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Fine Jewelry University Articles matching: “ruby”
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Gem in the Spotlight: Ruby
…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 thereby its high cost? Or, is it something deeper? Whatever it is, ruby’s impact on … 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 diamond (which has a Moh’s hardness of 10) and moissanite…
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Gem in the Spotlight: Sapphire
… name from the Greek word for blue, sapphire used to refer to any blue stone. By the late 1800’s, the sapphire and ruby were recognized as gem varieties of corundum. Today sapphire has become the collective name for all colors of the … the word sapphire. Sapphire, a variety of corundum, comes in all colors except red (the red variety being known as ruby), but is especially popular in deep blue. Fancy colored sapphires including pink, green, orange, and golden yellow …
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Synthetic Gems: The Whole Story
Ruby, sapphire, emerald and alexandrite are very beautiful gems and very rare in their stunning beauty. These four gems … this a synthetic gem. Synthetic gems are not bad, fakes, or the curse of a modern society. So a man made synthetic ruby has the same exact chemical formula and crystal structure and optical characteristics as a natural ruby. How can a … to positively identify as synthetic. Both, I feel, are impossible to identify in a piece of jewelry. Synthetic ruby, sapphire, alexandrite and emerald are very complex because there are different ways to make them. The inexpensive way to…
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Gem in the Spotlight: Spinel
…. Because of how easily it can be created in a lab, synthetic spinel has been used to imitate many other gemstones (ruby, sapphire, tourmaline, zircon, etc.). In fact, the ubiquity of synthetic spinel may be part of the reason why most …. Spinel has been mined for over a thousand years, but until 1783 it was confused with more well-known stones like ruby and sapphire. One of the most famous examples of this confusion was with the Black Prince’s Ruby. This stone currently…
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Gem in the Spotlight: Alexandrite
Emerald by day, ruby by night, more expensive than diamond and more illustrious than sapphire, emerald, or even ruby, alexandrite has … of those found in the Ural Mountains. While alexandrite doesn’t have a several thousand-year-old history like ruby, it quickly took the world by storm. Its use in top-quality pieces by companies like Tiffany & Co. and Cartier brought…
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The Birthstones
…June include moonstone, alexandrite, and rhodolite garnet. Learn more about Pearl and Alexandrite July’s Birthstone: Ruby Ruby‘s rarity and beauty has let some call it “the lord of the gems”. Ruby is truly an ancient stone. Many myths and… with passion, the ruby is believed to protect one from being seduced and has the ability to soothe anger. The ruby has always been a symbol of love, charity and victory. The bible states that wisdom is “more precious than rubies”. Rubies…
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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 radar in the gem world and remains the best kept secret of gem collectors … appreciated it for hundreds of years. But, before the advent of modern gemology, most tourmaline was believed to be ruby, sapphire, or emerald. Gemology of Tourmaline Gemologically speaking, tourmaline is its own mineral and not a …
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Gem in the Spotlight: Topaz
…. Topaz itself is a hard gemstone with a Mohs hardness of 8. Mohs hardness is a standardized metric of how difficult it is to scratch something. For reference, topaz is a bit softer than diamond which is a 10 and corundum (sapphire/ruby) which is a 9 on the scale. It is a bit harder than emerald at 7.5-8 and quartz which comes in at 7. Here are some more gemological stats for reference: Refractive index: 1.619 to 1.627 Birefringence: 0.008 to 0.010 Specific gravity: 3….
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How to Sell Your Jewelry
…The two critical factors are the gem itself and the condition. Some gems have a higher value then others. A natural ruby is worth many times more then a synthetic ruby. Diamonds are generally more valuable then amethysts. Knowing your gem…
