Staff Answer
Aug 07, 2026 - 01:19 PM
Why do natural gemstones sometimes look different in photos than in person?
Accurately photographing natural gemstones is extremely challenging. Gemstones interact with light in complex ways, and their color, brilliance, transparency, inclusions, and quality of cut can appear slightly different depending on the lighting, camera, computer monitor, or mobile device being used.
At AfricaGems, our goal is to provide the most accurate and realistic representation possible of every natural gemstone we offer for sale online.
We use high-resolution macro photography so customers can clearly see the gemstone’s color, brilliance, faceting, proportions, and overall cut quality. One drawback of macro photography is that it can magnify very small natural inclusions and imperfections. As a result, an inclusion that appears noticeable in a highly enlarged gemstone photograph may be extremely difficult—or even impossible—to see with the naked eye when viewing the gemstone in person.
Natural inclusions are an important characteristic of genuine gemstones. Unlike mass-produced synthetic materials, every natural gemstone has its own unique combination of color, internal characteristics, and identifying features. In many cases, these subtle inclusions are part of what makes an individual gemstone unique.
How does AfricaGems photograph gemstone color accurately?
Whenever possible, we photograph our gemstones in shaded natural outdoor light. We have found this to be one of the best ways to provide a consistent and realistic representation of gemstone color without the distortion that can sometimes occur under strong artificial lighting.
It is important to remember that natural gemstones can look somewhat different under various lighting conditions. A sapphire, ruby, emerald, spinel, tourmaline, garnet, aquamarine, or other colored gemstone may appear slightly different in daylight, indoor lighting, direct sunlight, or LED lighting. This natural response to different light sources is one of the qualities that makes colored gemstones so beautiful and interesting. Computer monitors, smartphones, tablets, and individual screen settings can also affect how gemstone color is displayed. For these reasons, no photograph viewed on a screen can reproduce a gemstone’s appearance with absolute precision.
Why do we provide gemstone videos and 360° views?
Still photographs tell only part of the story. For many of our gemstones, AfricaGems also provides hand-held videos and 360° gemstone videos.
These videos allow you to see how the gemstone responds as it moves through the light and provide a much better sense of its:
Actual size and scale
Natural gemstone color
Brilliance and sparkle
Faceting and cut quality
Transparency and clarity
Overall appearance on the hand
Viewing the photographs together with the hand video and 360° video is one of the best ways to evaluate a natural gemstone when shopping online.
For more than 40 years, AfricaGems gemologists have personally selected fine natural gemstones from around the world. We believe accurate photography, detailed videos, honest descriptions, and complete transparency are essential when purchasing a valuable gemstone online.
And because even the best photography cannot completely replace seeing a gemstone in person, every AfricaGems purchase is backed by our exceptional inspection and return policy. You have 30 days after receiving and inspecting your gemstone to decide if it is right for you, with free return shipping and a full refund.
Our goal is to make buying natural gemstones online as informative, transparent, and comfortable as possible.
