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Fine Jewelry University Articles matching: “gold diamond”
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Gem in the Spotlight: Jade
… like splitting hairs, but it actually has a big impact on how gems are worn and what they can handle. We all know diamonds are the hardest gem commonly available on earth. If you scraped them together, a diamond would scratch a piece of …mark on the diamond. However, if you decided to smack both gems with a hammer (please don’t try this at home), the diamond would have a greater chance of shattering than the tougher jade. Nephrite: A silicate rich in calcium, iron and …
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The Magic of Polarized Light
…refractive gems are sapphire, tourmaline, and moissanite. These are contrasted with singly refractive (SR) gems like diamond that only bend light in one direction. Gemologists use the term birefringence to refer to how doubly refractive a … and our day-to-day lives. We hope you enjoyed this article, and remember that if you are in the market for a new diamond or gemstone our trained gemologists have the tools, understanding, and experience to help find the
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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 been known around the world as one of the most sought-after gems for the better part of 200 years. But, what makes this stone so special? Gemology of …
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Gem in the Spotlight: Spinel
… clean by a local jeweler like us. Spinel can be stored with other jewelry but like with all precious stones, it should be treated and stored with care. Its Mohs hardness of 8 puts it on par with Topaz. It’s softer than diamond or sapphire but harder than quartz, tourmaline, and peridot. With proper care there’s no reason why a piece of spinel jewelry can’t last for generations even becoming a treasured family heirloom. Why Spinel? Despite its long history spinel is …
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Gem in the Spotlight: Pearl
… Taylor. During Taylor’s ownership, the pearl was set into a necklace designed by Cartier, which also included diamonds and rubies. The La Peregrina pearl is one of the largest and most perfectly symmetrical natural pearls in existence. It …the lighting and angle. One of the most interesting things about the Hope Pearl is its connection to the famous Hope Diamond. It is believed that the Hope Pearl was once part of a larger piece of jewelry that also included the Hope Diamond, …
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Gem in the Spotlight: Ruby
… 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 (which is in between). Rubies only occur in the color red which …ruby, and was originally mined in Myanmar. The Sunrise Ruby was eventually set by Cartier into a ring along with two diamonds weighing a total of 5 carats. In 2015, Sotheby’s put the ring up for auction where it sold for a record setting $30…
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Gem in the Spotlight: Opal
…”. Opal has a refractive index of 1.37 – 1.47 and a Mohs hardness of 5.5-6. This makes it one of the softest gemstones commonly used in jewelry. For reference, here are the Mohs hardness values for some other gemstones you may know: Diamond 10, Sapphire 9, Amethyst 7, and Peridot 6. Turquoise is about as hard as opal, but you would need to consider Pearl or Amber (both 2.5) to find a commonly used gem that is softer than opal. Common Opal Treatments There are several …
