Search Results
Fine Jewelry University Articles matching: “Transparent”
Showing only FJU Article results. Click here to show all results.
Fine Jewelry University (Show All FJU Articles)
-
Gem in the Spotlight: Spinel
… index of 1.728. In recent years, scientists have developed new techniques to synthesize sheets of optically transparent spinel. This amazing material has applications in high-energy lasers, transparent armor, and missile guidance systems. It …
-
Gem in the Spotlight: Morganite
Morganite is a beautiful, soft pink gemstone and a graceful expression of elegance. It is not a very well-known gem, but it definitely should be. It is pastel or pale in color by nature and known for its transparent peach-pink hue though it also occurs as soft pink, violet-pink, or pale salmon. 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 …
-
Gem in the Spotlight: Iolite
… to reduce glare when checking the sun’s position. The Vikings, according to Norse legend, used iolite called “The Viking Stone” as a polarizing filter to help them find the sun on cloudy days. They may have used a clearer, more transparent variety of the gemstone for this purpose. On a cloudy day, without being able to see the sun, iolite was used to find north. This phenomenon can still be observed today. However, if you ever need to find north, I would recommend a different…
-
The Birthstones
… hearing difficulties. Learn more about Garnet and Tasvorite Garnet February’s Birthstone: Amethyst Amethyst, transparent purple quartz, is the most important quartz variety used in jewelry. Purple has long been considered a royal color so it is… fortune and longevity. According to legend, this golden stone possesses the power to cure many diseases. Citrine, a transparent yellow quartz gem many of the best of which come from Brazil, is a current day birthstone for this month. Learn more…
-
Gem in the Spotlight: Blue Zircon
…other colored gems? Zircon has a high refractive index (1.92-2.01). The refractive index (abbreviated RI) of a gemstone is its optical property that refers to the ratio of the speed of light in a vacuum to the speed of light through a transparent gem. Light is bent as it moves from air to the gem material. This process breaks light into its spectral hues like a rainbow. Then the rainbow effect is broken and focused by the facets of the gem to create the brilliant light show we…
-
Frequently Asked Question about Jewelry
…? Technology is changing the very nature of diamonds. First, new synthetic (man made) diamonds of gem quality are coming into the market now. Next, companies can now change the color of diamonds. They are making the diamonds both more transparent (whiter) and more colorful. Some colors are more vibrant then natural diamonds. Next, some are changing the clarity of diamonds with laser drill and fills. The new fills are getting harder to detect. Key: ask when buying a diamond if …
-
Gem in the Spotlight: Jade
… many different colors including pink, purple (often called lavender jade), blue, black, white, and the most valuable/desirable color: a vibrant green. The finest of all green jadeite colors is a saturated emerald green that is almost transparent, and it is called “Imperial Jade.” Jade is one of the top selling gems in Asia, but its beauty and cultural importance have landed it a spot as one of the most important items in the global gem market. In fact, jadeite is often sold …
-
Learn Secret Diamond Buying Skills From a Professional Diamond Buyer
… color grading. How can you to overcome the color assessment problem? Judging diamond color is actually looking for the absence of color or transparency (except in fancy color diamonds). A letter grade starting with “D” means totally transparent. The scale then moves down the alphabet to the next level of less transparency color. D to F are colorless grades, G-J are near colorless, K-M faint yellow on down the scale to more inner color. Colorless is also called white. The key …
-
Gem in the Spotlight: Opal
… structure which allows them to absorb and evaporate moisture out more readily. Hydrophane opals are much more common from Ethiopia or Mexico and are sometimes called water opals. As they absorb more moisture they can become more transparent and their play of color can become more vibrant. Rapid changes in their moisture content can cause them to crack though, so be careful not to submerge them in water or let them dry out too quickly. Amazingly, hydrophane opals can hold up …
