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Fine Jewelry University Articles matching: “Blue stones”
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Fine Jewelry University (Show All FJU Articles)
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Gem in the Spotlight: Blue Zircon
Zircon may be last in the alphabet of gemstones, but it is first in sparkle. The crystal structure of zircon creates one of the liveliest displays found in any … of Zircon Since it has been known from antiquity, Zircon has a rich mythology. Zircon is one of December’s birthstones. In the middle ages, Zircon was said to aid in resting, induce sound sleep, drive away evil spirits, bring prosperity, … Zircon care and cleaning is simple: avoid steamers or ultrasonic cleaners. This is particularly important with stones that may have been color enhanced (like most Blue Zircon). Also, avoid the use of harsh cleaning chemicals or agents, …
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Gem in the Spotlight: Tanzanite
… majority (current estimates are around 95%) of tanzanite is heat treated to help bring out the vibrant blues. The stones that haven’t been heated by humans were heated through natural effects while they were still underground. Without … isn’t heated and is still pretty enough for jewelry displays trichroism. Trichroism is an effect that causes gemstones to display different colors when viewed at different angles. Tanzanite in its raw form has three colors: blue, purple, …
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Gem in the Spotlight: Aquamarine
… was believed to guarantee a happy marriage and inspire mutual fidelity in newlyweds. Notable Aquamarine Gemstones The largest gem-quality aquamarine gemstone ever mined was 19 inches long. The largest cut aquamarine is named the Dom Pedro …. Her tiara is an exquisite piece of platinum jewelry that has evolved several times over the years. Having larger stones swapped in and exchanging her pendant for the center stone in the tiara. The tiara is one of only a few items of …
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Gem in the Spotlight: Topaz
… be taken to avoid rapid cooling or heating. Topaz is the birthstone for November and blue topaz is one of the birthstones for December. We have a great variety of topaz jewelry in stock at our everyday low prices. They make great gifts for… comes to mind when I hear people discussing Topaz. You can hear one person say, “I love Topaz; it reminds me of a blue sky.” Then her friend says back, “Topaz may be like a golden sunset, but not the sky.” A third friend will chime in, “…
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Gem in the Spotlight: Tourmaline
… F. Kunz. He documented reports about the tourmaline deposits of Maine and California and praised the quality of the stones they produced. Along with opal, tourmaline is October’s birthstone. Care and Cleaning of Tourmaline Tourmaline makes… daily wear. Because it isn’t exceptionally hard (Mohs hardness of 7-7.5), it should be stored away from other gemstones that could potentially damage it. Tourmaline should not be put into an ultrasonic cleaner or steam cleaned, and should …
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Gem in the Spotlight: Sapphire
…, which measures 10 on the Mohs scale, sapphire and ruby (9 on the Mohs scale) are the toughest and most durable gemstones. This toughness makes the sapphire a long lasting piece of jewelry as well as a useful industrial tool. One last … for thousands of years. Kings and queens have always believed that sapphires represent divine favor. The color blue was considered sacred and was worn by priests to show their connection to the sky and heaven. Sapphires were set in the …
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The Magic of Polarized Light
… Polarizing filters are critical to many fields of study. Without them, we wouldn’t be able to easily identify gemstones, TVs and monitors wouldn’t work in the same way, and the latest blockbuster movie wouldn’t pop off the screen the way … them to function efficiently as they do without negative side effects. Using Polarized Light in Gemology Some gemstones, due to their unique chemical structure, actually polarize light themselves. These gems are doubly refractive (DR) and …
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Gem in the Spotlight: Iolite
Iolite is maybe not the first gemstone people think of for their blue-violet jewelry, but it should be near the top of the list. Iolite’s color range of blue, blue-violet, and violet … endeavors. Iolite is a special gemstone that is absolutely wonderful in jewelry. The subtle range of hues from blue to violet makes for elegant rings, pendants, and earrings. All in all, iolite is a great value
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Gem in the Spotlight: Spinel
…For years spinel has been confused with other gems and even today is often used as a substitute for similar looking stones. In recent years, spinel has started to move out of the shadows and be appreciated in its own right, and we can see … found in. 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 …
