A gemstone is more than colour, size or clarity.
It is a natural record of the Earth’s story.
Headquartered at Bangkok’s Jewelry Trade Center, Pretty Little Gem Co., Ltd. was established to unite rigorous gemological science, authentic mine-to-market sourcing, and award-winning photomicrography.
Muhammad Ayub
Muhammad Ayub is a Bangkok-based gemmologist, gemstone dealer and award-winning photomicrographer whose passion for gemstones began long before he established Pretty Little Gem Co., Ltd.
Growing up close to Pakistan’s renowned Katlang pink topaz deposits and the historic emerald-producing valleys of Swat, Ayub developed an early, intuitive fascination with gemstones and mineral specimens. That early connection with the mineral kingdom eventually became a lifelong pursuit of understanding, sourcing and documenting exceptional natural gemstones.
Today, from Bangkok’s prestigious Jewelry Trade Center, he works with gemstones from important producing regions across the globe, combining practical experience in the international gemstone trade with formal gemological education and an unrelenting interest in the science and beauty hidden within natural stones.
From the Source to the Microscope
For Ayub, a gemstone’s value is not defined merely by clarity or carat weight. The true marvel is the geological narrative preserved inside the stone.
Inclusions as Geological Time Capsules
Through his dedicated work as a gemmologist and photomicrographer, Ayub has developed a particular fascination with gemstone inclusions — the microscopic crystals, growth structures, fluid two-phase chambers, and natural phenomena that provide decisive clues about a gemstone’s origin, formation environment, and thermal history.
His approach combines analytical gemological observation with ultra-high-magnification photography, allowing details invisible to the naked eye to take center stage in the story of each gemstone.
The Afghan Morganite Tourmaline Inclusion
Ayub’s research and photomicrographs have been published in internationally respected gemological journals, including Gems&Jewellery.
A celebrated feature documented a remarkable tourmaline crystal perfectly preserved inside an Afghan morganite. Ayub sourced the rough morganite in 2014 and specifically instructed the master cutter to preserve the inclusion intact rather than cut it away — celebrating nature’s unique handiwork over sterile uniformity.
International Recognition for Photomicrography
Ayub’s technical mastery in capturing gemstone internal landscapes has earned awards and acclaim across prestigious international gemological societies.
“The Soul of Precious Stones: From Earth to Light”
In the inaugural edition of this international competition, Ayub’s photomicrographs received Second Place and Third Place, jointly, among 45 submissions from 15 international participants.
“The judging recognized the technical precision involved in photographing these complex internal structures while maintaining both scientific detail and artistic composition.”
Photographer of the Year Competition Judge
In 2026, Muhammad Ayub was invited by Gem-A to serve as a guest judge for the prestigious Gem-A Photographer of the Year Competition, presiding alongside world-renowned gemmologists and photomicrography luminaries.
Gem-A formally describes him as an “award-winning photomicrographer, gemmologist and gemstone dealer”, recognizing his authority at the intersection of photographic optics and mineralogical analysis.
Professional Credentials & Associations
Understanding natural gemstones requires combining rigorous laboratory qualification with decades of tactile market experience.
Accredited Gemologist (A.G.)
Graduated with the comprehensive Accredited Gemologist diploma from the Asian Institute of Gemological Sciences (AIGS), Asia’s oldest and most respected gemological laboratory institute.
Accredited Senior Gemologist
Certified Senior Gemologist and Lifetime Voting Member of the Accredited Gemologists Association (AGA), adhering to the highest global ethical standards for gem trading and origin reporting.
Practical Market Acumen
Decades of hands-on experience assessing rough crystal potential, guiding master lapidaries, detecting sophisticated treatments, and inspecting internal inclusion suites.
Exploring Gemstones at Their Source
Ayub’s dedication to understanding gemstones extends far beyond the trading floor and into primary mining deposits around the globe.
Pretty Little Gem hosted renowned gemmologist and international gem dealer Jeffery Bergman on an extensive mine-and-market journey through Pakistan, traversing the historic gem markets of Peshawar, the high-altitude pegmatites of Skardu, and the emerald-producing mountains of Swat.
During the expedition, Ayub and Bergman visited the Shamozai emerald mining area in the Swat Valley and descended directly into an active, operating emerald mine — witnessing first-hand the rigorous, challenging physical conditions under which fine natural emeralds are unearthed. The expedition was subsequently documented in depth within Gems&Jewellery.
“For Ayub, connection to the source is an inseparable part of understanding a gemstone. The journey from deep geological genesis, to mine, to lapidary, to collector is part of the stone’s indelible identity.”
The Philosophy Behind Pretty Little Gem
Pretty Little Gem was founded on this unique convergence of scientific knowledge, natural curiosity and artistic passion. Ayub believes that exceptional gemstones are not defined by rigid commercial formulas alone.
1. Gemology
Rigorous scientific identification, chemical composition analysis, spectroscopic scrutiny, and treatment detection to guarantee unblemished natural integrity.
2. Sourcing
Primary mine connections, ethical provenance, and traveling to the world’s most important deposits to select individual stones chosen for distinct character.
3. Photomicrography
Award-winning micro-photography that transforms internal crystalline inclusions, growth zoning, and color halos into works of breathtaking natural art.
“Sometimes the most fascinating stone is the one with an unusual inclusion, a rare geological feature, an unexpected colour, or an untold story that cannot be replicated.”
Through Pretty Little Gem, Muhammad Ayub continues to explore, source, study and share natural gemstones with discerning collectors, bespoke jewellers, gemmologists and connoisseurs worldwide.
Muhammad Ayub
Gemstone Dealer · Award-Winning Photomicrographer