Did You Know???

Some interesting facts about Gemstones that you might not have known! 

• Sapphires come in all colors of the rainbow
• You should never clean Iolites with an ultrasonic cleaner
• Amethysts and Citrines are the same mineral, only different colors, and excessive heat can change the color from one to the other
• an Aquamarine and an Emerald are the same mineral
• you can dig for diamonds in Arkansas at the Diamond Crater National Park
• Violet-blue Iolite has the same polarizing capability as a pair of sunglasses, and the Vikings used to carry Iolite with them and look through it to find the sun on a cloudy day

• when Sapphires have a pinkish to pinkish-red hue they are called "Pink Sapphire," but when the dominant hue becomes red, they are called "Rubies"
• Ancient Greeks named Amber from the word "electron" because if rubbed, Amber gives off static electricity
• Fossilized tree sap must be at least 30 million years old to be considered Amber
• If you sand Malachite it can give off a poisonous dust
• Obsidian is a natural glass formed during volcanic eruptions
• Beautiful blue-violet Tanzanites come out of the ground colorless, and must be heated to attain their beautiful depth of color
• Tourmalines and quartz will develop an electrical charge when heated, and tourmaline jewelry will attract dust when displayed under hot lights

  

• There is no such thing as "Jade" - green "Jade" is actually either one of two different minerals, Jadeite and Nephrite, and Jadeite is the more valuable of the two
• The second most valuable color of Jadeite is lavender
• You can dig and pan for colored gemstones such as Emerald, Aquamarine, Moonstones, Garnet, Citrine, Amethyst, Ruby, and Sapphire at Gem Mountain, in Spruce Pine, North Carolina
• There is a new man-made brilliant white stone called Moissanite, which can fool a jewelry store Diamond tester
• The big "Ruby" in the royal crown of England is actually a red Spinel
• Ivory imitations are carved from corozo nuts, tagua nuts and duom palm nuts
• If allowed to sit in moist or humid conditions too long, Hematite jewelry has such a high iron content it will actually rust
• Black Jet, made popular for use in jewelry by Queen Victoria in the 19th century, is actually a type of fossilized coal formed 180 million years ago from dead trees
• It takes one to three years to grow a cultured Pearl

• Goldstones are not stones at all - they are actually glass containing copper crystals that give it aventurescence (quick bright flashes of light)
• "Black Onyx" is actually orange and brown Sardonyx that has been dyed black, and should be cleaned carefully to avoid removing the dye and dulling this porous Quartz
• Cultured Pearls are made by inserting a small shell bead into an oyster as an irritant, and waiting years for the oyster to cover the bead with its luscious nacre
• Amethysts can fade if exposed to too much sun
• Historically, before science could tell minerals apart, all yellow stones were called "Topaz"

• They were synthesizing Rubies in the late 1800's and actually charging more for them than the real thing
• Pearls, by law, must be called "cultured Pearls" unless they are completely natural, and most Pearls sold today are cultured (made with help from man)
• a "Herkirmer Diamond" is actually made of Quartz
• "Smokey Topaz" is not a Topaz at all - its a misnomer for brown Quartz
• Radiation causes Diamonds to turn green

• Some Diamonds are artificially (and safely) irradiated to achieve a green color - but early on, before the process was refined, some green Diamonds were actually made radioactive and are confiscated by the U.S. Government if found today
• A new process has been recently developed to achieve a green color in Diamonds using just pressure and heat
• In ancient times the term "Sapphire" meant all blue stones, but usually meant Lapis Lazuli - which was considered the most expensive stone in the world

Feel free to comment with more fun facts!! =)

Interesting facts about Citrine

Interesting facts about Citrine

                                            

Color ranges from pale yellow, to medium yellow, to medium-dark orange-yellow, to root beer color.  Most Citrine on the market is actually a brownish variety of an  Amethyst that has been heat treated to produce the bright yellow colors and darker stones with reddish tints.  The pale yellow color stones are typically natural untreated stones.  As the color ranges into medium-dark orange-yellow to Root Beer it is called Madeira Citrine.  Citrine is heat sensitive, excessive heat could turn the stone colorless, an abrupt temperature change may fracture the stone.  Chemicals that could attack this gem are hydrofluoric acids, ammonium fluoride, and alkalies. Sources for this gemstone are Brazil, Bolivia, and Madagascar.

Citrine, a member of the Quartz mineral family, is a Quartz whose color is probably caused by Iron traces. 

Citrine's name is derived from the French Citrine for lemon, it might also come from the Latin ‘citrina’ that means yellow.

The term “citrine” was formally used only after 1556. Up until then, the stone had been known simply as yellow quartz (sounds much less glamorous, right?).

It is nearly impossible to tell cut citrine from the more expensive yellow topaz with the naked eye. Their main difference between the gems is in hardness, so have your gem testing tools handy.

Most citrines are actually heat treated amethysts or smoky quartz. The natural yellow colour of citrine is rather pale, but the heat-treated stones have deeper colour, sometimes with a slight reddish tint. I hope  you did not get disappointed that the favourite citrine jewel of yours has in fact a heat-treated gem.

The largest citrine weighing 2258 carats originates from Brazil and is displayed at the Smithsonian in Washington. The gem is extremely large considering that the typical size used in jewellery isunder 25 carats.

From pastel yellows, to wonderful orange hues Citrine will fl atter many fashion-conscious pallets. Yellow hues are striking and are 

symbolic of the sun, health, and vitality. Since it is plentiful in nature, it represents an incredible value for the person who appreciates. 

its colour. It is available in a wide range of shapes and sizes, and it is a favorite choice of many jewelry designers.

Brazil is the main supplier of citrines. However, they are also found in Madagascar, Zambia, Namibia, Ural Mountains in Russia and in most countries where amethysts are found. Now I have another good reason to visit those countries.

Citrines can scratch relatively easy and need to be looked after. One should store citrine jewellery out of direct sunlight as the colour can sometimes permanently fade.

The Romans were thought to be the first to wear citrine, mostly as cameos or intaglios. The gem re-discovered its popularity during the Romantic period as it enhanced the beauty of gold jewellery. Nowadays, citrine jewellery is widely worn and loved, so the gallery with the latest honey-coloured jewels is coming up shortly.

Citrine is the birthstone for November and the traditional anniversary gemstone for the 13th year of marriage. 

A tremendous amount of citrine that is available on the market today is heat-treated amethyst. Natural citrine is much lighter than the heat-treated material which is dark orange-brown to reddish-brown in color.

Chemical Composition:  Silica (Silicon Dioxide) SiO2

Colors / Varieties:  Yellow, Golden

Crystal System / Forms:  Trigonal System

Hardness:  7

Specific Gravity:  2.63 - 2.68

Cleavage / Fracture:  No distinct cleavage / conchoidal to uneven fracture.

Optic Character:  Anisotropic, D.R.; Uniaxial positive. May exhibit a bull's eye optic figure (quartz rotates the plane of polarisation parallel to the c-axis).

Lustre:  Vitreous.

Refractive Index / Birefringence:  1.544 - 1.553 / 0.009. Range: 1.535 - 1.560

Pleochroism:  Yellow / Slightly paler yellow

Dispersion:  0.013

Magnification:  Liquid and two phase, color zoning, negative crystals, zebra-stripe finger prints (structural), crystal inclusions, green fuchsite mica flakes / platelets in aventurine quartz, rutile / tourmaline needles in sagenitic quartz. Brazil law twinning is seen in natural quartz.

U.V. Fluorescence:  Variable.

Spectrum:  Not characteristic.

Cause of Color:  Trace of Iron (Fe3+)

Treatment (Enhancement): 

Coating: all colors, thin film of gold on colorless will give a blue color (aqua aura).

Colorless impregnation: with oil or resin to improve clarity.

Colored impregnation (dyeing): all colors, quartzite

Heat Treatment:

Light yellow to deeper yellow

Irradiation:

Citrine to amethyst

History of the Diamond as the Birthstone

History of the Diamond as the April Birthstone

Diamonds are a thing of beauty and the ultimate gift for a loved one. Thought to be one of the hardest substances on the globe, diamonds date back billions of years. The diamond is the traditional birthstone of April and holds significant meaning for those born in that month, thought to provide the wearer with better relationships and an increase in inner strength. Wearing diamonds is purported to bring other benefits such as balance, clarity and abundance.  It's also symbolic of eternal love, and those fortunate to call April the month of their birth will enjoy the following history behind this rare gem.

Definition of Diamond, the April birth stone: The word Diamond is derived from the Greek word "adamas" which means "hardest metal" which reflect the property of the stone. The diamond is a precious stone or gem excelling in brilliancy and beautiful play of prismatic colors, and remarkable for its extreme hardness. This gem is a member of the Diamond (Carbon) family. It is the hardest substance known. The diamond as found in nature (called a rough diamond) is cut, for use in jewelry, into various forms with many reflecting facets, by which its brilliancy is much increased. The crystal structure of the Diamond, the April birthstone, is Isometric.

Since ancient times, diamonds have been admired objects of desire. Formed one hundred miles beneath the Earth’s surface over a billion years ago, diamonds are the hardest gem of all. Diamonds have a long history of folklore; some of which say diamonds were created when bolts of lightning struck rocks, and others said the gem possessed healing powers. For centuries, diamonds have been adorned by women and men and regarded as the ultimate gift and a symbol of eternal love.

Today, diamonds are still admired all around the world. Until the middle of the twentieth century, there was no standard by which diamonds could be evaluated. GIA created the first, and now globally accepted standard for describing diamonds: Color, Clarity, Cut, and Carat Weight. Today, the 4C’s of Diamond Quality are the universal method for assessing the quality of any diamond, anywhere in the world.

From the stunning display of stones flashed by movie stars at awards ceremonies, to the modest engagement ring of a young bride, the diamond continues to enjoy great popularity among those of all status.   Actress Zsa Zsa Gabor summed up this universal love of diamonds when she remarked, "I have never hated a man enough to give his diamonds back."