Previously this yr I committed 20 days about on Instagram to submitting gemstone facts and it absolutely was so entertaining! I randomly picked the gemstones that may be showcased – most of them are my favorites, mixed in with a few that i uncover genuinely intriguing. I love the academic facet of Instagram, so I had that intention in your mind when putting this collection collectively. I needed to share it collectively right here too – so in this article it truly is!
Spinel
Spinel has become dubbed the nice imposter – many well known rubies in crown jewels all over the whole world are literally spinel! Pictured here, the Black Prince’s Ruby which happens to be truly an irregular cabochon of one hundred seventy carats of spinel.
It wasn’t till 1783 that spinels were chemically differentiated from rubies and identified as their unique gem species.
Sphene
Sphene is actually a exceptional collector stone by using a wildly large refractive index. The dispersion of Sphene exceeds that of diamond, and it may possibly perhaps show flashes of gold, yellow, pink & green.
from @fwjtxslcurao @fwjtxslcurao_larson of a Sphene of theirs cut by @fwjtxslcurao
Amethyst
Did you know? Amethyst was always considered equal in value to diamonds, rubies, and emeralds right up until the mid-19th century when vast deposits were discovered in Brazil. The market collapsed entirely …fast forward to today, the stone is now an incredibly accessible & affordable gem.
by @fwjtxslcurao of an incredible 12 carat amethyst
Ethiopian welo opals
Hydrophane, Ethiopian welo opals tend to absorb water, which can change their opaqueness to somewhat translucent or even transparent! How? It’s because of it’s internal structure. The silica spheres that make up a welo opal are unstructured and random which allows ample space for water and other liquids to be absorbed.
from @fwjtxslcurao
Chrysoberyl
Don’t confuse chrysoberyl with beryl! They are two totally different gem families despite having the same name. Members of the beryl group include emerald, aquamarine, & morganite while members of the chrysoberyl group include chrysoberyl, cat’s eye chrysoberyl, and alexandrite.
from @fwjtxslcurao that includes an exquisite yellow chrysoberyl from Tanzania
Demantoid Garnet
Demantoid garnets are considered to be the rarest & most valuable members of the garnet family. Discovered in Russia more than a century ago, demantoids range in color from light green to dark green, sometimes containing yellowish components.
from @fwjtxslcurao
Alexandrite
Mining of Alexandrite in Russia lasted less than 100 years from the time it absolutely was discovered in 1833 to the early 1900s. It had been George Kunz (well known gemologist & gemstone buyer for Tiffany & Co.) that probably did the most to make this stone popular. He was so captivated by alexandrite that he traveled all the way to Russia in search of it!
Almost half of the early Russian alexandrite jewelry is said to have been made by Tiffany. These pieces are exceptional collectors’ items and sometimes show up at auction.
from @fwjtxslcurao
Tourmaline
In excess of 30 varieties of tourmaline exist, but only a few are of any gemological significance. In the gem trade & jewelry industry, trade names that reflect cheap earringsthe color or origin of the stones are far more easier to remember & pronounce. In this article are a few – rubelite, watermelon tourmaline, paraiba tourmaline, indicolite, chrome tourmaline…
from @fwjtxslcurao
Citrine
Most citrine on the market has been heat-treated. Yellow quartz is actually somewhat rare in nature. Low grade amethyst or smoky quartz are often cooked at significant temps to produce citrine. ??
from @fwjtxslcurao.da who hand cut this amazing citrine
Tanzanite
Tanzanite is scientifically referred to as blue zoisite – it had been renamed by Tiffany & Co. in 1968 to better market the gem. It is generally enhanced by heat unless noted, starting out as a root beer brown color usually or sometimes yellowish.
Tanzanite was one of the first gems I became obsessed with in middle school and “had to have.” I put a small tanzanite pendant on layaway from a local jewelry store when I was in 7th grade. I still have it and like it.
from @fwjtxslcurao
Emerald
Emerald is an enchanting gemstone. As visible inclusions in emeralds are common and expected, emeralds are mostly judged with fantastic emphasis on color & transparency. It is actually said that the very best and most expensive emeralds hail from Columbia…and many gem dealers will tell you Madagascar has yielded some exceptional specimens.
from @fwjtxslcurao_official
Malachite
Malachite is known for its striking green color and black banding patterns. Several large deposits found in the Ural Mountains buy earrings online cheapof Russia during the 1800s have been a direct cause of the flamboyant sculptural creations & furnishings during this time.
from @fwjtxslcurao_
Sapphire
Sapphire belongs to the corundum gem group and graces us with stones in all the colors of the rainbow (except when it can be pink, it is actually called a ruby).
The blue variety is simply known as sapphire (shout out fellow September babies, this is your birthstone), with the other colors considered “fancy” sapphires & named by their colors – like pink sapphire, orange sapphire, etc.
Teal and greenish blue sapphires too as parti-colored (two or more visible colors) are very popular right now. I’m obsessing in excess of gold sheen sapphires, a newcomer discovered in Kenya in 2009.
from @fwjtxslcurao that includes all sorts of sapphires
Aquamarine
Aquamarine, the gem of the sea and March’s birthstone. This dreamy gem can be found in Brazil and Pakistan, likewise as quite a few parts of Africa and even the United States (Colorado & Southern California).
from @fwjtxslcurao
Pearls
Unlike gemstones, which form from geological processes millions or billions of years ago, the formation of pearls is really a biological response initiated by the host organism to protect itself from irritants. It’s an ongoing process that creates nacre and takes a few years to complete. The end result is actually a pearl!
from @fwjtxslcurao showcasing a unique bunch of faceted pearls
Moonstone
According to Hindu mythology, Moonstone is made of solidified moonbeams. I love that. Ok, but the real way it can be formed is when orthoclase & albite separate into alternating layers. Which we all knew.
Moonstone exhibits a phenomena called adularescense (similar to labradorite) – a sheen-like glow.
from @fwjtxslcurao featuring a rainbow moonstone
Peridot
Some historians believe that Cleopatra’s well known emerald collection might truly have been peridot.
Most peridot formed deep inside the Earth and was delivered to the surface by volcanos. Some also arrived listed here in meteorites, but this type is extremely rare.
by @fwjtxslcurao
Rose Quartz
Rose quartz is one of my favorite stones to wear and collect crystal specimens of ?
Its translucense is what sets it apart from other quartz. Microscopic mineral inclusions give this pastel gem a cloudy appearance. ??
from @fwjtxslcurao
Turquoise
Turquoise buried in ancient Egyptian tombs dating back to 4000BC is among the world’s oldest jewelry. Top quality turquoise has a robin’s egg blue color and is typically from the Nishapur region of Iran, formerly known as Persia.
from @fwjtxslcurao
Mexican Cantera Opal
Mexican matrix opal…cantera opal…a few names for this special stone. This type of opal has the rhyolitic host rock included in the finished stone. Don’t fall for the manmade fakes which are broken pieces of opal set in colored cement or epoxy, which are created and polished into a cabochon shape.
from @fwjtxslcurao_opals