Search Results
Fine Jewelry University Articles matching: “synthetic ruby”
Showing only FJU Article results. Click here to show all results.
Fine Jewelry University (Show All FJU Articles)
-
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…
-
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…
-
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 …
-
How to Sell Your Jewelry
…99% determined by the gem. On the other hand the gem could add zero to the value. 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’s grade and rarity will help with understanding its value. The condition of the gem is critical to the value. Some chips and abrasions can justify the repolishing …
-
Gem in the Spotlight: Blue Zircon
… edges. Treat your zircon with care and it can sparkle for many years and even be passed down through the generations. Final Thoughts Zircon has one major problem not of its own making. It is often confused with Cubic Zirconia, a synthetic diamond simulant. Cubic Zirconia, also known as CZ, is even incorrectly shortened to zircon by some. The situation is made even more confusing by the fact that in the past, zircon, like CZ, was also used as a diamond simulant. This only …
-
Frequently Asked Question about Jewelry
…, the Dollar Value can easily change considerably over a relatively short period of time. Appraisals are most often used for insurance purposes. What’s new with diamonds? 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 …
-
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….
-
Gem in the Spotlight: Amethyst
… the world. Heavily increased supply dropped prices consistently over the last 200 years which is why, despite its beauty, amethyst is such an affordable stone today. About 50% of amethysts on the world market are now believed to be synthetic. This is a fairly recent discovery as many low cost, high quality, deeply colored amethysts are now appearing in inexpensive jewelry. Because the cost of testing is higher than the cost of even the natural stones it is not often …
-
Gem in the Spotlight: Tanzanite
…, but still part of the equation, are the cut and clarity. As with all colored gems, the value of tanzanite comes from its color. Tanzanite has a Moh’s hardness of 6-7, making it about the same hardness as quartz, softer than ruby, sapphire and emerald and hard than opal. Tanzanite has a refractive index of 1.69-1.70. History and Lore of Tanzanite Tanzanite was originally discovered in 1967 in Tanzania, near Mount Kilimanjaro, by a Maasai tribesman named Ali Juuyawatu, …
