The Gem and Jewelry World's foremost Resource
on The Internet. Open to the public, Free of Charge! We are here to build a strong pool of
information for the benefit of Web's jewelers and craftsmen - and those
interested in jewelry and gemstones.
The first man-made gem materials dates back a few thousand years; early Romans made glass beads and gems. Since natural materials are also in short supply and often hard to mine, man will look for alternatives. Glass gem substitutes are still with us. Glass can be made in any color and it can take on some interesting effects. But glass lacks durability, it breaks easily and is easily scratched. Also a low refractive index means little brilliance. Foil backings and coatings on glass stones increase their brilliance; these are quite easy to spot.... (1999) Complete Story
Cleopatra was reported to have a fine collection of emerald jewelry, but rumor has it that it was really peridot. We hope she won't be too disappointed. Peridot was mined on an island in the Red Sea called Zebirget or St. John's Island, thousands of years ago. These peridot are a magnificent green color and truly deserved a place in royal jewelry.... (1999) Complete Story
Every opal is unique in appearance. Opals contain fireworks of every possible color dancing inside them. The flashes of color that make opal such an interesting stone are referred to as play of color. Opals will vary in body color, which is the background color of the stone. White body color is most common. The most valued body color is gray to black, with black considered best because it emphasizes and accentuates the play of color. Fire opal is material with yellow, orange, or red body color. In rare cases, opals will have green or blue body colors.... (1999) Complete Story
The beauty, color, and brilliance of each different gemstone variety is a result of its unique set of physical and optical properties. Gemologists study these properties to identify gemstones and to read where they are from and how they were formed. Many people spend their lives studying this subject but a basic summary is not difficult to learn and can make looking at gemstones more interesting. The beauty of a gem, the distinctive way it handles light, its color are all a result of these properties....
(1999) Complete Story
Pearls are organic gem materials form in a variety of mollusks when the mollusk covers an irritant with layers of nacre. Oysters, mussels, conch, and abalone can produce pearls. Oysters and mussels can do this job by themselves when an irritant accidentally enters its shell to produce natural pearls or can be aided by man introducing a bead into the mollusk to produce cultured pearls.... (1999) Complete Story
| More...
