Where the gemstones sparkle in Hanoi

This gemstone flea market has been opening every Sunday morning since late 2015.

The market covers 400 square meters (4,305 square feet) at 456 Hoang Hoa Tham Street, Ba Dinh District.

Here, you can find both suiseki, which means stones in their original state, and biseki, stones that have been carved or polished.

Various types of gemstones are on sale at this market, costing from a few dollars to tens of thousands.

Sometimes, there are auctions for rare and valuable gems.

A carver named Nguyen Duy Bao holds two spinel gems. He says this blue spinel is one of the rarest colors in nature and very hard to find on the market.

This stone was found deep in the ground and weighs more than 20 kilograms. Its owner says the stone is formed from iron and has sapphire on the surface.

 A woman presents her precious gems.

Buyers usually use a torch or sunlight to test the quality of gemstones.

Professional carvers are available at the market to shape your stones.