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Fine Jewelry University Articles matching: “Gold and chain”
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Gem in the Spotlight: Opal
Opal has been described as containing the wonders of the skies, sparkling rainbows, fireworks, and lightning. Its dazzling play of color is totally unique in the gem world, and the lore that surrounds it is almost … internal structure. This gemstone is composed of tiny silica spheres arranged in a pattern, which diffract light and create the spectacular play of colors known as opalescence . The colors seen in an opal depend on the size and … together, you will get different colors. Opals can display just about every color of the rainbow, but hues of green and blue are the most common. Typically the higher end opals have a darker body color, and a wide range of colors. Red …
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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, Central American, and North American history ever since. But, … 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, and are …
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Gem in the Spotlight: Ruby
…, rubies have been the most prized gemstone. But, what is it about this red gem that has captivated our hearts and minds for so long? Is it ruby’s color? It’s rarity, and thereby its high cost? Or, is it something deeper? Whatever it is… ruby one of the hardest gems commonly used in jewelry second only to diamond (which has a Moh’s hardness of 10) and moissanite (which is in between). Rubies only occur in the color red which comes from trace amounts of chromium in the …
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The History of Diamond Cuts
….” said by Pliny, the Roman historian. The story of the diamond cut is the story of humankind’s love of diamonds and our quest to unlock their true brilliance. Before Diamond Cutting The Romans loved diamonds but did not have the … fact #1 about diamond cuts: cutting a gem is the shaping of a gem while polishing is making the facets smooth and shiny. Diamonds are cut and polished in one step. Since only diamond can cut diamond, the diamond cutter must take care to…
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Gem in the Spotlight: Amethyst
Amethyst is known for its beautiful purple color, and it is the most important quartz variety used in jewelry. Purple has long been considered a royal color, so it is not… in so much demand throughout history. Gemology Amethyst is a variety of quartz that is colored by the presence iron and aluminum. The violet color of amethyst can range from a pale lavender to a deep, dark purple, and it is often found …, and Madagascar, but it can also be found in smaller deposits in other countries such as Russia, the United States, and Canada. Amethyst is known for its durability with a Mohs hardness rating of 7. For reference, amethyst is roughly as…
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Gem in the Spotlight: Spinel
… an action movie, but it could also be the title of this article. 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… be appreciated in its own right, and we can see why. Its colors rival even the best rubies, sapphires, tourmalines, and other more popular gems. For only the 3rd time in the last one hundred years, the industry is modifying the official…
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What Are Lab Grown Diamonds?
…. The complexity arises from the fact that lots of different terms have been used to describe lab grown diamonds and their cousins, and not everyone uses these terms in the same way. So, let’s begin with some vocabulary. Synthetic. … technical term. When speaking technically, synthetic gems are man-made crystals with the same crystal structure and chemical composition as the specific gem that is being created. Therefore, a “synthetic diamond” has the same crystal …
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The Magic of Polarized Light
… when we put on our sunglasses, turn on our TV, or sit down at our computer. But, what is polarized light exactly, and why is my jeweler writing about it? It turns out that polarized light is actually a very useful tool in gemology, and …ll show you why. What Is Polarized Light? Light from almost any light source travels in many different directions, and the vibrations around each ray of light are random. This is called unpolarized light. In the gemological world, this w…
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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 … of years. But, what 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…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 in many forms. Every thing …
