These photos were composed of stack with depth field bracketing. The most hard-core method of close-up jewelry photography  when each part of a jewel should be shown extremely sharp.
Catalog of rings with colored gems. "Atelier Mousson". Bangkok, Tailand
This ring with the icon "The Incredulity of Saint Thomas", made by outstanding Russian jeweler Yuri Feodorov, is not only a jewelry masterpiece, but challenge for a photographer as well.
The complicated relief of the ikon demands the same light set 
as a regular portrait of two persons, with the natural distribution of lights and shadows, but its miniature size and silver surface, much more reflective 
than human skin, makes the mission hardly possible :)
This photo of the orans-type Eastern Orthodox icon of the Virgin Mary is a private case of jewelry icons problem, with the only difference — this one is actually small. The diameter of icon itself is eight millimeters, and it demands extremely precise light. Besides, the inserts of vitrage enamel are an additional complication.
The icon of the Virgin Mary Oranta. Yuri Feoforov. St. Petersburg, Russia
Relief items picture is a special skill in jewelry photography. To show height of engraving to the best advantage photographer should set the light matching the task, find nearly every time a bit different scheme.
Hand-carved cameos on cultured agate. Michael Peuster. Idar-Oberstein, Germany
The noble Australian opals — the most beautiful and colorful gem, a cousin of diamond. The play of its colors – phenomena of the same nature as the diamond’s one. And demands of the same photographic methods, with the only difference — its color range is far too much richer. So I used here the stacking photo with flash position bracketing

In case of big colored gemstones a photographer has to solve  numerous tasks, caused by their nature itself. For example, sapphires of good saturated color often are dark enough, especially in case of the invisible or blind stone setting (on the right photo) when the cut isn't lighted.
This photo was shot with the use of  microscope’s fiber optic mounted on the photo flash.
The ring with sapphires. "Atelier Mousson". Bangkok, Tailand

The stone cutting miniatures — small sculptures of jewelry materials. All problems of gemstone photographing (to represent their depth, optical characteristic, true color) are complemented with necessarity to show volume, relief, to keep proportions.
The solution — usage of tilt-shift optics, and multiple picturing. But I try to shoot at least one general photo, which more or less represents the "general idea", spirit of the creature.
In this photo I’ve added several light reflexes which probably makes more difficult understanding of the micro relief, but emphasizes its general shape and volume.
The jade fish. Anton Ananiev, St. Petersburg, Russia

The ring on hte right didn't inspire me when I was shooting it, I don't like so much an empire style like this. But big brilliants have  charisma.
The play of the diamond — sort of chromatic dispersion. In well cut brilliant we can see all colors of rainbow, but photographer usually can show in his picture no more than four colors (if he is congenial to the diamond).
I succeeded to show three colors, but as well I had to show the gold curving, so I find myself brilliant enough.
Two rings. "Komissarov's jewelry art". Moscow, Russia

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