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Fine Jewelry University Articles matching: “Identifying gemstones”
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Fine Jewelry University (Show All FJU Articles)
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Jewelry Repair FAQ
… to again. What is retipping, and why do I need it? In a large number of jewelry pieces, the valuable diamonds and gemstones are held in place with prongs. With wear, the tops of these prongs can become worn down. If the prongs wear down too …metal (usually gold or platinum) to the top of worn down prongs to keep the gemstone secure. In the past, almost all gemstones had to first be removed from their mountings for retipping, and then reset after it was done due to the high heat …
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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 of blue, blue-violet, and violet competes for public attention with 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 violet color. It is from the Greek word “ios” meaning violet. Unlike many
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Synthetic Gems: The Whole Story
Synthetic rubies, emeralds, sapphires, diamonds and more are everywhere. Man made gems come in many forms: every thing from simple glass to high tech chemical tongue twister like gadolinium gallium garnet (also called GGG) and the modern diamond simulant moissanite. Synthetic gems are not bad, fakes, or the curse of a modern society. The more you know about them, the better you can understand their place in our society and in the jewelry world.
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Gem in the Spotlight: Peridot
Peridot is a lovely yellow-green gem with a rich history. Legend has it that Peridot was the favorite gemstone of Cleopatra. The ancients called it the “gem of the sun”. It was believed that peridot could chase away evil spirits and dissolve curses but only when set in gold. Peridot is the birthstone for August. It is also the accepted anniversary gemstone for the 16th year of marriage. Peridot’s unique yellow-green color is very attractive. The name “Peridot” is simply a French word derived from the Arabic for green. Peridot’s
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Gem in the Spotlight: Topaz
Topaz is a gemstone with amazing variety. Topaz is naturally colorless and clear like a diamond, but it can also take on an entire range of colors. Yellow to reddish-orange is known as Precious Topaz or Imperial Topaz. Imperial Topaz is one of the expensive varieties of Topaz. Gem suppliers can even bombard Topaz in a nuclear reactor to produce various shades of Blue Topaz. Topaz is the birthstone for November, and they make great gifts for anyone born in November, or for anyone that just likes beautiful jewelry.
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Gem in the Spotlight: Sapphire
…, green, orange, and golden yellow are magnificent in any jewelry. See More on Etsy › With the exception of the diamond, which measures 10 on the Mohs scale, sapphire and ruby (9 on the Mohs scale) are the toughest and most durable gemstones. This toughness makes the sapphire a long lasting piece of jewelry as well as a useful industrial tool. One last legend, the star sapphire has been called “the stone of destiny”; its three crossed lines represented faith, hope, and …
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Gem in the Spotlight: Amethyst
…as these can damage the gemstone. Prolonged UV/sun exposure can cause the color in amethyst to fade so keep that in mind when storing your amethyst jewelry. If you have an amethyst ring or other piece of jewelry with diamonds or other gemstones, you should be careful when cleaning it. You should use a soft brush to gently scrub the amethyst and avoid using ultrasonic cleaners, as these can damage the gemstone. Why Buy Amethyst There are many reasons why someone might want to…
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What Are Lab Grown Diamonds?
…is not, by nature, a fake (in fact it is a beautiful and highly valuable gem). But if it is being sold as a diamond, it becomes a fake. Most gem simulants are trying to imitate diamonds, but there are also simulants for other valuable gemstones (sapphires, rubies, etc.). Here are some of the more popular diamond simulants. Synthetic Rutile was introduced in the late 1940s and used as an early diamond simulant. Next on the man-made diamond simulant play is Strontium Titanate…
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Gem in the Spotlight: Ruby
… 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’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 aluminum oxide with a Moh’s hardness of 9. This makes ruby one of the hardest gems commonly used in jewelry second only to …
