Precious Minerals 💎🌍

Anatomy of Round Brilliant Cut @precious_minerals

Round Brilliant Cut Diamond: The crown angel and the pavilion depth clearly visible. @precious_minerals

#2) Strontium Titanate: Have higher dispersion than Diamond. @precious_minerals

Cubic zirconia offers a good imitation of diamonds in terms of visual brilliance and comes in a wider variety of colors. However, gemologists can easily distinguish them based on hardness, refractive index, and specific gravity. @precious_minerals

#1. Cubic Zirconia

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Gemmologists to identify amethyst, but it's not always the most definitive method. Here's why:

What a conoscope does:A conoscope is an attachment used with a polariscope to examine a gemstone's interference figure. This figure is a pattern of light and dark observed when the stone is oriented in a specific direction under polarized light. By analyzing the interference figure, a gemologist can gain insights into the gemstone's optical properties, including its optic sign (uniaxial or biaxial) and the angle of its optic axis.
'' For Quartz family gemstones, we can observe Bull's eye effect under conoscope ''

Here are some instruments used to identify amethyst:

Refractometer:This instrument measures a gemstone's refractive index, which is a constant value for each material. By placing the refractometer on the stone's surface and looking through the eyepiece, a gemologist can determine the refractive index and use a reference chart to identify the gemstone. Amethyst has a specific refractive index that can help distinguish it from other purple gemstones.

Polariscope:This instrument is used to analyze a gemstone's optical properties, specifically its birefringence. Birefringence is the ability of a material to split a light ray into two rays with different polarizations. Amethyst is doubly refractive (anisotropic), meaning it splits light rays, while some simulants like glass may be singly refractive (isotropic). A polariscope can help identify amethyst based on this property.

These instruments, along with a gemologist's knowledge and experience, can be used to confidently identify amethyst.

Channel photo updated

From a gemologist's standpoint, amethysts are truly captivating gemstones admired for their beauty, unique geological characteristics, and durability. Here's a closer look:

Mineralogy: Amethyst is a variety of the mineral quartz (SiO2), belonging to the trigonal crystal system. Its violet hues arise from trace amounts of iron (Fe) and irradiation.Formation: Amethysts form in volcanic rocks called geodes and volcanic ash deposits called rhyolites. Volcanic gases containing silica (SiO2) rich fluids interact with rock creating cavities that later fill with crystals over time. The iron impurities and natural radiation exposure give amethyst its characteristic color.

Gemological Properties: Gemologists use specific properties to identify and classify gemstones. Here are some key characteristics of amethyst:

Color: Violet to reddish-purple, with deeper and more saturated colors being more valuable.
Clarity: Can range from flawless to heavily included. Some inclusions, like phantoms (growth patterns) can actually enhance value.
Cut: Amethysts can be cut and polished into a variety of shapes, including brilliant cuts, rounds, ovals, and fancy shapes.
Hardness: 7 on Mohs scale, making it relatively hard and durable for everyday wear in jewelry.
Refractive Index: 1.553 - 1.554
Specific Gravity: 2.6 - 2.8
Treatments: Amethysts are often heat-treated to improve color consistency and remove yellowish tones. Heating can also intensify the color, making lighter amethysts a more desirable deeper purple.

Sources: Amethyst deposits are found worldwide, with some of the most notable sources being Brazil, Uruguay, Russia, Zambia, Namibia, Sri Lanka and Ethiopia.

History & Lore: Amethyst has been prized for thousands of years. The ancient Greeks believed it prevented intoxication (the word "amethyst" comes from the Greek word "amethystos" which means "not drunk"). Egyptians used amethyst in jewelry and amulets.

Durability: Amethyst is a quartz variety, making it quite hard and durable (7 on Mohs scale). This makes it suitable for everyday wear in jewelry.

Versatility: Amethyst is a popular gemstone for jewelry because it can be cut and polished into a variety of shapes and sizes. It's also used for carvings and decorative objects.

February Birthstone: Amethyst is the birthstone for people born in February.

Value: The value of amethyst depends on factors like color, clarity, cut, and carat weight. Generally, deeper and more saturated colors are more valuable.

Amethyst is a beautiful gemstone that comes in a variety of violet and purple hues. It is a type of quartz, and is one of the most popular gemstones in the world. Amethyst has been used in jewelry for centuries, and is believed to have a number of mystical properties.

*Holds a special place in many cultures due to its believed mystical properties.

Here's a breakdown of some of the most common beliefs about amethyst's mystical properties:


Spiritual Awareness and Intuition: Amethyst is associated with the crown chakra, believed to be the center of spiritual wisdom and enlightenment. It's thought to promote spiritual growth, intuition, and heightened awareness.

Protection and Peace: Amethyst is believed to offer protection from negative energy, including psychic attacks and bad dreams. Many cultures view it as a talisman of peace, promoting calmness and dispelling anxiety and fear.

Balance and Sobriety: Amethyst is associated with temperance and balance. It's traditionally believed to help overcome addictions and promote clear thinking.

Healing and Wellbeing: Amethyst is believed to have various healing properties, promoting restful sleep, easing headaches, and relieving stress. Some cultures believe it can even boost the immune system and fight off illness.

It's important to note that these mystical properties haven't been verified by science. However, the beauty and calming presence of amethyst can certainly have a positive psychological effect on those who believe in its powers. Cont...

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A special form of light made using an ancient Namibian gemstone could be the key to new light-based quantum computers, which could solve long-held scientific mysteries, according to new research led by the University of St Andrews.

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In 2019, a deposit of medium to deep blue aquamarine was discovered in the Nasarawa State in Nigeria. GIA examined these gemstones and found that they display unusually strong pleochroism and contain a high amount of alkali metal and iron inclusions.

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The 10.10 carat De Beers Millennium Jewel 4 diamond was graded Fancy Vivid blue, Internally Flawless by GIA. Most blue diamonds can be classified as type IIb and are colored by boron.
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This starfish carved by Patrick Dreher shows different colors of quartz that occurred in the same crystal. The starfish itself is carved from "strawberry" quartz and rests on coral carved from amethyst.

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Simply dubbed "The Rock." This 228.31 carat diamond graded G, VS1 by GIA, is the largest colorless diamond to appear at auction and the largest existing D-to-Z color pear-shaped diamond ever graded by GIA.

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