Except the eyes

In the identification of gemstones, you should first ask: To what extent do you want to go for it (a collection of precious stones).

Now there are two types of tasks gem identification: defining and confirming.

ID decisive, when someone hands you a piece of rough stone and wondered what it is.
Confirmatory identification when someone wants to sell you one stone - usually already reduced - and you will see that part will be announced.

identifying appropriate skills can take many years to develop, freshwater pearl jewelry, and can be performed using an array of expensive equipment to measure the density and the different optical properties or thermal conductivity.

Confirmation gem identification is much easier to learn and are usually performed without any tools at all, except the eyes.

Gemology, that "scientific research gemstones" has been defined, it can be investors in their sole interest is the value of the stones, but if it is necessary to distinguish a gem on the other hand, they have to do with science. It is almost impossible to remove the science of identification of gems!

There are several categories gemologist - jewelers, jewelers, lapidary, age, persons of scientific gems. All these people believe the gems for various reasons, and they use different methods to achieve this goal.

Some simple tests can help you include precious stones: scratch-tests, where the unknown is scratched by various substances to determine its hardness. Other useful tests of response to acid and flame. They are classified as destructive testing, and obviously not suitable for polished stones.

It has been said and written: For centuries, mills, which could easily see the differences appear, such as precious stones. During cutting, stones carefully considered from the perspective that no other has a gemologist. Identification of inclusions is given great attention, and then remove as many as possible. Differences in hardness, clear cutting and polishing, and other characteristics.

... Necessary to the development process, where precious stones were identified without any damage. To do this, scientists first began to identify measurable physical and optical properties of our gems. They have also developed tools for measuring these properties. It was a long process of systematic measurement and recording of these properties so they can be considered. (Although it is well known, it is actually a continuous process.) Finally, all these are found in the methods that can be used by people without scientific depth, or lab equipment large and expensive.

... This does not mean that it does not require significant training to identify stones. There is a vast and complex subject that continues to grow in complexity of the new gems and open new ones created in the laboratory. However, we do not need a degree in chemistry or physics, just measure the properties of our gems. The most esoteric, the discovery of these properties and provide the tools for their evaluation.

Finally, let me share a simple method to identify the stones with you: "A method for identifying Hodgkinson pearl" - is a dirty version, though - according to Alan Hodgkinson You only need eyes. clean hands Take the stone in question and keep very close to the eye, if you look at the table you need to keep a very close, but not touching -.. almost like inserting contact lenses, pearl pendant, but do not touch it again. Read the letter to Stone in the distant light sources like lamps or lights. You will see a series of reflections of the light source far away as they jump into the stone.

Roll the stone around its axis and tilt slightly, while the reflection. Because of the refraction properties of precious stones, each a reflection of some as a little rainbow. This is one of those rainbows, it seems that for the spinel thread clear the ball about 6 meters:

Depending on the material in question jewel of the rainbow have different properties. If the gem is doubly refractive, you've probably seen or both parents (Rainbow) images. Because jewelry can be in any orientation relative to the crystal structure (responsible for this phenomenon) are cut you may need to examine the stone from one species to verify whether it is birefringent angles.