[Jewelry making - Article 00245] - Re: [Orchid] Naming gem materials

[Cap'n kirk]

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>      I hate to be blunt. But attempting to identify any unknown gem
>     via a scratch test is a really good way to find yourself buying
>     something you didn't want to own, 

    You certainly make startling statements here; in my 40 years of
    lapidary I never saw a "scratch" to appear on corundum unless there
    was an imbedded foreign mineral there. And quartz will easily
    scratch with good steel. And a needle is sufficient to make the test
    on a small bead with no apparant damage to the piece. 'Guess I just
    don't understand those who complicate every little matter. I've
    succeeded in this profession by usually sticking with my favorite
    philosophy: 'keep it simple'. And you can't take a $10 "jade"
    necklace to a gemologist and pay $25 for an academic ID just every
    day...(Which you'd be forced to do under your suggested protocols). 


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