behind gemstones from around the globe. From sourcing gems to providing insights into their origins, my mission is to bring the fascinating world of gemstones closer to you. Join me
23/06/2026
How to get the right gemstone for you: why sourcing personally or with expert help matters, and how the process can make all the difference.
Custom Gemstone Sourcing | Find Your Perfect Stone When someone has a clear vision of the stone they want, the challenge is often not price first...it is whether that stone actually exists in the market in the way they imagine.
A clear, honest look at how private gemstone sourcing actually works. This breaks down what to expect, how stones are found, and why having the right support matters when you're making a high-value purchase.
19/06/2026
Buying a gemstone in Sri Lanka is not just about finding a shop. It is about understanding trust, pricing and who is advising you. This article explains why independent expertise matters before you buy. 💎Read the article ➡️
Where to Buy Gemstones in Sri Lanka: Independent Expert Guide Once you've found a stone you're interested in, verification is key. Many buyers underestimate how much difference proper assessment makes, both in value and peace of mind.
18/06/2026
A quick, practical guide revealing what serious gemstone buyers actually look for in the first five minutes of evaluation. It breaks down the key questions they ask, the red flags to watch for and how to quickly tell if a source feels trustworthy or not.
https://www.gemstonedetective.com/post/serious-buyers-first-five-minutes-gemstone
What Serious Buyers Often Notice in the First Five Minutes of a Gemstone In high-value gemstone buying, the first reaction is rarely technical. It is simply whether the stone creates enough interest to justify more time, because the stones that matter tend to ask for it.
17/06/2026
You cannot understand ethical sourcing from behind a desk.
Nine Sri Lankan sapphires. 💙
Most would be described as royal blue, and there’s a peacock blue. Yet no two are the same.
Different clarity. Different colour saturation. Different cut quality. Different carat weights.
At first glance they may look similar, but these details can have a significant impact on beauty, rarity and value.
Which sapphire catches your eye? Tell me your favourite number below. 👇
16/06/2026
I often meet talented miners and traders who think access to Western Buyers is about price alone. The real challenge is understanding the expectations and culture behind each market.
Most visitors come to Tanzania looking for tanzanite.
Few realise that Tanzania is also home to one of the gem world’s most fascinating treasures: colour-change garnet.
In daylight, these remarkable gemstones can appear greenish, grey-green or teal. Under incandescent light, they can transform dramatically to reddish-purple, raspberry or burgundy tones.
The finest examples display a strong, obvious colour change that can be seen with the naked eye, and those are exceptionally rare.
Being on the ground in Tanzania 🇹🇿 gives me the opportunity to view gemstones where they enter the market, assess quality first-hand, and search for the exceptional stones that rarely make it to mainstream jewellery shops.
When sourcing a colour-change garnet, it’s not just about finding one that changes colour. The best stones combine:
💎 Strong colour change
💎 Attractive colours in both lighting conditions
💎 Good clarity
💎 Reliable provenance
These are the details that separate an ordinary stone from one worth owning.
If you’re looking for a truly unusual gemstone for a bespoke jewellery project or collection, colour-change garnet deserves a place on your radar.
📩 Message me if you’re interested in sourcing a rare gemstone from Tanzania.🇹🇿
15/06/2026
A real-world look at why this particular Elehara garnet commanded $300 per carat, what factors influence gemstone pricing and how collectors can understand value beyond the number.
https://www.gemstonedetective.com/post/elahera-garnet-sri-lanka-price
Elahera Garnet Sri Lanka: Why This 8 Carat Rhodolite Was $300 Per Carat Elahera Garnet in Sri Lanka
This is why I love being on the ground in Tanzania. 🇹🇿
The first clip shows a rough garnet I purchased from a trader in Morogoro.
At that stage, all the potential is hidden inside the stone. You can make educated predictions, but until it is cut, you never know exactly what nature has created.
I entrusted the rough to Noreen, whose cutting revealed something rather special.
The finished gemstone displays beautiful flashes of blue and a brilliance that simply wasn’t visible in the rough crystal.
Moments like this are one of the great joys of gemstone sourcing. Watching a gemstone’s hidden beauty emerge is a reminder that every stone has a story.
Sometimes a gemstone is just too beautiful to let go.
But if you’re looking for a remarkable gemstone for a bespoke jewellery project or to add to your collection, I’d be delighted to help find one for you.
That’s the advantage of being here in Tanzania: access to gemstones at source, the ability to assess them in person, and the opportunity to uncover gems that most people will never see.
📩 Send me a message if you’re searching for something special.
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| Monday | 9am - 5pm |
| Tuesday | 9am - 5pm |
| Wednesday | 9am - 5pm |
| Thursday | 9am - 5pm |
| Friday | 9am - 12pm |