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Gem in the Spotlight: Quartz

FJU Category: Gemstones | Tags: Amethyst, Citrine, Gem Spotlight, Gemology, Onyx, Prasiolite, Quartz

…well known but surprising? What is affordably priced sometimes and sometimes unattainably expensive? If you answered quartz to all these questions you would be right (but naturally you looked at the title and knew). Quartz is one of the … earth. Many quartz varieties are cut into gemstones, but some varieties are very rare. Some are ordinary like rock quartz, others are exotic like Drusy Quartz. Some quartz material is a dollar per pound while others are $1,000+ per carat. …

Gem in the Spotlight: Amethyst

FJU Category: Gemstones | Tags: Amethyst, Folklore, Gem Spotlight, Gemology, Jewelry History

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 surprising that amethyst has … which means that it can withstand daily wear and tear. Amethyst has the same refractive index as other varieties of quartz at 1.54-1.55 and is doubly refractive. It has a vitreous polish luster and its specific gravity is 2.66. Its …tribute to the goddess Diana. In order to protect Amethyst, Diana turned her into a statue made of pure, crystalline quartz. Dionysus, upon seeing the stunning statue, wept tears of wine in remorse for his actions. These tears stained the …

FJU Category: Gemstones | Tags: Gemology, Moissanite, Synthetic Gemstones

… made silicon carbide. In gemology, any material used to look like a gem is called a simulant. So clear glass, rock quartz, GGG, and Moissanite are all diamond simulants. They look like diamonds, but they are not diamonds. These simulants … millions of dollars worth of equipment and world class personnel. Synthetic diamonds on the high end and synthetic quartz on the low end are both very difficult to positively identify as synthetic. Both, I feel, are impossible to identify …

Gem in the Spotlight: Aquamarine

FJU Category: Gemstones | Tags: Aquamarine, Birthstones, Colored Gemstones, Folklore, Gem Spotlight, Gemology

…. Aquamarine has a refractive index of 1.577 to 1.583 and is doubly refractive. Aquamarine’s specific gravity is 2.72 and it has a Mohs hardness of 7.5-8.0. For comparison, this means that it is softer than Sapphire, harder than Quartz, and similar to Topaz. This makes it a very durable stone that is suitable for regular wear. But, care should still be taken to ensure that the stone is not damaged. Caring For and Cleaning Aquamarine To maintain the brilliance of this …

Gem in the Spotlight: Spinel

FJU Category: Gemstones | Tags: Colored Gemstones, Folklore, Gem Spotlight, Gemology, Jewelry History, Spinel, Synthetic Gemstones

… like us. Spinel can be stored with other jewelry but like with all precious stones, it should be treated and stored with care. Its Mohs hardness of 8 puts it on par with Topaz. It’s softer than diamond or sapphire but harder than quartz, tourmaline, and peridot. With proper care there’s no reason why a piece of spinel jewelry can’t last for generations even becoming a treasured family heirloom. Why Spinel? Despite its long history spinel is relatively new to jewelry in …

Alternative Metals for Men’s Jewelry

FJU Category: Jewelry Metals | Tags: Alternative Metals, Black Band, Non-Traditional

…. As a frame of reference, cobalt rings come in around 7-8 on the Mohs hardness scale which is about the same as quartz or topaz but softer than tungsten or sapphire. Like most alternative metals, cobalt chrome bands are hypoallergenic and … for low grade pieces with more nickel Cobalt Looks like white gold or platinum, hypoallergenic Cut in 2 places 7-8, quartz or topaz Scratches more easily than others Carbon Fiber Light weight, modern look Cut NA Can feel “too light” …