By Sam Serio
The universe of colored gemstones is endlessly fascinating, for centuries, nearly every culture has held the belief that colored stones possess magical powers or the ability to endow the wearer with certain attributes. Due to the magical powers associated with colored gems, they were used extensively as amulets and talismans, portals to the future; and as important components to many spiritual practices.
Yellow stones when worn by a woman were a sign of generosity. Worn by a man, a yellow stone signaled secrecy (as with a secret lover).
A violet stone worn by a woman indicated lofty thoughts and love of a spiritual nature. For a man, sober judgment, steadfastness, and ambition.
Black stones revealed foolishness and capriciousness in young women, while in married women it showed fidelity, constant love and perseverance. A man wearing a black stone exhibited gravity, common sense, constancy, and inner strength.
Red stones when worn by a women indicated pride, haughtiness, and obstinacy. On a man nobility, command, leadership and vengeance.
Blue stones on a woman exposed jealousy in love, vigilance and social correctness. A man wearing blue stones meant wisdom, lofty thoughts and generosity.
Green stones for a woman meant unfounded ambition, childish delight, and change. Green stones for a man meant joy, lost friendship, and transitory hope.
In our modern world, gemstones are worn primarily for their inherent beauty. An almost endless choice of colors are available.
Red- rubies, garnets, red tourmalines, red diamonds and spinels.
Blue- topaz, blue tourmaline, blue spinel, tanzanite, iolite and even blue diamonds.
Green- emeralds, green garnet (tsavorite) green tourmalines, peridots, green zirconia and diamonds
…and so on
Today the possibilities for self-expression with colored stones are seemingly endless with choices in every price range and for every taste. Whether for fashion, fun or to express your inner feelings, everyone should enjoy the bounty of colorful stones that nature has provided.
For more information on jewelry and gemstones, we cordially invite you to visit http://www.morninglightjewelry.com to pick up your FREE copy of “How To Buy Jewelry And Gemstones Without Being Ripped Off.” This concise, informative special report reveals almost everything you ever wanted to know about jewelry and gemstones, but were afraid to ask. Get your FREE report at http://www.morninglightjewelry.com
Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/?expert=Sam_Serio
Monday, July 28, 2008
Saturday, July 26, 2008
Largest Diamond in the World?
by Robert Genis
Mining industry stories are as big as the “fish that got away” yarns. In August, a giant greenish "diamond" was found in the North West province, Africa at an undisclosed location by Brett Jolly. The province is an area rich in minerals but not noted for its diamonds It is either the greatest diamond find in history, or a case of an extraordinary mistaken identity.
A cell phone photograph began circulating on the internet. It looks like a stage-prop about the size of a coconut. If true, this diamond will be larger than the Cullinan Diamond and some say “the eighth wonder of the world”. The 3,106.75 carat Cullinan was found in South Africa in 1905 and is now a part of the Britain’s Crown Gems. The new diamond is reported to weigh over 7,000 carats.
Brett Jolly
Brett Jolly is an elusive person and Information about him is hard to come by. Jolly's background is as a property developer in Cape Town, where a timeshare company he founded became embroiled in legal difficulties. Media reports based on court papers revealed how five of the directors went on a trip to Las Vegas when Jolly alleged the company’s finances were in chaos. His new group's website is off line, but archived copies show it says it can multiply the value of property ten times, at no cost to the owner. The following year, Jolly became the CEO of a controversial waterfront development in Swakopmund, Namibia, a US $45 million project that reportedly became mired in litigation and debt.
Prediction
Around 1900, a famous Afrikaner prophet Siener van Rensburg said that such a diamond would be found in the area of stone’s discovery. It would be known as the "skaapkop" diamond because it was shaped like a sheep's head. The prophecy was that two brothers would find the Skaapkop diamond and only one would make it. It is not known whether Brett Jolly has any siblings.
Positive:
The photograph of the stone does seem to have octahedral-like characteristics. Some contend it is possible a large stone could be found in the North West province. Some geologists say the typical light green color is typical of diamonds from Zimbabwe. Jolly said he put the stone against an angle-grinder and the stone was left unblemished.
Negative:
Excitement over the "world's biggest diamond" quickly faded into skepticism over the genuine value of the find. Diamond experts contend no way that the glass block in the photo is a diamond that has been produced from either an alluvial or kimberlite ore body. Diamond experts are skeptical that a stone of such weight and size could be from an area where usually only alluvial stones are discovered. There is also the question of the stone’s near-perfect appearance. Some contend it looks like a fluorite crystal, which is only 4 in hardness.
Conclusion
The President of the World Federation of Diamond Bourses Ernest Blom will be the first person to examine the stone. if natural, Blom said that it would be "the holy grail of diamonds" - and most certainly the largest of its kind ever discovered. The 7,000 carat light green stone is sitting in a bank vault in Johannesburg at press time
Monday, July 21, 2008
Identifying Gemstones
By Solomon Onwude
In gemstone identification, you have to first of all ask your self: to what extent you intend going on this (gemstone collection).
Now, there are two kinds of gem identification tasks: determinative and confirmative.
Determinative ID is when someone hands you a rough piece of rock and asks what it is.
Confirmative identification is when someone wants to sell you a stone - usually already cut - and you want to confirm that the gem is as advertised.
Determinative identification skills may take many years to develop, and may involve the use of an array of expensive equipment for measuring everything from density to various optical properties or even thermal conductance.
Confirmative identification of gems is much easier to learn and may often be accomplished without any tools at all other than your eyes.
Gemology has been defined as the "scientific study of gemstones" There may be investors whose only interest is in the value of the stones, but if they ever need to distinguish one gem from another, they are dealing with science. It is nearly almost impossible to remove science from gemstone identification!
There are several different categories of gemologist - jewelers, goldsmiths, lapidary, faceters, gem scientist. All these people identify gemstones for various reasons and they use several different techniques in order to achieve this.
Some simple tests that could help you identify gemstones include: Scratch tests, where the unknown is scratched by various substances, will determine its hardness. Other useful tests are the reaction to acids and the flame of a blow torch. These are categorized as destructive tests and are obviously inappropriate for cut gems.
It has been said and written that: For centuries it was the lapidary who was in a position to most easily recognize the differences in like appearing gems. During the cutting process gems get viewed intently, a perspective that no other gemologist has. Identifying inclusions are given a lot of attention, then as many as possible removed. Differences in hardness are readily apparent when cutting and polishing, as are other characteristics.
... A method needed to be devised where cut gems could be identified without damage. To this end scientists began to first, identify the measurable physical and optical properties of our gems. Next they devised instruments to measure these properties. There was a long process of systematically measuring and recording these properties so they could be looked up. (Though well established, this is actually an ongoing process.) Eventually all this got put together into methods that could be used by people without extensive scientific backgrounds or large and expensive laboratory equipment.
... That is not to say that it doesn't require substantial education to identify gems. It is a large and complex subject that is continuing to increase in complexity as new gems are discovered and new ones are created in the laboratory. However, one doesn't need a degree in chemistry or physics to simply measure the properties of our gems. The most esoteric part was discovering those properties and creating the tools to measure them.
Finally, I would like to share a simple method of gem identification with you: "the Hodgkinson method of gem identification" - Its the dirty version though - after Alan Hodgkinson. All you need are your eyes and some clean hands. Pick up a stone in question and hold it up very close to your eye so that you can look into the table. You must hold it very close without touching - almost like inserting a contact lens, but again not touching. Look literally through the stone at a distant source of light such as a lamp or light bulb. You will see a number of reflections of the distant light source as they bounce around within the stone.
Roll the stone around its axis and tilt it slightly while watching the reflections. Due to the refractive properties of gemstones, each reflection will to some extent appear as a small rainbow. This is a single one of those rainbows as it appears looking through a spinel at the filament of a clear light bulb about 6 feet away:
Depending on the gem material in question, that rainbow will have varying properties. If the gem is doubly refractive you are likely to see doubled or ghosted (rainbow) images. Because the gem may be cut in any orientation with respect to the crystal structure (which is responsible for these phenomenon) you may have to examine the stone from a variety of angles to be sure whether it is doubly refractive OR NOT.
Hope you find some of these exciting and not boring...
Cheers
Solomon
Global Roughs Inc
http://www.globalroughs.com
Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/?expert=Solomon_Onwude
In gemstone identification, you have to first of all ask your self: to what extent you intend going on this (gemstone collection).
Now, there are two kinds of gem identification tasks: determinative and confirmative.
Determinative ID is when someone hands you a rough piece of rock and asks what it is.
Confirmative identification is when someone wants to sell you a stone - usually already cut - and you want to confirm that the gem is as advertised.
Determinative identification skills may take many years to develop, and may involve the use of an array of expensive equipment for measuring everything from density to various optical properties or even thermal conductance.
Confirmative identification of gems is much easier to learn and may often be accomplished without any tools at all other than your eyes.
Gemology has been defined as the "scientific study of gemstones" There may be investors whose only interest is in the value of the stones, but if they ever need to distinguish one gem from another, they are dealing with science. It is nearly almost impossible to remove science from gemstone identification!
There are several different categories of gemologist - jewelers, goldsmiths, lapidary, faceters, gem scientist. All these people identify gemstones for various reasons and they use several different techniques in order to achieve this.
Some simple tests that could help you identify gemstones include: Scratch tests, where the unknown is scratched by various substances, will determine its hardness. Other useful tests are the reaction to acids and the flame of a blow torch. These are categorized as destructive tests and are obviously inappropriate for cut gems.
It has been said and written that: For centuries it was the lapidary who was in a position to most easily recognize the differences in like appearing gems. During the cutting process gems get viewed intently, a perspective that no other gemologist has. Identifying inclusions are given a lot of attention, then as many as possible removed. Differences in hardness are readily apparent when cutting and polishing, as are other characteristics.
... A method needed to be devised where cut gems could be identified without damage. To this end scientists began to first, identify the measurable physical and optical properties of our gems. Next they devised instruments to measure these properties. There was a long process of systematically measuring and recording these properties so they could be looked up. (Though well established, this is actually an ongoing process.) Eventually all this got put together into methods that could be used by people without extensive scientific backgrounds or large and expensive laboratory equipment.
... That is not to say that it doesn't require substantial education to identify gems. It is a large and complex subject that is continuing to increase in complexity as new gems are discovered and new ones are created in the laboratory. However, one doesn't need a degree in chemistry or physics to simply measure the properties of our gems. The most esoteric part was discovering those properties and creating the tools to measure them.
Finally, I would like to share a simple method of gem identification with you: "the Hodgkinson method of gem identification" - Its the dirty version though - after Alan Hodgkinson. All you need are your eyes and some clean hands. Pick up a stone in question and hold it up very close to your eye so that you can look into the table. You must hold it very close without touching - almost like inserting a contact lens, but again not touching. Look literally through the stone at a distant source of light such as a lamp or light bulb. You will see a number of reflections of the distant light source as they bounce around within the stone.
Roll the stone around its axis and tilt it slightly while watching the reflections. Due to the refractive properties of gemstones, each reflection will to some extent appear as a small rainbow. This is a single one of those rainbows as it appears looking through a spinel at the filament of a clear light bulb about 6 feet away:
Depending on the gem material in question, that rainbow will have varying properties. If the gem is doubly refractive you are likely to see doubled or ghosted (rainbow) images. Because the gem may be cut in any orientation with respect to the crystal structure (which is responsible for these phenomenon) you may have to examine the stone from a variety of angles to be sure whether it is doubly refractive OR NOT.
Hope you find some of these exciting and not boring...
Cheers
Solomon
Global Roughs Inc
http://www.globalroughs.com
Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/?expert=Solomon_Onwude
Understanding Gemstones
By Eric Hartwell
While most people think of gemstones as minerals, the fact is, they are not. Gemstones, by definition, are substances such as rocks (e.g. lapis lazuli or onyx), petrified substances such as amber (which is fossilized tree sap), minerals (diamonds or emeralds) and organically-grown substances (pearls or coral) that are either collectible (as in having or acquiring value) or used in jewelry.
Gemstones have traditionally been divided into precious (or ‘cardinal gems’) stones, classified as such through a combination of rarity, historical significance, or religious or ceremonial use, or semi-precious stones. Customarily, only five stones are called “precious” – diamonds, rubies, sapphires, emeralds and amethysts. In current usage, however, gemologists classify all stones as precious although – as George Orwell once put it, “some things are more equal than others” – some gemstones (especially sapphires, emeralds, rubies and diamonds) are considered more valuable than others.
Gemstones by Cut and Polish
Of the more than 2000 natural minerals identified, fewer than 100 are classified as gemstones, and of these, only 16 have gained any importance – and almost none of these are used in their natural state. All have to be cut and polished to enhance their beauty and features.
The two major classifications for cutting stones are as cabochons, which are dome-like, smooth stones (usually done to opaque stones such as opals, turquoise or onyx), and faceted (applied to ‘transparent’ stones, especially the five habitually classified as precious stones), where small ‘windows’ are cut in the stone at planned angles at regular intervals, which shows the stone’s optical properties to best advantage. Reflected light is maximized, being seen by the viewer as the sparkle which ‘separates’ the cardinal gems from everyone else. The faceting method is applied to ‘transparent’ gemstones like diamonds, emeralds and rubies.
This is part of the reason why the transparent gemstones like diamonds, rubies emeralds and sapphires are so expensive and valuable – great care and planning go into the cutting of the facets and the polishing of the stones. If the angles are too shallow or too steep – or placed at the wrong intervals – light passing through the stone will not be reflected back to the viewer, and the stone’s quality and value are negated.
Treatments Applied to Gemstones
Gemstones are sometimes subjected to various ‘treatments’ intended to enhance color quality or clarity. Among the standard treatments used are:
- Heating the stones, mostly aquamarine, sapphires and rubies, in order to improve their color and clarity. Aquamarine, for example, is heat-treated in order to remove yellows in order to bring out a purer blue.
- Radiation has also been applied to blue topaz, especially the lighter and darker shades to change the white color to an even blue. Some colorless diamonds have turned green, rose quartz turns brown and decolorized amethyst have turned back to their original rich purple. The downside to this treatment is that some color changes are not permanent – and the stone may become radioactive.
- “Waxing” emeralds and turquoise is a long-standing practice, intended to disguise the natural cracks that many of these stones have. The wax or oil used is often colored so as to enhance the stone’s clarity
Eric Hartwell oversees "The World's Best Homepage" intended to be a user-generated resource where YOUR opinion counts. Anybody can contribute and all are welcomed. Visit us to read, comment upon or share opinions on marriage and relationships and visit our associated site articles for free.
Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/?expert=Eric_Hartwell
While most people think of gemstones as minerals, the fact is, they are not. Gemstones, by definition, are substances such as rocks (e.g. lapis lazuli or onyx), petrified substances such as amber (which is fossilized tree sap), minerals (diamonds or emeralds) and organically-grown substances (pearls or coral) that are either collectible (as in having or acquiring value) or used in jewelry.
Gemstones have traditionally been divided into precious (or ‘cardinal gems’) stones, classified as such through a combination of rarity, historical significance, or religious or ceremonial use, or semi-precious stones. Customarily, only five stones are called “precious” – diamonds, rubies, sapphires, emeralds and amethysts. In current usage, however, gemologists classify all stones as precious although – as George Orwell once put it, “some things are more equal than others” – some gemstones (especially sapphires, emeralds, rubies and diamonds) are considered more valuable than others.
Gemstones by Cut and Polish
Of the more than 2000 natural minerals identified, fewer than 100 are classified as gemstones, and of these, only 16 have gained any importance – and almost none of these are used in their natural state. All have to be cut and polished to enhance their beauty and features.
The two major classifications for cutting stones are as cabochons, which are dome-like, smooth stones (usually done to opaque stones such as opals, turquoise or onyx), and faceted (applied to ‘transparent’ stones, especially the five habitually classified as precious stones), where small ‘windows’ are cut in the stone at planned angles at regular intervals, which shows the stone’s optical properties to best advantage. Reflected light is maximized, being seen by the viewer as the sparkle which ‘separates’ the cardinal gems from everyone else. The faceting method is applied to ‘transparent’ gemstones like diamonds, emeralds and rubies.
This is part of the reason why the transparent gemstones like diamonds, rubies emeralds and sapphires are so expensive and valuable – great care and planning go into the cutting of the facets and the polishing of the stones. If the angles are too shallow or too steep – or placed at the wrong intervals – light passing through the stone will not be reflected back to the viewer, and the stone’s quality and value are negated.
Treatments Applied to Gemstones
Gemstones are sometimes subjected to various ‘treatments’ intended to enhance color quality or clarity. Among the standard treatments used are:
- Heating the stones, mostly aquamarine, sapphires and rubies, in order to improve their color and clarity. Aquamarine, for example, is heat-treated in order to remove yellows in order to bring out a purer blue.
- Radiation has also been applied to blue topaz, especially the lighter and darker shades to change the white color to an even blue. Some colorless diamonds have turned green, rose quartz turns brown and decolorized amethyst have turned back to their original rich purple. The downside to this treatment is that some color changes are not permanent – and the stone may become radioactive.
- “Waxing” emeralds and turquoise is a long-standing practice, intended to disguise the natural cracks that many of these stones have. The wax or oil used is often colored so as to enhance the stone’s clarity
Eric Hartwell oversees "The World's Best Homepage" intended to be a user-generated resource where YOUR opinion counts. Anybody can contribute and all are welcomed. Visit us to read, comment upon or share opinions on marriage and relationships and visit our associated site articles for free.
Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/?expert=Eric_Hartwell
Buying Gemstones Without Being Ripped Off
By Sam Serio
Buying gemstone jewelry can be fun, exciting and confusing. Whether you’re considering a gift of gemstone jewelry for someone special or as a treat for yourself, take some time to learn the terms used in the industry. Here’s some information to help you get the best quality gemstone jewelry for your money, whether you’re shopping in a traditional brick and mortar store or online.
Gemstones
Natural gemstones are found in nature. Laboratory-created stones, as the name implies, are made in a laboratory. These stones, which also are referred to as laboratory-grown, {name of manufacturer} - created, or synthetic, have essentially the same chemical, physical and visual properties as natural gemstones. Laboratory-created stones do not have the rarity of naturally colored stones and they are less expensive than naturally mined stones. By contrast, imitation stones look like natural stones in appearance only, and may be glass, plastic, or less costly stones. Laboratory-created and imitation stones should be clearly identified as such.
Gemstones may be measured by weight, size, or both. The basic unit for weighing gemstones is the carat, which is equal to one-fifth 91/5th) of a gram. Carats are divided into 100 units, called points. For example, a half-carat gemstone would weigh .50 carats or 50 points. When gemstones are measured by dimensions, the size is expressed in millimeters (for example,
7x5 millimeters).
Gemstone treatments or enhancements refer to the way some gems are treated to improve their appearance or durability, or even change their color. Many gemstones are treated in some way. The effects of some treatments may lessen or change over time and some treated stones may require special care. Some enhancements also affect the value of a stone, when measured against a comparable untreated stone.
Jewelers should tell you whether the gemstone you’re considering has been treated when: the treatment is not permanent; the treated stone requires special care; or the treatment significantly affects the value of the gemstone.
Some common treatments that you may be told about and their effects include:
• Heating can lighten, darken or change the color of some gems, or improve a gemstone’s clarity.
• Irradiation can add more color to colored diamonds, certain other gemstones and pearls.
• Impregnating some gems with colorless oils, wax or resins makes a variety of imperfections less visible and can improve the gemstones’ clarity and appearance.
• Fracture filling hides cracks or fractures in gems by injecting colorless plastic or glass into the cracks and improves the gemstones’ appearance and durability.
• Diffusion treatment adds color to the surface of colorless gems; the center of the stone remains colorless.
• Dyeing adds color and improves color uniformity in some gemstones and pearls.
• Bleaching lightens and whitens some gems, including jade and pearls.
For more information on jewelry and gemstones, we cordially invite you to visit http://www.morninglightjewelry.com to pick up your FREE copy of “How To Buy Jewelry And Gemstones Without Being Ripped Off.” This concise, informative special report reveals almost everything you ever wanted to know about jewelry and gemstones, but were afraid to ask. Get your FREE report at http://www.morninglightjewelry.com
Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/?expert=Sam_Serio
Buying gemstone jewelry can be fun, exciting and confusing. Whether you’re considering a gift of gemstone jewelry for someone special or as a treat for yourself, take some time to learn the terms used in the industry. Here’s some information to help you get the best quality gemstone jewelry for your money, whether you’re shopping in a traditional brick and mortar store or online.
Gemstones
Natural gemstones are found in nature. Laboratory-created stones, as the name implies, are made in a laboratory. These stones, which also are referred to as laboratory-grown, {name of manufacturer} - created, or synthetic, have essentially the same chemical, physical and visual properties as natural gemstones. Laboratory-created stones do not have the rarity of naturally colored stones and they are less expensive than naturally mined stones. By contrast, imitation stones look like natural stones in appearance only, and may be glass, plastic, or less costly stones. Laboratory-created and imitation stones should be clearly identified as such.
Gemstones may be measured by weight, size, or both. The basic unit for weighing gemstones is the carat, which is equal to one-fifth 91/5th) of a gram. Carats are divided into 100 units, called points. For example, a half-carat gemstone would weigh .50 carats or 50 points. When gemstones are measured by dimensions, the size is expressed in millimeters (for example,
7x5 millimeters).
Gemstone treatments or enhancements refer to the way some gems are treated to improve their appearance or durability, or even change their color. Many gemstones are treated in some way. The effects of some treatments may lessen or change over time and some treated stones may require special care. Some enhancements also affect the value of a stone, when measured against a comparable untreated stone.
Jewelers should tell you whether the gemstone you’re considering has been treated when: the treatment is not permanent; the treated stone requires special care; or the treatment significantly affects the value of the gemstone.
Some common treatments that you may be told about and their effects include:
• Heating can lighten, darken or change the color of some gems, or improve a gemstone’s clarity.
• Irradiation can add more color to colored diamonds, certain other gemstones and pearls.
• Impregnating some gems with colorless oils, wax or resins makes a variety of imperfections less visible and can improve the gemstones’ clarity and appearance.
• Fracture filling hides cracks or fractures in gems by injecting colorless plastic or glass into the cracks and improves the gemstones’ appearance and durability.
• Diffusion treatment adds color to the surface of colorless gems; the center of the stone remains colorless.
• Dyeing adds color and improves color uniformity in some gemstones and pearls.
• Bleaching lightens and whitens some gems, including jade and pearls.
For more information on jewelry and gemstones, we cordially invite you to visit http://www.morninglightjewelry.com to pick up your FREE copy of “How To Buy Jewelry And Gemstones Without Being Ripped Off.” This concise, informative special report reveals almost everything you ever wanted to know about jewelry and gemstones, but were afraid to ask. Get your FREE report at http://www.morninglightjewelry.com
Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/?expert=Sam_Serio
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