[Jewelry making - Article 00854] - Re: [Orchid] Are they Rubies?

[PlumBlossom001]

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Rebecca - 

    Your post engendered alot of discussion regarding the tools and
    expertise needed to ID a stone.  But no one answered your question.
    ... 

    It may be true that the only way to accurately identify what your
    briolettes are is to take them to a gemologist who has all of the
    tools.  But you can use a couple of low-tech tools,  your own eyes
    and your common sense to determine whether they could possibly be
    rubies. 

    Rubies are dichroic, meaning that they display two colors, usually
    red and orange or purple.  Sometimes you can see this with your
    unaided eye.  More reliably, you can use a dichroiscope - a small
    and relatively inexpensive item available at a jewelers' supply
    store.  If you don't see two colors or a light and dark of one
    color, you don't have a ruby.  If you do see two colors, you could
    have a natural or synthetic ruby or a tourmaline.  [If you only see
    one color, garnet or spinel are likely.] 

    The second useful tool is a good 14 power loupe.  Most synthetics
    will have growth lines that look like the rings in a tree.  These
    are easiest seen with a microscope, but I have seen them with my
    trusty 14X "GemOro" loupe. 

    You've already exercised common sense by noting your scepticism
    about them being rubies because of the price.  Most likely they're
    garnet or synthetic ruby or synthetic spinel. 

    Finally, visit your favorite bookseller, add to your personal
    reference library, and learn as much as you can. 

    Thanks for having the guts to post your question.  It gave me,
    another "beader-learning-more-advanced-skills", the guts to get
    involved with Orchid by posting this reply. 

Dale Molloy
Fall River, MA

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