Welcome to the Gem Log: Stories from the Source

At Origin Gems, gemstones are more than just minerals, they are living archives of the earth, witnesses to time and trade.

We’re excited to welcome you to Gem Log, our official blog and digital journal. Here, we’ll share the stories, science, history, and humanity behind the gemstones we love, straight from the source.

Whether you’re a seasoned gem collector, a curious beginner, or someone fascinated by the ancient and the beautiful, Gem Log is where our journey meets yours.

What to Expect

Our blog will take you behind the scenes of our ongoing fieldwork and projects, including:

• From the field: Real-time updates from remote mines and rugged trails.

• Gemstone Spotlights: Ruby, emerald, sapphire, aquamarine, sphene, topaz, tourmaline, and more.

• Heritage & History: Trade routes, ancient coinage, folk knowledge, and lost mines.

• Gemology & geology: Crystal systems, formation processes, origin tracking.

• Ethics & Transparency: Supporting local miners, ethical sourcing, honest gem trade.

• Collector Guides: Insights for investing, collecting, and valuing natural stones.

Why We Started This

Over the past few years, we’ve been documenting gemstone mining across an incredible range of locations in Pakistan, and neighbouring regions. Places like:

Swat Valley (Mingora Fizagat, Shamozai, Gujar killi, Shangla, Bazar Kot, Charbagh, Makhad),
Kashmir, Batakundi, Besal, Zagi Mountain, Shigar, Tormiq Valley,
Timergara, Hunza (Ganesh, Aliabad, Karimabad), Mianwali, Khewra and the Salt Range,
Attock, Hassanabad, Skardu, Bolachi, Shengus, Namak mandi Peshawar, and many more hidden mines that are difficult to access, often unheard of but historically rich.

Each site has its own geological signature, cultural context, and hidden stories, and we aim to uncover them all.

Coming Soon: Gem Trails of Pakistan – Volume 1

We’re publishing our most ambitious project to date:
📖 Gem Trails of Pakistan – Volume 1, a hardcover book, rich in imagery and stories, paired with a cinematic DOCUSERIES.

It’s not just about gemstones. It’s about heritage, place, and people, and how the land shapes what we value.

Blurb of the book -

Every gem shines as a testament to the struggle it has endured. Driven by obsession and drawn toward the mysteries beneath the surface, this is the journey of a GIA alumnus and geologist
who followed the earth’s most elusive stones into its harshest frontiers.

What began as a research trip evolved into years of dedicated exploration. From the rugged peaks of the Karakoram to the emerald valleys of Swat, the author’s ventured deep into Pakistan’s untamed gemstone country, encountering smugglers,
snowstorms, tribal elders, danger, and secret mines carved into mountainsides.

Gem Trails of Pakistan isn’t just about gems. It’s a unique and vivid account of the people who live among them, the places that guard them, and the raw adventure of reaching them. This journey will connect you to the realities on the ground like no other book can.

Packed with striking photographs, from breath taking drone shots to deep inside the mines, rare reports, behind-the-scenes access, locations never documented in such depth, and is fully
interactive with QR codes that can be scanned to reveal not only documentary but exclusive unlisted videos and bonus materials. This book is a must-read for anyone fascinated by the origins of the world’s most beautiful stones.

Pre-order here 

Stay Connected

Follow us here on Gem Log, where we’ll post new stories, interviews, mine reports, and behind-the-scenes content.
And don’t forget to follow our socials for beautiful visuals and field updates.

📬 Want early access to exclusive content and book updates?
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