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The History of Diamond Cuts
…of changing the shape of a diamond began. In the 15th century cutters would saw off part of the octahedron to create what is called a table. The table is the big center facet of a diamond. The creative name for this shape is the Table Cut… important diamond cut is the French cut. The French cut is a square or rectangular cut diamond. It appears square when viewed from above because it is based off the octahedral shape of the natural diamond. The French cut has just 9 crown…
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Gem in the Spotlight: Ruby
For much of human history, 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 …precious stones” in the ancient language of Sanskrit. Rubies get their name from the Latin word “ruber,” which means red. This is also where rubellite tourmaline (the red variety of tourmaline) gets its name. Pliny the Elder mentioned …may have been filled or treated to hide surface scratches or inclusion. Avoid using household chemicals or abrasives when wearing them. Ruby jewelry can be wiped with a soft, dry cloth often to remove dust and residue that will mar its …
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Anatomy of a Ring
Knowing the different parts of a ring can help you make a better decision when choosing a new ring and it can help you know when your ring may need maintenance. It’s also a fun way to impress …to start at the point that the design stops. A jeweler will usually add or remove metal from the bottom of the shank when sizing a ring. This can sometimes be done so well that you would never know it was sized looking at the shank with …far up the sides as the design and the extent of the wear require. If you are careful with your rings (removing them when doing dishes, cleaning with harsh chemicals, gardening, etc.), the shank may last your lifetime and beyond. But, …
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The Magic of Polarized Light
We use polarized light on a daily basis when we put on our sunglasses, turn on our TV, or sit down at our computer. But, what is polarized light exactly, and why…turns out that polarized light is actually a very useful tool in gemology, and in this article we’ll show you why. What Is Polarized Light? Light from almost any light source travels in many different directions, and the vibrations around…in the same direction. One of the most common occurrences of this in nature is sunlight reflecting off of the water. When the light bounces off of the surface, that reflected light is partially polarized. This is because some of the rays …
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How Are Lab Grown Diamonds Made?
… the imagination of scientists and visionaries alike. Just like the alchemists of old who sought to turn lead into gold, many have tried to achieve this impressive feat. We have only recently been able to produce gem quality, lab grown … they had the idea to grow diamonds in the lab like they grew in nature. High Pressure High Temperature Diamonds How does nature form diamond crystals? Nature does it very deep underground. Diamond growing naturally takes place about 100 …
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How to Value Inherited Jewelry
When a loved one passes away, among all of the other challenges and difficulties, there comes the need to divide the …the item, the photo in the ad, and a million more factors the seller may only find a buyer willing to pay $800. This does not change the jewelry value. It simply means that the current owner could only find a willing buyer at that price. …on how much it would cost to replace the jewelry item with a new one. It is not the value of the jewelry itself, but what a new jewelry item like the piece would cost. As a classic example, under a replacement price standard of value a …
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Gem in the Spotlight: Opal
… (see above). Other names for this kind of opal include: jelly opal and water opal. Australian Opal: This is a somewhat vague term that can be used to describe any opal that comes from Australia. In everyday conversation, some people use …use it to refer to black opals. Because of this, we typically avoid this term and use one of the more specific names whenever possible. Mexican Fire Opal: Known for its vibrant orange body color, many of these stones have little to no …
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Fake Diamonds: The Great Diamond Attack
… would try to find out who was the real person. Technology has created many new diamonds and diamond lookalikes. “What is a real diamond?” is a difficult question these days. And the problem of separating a fully natural diamond from all … uses of this man made gem are in the pipeline. The Big Bad Synthetic In the gem world we use words with particular meanings. Synthetic is one of those words. Synthetic, in the gem world, means made of the same chemicals (elements) and …
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Gem in the Spotlight: Spinel
… the most overlooked and underappreciated gemstone of all time. Spinel was first made in a lab over 100 years ago when scientists who were trying to synthesize blue sapphire wound up creating spinel by mistake. Since then many processes …the Black Prince’s Ruby. This stone currently sits at the front of the Imperial State Crown of the United Kingdom. When it was given to Edward of Woodstock in 1367 it was thought to be a ruby. It wasn’t for nearly 400 years that it was …
