Identifying Gems

Techniques in cutting and shaping gemstones are vital to add

brilliance to the defiance of the stone itself. Experts call

it special effects. These effects are responsible for the

different shapes, sizes, and shine of a particular gemstone.

Like in the movies, some effects can trick you into believing

something that isn’t there.

Pleasing the optical sense through special skills of cutting

the gem can enable the enhancers to hide the undesirable

characteristics and let the good ones shine and be more

elaborated. The phenomena of a specific gemstone, as what

gemologist call it, can be addressed through these effects.

Here are the popular gemstone effects that are often used for

better stone definition.

Fire

This type of effect that is commonly used by cutters allows

separation of true light from the original color. Because of

dispersion, fire enables light to scatter like a prism and is

refracted. Zircon and diamond are among those that show

elaborated fire abilities. Fire is usually defined as the

color of highlights.

Fluorescence

Effects pertaining to fluorescence are defined, as the events

when directed UV rays or colors that aren’t visible on first

sight becomes visible. A special effect like this is desirable

to transform the dull color of a stone to a different glow.

This will account to the extravagant price a stone may have.

Majority of diamonds have this fluorescence that makes other

pale stones seemingly white.

Color change

Some gemstones have certain color changes especially when put

in different aspects of light especially when faced with

sunlight. This is due to a gemstone’s ability to absorb

wavelengths strongly.

Iridescence

There are two special effects that are considered under the

umbrella of iridescence: labradorescence that means flashes of

blue and gold upon light movement and schiller that means

playing of colors. Iridescence means all effects of a specific

gem that shines in rainbow colors. This happens when

interference of strands of light arises from layers of the

material.

Schiller

As mentioned above, schiller is the moment when color

playfully flickers along the surface of a gemstone when

interacted with light. The most popular gem that is known for

this trait is the Opal. No tricks within the stone itself. The

cue is that the interference of light is based on the

structure of the object.

Asterism

If minerals are cut in domes of high quality, asterism occurs.

This will follow if and only the inclusions of fibrous

densities align in more than two different directions. The

most popular gemstone known for this effect is the star

sapphire.

Cat’s Eye

Derived from the French term “chatoyance”. Cat’s eye is caused

by impurities within the gemstone arranged like fibers and

line up forming axes. Quartz is famous for its cat’s eye

property when struck by light. Traces of fiber within the

mineral give this effect a special twist.

Aventurescence

If inclusion flaws in gemstones create such sparkles that

would enhance its appearance, it is called as aventurescence.

Plain quartz, for example, can be alive and have an appealing

glittering effect if numerous petite flakes of hematite

protrude.

Labradorescence

This has become quite popular with the masses because this

effect converts dramatic flashes of gold and blue upon

movement of light. If the interference of light in thelayers

of crystals arises, this happens. Colors are considered strong

and limited with regards to its direction and orientation.