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Fine Jewelry University Articles matching: “Green gem”
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Fine Jewelry University (Show All FJU Articles)
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How to Clean Pearl Jewelry
… symbols of purity and chastity. But even symbols of purity get dirty from time to time. As you know pearls are produced when a mollusk secretes nacre to form a covering around a foreign body in its shell. Pearls are not as durable as gemstones produced by the heaving pressure beneath the earth’s surface. Therefore special attention should be used when cleaning them. Pearls should be the last thing that you put on and the first thing that you take off. Common personal …
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How Are Lab Grown Diamonds Made?
… to turn lead into gold, many have tried to achieve this impressive feat. We have only recently been able to produce gem quality, lab grown diamonds that are large enough to be used in jewelry. But, how is it done? Early Efforts … so making artificial carbon crystal was the problem of lab grown diamonds. For decades, manufacturers of synthetic gemstones tried growing diamonds like they grew rubies, sapphires, and emeralds. It failed. Then they had the idea to …
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Gem in the Spotlight: Ruby
For much of human history, rubies have been the 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? … deeper? Whatever it is, ruby’s impact on humanity is broad and deep, with arguably the richest history of all gemstones. Gemology of Ruby Rubies are in the corundum gem family along with sapphires. Corundum is an extremely durable form … too pink, they are called purple sapphires or pink sapphires, respectively. Since sapphires and rubies are the same gem material, they also share a refractive index of 1.762-1.770 and a specific gravity of 4.00. A unique optical …
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How to Tell If a Diamond Is Natural or Lab Grown
…best indicators of whether a diamond is lab grown is whether or not it is a Type IIa diamond. Type IIa is actually a gemological variant of the diamond that relates to how pure the carbon is that makes up the diamond. In nature, less … Type IIa. So, if a diamond is Type IIa, that’s a pretty good indication that it is lab grown. However, like any gemological test, the Type IIa test is only an indicator for the gemologist to use. There are lab grown diamonds that are …
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What Are Lab Grown Diamonds?
…copied, unreal, or even imitation. But, in this context, what do we mean when we say “synthetic diamond”? In the gemological world, synthetic is a highly technical term. When speaking technically, synthetic gems are man-made crystals … structure and chemical composition as a natural diamond. The same cannot be said of the many imitation or fake gems that are often, incorrectly, described as synthetic diamonds. This misrepresentation has seriously confused what the …
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Frequently Asked Question about Jewelry
… in general. If you have a question you’d like answered, please contact us and we would be happy to help. What is a Gemologist? A gemologist is one who studies gems and jewelry scientifically, who knows and identifies them, can judge the… their beauty and value, and can apply this knowledge. This training and experience combine to make a gemologist. A gemologist like other professionals must keep up with current advancements in the field. The pace of change in the gem …
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Gem in the Spotlight: Jade
… toughness, can be carved, and can be taken to a high polish. Nephrite is commonly found in a darker olive green color but can also be very light green, orangey-red, black, and yellowish green. Jadeite can come in many different colors … pink, purple (often called lavender jade), blue, black, white, and the most valuable/desirable color: a vibrant green. The finest of all green jadeite colors is a saturated emerald green that is almost transparent, and it is called “…
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Gem in the Spotlight: Alexandrite
… Alexandrite is the extremely rare, color-change variety of a gem species called Chrysoberyl. It appears bluish-green in daylight, fluorescent light, and some LED light. Under incandescent light, candle, and firelight, alexandrite appears … interacts with alexandrite’s crystal structure. It absorbs most wavelengths of light very well, only transmitting green and red light. This means that depending on the light source the stone will reflect more of the accent colors of light…
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Gem in the Spotlight: Tanzanite
… different colors when viewed at different angles. Tanzanite in its raw form has three colors: blue, purple, and green. Heating removes the green component which makes the violetish blue color pop (although technically speaking it doesn’t …present. Raw, unheated tanzanite is sometimes marketed as “mermaid tanzanite” because of the iridescent blue and green colors. You can usually tell if a tanzanite has been heated by using a dichroscope. This is a tool that gemologists use …