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Fine Jewelry University Articles matching: “Loose gems”
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Gem in the Spotlight: Spinel
… of 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 …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 birthstone list. Spinel…
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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…golden, saffron, and colorless. Zircon colors are pure and have that distinctive fire that sets it apart from other gems. The Gemology of Zircon Why does zircon have so much more fire then other colored gems? Zircon has a high refractive …Zircon is also called, imaginatively, Blue Zircon. Blue zircon was a specific favorite in Victorian times, when fine gems were often featured in English estate jewelry dating from the 1880s. Tiffany’s famous gemologist George Kunz was a …
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Types of Jewelry Clasps
…. This is one of the reasons why they are often used on bracelets. CONS Longevity – The tongue (insert) can become loose over time and will need to be adjusted. If the tongue is made out of silver this can happen quite quickly. … clasps, a fold over is only as strong as the tension in the metal that holds it in place. Over time the clasp can loosen and need to be adjusted. Also, like box clasps, this loosening happens much faster with softer metals like sterling …
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Gem in the Spotlight: Ruby
…with a soft brush. Rinse with clear water and examine under good light for any remaining residue. If there is any, repeat the process. You can use an ultrasonic cleaning machine with rubies, but use caution as these machines can cause loose gems to come out of their settings. Remember to dry your ruby jewelry thoroughly before wearing or storing. Why Ruby? Rubies are a truly remarkable gemstone with a long and rich history. From their association with royalty and dragons to …
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Alternative Metals for Men’s Jewelry
…on the Mohs scale of hardness which is the same as Ruby or Sapphire and just below diamond (which is 10). Like these gems, tungsten is very scratch resistant and will not bend out of shape, but it will break if enough shock or pressure is… is currently the only permanently black jewelry that is workable enough to allow the setting of diamond or other gems. Ceramic is another permanently black option (it can even be made a more pure black than Zirconium), but it is too …
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Gem in the Spotlight: Emerald
Springtime exudes life, full of bright colors and renewed energy. Emerald, May’s gemstone, captures this enthusiasm for life in rich elegance. This precious gemstone has been revered for over 4,000 … other quartz varieties. The refractive index of emerald ranges from 1.57 to 1.58, making it a moderately refractive gemstone. Its specific gravity ranges from 2.65 to 2.75. One of the distinctive features of emeralds is that they often … to green than to any other color thereby making it easier on the eyes. Pliny said that emeralds were the only gemstones that delighted the eye without fatiguing it. In fact, Emperor Nero was said to wear a kind of emerald glasses to …
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Gem in the Spotlight: Pearl
… occasions to help them last. Restring Often: Even following all of these rules most pearl strands will stretch, loosen, and discolor over time. We recommend that you have your strand checked once a year. If the silk thread is starting to … of years. Only more recently have cultured pearl farming techniques been introduced that have made these incredible gems more widely accessible. The La Peregrina pearl is one of the most famous natural pearls in the world, and it has a …
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Gem in the Spotlight: Tourmaline
Tourmaline is one of the most beautiful gems that you’ve probably never heard of. Less popular than the likes of ruby or sapphire, tourmaline flies under the …. History and Lore of Tourmaline The name tourmaline comes from the Singhalese word turamali, which means “mixed gems” owing to the fact that the gem can look like many others. Tourmaline was first discovered in 1554 in Brazil when … confused its vibrant green with that of emerald. Thus began a long trend of confusing tourmaline with other gems. Another notable example of this is the “Caesars Ruby,” the 255ct stone in the Russian crown jewels that has been traded …
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Gem in the Spotlight: Tsavorite Garnet
…and lively with a high refractive index giving it excellent sparkle and scintillation. Tsavorite is also a very rare gemstone. It is uncommon to find Tsavorite in sizes larger than five carats, and most faceted stones are below two carats… grossularite doesn’t exactly roll off the tongue. So, a proper name was definitely in order. The nomenclature of gemstones follows certain rules, and according to modern mineralogical methods, gemstones are given a name which ends in “-…
