Gemstones

Gemstones

Industry: Jewelry

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Gemstones

Adularescence

Fashion; General jewelry

The shimmering light or whitish opalescence which glides over the surface of some gems such as moonstone. Interference phenomena of the layered structure is the cause of this effect.

Alluvial deposits

Fashion; General jewelry

Gem deposits found in water after they have been separated from the mother rock.

Amorphous

Fashion; General jewelry

Gemstones without a crystal structure are referred to as amorphous. These include gems such as amber, coral, opal and pearl.

Translucent

Fashion; General jewelry

A quality of a gemstone transmitting light imperfectly so that one cannot see through the stone clearly. Star sapphire is an example of this quality.

There are several ways a light travels through a stone. In a transparent stone, the light travels through stone with virtually no distortion. Transparent stones are clear and easy to see through. See ...

Treated stone

Fashion; General jewelry

A stone that has been heated, dyed, irradiated, or stained in order to improve the colour or the clarity. Also pertains to gems that have their cracks or fractures concealed by filling the material.

Birthstone

Fashion; General jewelry

The association of gemstones with astrology goes back centuries. More recently, jewellers have adapted this tradition to create the current list of official birthstones.