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Fine Jewelry University Articles matching: “Gem stones”
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Gem in the Spotlight: Tourmaline
… F. Kunz. He documented reports about the tourmaline deposits of Maine and California and praised the quality of the stones they produced. Along with opal, tourmaline is October’s birthstone. Care and Cleaning of Tourmaline Tourmaline makes… daily wear. Because it isn’t exceptionally hard (Mohs hardness of 7-7.5), it should be stored away from other gemstones that could potentially damage it. Tourmaline should not be put into an ultrasonic cleaner or steam cleaned, and should …
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Gem in the Spotlight: Opal
… color, and a wide range of colors. Red carries more value and is by far the rarest color that opals can display. Stones with larger patches of color are valued higher than those that display only small pins (pinfire) or no play of color at…”. Opal has a refractive index of 1.37 – 1.47 and a Mohs hardness of 5.5-6. This makes it one of the softest gemstones commonly used in jewelry. For reference, here are the Mohs hardness values for some other gemstones you may know: Diamond…
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Gem in the Spotlight: Blue Zircon
Zircon may be last in the alphabet of gemstones, but it is first in sparkle. The crystal structure of zircon creates one of the liveliest displays found in any … of Zircon Since it has been known from antiquity, Zircon has a rich mythology. Zircon is one of December’s birthstones. In the middle ages, Zircon was said to aid in resting, induce sound sleep, drive away evil spirits, bring prosperity, … Zircon care and cleaning is simple: avoid steamers or ultrasonic cleaners. This is particularly important with stones that may have been color enhanced (like most Blue Zircon). Also, avoid the use of harsh cleaning chemicals or agents, …
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Gem in the Spotlight: Jade
Jade has one of the richest heritages of all gemstones. People have been using jade from as early as 6,000 BC, and it has been an incredibly important part of Asian, … far are dyed quartz, glass, and plastic. These imitations can be identified quickly by a trained gemologist. Other stones that have been confused with jade over the years are chrysoprase, serpentine, maw sit sit, and hydrogrossular garnet… given it such a prominent place in human history? The term “jade” actually refers to two completely different gems: nephrite and jadeite. These are actually two unique mineral species, but since they have been confused for so many years…
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Gem in the Spotlight: Ruby
… deeper? Whatever it is, ruby’s impact on humanity is broad and deep, with arguably the richest history of all gemstones. Gemology of Ruby Rubies are in the corundum gem family along with sapphires. Corundum is an extremely durable form of … rubies and mentions them four separate times. In India, the ruby is known as “ratnaraj” or “king of precious stones” in the ancient language of Sanskrit. Rubies get their name from the Latin word “ruber,” which means red. This is also …
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Gem in the Spotlight: Iolite
Iolite is maybe not the first gemstone people think of for their blue-violet jewelry, but it should be near the top of the list. Iolite’s color range … sapphire, tanzanite, and amethyst. They may have name recognition, but iolite has a rich, unique color and great gem value on its side. It is more subtlety nuanced than amethyst and deeper than many tanzanites. Iolite’s name comes from …its color. The color you see is the natural color of the stone when it was first discovered. This adds value to many gem buyers who don’t want a treated gemstone. Color Me Impressed Iolite is strongly pleochroic and will exhibit a …
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Gem in the Spotlight: Morganite
…. It is the subtle, understated nature of Morganite’s color that sets it apart from many of the more popular gemstones. Morganite has an impressive family tree. It is a beryl gem which puts it in the same family as emerald and aquamarine. …gravity is 2.67 – 2.90. These characteristics help identify Morganite as beryl and distinguish it from other pink gemstones. Morganite is commonly heat treated to remove yellow and orange hues and to achieve a purely pink stone. This type …
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Gem in the Spotlight: Spinel
…For years spinel has been confused with other gems and even today is often used as a substitute for similar looking stones. In recent years, spinel has started to move out of the shadows and be appreciated in its own right, and we can see … found in. Because of how easily it can be created in a lab, synthetic spinel has been used to imitate many other gemstones (ruby, sapphire, tourmaline, zircon, etc.). In fact, the ubiquity of synthetic spinel may be part of the reason why …
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Synthetic Gems: The Whole Story
Ruby, sapphire, emerald and alexandrite are very beautiful gems and very rare in their stunning beauty. These four gems have been coveted by rulers and the rich for thousands of … if anyone could own them? At gem shows and museums, I have seen jaw dropping rubies, sapphires and emeralds. These gems in high quality have put ownership beyond most people to justify the price. Just a one carat gem could cost $3,000 … ring where people can spend over $10,000 routinely. The answer was to find a less expensive way to have these gems. It took over a hundred years and millions of dollars of research to create what nature can produce. Man made gems come …
