tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-335963722024-03-14T03:25:18.146-04:00PalmBeachGemsPalmBeachGems is a series of articles on gemstones, gemology, jewelry making, minerals and related topics.Bretthttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02497952464402277586noreply@blogger.comBlogger47125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-33596372.post-7801324957899864122012-01-06T00:19:00.000-05:002012-01-06T00:19:10.881-05:00Garnet, A Gem of Endless Variety<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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<span style="font-size: large;">The birthstone of January is Garnet. Garnet has been one of the world's favorite gemstones for centuries. And although gem
quality garnets can be among the most beautiful of all gems, they are
relatively affordable. There are some varieties, like tsavorite and spessartite
that can be very expensive, but most are modestly priced. Though most of us think of garnets as a red gemstone they
come in many colors, including orange, green, purple, clear and pink. Some even appear to
<a href="http://www.palmbeachgems.com/catalog.htm#ecwid:category=142772&mode=category&offset=0&sort=normal" target="_blank">change color</a>, depending on the type of lighting! Garnets are not actually a single
species of gemstone but are a family of gems that share certain physical
properties including crystal shape and chemical composition. They are generally
grouped into six garnet species, almandine, pyrope, spessartine, grossular,
andradite and uvarovite. To complicate matters more, garnets are never just one
species, but are a blend of two or more of these.
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<span style="font-size: large;">They are usually named for the species that is most prevalent. A garnet that
is described as "pyrope" may actually be 80% <a href="http://www.palmbeachgems.com/catalog.htm#ecwid:category=145121&mode=category&offset=0&sort=normal" target="_blank">pyrope</a>, 15% almandine and 5%
spessartine. Some specific blends have also been given names of their own. For
example, a garnet that is about 2/3 pyrope and 1/3 almandine is called a
<a href="http://www.palmbeachgems.com/catalog.htm#ecwid:category=145120&mode=category&offset=0&sort=normal" target="_blank">Rhodolite</a>. Other names you may encounter for varieties of garnets include
demantoid (usually green), malaya ( may be pink or reddish orange) , <a href="http://www.palmbeachgems.com/catalog.htm#ecwid:category=142770&mode=category&offset=0&sort=normal" target="_blank">mandarin</a>
(yellow-orange spessartine), <a href="http://www.palmbeachgems.com/catalog.htm#ecwid:category=145119&mode=category&offset=0&sort=normal" target="_blank">hessonite</a> (usually cinnamon brown or yellowish) or
<a href="http://www.palmbeachgems.com/catalog.htm#ecwid:category=145118&mode=category&offset=0&sort=normal" target="_blank">tsavorite(green).</a></span><br />
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<span style="font-size: large;">Learning, identifying and describing the seemingly endless varieties of
garnets is challenging, but they also provide a wide range of prices and colors
for every taste. And garnets provide a source of great beauty and endless
fascination for gem lovers and mineral collectors as well.</span><br />
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<span style="font-size: large;"><a href="http://www.palmbeachgems.com/">www.palmbeachgems.com</a></span>Bretthttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02497952464402277586noreply@blogger.com7tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-33596372.post-72226066179068829522011-09-23T15:17:00.000-04:002011-09-23T15:17:07.809-04:00Hubei Turquoise<div>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Hubei Turquoise</td></tr>
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<span style="font-size: large;">Turquoise has been used as a gemstone for thousands of years in many different parts of the world. In the United States we usually associate turquoise with the southwestern part of the country. And in fact, most American turquoise comes from Arizona, New Mexico and Nevada. Turquoise is a stone that forms under just the right conditions in desert areas. It is found in other desert regions throughout the world including Africa, China and the Middle East. Traditionally American turquoise has been the most prized and expensive, however most of the U.S. mines are no longer producing and so the jewelry industry has had to look to other areas for a steady supply of quality material. Many people consider turquoise from Iran to be the finest available, but it is prohibitively expensive. Perhaps the best source these days is China. Chinese turquoise has somehow gotten a bad reputation. Maybe because a lot of low grade or imitation turquoise has come out of China in the past or maybe just because China is associated in many peoples minds with inferior products. But the truth is that some of the finest turquoise in the world is now coming out of China, particularly the Hubei region. Several mines in that area are producing hard, stable turquoise with exquisite color. Much of the material is beautifully spidered with black or dark brown matrix. But Hubei also offers bright blue turquoise with little or no matrix that rivals that of the famous mines in America like "Sleeping Beauty" or Kingman. And best of all, the prices of the Hubei turquoise are still much more reasonably priced. If you love turquoise, you may not have to settle for dyed, treated or imitation products and buying Chinese turquoise doesn't mean that you are settling for second rate gemstones.</span><br />
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<a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-xQS1hDjTaw0/TnzYdz56tpI/AAAAAAAAANg/9rH2cXVaY7k/s1600/Turquoise+Pear.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" height="400" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-xQS1hDjTaw0/TnzYdz56tpI/AAAAAAAAANg/9rH2cXVaY7k/s400/Turquoise+Pear.jpg" width="371" /></a></div>
Bretthttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02497952464402277586noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-33596372.post-17343046417809179102011-03-21T21:08:00.004-04:002011-09-23T14:58:45.978-04:00Larimar, a Tropical Treasure<a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-Z8SMrC3UJUw/TYf4VtCAejI/AAAAAAAAAMQ/3VNe9OqReaM/s1600/Larimar%2B55.jpg"><img alt="" border="0" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5586706914525346354" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-Z8SMrC3UJUw/TYf4VtCAejI/AAAAAAAAAMQ/3VNe9OqReaM/s320/Larimar%2B55.jpg" style="float: left; height: 320px; margin: 0px 10px 10px 0px; width: 296px;" /></a><br />
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<span style="font-size: 85%;"><span style="font-size: 130%;"><em><span style="font-size: large;">Larimar</span></em> is a beautiful blue gemstone that has been found in only one location on the planet: The Dominican Republic! This may be the only gemstone found in the Carribean Sea and it looks the part! The unique blue shades look very much like the blue waters of the Carribean. Typically Larimar gemstones will be patterned with luscious medium and light blues and some white. Sometimes there are patches of red or some grey or brown matrix. Occasionally Larimar will be slightly greenish. Usually the darker blues are more sought after and more valuable and whiter or greener pieces are less valuable. It has a crystalline structure that is slightly translucent and sometimes has areas that display chatoyance! Chatoyance is a shimmering luster like that seen in Tiger's Eye gemstones.<br /><br />Larimar is the rare, blue variety of Pectolite. It was apparently first discovered by a Priest in in Dominican Republic in 1916. He requested permission to explore further and possibly to mine the stone but his request was denied and this beautiful stone remained unknown to the rest of the world for another 58 years. In 1974 Miguel Méndez and an American Peace Corps worker named Norman Rilling rediscovered the stone on the beach in the Dominican Provence of Barahona. Natives had from time to time found the stone on the beach and believed that it came from the sea. However, it was discovered that it had actually washed downstream on the Bahoruco River. Exploring up river it was found to have originated from outcroppings on a volcanic mountain overlooking the sea.<br /><br />Since then Larimar has been mined, usually employing primitive methods and hand tools, by the locals. Larimar jewelry became a very popular item with tourists to the island. The new gemstone was named by Miguel Méndez by combining his daughter's name, Larissa with the Spanish word for sea (mar). Other names that have been used are Dolphin Stone, Love Stone and Atlantis Stone.<br /><br />Larimar is usually cut into freeform cabochons. The rough is often somewhat crumbly and has some matrix and voids so there is a fair amount of waste when sawing and grinding. Therefore, it is often cut in free form shapes that preserve as much solid material as possible. Finished stones however, take a fine polish and their beauty is stunning. The hardness of Larimar ranges from 4 to 7 on the mohs scale with the darker blue stones usually being harder. So it is roughly the same hardness as turquoise (5-6). The blue color, not found in pectolites from any other location, is as a result of its containing Cobalt. </span></span></div>
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<span style="font-size: 85%;"><span style="font-size: 130%;">Larimar is usually set in silver, but sometimes gold. It is often used in much the same way as turquoise and occasionally it is even seen in contemporary Southwest<br />style jewelry. Larimar gemstones may be a little too soft for everyday wear as a ring but is very popular as a pendant stone or for earrings. Larger pieces make great wire wrap subjects. <a href="http://www.palmbeachgems.com/#ecwid:category=801029&mode=category&offset=0&sort=normal"><em>Larimar</em></a> offers a shade of blue unavailable in other gemstone material and it adds a tropical feel to any jewelry design</span>.</span></div>
Bretthttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02497952464402277586noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-33596372.post-24403589636425270112011-02-18T22:34:00.004-05:002011-02-18T23:18:01.954-05:00Tiffany Stone<a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-iytPv2bsGYA/TV8_HCGnXGI/AAAAAAAAALg/qkLajZQIumE/s1600/bertrandite%2Bpair5.jpg"><img style="MARGIN: 0px 0px 10px 10px; WIDTH: 281px; FLOAT: right; HEIGHT: 289px; CURSOR: hand" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5575244253764213858" border="0" alt="" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-iytPv2bsGYA/TV8_HCGnXGI/AAAAAAAAALg/qkLajZQIumE/s320/bertrandite%2Bpair5.jpg" /></a><br /><div>Tiffany Stone is a beautiful and unusual gemstone that is found only in the mountains of Utah. It is also known as "Bertrandite", "Opalized Fluorite" or "Utah Lavender". It is mixture of different colors in swirls, plumes, dendrites and other interesting patterns. Tiffany Stone is composed of predominantly Opalized Fluorite in blues, purples and whites but is often mixed with other minerals such as quartz, chalcedony, dolomite, rhodonite, manganese oxides (blacks), and bertrandite (white, yellow or pink) that contains the mineral beryllium. Specimens with a lot of purple are generally the most sought after. The purple color comes from flourine gases.<br /><a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-urAPza9PH4s/TV8_5lj49cI/AAAAAAAAALw/CJfU5eyXnQA/s1600/Tiffany%2BStone%2BPear.jpg"><img style="MARGIN: 0px 10px 10px 0px; WIDTH: 270px; FLOAT: left; HEIGHT: 320px; CURSOR: hand" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5575245122275702210" border="0" alt="" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-urAPza9PH4s/TV8_5lj49cI/AAAAAAAAALw/CJfU5eyXnQA/s320/Tiffany%2BStone%2BPear.jpg" /></a><br /></div><div></div><div>Since it only comes from one area in the world, availability is very limited. And only a small percentage of rough material is hard enough and stable enough to cut into gemstones. Most all of the cut cabochons you might find are from old stock. <a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-6hS-viYk-Eo/TV88RaGDmmI/AAAAAAAAALA/ZcWp2zkc5eU/s1600/Tiffany22.jpg"></div></a><div><br /><br /><br /></div><p align="right"><img style="TEXT-ALIGN: center; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 175px; DISPLAY: block; HEIGHT: 172px; CURSOR: hand" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5575245530373535522" border="0" alt="" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-_F63PA-6kbM/TV9ARV1_tyI/AAAAAAAAAL4/KR9JPVR7-wg/s320/Tiffany-13.jpg" /> <p align="left"></p><p></p><p align="left"></p><a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-6hS-viYk-Eo/TV88RaGDmmI/AAAAAAAAALA/ZcWp2zkc5eU/s1600/Tiffany22.jpg"><div></a></div>If you are a jewelry maker looking for something unusual for your next design you should look into Tiffany Stone. If you collect cabochon cut gemstones, you've got to have at least one of these beautiful stones.<div>View more <a href="http://www.palmbeachgems.com/#ecwid:category=246871&mode=category&offset=0&sort=normal">Tiffany Stone </a>includings lots of matched pairs.</div>Bretthttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02497952464402277586noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-33596372.post-39004936550343014682010-11-14T20:15:00.003-05:002010-11-15T18:47:17.063-05:00Chatoyant Pietersite<a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/_sg19LNA58HE/TOCK1ywulrI/AAAAAAAAAKg/krVfiFndcKk/s1600/pietersite.jpg"><img style="MARGIN: 0px 10px 10px 0px; WIDTH: 282px; FLOAT: left; HEIGHT: 275px; CURSOR: hand" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5539580198429562546" border="0" alt="" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/_sg19LNA58HE/TOCK1ywulrI/AAAAAAAAAKg/krVfiFndcKk/s320/pietersite.jpg" /></a><br /><div></div><br />Pietersite is the name given to a beautiful mineral aggregate that is most often cut into cabochon shapes and makes a great gemstone material. It is closely related to tiger eye and is prized for its chaotic bands and swirls of dark red, gold, brown and sometimes blue. Areas of the stone often display a characteristic known as “chatoyancy”. Chatoyancy is a shimmering, cat's eye effect caused by tiny, fibrous, parallel inclusions.<br /><br />It is named for Sid Pieters who first discovered it in Namibia in 1962. A slightly different material was later discovered in China and was also classified as Pietesite. I have read that the China mine is closed and so there is no new material coming out of China or Namibia. In any event, supplies are very limited.<br /><br />Pietersite that contains a lot of blue is the rarest. Dark red is more common. The rich, earthy colors, chatoyant characteristics and striking patterns make it a popular stone year round, but especially in the fall.Bretthttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02497952464402277586noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-33596372.post-13785625788579377542010-10-08T20:40:00.006-04:002010-10-08T21:21:28.979-04:00Crazy Cool Idocrase<a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/_sg19LNA58HE/TK_APoUMI_I/AAAAAAAAAKQ/LRSfy8QFZVc/s1600/Idocrase+120a.jpg"><img style="MARGIN: 0px 10px 10px 0px; WIDTH: 291px; FLOAT: left; HEIGHT: 205px; CURSOR: hand" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5525846642559558642" border="0" alt="" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/_sg19LNA58HE/TK_APoUMI_I/AAAAAAAAAKQ/LRSfy8QFZVc/s320/Idocrase+120a.jpg" /></a><br />Idocrase is a very interesting mineral. It also can be a very beautiful gemstone! Idocrase also goes by the name Vesuvianite, since it was first discovered on the volcano, Mount Vesuvius! It isn't very well known outside of rockhound and gem collectors circles but as more high grade material is becoming available, especially from East Africa, it is gaining a wider following. Idocrase is usually an opaque dark green. The opaque material has sometimes been used as a simulant or substitute for jade.<br /><br />The really exciting stuff though, is the bright, translucent pieces! Somewhat included specimens can be cut into beautiful cabochons and cleaner pieces are facet cut. The shade of green varies from slightly yellowish-green to strongly yellowish-green. The color is reminiscent of the popular gemstone peridot.<br /><a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/_sg19LNA58HE/TK_ArV2XAVI/AAAAAAAAAKY/xlvBDn9OztM/s1600/Idocrase+116.jpg"><img style="WIDTH: 247px; FLOAT: right; HEIGHT: 262px; CURSOR: hand" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5525847118638940498" border="0" alt="" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/_sg19LNA58HE/TK_ArV2XAVI/AAAAAAAAAKY/xlvBDn9OztM/s320/Idocrase+116.jpg" /></a><br />If you are looking for a green gemstone that is a little out of the ordinary, consider idocrase. It goes well with amethyst and looks great set in silver.<br /><br />See more at <a href="http://www.palmbeachgems.com/#ecwid:category=433182&mode=category&offset=0&sort=normal">PalmBeachGems.com</a>Bretthttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02497952464402277586noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-33596372.post-79401042772235071082010-09-14T09:38:00.010-04:002010-09-14T10:23:47.371-04:00Colorful Gem Chalcedony<a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/_sg19LNA58HE/TI98rbG0gXI/AAAAAAAAAKI/hqhy_4mGWM0/s1600/Purple-Calcedony-102.jpg"><img style="MARGIN: 0px 0px 10px 10px; WIDTH: 300px; FLOAT: right; HEIGHT: 258px; CURSOR: hand" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5516765154004730226" border="0" alt="" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/_sg19LNA58HE/TI98rbG0gXI/AAAAAAAAAKI/hqhy_4mGWM0/s320/Purple-Calcedony-102.jpg" /></a><br /><div>Chalcedony is a fairly common stone that has been used for centuries for tools and adornment. It is a form of quartz, called micro-crystaline simply meaning that it is very fine grained. Since it is very hard, it was a popular choice among prehistoric types for making ax heads and weapons. Today it is used primarily as a gemstone. </div><div><br />Although it is a very common stone, you may be unfamiliar with the name chalcedony. By the way, if you've read the word but never heard it pronounced, you might be surprised to learn that it is pronounced cal-SID-nee. The reason you may not have heard much about it before is that different colors of chalcedony are given different,more glamorous sounding names. For instance, I'm sure you've heard of Carnelian. Carnelian is red chalcedony. Onyx is black chalcedony. Green chalcedony is called chrysoprase or chrysophase. Banded chalcedonies are usually called agates. Recently though, some of the other, more exotic colors are getting more attention and used as gemstones. And they are just being called chalcedony. Blue chalcedony has been popular for a while now. And Indonesia yields some gorgeous purple chalcedony that is the color of amethyst as well as some beautiful bright yellow specimens. Nice clean, clear pieces of this purple or yellow material sell for $20 per carat or more. </div><div> </div><div>A lot of chalcedony is dyed or otherwise treated to enhance its color. Most of the carnelian on the market is heat treated or dyed and almost all onyx dyed to make it blacker.. There is also some very pretty, turquoise blue chalcedony being sold that are recieving a diffusion treatment. The important thing is to always ask before you buy. Gemstone treatments are ok as long as they are disclosed. Natural, untreated chalcedony is much more valuable than dyed stones and the color is permanant. The color of treated stones sometimes fades over time. I have seen beautiful blue chalcedony turn grey after being exposed to light for a few months.</div><div> </div><div>Chalcedony is in many ways a perfect gemstone. The colors are bold, striking and wide ranging. Nice specimens have just the right amount of translucency, so they almost look like they are glowing from within. And they are extremely durable! Best of all chalcedony gemstones, for the most part are affordable.</div>Bretthttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02497952464402277586noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-33596372.post-55689938548881075732010-09-01T09:07:00.006-04:002010-09-01T09:51:18.174-04:00Turquoise: Natural or Not?<a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/_sg19LNA58HE/TH5Z7xiITCI/AAAAAAAAAJ4/dYjpa1eR7nY/s1600/Turquoise-76ct.jpg"><img style="float:left; margin:0 10px 10px 0;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 154px; height: 200px;" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/_sg19LNA58HE/TH5Z7xiITCI/AAAAAAAAAJ4/dYjpa1eR7nY/s200/Turquoise-76ct.jpg" border="0" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5511941877391707170" /></a><br /><div><br /></div><div>One of the most popular gemstones in America has long been turquoise. Usually associated with the desert southwest and the Native Americans of that region, it seems that turquoise jewelry is always in style. It comes in a wide variety of colors and quality and a wide range of prices. If you are in the market to buy turquoise, it is critical that you know exactly what you are getting.</div><div><br /></div><div><br /></div><div><br /></div><div>There are legally five different forms of turquoise.</div><div><br /></div><div><ul><li>Natural Turquoise - This turquoise is not treated in any way. It is naturally hard enough and beautiful enough that it is just mined, cut and polished. By some estimates, less than 3% of all turquoise on the market is natural! This is the most valuable and collectible form of turquoise.</li></ul></div><div><br /></div><div><ul><li>Stabilized Turquoise - This turquoise is naturally beautiful, but was a little too soft to be practical as a jewelry stone. It has therefore undergone a process to harden it. It is usually infused, under pressure, with a clear epoxy resin. The resin allows the turquoise to be cut and polished and makes it much more durable. Another process has more recently been developed that involves vaporized silica being infused in the turquoise. Most of the turquoise on the market is stabilized in some way. It should be less expensive than completely natural material. Although less valuable, it is real turquoise and makes beautiful, affordable jewelry.</li></ul></div><div><br /></div><div><ul><li>Treated Turquoise - It is soft turquoise that has been stabilized as described above, but The color has also been enhanced. Normally a dye is added to the epoxy in order to improve the color of very light or poorly colored material. The colors usually look a little artificial. It should cost much less than natural or stabilized turquoise.</li></ul></div><div><br /></div><div><ul><li>Reconstituted Turquoise -Very low grade turquoise "chalk" that is ground into powder, saturated with epoxy resin, dyed, and compressed into blocks. The blocks are then cut and shaped into stones to be put into jewelry. Obviously, these stones should be very inexpensive.</li></ul></div><div><br /></div><div><ul><li>Imitation Turquoise - These contain no real turquoise at all. They may be an entirely artificial material like a plastic or they may be some other type of stone that has been dyed to look like turquoise. Howlite, which is a very common, naturally white stone, is often used since it is a similar looking texture and is porous and takes dye easily.</li></ul></div><div>Techniques for treating and imitating turquoise are constantly improving and it is becoming very difficult to tell sometimes whether or not a stone is treated or even if it is real. Experience will help you spot fake or treated stones. Once you've looked at a lot of genuine turquoise you will develop a sense of what looks real and what doesn't. Genuine turquoise has a somewhat waxy look, not too glossy. If nuggets are darker in high areas and lighter color in the low spots they are probably dyed. If buying beads, look in the hole! If it is white inside, it is fake. But even experts can sometimes be fooled. Your best bet is to buy from a reputable dealer. They should disclose if it is natural, treated or imitation and offer a money back guarantee.</div><div><br /></div>Bretthttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02497952464402277586noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-33596372.post-83109699490894347292010-08-05T18:39:00.026-04:002010-08-05T21:02:40.026-04:00The New Opal from Welo Ethiopia<a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/_sg19LNA58HE/TFtW87X3k7I/AAAAAAAAAJo/_Ppw4RYk0k0/s1600/welo704.jpg"><img style="MARGIN: 0px 10px 10px 0px; WIDTH: 269px; FLOAT: left; HEIGHT: 275px; CURSOR: hand" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5502086974493135794" border="0" alt="" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/_sg19LNA58HE/TFtW87X3k7I/AAAAAAAAAJo/_Ppw4RYk0k0/s320/welo704.jpg" /></a><br /><br /><div><br /><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:Verdana, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;font-size:14;"><strong style="PADDING-BOTTOM: 0px; MARGIN: 0px; PADDING-LEFT: 0px; PADDING-RIGHT: 0px; PADDING-TOP: 0px" _mce_style="padding: 0px; margin: 0px;"><strong style="PADDING-BOTTOM: 0px; MARGIN: 0px; PADDING-LEFT: 0px; PADDING-RIGHT: 0px; PADDING-TOP: 0px" _mce_style="padding: 0px; margin: 0px;"><em style="PADDING-BOTTOM: 0px; MARGIN: 0px; PADDING-LEFT: 0px; PADDING-RIGHT: 0px; PADDING-TOP: 0px" _mce_style="padding: 0px; margin: 0px;"><p style="PADDING-BOTTOM: 4px; MARGIN: 0px; PADDING-LEFT: 4px; PADDING-RIGHT: 4px; PADDING-TOP: 4px" _mce_style="padding: 4px; margin: 0px;"><strong style="PADDING-BOTTOM: 0px; MARGIN: 0px; PADDING-LEFT: 0px; PADDING-RIGHT: 0px; PADDING-TOP: 0px" _mce_style="padding: 0px; margin: 0px;"><span style="PADDING-BOTTOM: 0px; MARGIN: 0px; PADDING-LEFT: 0px; PADDING-RIGHT: 0px"><strong style="PADDING-BOTTOM: 0px; MARGIN: 0px; PADDING-LEFT: 0px; PADDING-RIGHT: 0px; PADDING-TOP: 0px" _mce_style="padding: 0px; margin: 0px;"><em style="PADDING-BOTTOM: 0px; MARGIN: 0px; PADDING-LEFT: 0px; PADDING-RIGHT: 0px; PADDING-TOP: 0px" _mce_style="padding: 0px; margin: 0px;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:arial;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:medium;">There is a lot of excitement about a new opal find in the Welo (sometimes spelled Wello) region of Ethiopia. It was discovered in 2008 and is considered the most stable opal found in that country. Opal from other areas of Ethiopia is often very beautiful but has a reputation for being unstable (prone to cracking or crazing). This <a href="http://www.palmbeachgems.com/#ecwid:keywords=welo%20opals&mode=search&offset=0&sort=priceDesc">Welo opal </a>takes a little patience to cut properly, but once cut has proven to be every bit as stable as Australian opal. The fire is generally very bright, usually 4 to 5 on the 5 point brightness scale! They display the full spectrum of colors with red being very prevalent. They also display a wide range of fire patterns and base colors. If you look closely at the opal pictured, it shows an unique feature sometimes seen in Welo opals. It shows an internal cellular pattern sometimes called honeycomb. This structure is apart from the base color or the fire pattern. You'll also notice that it has a bi-colored base, being amber colored on the right side and translucent milky white on the other side. </span></span></em></span></span></em></strong></strong> <strong style="PADDING-BOTTOM: 0px; MARGIN: 0px; PADDING-LEFT: 0px; PADDING-RIGHT: 0px; PADDING-TOP: 0px" _mce_style="padding: 0px; margin: 0px;"><strong style="PADDING-BOTTOM: 0px; MARGIN: 0px; PADDING-LEFT: 0px; PADDING-RIGHT: 0px; PADDING-TOP: 0px" _mce_style="padding: 0px; margin: 0px;"><em style="PADDING-BOTTOM: 0px; MARGIN: 0px; PADDING-LEFT: 0px; PADDING-RIGHT: 0px; PADDING-TOP: 0px" _mce_style="padding: 0px; margin: 0px;"><strong style="PADDING-BOTTOM: 0px; MARGIN: 0px; PADDING-LEFT: 0px; PADDING-RIGHT: 0px; PADDING-TOP: 0px" _mce_style="padding: 0px; margin: 0px;"><strong style="PADDING-BOTTOM: 0px; MARGIN: 0px; PADDING-LEFT: 0px; PADDING-RIGHT: 0px; PADDING-TOP: 0px" _mce_style="padding: 0px; margin: 0px;"><em style="PADDING-BOTTOM: 0px; MARGIN: 0px; PADDING-LEFT: 0px; PADDING-RIGHT: 0px; PADDING-TOP: 0px" _mce_style="padding: 0px; margin: 0px;"><strong style="PADDING-BOTTOM: 0px; MARGIN: 0px; PADDING-LEFT: 0px; PADDING-RIGHT: 0px; PADDING-TOP: 0px" _mce_style="padding: 0px; margin: 0px;"><strong style="PADDING-BOTTOM: 0px; MARGIN: 0px; PADDING-LEFT: 0px; PADDING-RIGHT: 0px; PADDING-TOP: 0px" _mce_style="padding: 0px; margin: 0px;"><em style="PADDING-BOTTOM: 0px; MARGIN: 0px; PADDING-LEFT: 0px; PADDING-RIGHT: 0px; PADDING-TOP: 0px" _mce_style="padding: 0px; margin: 0px;"><strong style="PADDING-BOTTOM: 0px; MARGIN: 0px; PADDING-LEFT: 0px; PADDING-RIGHT: 0px; PADDING-TOP: 0px" _mce_style="padding: 0px; margin: 0px;"><strong style="PADDING-BOTTOM: 0px; MARGIN: 0px; PADDING-LEFT: 0px; PADDING-RIGHT: 0px; PADDING-TOP: 0px" _mce_style="padding: 0px; margin: 0px;"><em style="PADDING-BOTTOM: 0px; MARGIN: 0px; PADDING-LEFT: 0px; PADDING-RIGHT: 0px; PADDING-TOP: 0px" _mce_style="padding: 0px; margin: 0px;"><strong style="PADDING-BOTTOM: 0px; MARGIN: 0px; PADDING-LEFT: 0px; PADDING-RIGHT: 0px; PADDING-TOP: 0px" _mce_style="padding: 0px; margin: 0px;"><strong style="PADDING-BOTTOM: 0px; MARGIN: 0px; PADDING-LEFT: 0px; PADDING-RIGHT: 0px; PADDING-TOP: 0px" _mce_style="padding: 0px; margin: 0px;"><em style="PADDING-BOTTOM: 0px; MARGIN: 0px; PADDING-LEFT: 0px; PADDING-RIGHT: 0px; PADDING-TOP: 0px" _mce_style="padding: 0px; margin: 0px;"><br /></p><p style="PADDING-BOTTOM: 4px; MARGIN: 0px; PADDING-LEFT: 4px; PADDING-RIGHT: 4px; DISPLAY: inline !important; PADDING-TOP: 4px" _mce_style="display: inline !important; padding: 4px; margin: 0px;"><strong style="PADDING-BOTTOM: 0px; MARGIN: 0px; PADDING-LEFT: 0px; PADDING-RIGHT: 0px; PADDING-TOP: 0px" _mce_style="padding: 0px; margin: 0px;"><span style="PADDING-BOTTOM: 0px; MARGIN: 0px; PADDING-LEFT: 0px; PADDING-RIGHT: 0px"><strong style="PADDING-BOTTOM: 0px; MARGIN: 0px; PADDING-LEFT: 0px; PADDING-RIGHT: 0px; PADDING-TOP: 0px" _mce_style="padding: 0px; margin: 0px;"><em style="PADDING-BOTTOM: 0px; MARGIN: 0px; PADDING-LEFT: 0px; PADDING-RIGHT: 0px; PADDING-TOP: 0px" _mce_style="padding: 0px; margin: 0px;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:arial;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:medium;">The opal material from Welo is usually hydrophane, which basically means that it can absorb a lot of water. When dry hydrophane is soaked in water, it causes the base color to clear up...sometimes highlighting the play-of-color, sometimes making it vanish! If soaked in water, it can take from a few hours to two weeks to completely dry out and return to it original state. Do not try and accelerate the drying by any artificial means like a lamp, for it could cause cracking. The price of this opal has risen dramatically and well may continue to do so. The Ethi<a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/_sg19LNA58HE/TFtXNYFzQ2I/AAAAAAAAAJw/htKxZeJwdL8/s1600/EOR508.jpg"><img style="MARGIN: 0px 0px 10px 10px; WIDTH: 194px; FLOAT: right; HEIGHT: 200px; CURSOR: hand" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5502087257079890786" border="0" alt="" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/_sg19LNA58HE/TFtXNYFzQ2I/AAAAAAAAAJw/htKxZeJwdL8/s200/EOR508.jpg" /></a>opian government has taken control of the mines and is controlling most all of the material coming onto the market now. On the right is a picture of a piece of <a href="http://www.palmbeachgems.com/#ecwid:keywords=welo%20rough&mode=search&offset=0&sort=relevance">Welo opal rough</a>.</span></span></em></strong></span></strong></p></em></strong></strong></em></strong></strong></em></strong></strong></em></strong></strong><p></p><p style="PADDING-BOTTOM: 4px; MARGIN: 0px; PADDING-LEFT: 4px; PADDING-RIGHT: 4px; PADDING-TOP: 4px" _mce_style="padding: 4px; margin: 0px;"><strong style="PADDING-BOTTOM: 0px; MARGIN: 0px; PADDING-LEFT: 0px; PADDING-RIGHT: 0px; PADDING-TOP: 0px" _mce_style="padding: 0px; margin: 0px;"><strong style="PADDING-BOTTOM: 0px; MARGIN: 0px; PADDING-LEFT: 0px; PADDING-RIGHT: 0px; PADDING-TOP: 0px" _mce_style="padding: 0px; margin: 0px;"><em style="PADDING-BOTTOM: 0px; MARGIN: 0px; PADDING-LEFT: 0px; PADDING-RIGHT: 0px; PADDING-TOP: 0px" _mce_style="padding: 0px; margin: 0px;"><strong style="PADDING-BOTTOM: 0px; MARGIN: 0px; PADDING-LEFT: 0px; PADDING-RIGHT: 0px; PADDING-TOP: 0px" _mce_style="padding: 0px; margin: 0px;"><strong style="PADDING-BOTTOM: 0px; MARGIN: 0px; PADDING-LEFT: 0px; PADDING-RIGHT: 0px; PADDING-TOP: 0px" _mce_style="padding: 0px; margin: 0px;"><em style="PADDING-BOTTOM: 0px; MARGIN: 0px; PADDING-LEFT: 0px; PADDING-RIGHT: 0px; PADDING-TOP: 0px" _mce_style="padding: 0px; margin: 0px;"><strong style="PADDING-BOTTOM: 0px; MARGIN: 0px; PADDING-LEFT: 0px; PADDING-RIGHT: 0px; PADDING-TOP: 0px" _mce_style="padding: 0px; margin: 0px;"><strong style="PADDING-BOTTOM: 0px; MARGIN: 0px; PADDING-LEFT: 0px; PADDING-RIGHT: 0px; PADDING-TOP: 0px" _mce_style="padding: 0px; margin: 0px;"><em style="PADDING-BOTTOM: 0px; MARGIN: 0px; PADDING-LEFT: 0px; PADDING-RIGHT: 0px; PADDING-TOP: 0px" _mce_style="padding: 0px; margin: 0px;"><p style="PADDING-BOTTOM: 4px; MARGIN: 0px; PADDING-LEFT: 4px; PADDING-RIGHT: 4px; DISPLAY: inline !important; PADDING-TOP: 4px" _mce_style="display: inline !important; padding: 4px; margin: 0px;"><strong style="PADDING-BOTTOM: 0px; MARGIN: 0px; PADDING-LEFT: 0px; PADDING-RIGHT: 0px; PADDING-TOP: 0px" _mce_style="padding: 0px; margin: 0px;"><span style="PADDING-BOTTOM: 0px; MARGIN: 0px; PADDING-LEFT: 0px; PADDING-RIGHT: 0px"><strong style="PADDING-BOTTOM: 0px; MARGIN: 0px; PADDING-LEFT: 0px; PADDING-RIGHT: 0px; PADDING-TOP: 0px" _mce_style="padding: 0px; margin: 0px;"><em style="PADDING-BOTTOM: 0px; MARGIN: 0px; PADDING-LEFT: 0px; PADDING-RIGHT: 0px; PADDING-TOP: 0px" _mce_style="padding: 0px; margin: 0px;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:arial;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:medium;">Anyone who loves and appreciates opals is sure to fall in love with Welo opals. They can be mesmerizing! The colors can be almost unbelievably bright. They show an endless variety of base colors, patterns and colors.</span></span></em></strong></span></strong></p></em></strong></strong></em></strong></strong></em></strong></strong><br /><br /><br /><p></p><br /><p></p></em></strong></strong><strong style="PADDING-BOTTOM: 0px; MARGIN: 0px; PADDING-LEFT: 0px; PADDING-RIGHT: 0px; PADDING-TOP: 0px" _mce_style="padding: 0px; margin: 0px;"><strong style="PADDING-BOTTOM: 0px; MARGIN: 0px; PADDING-LEFT: 0px; PADDING-RIGHT: 0px; PADDING-TOP: 0px" _mce_style="padding: 0px; margin: 0px;"><em style="PADDING-BOTTOM: 0px; MARGIN: 0px; PADDING-LEFT: 0px; PADDING-RIGHT: 0px; PADDING-TOP: 0px" _mce_style="padding: 0px; margin: 0px;"><br /><br /><br /><p></p></em></strong></strong><br /></div></strong></strong></div>Bretthttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02497952464402277586noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-33596372.post-65582019484586539172010-03-26T10:28:00.015-04:002010-03-26T12:10:27.454-04:00Dendrites, Beautiful Gemstone Inclusions<a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/_sg19LNA58HE/S6zPGnNxKcI/AAAAAAAAAI0/TJ_csm_pexU/s1600/Dendritic-Agate-107.jpg"><img style="MARGIN: 0px 10px 10px 0px; WIDTH: 242px; FLOAT: left; HEIGHT: 320px; CURSOR: hand" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5452960961351723458" border="0" alt="" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/_sg19LNA58HE/S6zPGnNxKcI/AAAAAAAAAI0/TJ_csm_pexU/s320/Dendritic-Agate-107.jpg" /></a><br /><br /><div><br /><br /><br /><br /></div><div>You may have heard the term dendrite or more likely the adjective, dendritic, used when describing a gemstone and wondered exactly what it was. They are attractive patterns, usually black or dark brown that are seen in many types of gemstone material. They are most often associated with agates but are sometimes found in quartz, opal and other stones. They are also commonly seen in limestone. </div><div><br />The word <em>dendrite</em> comes from the greek word for "tree" because a dendritic inclusion in a stone looks like a branching tree or at least like some type of plant life. They are often said to look like ferns or moss and many people mistakingly speculate that they are fossil imprints of moss. Actually dendrites are inclusions of manganese crystals. They are formed when manganese rich water seeps into tiny crevices in rocks and the manganese crystals are deposited in intricate branching patterns. The result, if properly cut, is a facinating gemstone.</div><div></div><div>As I said, the most common dendritic gemstone in dendritic agate, the most famous probably being from Russia or Kazakhstan. They are generally white with black or brown dendrites. The famous Russian jeweler Carl Faberge used them and made them popular in the late 1800's. I've <a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/_sg19LNA58HE/S6zQHrWZhBI/AAAAAAAAAI8/AAQTEMTcgCs/s1600/Opalite+Hearts.jpg"><img style="MARGIN: 0px 0px 10px 10px; WIDTH: 320px; FLOAT: right; HEIGHT: 270px; CURSOR: hand" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5452962079153161234" border="0" alt="" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/_sg19LNA58HE/S6zQHrWZhBI/AAAAAAAAAI8/AAQTEMTcgCs/s320/Opalite+Hearts.jpg" /></a>also seen some blue Peruvian opals with dendrites that were strikingly beautiful and clear quartz with dendrites are not uncommon. </div><div></div><div>-</div><div></div><div></div><div></div><div></div><div></div><div></div><div></div><div></div><div></div><div></div><div align="right">Dendrites in Opalite</div><div align="right"></div><div align="right"></div><div align="right">-</div><div align="right"></div><div align="right"></div><div align="right"></div><div align="right"></div><div></div><div>Visit my website: <a href="http://www.palmbeachgems.com/">http://www.palmbeachgems.com/</a> to see more dendritic gemstones.</div>Bretthttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02497952464402277586noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-33596372.post-31731752655581208592010-01-28T14:36:00.012-05:002010-01-28T18:14:36.455-05:00What is Drusy?<div><a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/_sg19LNA58HE/S2HoIX8McyI/AAAAAAAAAIc/9U_z4bYt0Vo/s1600-h/druzy+cab+e.jpg"><img style="MARGIN: 0px 10px 10px 0px; WIDTH: 320px; FLOAT: left; HEIGHT: 320px; CURSOR: hand" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5431877856148615970" border="0" alt="" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/_sg19LNA58HE/S2HoIX8McyI/AAAAAAAAAIc/9U_z4bYt0Vo/s320/druzy+cab+e.jpg" /></a><br /><br /><div>Drusy, often spelled "Druzy" is a layer or crust of tiny crystals on the surface of a rock. Most often it is found in a crevice or on the inside surface of a geode. I suppose it could be any kind of crystal, but usually it is referring to quartz crystal.<br /></div><div>Drusy has become very popular in recent years as a cut, jewelry stone. A section of the drusy bearing host rock is cut out and shaped, usually with a flat back, similar to the way a cabochon is made. The drusy crystals on top are left intact. In the example on the left, the host rock around the edges has been polished. Sometimes the Drusy goes right up to the edges.</div><br /><div></div><br /><div>The drusy is sometimes clear quartz and sometimes amethyst or citine. Most often though, the crystals have been treated in some way to change or enhance the color. The majority of druzy is naturally a dull grey color. One common technique coats the crystal with another metallic element such as titanium or cobalt to give the drusy a really sensational look! The picture below is a titanium coated druzy. <img style="TEXT-ALIGN: center; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 268px; DISPLAY: block; HEIGHT: 200px; CURSOR: hand" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5431926673270269202" border="0" alt="" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/_sg19LNA58HE/S2IUh54-ZRI/AAAAAAAAAIk/Ld3uMepS6u4/s320/druzy-titanium2.jpg" /></div><div>This permanent treatment is done in a vacuum chamber and can be very difficult to do properly. Other times the material is dyed or is otherwise diffused with color. </div><div> </div><div>The finished stones can be set in jewelry with a bezel or prongs. They also make great wire wrapping subjects. Drusy gemstones make great jewelry stones . They are usually quite durable and definitely are real attention grabbers.</div><br /><div></div></div>Bretthttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02497952464402277586noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-33596372.post-83288485985745227782010-01-05T17:20:00.007-05:002010-01-05T17:30:15.000-05:00Fossil Coral<a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/_sg19LNA58HE/S0O7kuas3TI/AAAAAAAAAIM/dgHFFQs5H5c/s1600-h/Fossil-Coral-3a.jpg"><img style="TEXT-ALIGN: center; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 320px; DISPLAY: block; HEIGHT: 234px; CURSOR: hand" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5423384615893916978" border="0" alt="" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/_sg19LNA58HE/S0O7kuas3TI/AAAAAAAAAIM/dgHFFQs5H5c/s320/Fossil-Coral-3a.jpg" /></a><br />One of my favorite gemstone materials is fossil coral. The flower-like patterns in the stone are amazingly intricate and beautiful. It is the fossilized remains of prehistoric corals. Most that I've seen comes from the mountains of Indonesia. As there are many different species of coral, there are different patterns of fossil coral available. There are also different colors. A light tan seems to be the most common but there is also dark brown, reddish brown, black and gray as well as some that is multi-color or banded. Most is opaque, but I've seen some translucent specimens.<br /><a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/_sg19LNA58HE/S0O8E92aYNI/AAAAAAAAAIU/7NMTJEiifQk/s1600-h/Fossil-Coral-cu2.jpg"><img style="MARGIN: 0px 0px 10px 10px; WIDTH: 195px; FLOAT: right; HEIGHT: 200px; CURSOR: hand" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5423385169792491730" border="0" alt="" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/_sg19LNA58HE/S0O8E92aYNI/AAAAAAAAAIU/7NMTJEiifQk/s200/Fossil-Coral-cu2.jpg" /></a><br />Generally, stones with crisp, clear detail are more expensive. More unusual or attractive coloring also influences value. It is availabe as cabochons or beads.Bretthttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02497952464402277586noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-33596372.post-75385065195576689032009-10-13T18:16:00.007-04:002009-10-13T18:55:12.098-04:00Gemstone Grading<p align="left" style="font-family:arial;"><span style="font-size:130%;"><strong>Various methods are used to describe the quality of a particular gemstone relative to other gemstones of the same type. There isn't any universally accepted grading system. Different dealers often use different methods and symbols to describe the grade of a gemstone. Many use "commercial", "good", "fine" and "extra fine" to describe the stones. You will also often see "AAA","AA","A","B" etc. Grading is always subjective but if done consistently and honestly it should help you compare different stones with different prices. The grade of a stone should take into consideration the </strong><strong>color</strong><strong> of the stone, the </strong><strong>clarity</strong><strong> and to a lesser extent, the cut. </strong></span></p> <p style="font-family:arial;"><span style="font-size:130%;"><b>Color is the most important consideration for colored gemstones. There are 3 factors affecting the color of a stone. They are <i>Hue</i>, <i>Saturation</i>, and <i>Tone</i>. </b></span></p> <p style="font-family:arial;"><span style="font-size:130%;"><b>Hue is the color of the stone: red, yellow, blue, etc. Generally, the more pure colors are more desirable. For instance, a red ruby is better than a orangish-red ruby. But tastes and fashion trends vary and change. People in different countries and cultures often have different ideas about what color or shade is most desirable.<br /></b></span></p> <p style="font-family:arial;"><span style="font-size:130%;"><b>Saturation refers to the intensity of the color. Saturation is usually rated from 1 to 6, 1 being grayish or brownish and 6 being "vivid". Generally the more vivid color, the better .</b></span></p> <p style="font-family:arial;"><span style="font-size:130%;"><b>Tone is how dark or light the looks. They are rated on a scale of 0 to 10 with colorless being 0 and so dark as to appear black being 10. The ideal tone is usually in the upper middle range but varies among different species of gemstone.</b></span></p> <p align="left" style="font-family:arial;"><span style="font-size:130%;"><strong>The clarity of a stone simply refers to how clear it is. The main factor here are inclusions. Inclusions are anything within the stone that interferes with the transmission of light through the stone. Inclusions can be small fractures within the stone, or tiny crystals of other minerals. In many cases there are actually tiny pockets of liquid or bubbles of gas trapped within the crystal structure of a gemstone. To the naked eye they just look like little specks or fine lines. Generally the more included a gemstone is, the less valuable. However there are exceptions and inclusions are more acceptable in some stones than others. For example, natural emeralds almost always have significant inclusions, so they are more accepted in an emerald than in, say amethyst which is commonly very clear.. The Gemological Institute of America has attempted to standardize clarity standards for Colored Gems. They have divided Gemstones into 3 types and have defined the clarity grades for each type.</strong></span></p> <p align="left" style="font-family:arial;"><span style="font-size:130%;"><strong>You can see a chart describing the <a href="http://www.palmbeachgems.com/Gemstone%20Information.htm#grade%20chart">GIA clarity standards here</a>.</strong></span></p><p align="left" style="font-family:arial;"><span style="font-size:130%;"><strong>The quality of the cut is also a factor in the grade of a gemstone. A well cut stone will reflect and refract light better and will be more appealing.<br /></strong></span></p><p align="left"><strong><span style="font-family:monospace;"><span style="font-size:130%;"><span style="font-family:arial;">In later articles I will discuss each of these factors in more detail, but this gives you an overview of what factors are considered when grading a gemstone.</span></span><br /></span></strong></p>Bretthttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02497952464402277586noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-33596372.post-26188122829792763282009-10-05T14:22:00.002-04:002009-10-05T14:44:35.529-04:00Amazing, Blazing Ethiopian Opal<a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/_sg19LNA58HE/Sso-aj0l3QI/AAAAAAAAAHk/xOOAM9ubwtw/s1600-h/Opal-Ethiopian-23.jpg"><img style="margin: 0pt 10px 10px 0pt; float: left; cursor: pointer; width: 320px; height: 303px;" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/_sg19LNA58HE/Sso-aj0l3QI/AAAAAAAAAHk/xOOAM9ubwtw/s320/Opal-Ethiopian-23.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5389188530115566850" border="0" /></a><br />I wish pictures could convey how bright the color play is in this Ethiopian opal. I've done the best I could with my limited photographic skills. This is a 1.95ct. stone we recently had cut. It shows broad, bright bands of color in almost any light. Mostly red, green and yellow, but a little violet blue as well. The base is a light yellow color. A lot of the material coming out of the Welo area in Ethiopia is stunningly beautiful and seems stable. Some still have doubts about the stability of most of the opals coming out of Ethiopia, but some are starting to say that the opal from the Welo region may be more stable than Australian opal! Prices are still comparatively very low but that may change in time as more people see this African opal, more cutters learn to cut it properly and more trust is built in the marketplace. You can see <a href="http://www.palmbeachgems.com/Ethiopian%20Opals.htm#opal823">more pictures of this opal</a> as well as some Ethiopian opal rough on my website.Bretthttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02497952464402277586noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-33596372.post-84359870052255633872009-09-23T09:02:00.004-04:002009-09-23T09:34:30.642-04:00Gemstone Treatments<p><b>The topic of gemstone treatments can be confusing for someone shopping for a gemstone. Many people are surprised to learn that most finished gems being sold today have been treated in some way. But that it isn't necessarily a bad thing. The most common treatments are heating, irradiating, </b><b>dyeing</b><b> and </b><b>diffusion</b><b>. Many types of treatments are considered acceptable in the jewelry trade while others are not. The important thing is that the treatments are disclosed so that you can make an informed buying decision. </b></p> <p><b>The purpose of a treatment is generally to make a gem more beautiful than it would be without the treatment. Some treatments may make a stone more durable. In most cases the treatment </b><b>is acceptable if it </b><b>is permanent, improves the qualities of the gem, is disclosed and is not meant to mislead the buyer.</b></p> <p><b>A few types of gems including <a href="http://www.palmbeachgems.com/garnets.htm">garnet</a>, </b><b>peridot</b><b> and <a href="http://www.palmbeachgems.com/Iolite%20Gemstones.htm">iolite</a> are not usually treated, but most other familiar gemstones usually are. For instance, most all <a href="http://www.palmbeachgems.com/Sapphires.htm">sapphires</a> are heat treated to improve their color and clarity. Heated sapphires display brighter, more even color that would be extremely rare in a natural stone. Therefore most commercially available sapphires have been heated. That usually means you can a afford a more beautiful stone than you could if sapphires were not heated. Heat treatment is widely accepted in the trade. Most of the <a href="http://www.palmbeachgems.com/Amethysts.htm">amethyst</a> now being sold has also been heat treated to improve the color and make it more even.<br /></b></p><p><b> Some sapphires receive diffusion treatment to alter their color. Through heat and pressure, a particular chemical element is diffused into the cut stone, thereby changing the color. That' the case with many- of the “padparadscha” (pinkish-orange) sapphire</b> <b>that is on the market</b><b>.</b> <b> However diffusion only effects a thin outer layer of the stone, so if the stone is </b><b>scratched a little or </b><b>chipped the original color will show. For that reason, this is often considered an “unacceptable” treatment unless the buyer is fully aware of the treatment and its risks.</b></p> <p><b>Many people like the idea of having an untreated stone. They feel that part of the attraction of gems is that it is something created by nature, without any human manipulation. They prefer untreated stones even if it is more expensive or they have to sacrifice color or clarity a little. Treatment is so commonplace that untreated gemstones are becoming rare and so, they may have more value to a collector or purest. </b></p> <p><b>Below is a list of some of the treatments that are usually deemed “acceptable” by the jewelry trade:</b></p> <ul style="margin-bottom: 0in;" type="disc"><li> <span style="font-size: 10pt; font-family: Verdana;">heating sapphires and rubies </span></li><li> <span style="font-size: 10pt; font-family: Verdana;">heating </span><span style="font-size: 10pt; font-family: Verdana;"><a href="http://www.palmbeachgems.com/Aquamarines.htm">aquamarine</a>, </span><span style="font-size: 10pt; font-family: Verdana;">amethyst, citrine, </span><span style="font-size: 10pt; font-family: Verdana;"> tanzanite, </span><span style="font-size: 10pt; font-family: Verdana;">topaz, <a href="http://www.palmbeachgems.com/Tourmalines.htm">tourmaline</a>, and zircon </span></li><li> <span style="font-size: 10pt; font-family: Verdana;">irradiating topaz (to make clear topaz blue) </span></li><li> <span style="font-size: 10pt; font-family: Verdana;">putting organic resins and wax in emeralds </span></li><li> <span style="font-size: 10pt; font-family: Verdana;">waxing lapis lazuli, jade, and other opaque gemstones </span></li><li> <span style="font-size: 10pt; font-family: Verdana;">dying onyx black </span></li></ul> <p class="MsoNormal"><b>Many of these treatments are virtually undetectable, so whether or not they are treated is difficult to prove. Many stones are sold as “probably treated” and you should assume the stones you are buying are, unless it is specified as “untreated”. You may see the term “natural used”. The term “natural gem” means that the stone was formed in the earth. In other words, it is not synthetic, man-made or lab created. But it may be treated and can still be called natural! <br /></b></p> <p><b>Here are some of the treatments that are usually considered “not acceptable”:</b></p> <ul style="margin-bottom: 0in;" type="disc"><li> <span style="font-size: 10pt; font-family: Verdana;">diffusion treatment of sapphire </span></li><li> <span style="font-size: 10pt; font-family: Verdana;">glass filling of ruby </span></li><li> <span style="font-size: 10pt; font-family: Verdana;">epoxy resin in emerald </span></li><li> <span style="font-size: 10pt; font-family: Verdana;">dyeing lapis lazuli blue, or most other dye treatments </span></li><li> <span style="font-size: 10pt; font-family: Verdana;">epoxy treatment of jadeite</span></li></ul> <p class="MsoNormal"><b>Even these treatments are not illegal or even unethical as long as they are fully disclosed. Ultimately, it is a personal decision whether you buy a treated, untreated or synthetic gemstone. The important thing is that you know what you are buying.</b></p><p> <ins style="border: medium none ; margin: 0pt; padding: 0pt; display: inline-table; height: 60px; position: relative; visibility: visible; width: 468px;"><ins style="border: medium none ; margin: 0pt; padding: 0pt; display: block; height: 60px; position: relative; visibility: visible; width: 468px;"></ins></ins></p>Bretthttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02497952464402277586noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-33596372.post-2726882736132751302009-09-19T12:28:00.004-04:002009-09-19T13:00:38.153-04:00Iolite: Beautiful & Affordable Blue Gem<a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/_sg19LNA58HE/SrUHd8w4P1I/AAAAAAAAAHc/KheGzPT2I3I/s1600-h/Iolite-815.jpg"><img style="margin: 0pt 10px 10px 0pt; float: left; cursor: pointer; width: 244px; height: 224px;" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/_sg19LNA58HE/SrUHd8w4P1I/AAAAAAAAAHc/KheGzPT2I3I/s320/Iolite-815.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5383217140700036946" border="0" /></a><br />Do you love blue sapphires or tanzanite but they don't quite fit your budget? Consider iolite! This gemstone is probably not as well known or as often used as it deserves. It is the gem variety of the mineral cordierite.<br /><br />Iolite Has very pronounced "pleochroism". That means that the color looks different when you look at it from different angles. Because of this property, the Vikings were able to use thin pieces of iolite to navigate, using it to determine the exact location of the sun even in bad conditions. The same stone can look violet- blue or yellowish-gray or even clear depending on how it is viewed. For that reason, it is very important that the stone be properly cut so that when it is viewed face up, you see the best color. Sometimes it is called "water sapphire", although the best colored specimens actually look more like fine tanzanite.<br /><br />It is mined in Brazil, Sri Lanka and several locations in Africa. It's relative hardness and beautiful color make it a great jewelry stone. And the price is surprisingly affordable. A very nice stone can be had for under $10 per carat. If you dream of some day owning a large tanzanite, but you are still a few thousand dollars short, a nice iolite will make a good place holder in that ring setting for now.<br />You can see some more<a href="http://www.palmbeachgems.com/Iolite%20Gemstones.htm"> iolites here</a> and some <a href="http://www.palmbeachgems.com/Earrings.htm">iolite earrings here</a>.Bretthttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02497952464402277586noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-33596372.post-72717105826643932072009-09-09T09:01:00.008-04:002009-09-10T11:09:29.530-04:00Rutilated Garnet<a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/_sg19LNA58HE/SqkWJTX4GDI/AAAAAAAAAHU/yVzXrLdrxgk/s1600-h/rutilated-garnet.jpg"><img style="margin: 0pt 10px 10px 0pt; float: left; cursor: pointer; width: 200px; height: 161px;" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/_sg19LNA58HE/SqkWJTX4GDI/AAAAAAAAAHU/yVzXrLdrxgk/s200/rutilated-garnet.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5379855578945820722" border="0" /></a><br /><br /><br /><br /><div style="text-align: left;">You may be familiar with the gemstone rutilated quartz. It is a fairly common stone that can be strikingly beautiful. It is clear quartz that has inclusions of rutile crystals within it. The rutile appears as long, thin, needle-like crystals that are black, gold or often reddish-brown in color. I have occasionally found a rutile inclusion here or there in other types of gems, but usually its just a couple of thin lines in the gemstone and is a detractor from the stones appeal rather than something that enhances its beauty and value. Recently though, I got some faceted grossular garnets from Africa. A couple of them were quite heavily included with rutile. Here's a picture of one. The garnet is a pale green color with a number of gold rutile crystals running through it at various angles. Its very interesting and I think, attractive! <a href="http://www.palmbeachgems.com/garnets.htm#grossularite">Garnets</a><br /></div>Bretthttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02497952464402277586noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-33596372.post-6428841283149125732009-09-08T19:40:00.010-04:002009-09-09T08:52:06.725-04:00Color Change Garnets from Kenya<span style="color: rgb(0, 0, 0);">I wrote back in January about color change garnets. Now I actually have some in my hand, so I'd like to revisit the subject. Garnet is one of only few gemstones that can exhibit a color change. A color change gem is one that appears to change from one color to </span><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/_sg19LNA58HE/SqejRaVWN1I/AAAAAAAAAGs/CEgu5UkPKdM/s1600-h/Color-Change-80b.jpg"><img style="margin: 0pt 10px 10px 0pt; float: left; cursor: pointer; width: 200px; height: 104px;" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/_sg19LNA58HE/SqejRaVWN1I/AAAAAAAAAGs/CEgu5UkPKdM/s200/Color-Change-80b.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5379447799439308626" border="0" /></a><span style="color: rgb(0, 0, 0);">another color depending on the light source. The atomic structure of the gemstone reacts differently under the ul</span><span style="color: rgb(0, 0, 0);">traviolet rays in natural sunlight (or fluorescent light)</span> .<br /><br />I have two different types of material. I have some that are larger stones in the 2 to 3.5ct. range. They have beautiful brilliance and scintillation. The color change isn't 100%. In outdoor light they are a slightly pinkish-brown color but with bright red highlights. In indoor light they are more of a raspberry pink color that reminds me of some pink tourmalines that I've seen. They are really gorgeous stones!<a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/_sg19LNA58HE/SqejcaQUCzI/AAAAAAAAAG0/Wi9F7UuSz6E/s1600-h/Color-Change-Garnet-rect.jpg"><img style="margin: 0pt 0pt 10px 10px; float: right; cursor: pointer; width: 200px; height: 114px;" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/_sg19LNA58HE/SqejcaQUCzI/AAAAAAAAAG0/Wi9F7UuSz6E/s200/Color-Change-Garnet-rect.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5379447988396755762" border="0" /></a><br /><br />The other ones that I have are the really rare ones that were just discovered in Kenya in the last year. They show a very strong color change from kind of a steel blue in daylight to purple in incandescent lighting. I have 2 of these, both under a carat. These are real collector's items<br />Follow the link to get more details on some of these<a href="http://www.palmbeachgems.com/garnets.htm#color-change"> color change garnets.</a><br /><span style="color: rgb(0, 0, 0);"><br /></span>Bretthttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02497952464402277586noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-33596372.post-83284192872306486142009-09-04T10:58:00.002-04:002009-09-04T11:27:34.178-04:00East African Rubies<a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/_sg19LNA58HE/SqEx0mEARjI/AAAAAAAAAGk/2jsfjLQcpgs/s1600-h/Ruby-43.jpg"><img style="margin: 0pt 0pt 10px 10px; float: right; cursor: pointer; width: 176px; height: 200px;" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/_sg19LNA58HE/SqEx0mEARjI/AAAAAAAAAGk/2jsfjLQcpgs/s200/Ruby-43.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5377634209697383986" border="0" /></a><br />The world's best rubies have traditionally come from Asia, most notably Burma and Thailand. Africa has long been a source of rubies, but mostly brownish or purplish stones. Most were opaque or heavily included. In recent years however, there have been several finds of ruby deposits in east Africa that are a beautiful red or pinkish-red color. Although most are best suited to cabochon cutting, some have facet grade clarity. The biggest producing countries in the are Madagascar, Tanzania and Kenya. I recently obtained some beautiful cabochons that were mined near the Tanzania-Kenya border. Most have some, spots, fissures or other inclusions but the color is fabulous and the prices are great. They are ideal for jewelry artists who would like to add some precious gems to their collection without spending hundreds of dollars on a stone. They are of course very durable and easy to work with. They can even be set and baked in Precious Metal Clay. You can have a look at some of these <a href="http://www.palmbeachgems.com/ruby_gemstones.htm">ruby gemstones here</a>. They are priced from $8 to $100 depending on the size and quality.Bretthttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02497952464402277586noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-33596372.post-18629126423362103042009-07-15T16:22:00.009-04:002009-07-18T12:25:44.520-04:00Ethiopian Opals<a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/_sg19LNA58HE/SmH2G7yByNI/AAAAAAAAAGc/Z0CibsJ9U4s/s1600-h/Opal-Nodules.jpg"><img style="margin: 0pt 0pt 10px 10px; float: right; cursor: pointer; width: 200px; height: 185px;" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/_sg19LNA58HE/SmH2G7yByNI/AAAAAAAAAGc/Z0CibsJ9U4s/s200/Opal-Nodules.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5359835630534772946" border="0" /></a><br /><span style="font-size:100%;">For decades, most commercially available opals have, for the most part come from either Australia or Mexico. Occasionally you'll see a precious opal from Brazil and a few come from Russia, Peru and even the United States. Recently we are seeing more and more jewelry grade opals coming from Ethiopia. In the 1990's opal began coming on the market from the Yeta Ridge area. This opal occured inside of ryolite nodules, kind of like little geodes, usually a couple of inches across. Most of the nodules, which just look like roundish, gray rocks, have no opal inside. Mo</span><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/_sg19LNA58HE/Sl5TOTvmCbI/AAAAAAAAAGE/MBUs6VP98jk/s1600-h/e-opal-rough47a.jpg"><img style="margin: 0pt 10px 10px 0pt; float: left; cursor: pointer; width: 200px; height: 159px;" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/_sg19LNA58HE/Sl5TOTvmCbI/AAAAAAAAAGE/MBUs6VP98jk/s200/e-opal-rough47a.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5358812111900641714" border="0" /></a><span style="font-size:100%;">st of the ones that do have opal contain just a reddish-brown "potch". But a small percentage will have beautiful, fiery, "precious" opal. It is sometimes orange, white or clear, but often it is a reddish-brown color which usually described as Mahogany or Chocolate opal. It most often has vivid red and green opalescence and look</span><span style="font-size:100%;">s quite unlike any opal I've seen from Austra</span><span style="font-size:100%;">lia.<br /></span><br /><span style="font-size:100%;">A couple of years ago, Opal was been discovered in the Gondar Desert region of Ethiopia. It is seam opal</span><span style="font-size:100%;">, more like what is </span><span style="font-size:100%;">found in Australia or Brazil. And just in the last few months, opal has started coming from Welo, Ethiopia. It displays very bright, broadflash fire and is quickly becoming very popular.<br /></span><span style="font-size:100%;"><br />Ethiopian opal has a reputation for being unstable, meaning that it has a tendency to crack or "craze". As with all opal, some is more stable than others. </span>But if the stone is properly evaluated, cured and cut you can end up with good, stable gemstones that are truly spectacular! <span style="font-size:100%;">The opal fr</span><span style="font-size:100%;">om Welo is supposed to be very stable, but even opal from the same field can vary from piece to pi</span><span style="font-size:100%;">ece. Ideally, opal should not be boug</span><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/_sg19LNA58HE/Sl5T_VBZHII/AAAAAAAAAGU/xtBA0oXJr3o/s1600-h/Opal-Contraluz-7a1.jpg"><img style="margin: 0pt 10px 10px 0pt; float: left; cursor: pointer; width: 200px; height: 167px;" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/_sg19LNA58HE/Sl5T_VBZHII/AAAAAAAAAGU/xtBA0oXJr3o/s200/Opal-Contraluz-7a1.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5358812954057317506" border="0" /></a><span style="font-size:100%;">ht or sold until it has had ample time to cure (dry out) after i</span><span style="font-size:100%;">t is mined. Reputable miners will quarantine the materia</span><span style="font-size:100%;">l for a number of months to make sure that it is</span><span style="font-size:100%;">n't going to craze when fully dry. Great care must also be taken when the material is cut. If it becomes overheated in the cutting process it will crack. But if you buy your stones from a reputable dealer and handle them with reasonable care, they should be fine.<br /></span><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/_sg19LNA58HE/Sl5TkQvTffI/AAAAAAAAAGM/pxSOyVwMTY8/s1600-h/Opal-Ethiopian-03.jpg"><img style="margin: 0pt 0pt 10px 10px; float: right; cursor: pointer; width: 200px; height: 183px;" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/_sg19LNA58HE/Sl5TkQvTffI/AAAAAAAAAGM/pxSOyVwMTY8/s200/Opal-Ethiopian-03.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5358812489051241970" border="0" /></a><br /><span style="font-size:100%;">Ethiopia is producing a great variety of opal for jewelry and collectors. Th</span><span style="font-size:100%;">ere</span><span style="font-size:100%;"> is some beautiful Ethiopian, orange, fire opal that looks just like Mexican fire opal.</span><span style="font-size:100%;"> I have seen base colors of white, yellow, clear, brown and orange with a</span><span style="font-size:100%;"> full spectrum of fire colors. There are also "contra luz" opals from Ethiopia which show no fire when viewed fro</span><span style="font-size:100%;">m some angles, but vivid color when light hits them from the side. Some of the opal from Ethiopia is called "hydrophane" opal. Hydrophane, when it is dried out is opaque, usually white. But if soaked in water it becomes transparent!<br /><a href="http://www.palmbeachgems.com/Ethiopian%20Opals.htm">Cut and rough Ethiopian opals for sale</a><br /><br /></span>Bretthttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02497952464402277586noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-33596372.post-74618149078901330282009-05-29T09:07:00.004-04:002009-05-29T09:45:11.949-04:00Merelani Mint Garnets<a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/_sg19LNA58HE/Sh_eTNp2quI/AAAAAAAAAF0/nq78a5NaRZk/s1600-h/Tsavorite-pear.jpg"><img style="margin: 0pt 10px 10px 0pt; float: left; cursor: pointer; width: 303px; height: 225px;" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/_sg19LNA58HE/Sh_eTNp2quI/AAAAAAAAAF0/nq78a5NaRZk/s320/Tsavorite-pear.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5341232104748788450" border="0" /></a><br /><span style="font-size:130%;">Many people don't realize that garnets are not just red gemstones. They come in a great variety of colors. Some of the most sought after have always been in the green family. Demantoid garnets are usually light green and have a diamond-like brilliance. They also can have a diamond-like price. Large specimens are very rare. Another favorite has been Tsavorite. They are a beautiful, rich, emerald green. A new comer among the green garnets is the "Merelani Mint" Garnet.<br /><br />Merelani Mint garnets are named for the Merelani Hills of Tanzania where they are usually found. They are a close relative of Tsavorites. Both are categorized as grossular garnets. The only real difference is the color saturation. Tsavorites are colored deep green by chromium or vanadium. Merelani Mint garnets are just paler cousins. A few years ago they were often dismissed as lower quality tsavorites, but many people prefer their more delicate, somewhat subtler shade and they have been quickly gaining an avid following. As their popularity has grown, of couse, so has their value. Prices of several hundred dollars per carat are common and I have seen them as high as a thousand dollars per carat for top grade specimens. Like tsavorites, large pieces, over 3 carats are very rare.<br /><br />Visit my website <a href="http://www.palmbeachgems.com/garnets.htm">www.PalmBeachGems.com</a> to see more Merelani Mint Garnets as well as other garnets.</span>Bretthttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02497952464402277586noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-33596372.post-77085840741115335122009-05-17T21:02:00.003-04:002009-05-17T21:15:45.496-04:00Opals on a Budget<a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/_sg19LNA58HE/ShC1H2oMckI/AAAAAAAAAFc/WAf21hGNYgY/s1600-h/Opal-9x7-Flag-2.jpg"><img style="margin: 0pt 0pt 10px 10px; float: right; cursor: pointer; width: 256px; height: 211px;" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/_sg19LNA58HE/ShC1H2oMckI/AAAAAAAAAFc/WAf21hGNYgY/s320/Opal-9x7-Flag-2.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5336964704961851970" border="0" /></a><span style="font-size:130%;">Opals have been one of the world’s favorite gemstones for centuries.</span><span style="font-size:130%;"> </span><span style="font-size:130%;">Nothing compares to opals for their fantastic displays of brilliant colors that move and change as the stone moves in the light.</span><span style="font-size:130%;"> </span><span style="font-size:130%;">The finest opals can rival diamonds in price.</span><span style="font-size:130%;"> </span><span style="font-size:130%;">Large specimens with bright colors, in sought after patterns can sell for thousands of dollars per carat.</span><span style="font-size:130%;"> </span><span style="font-size:130%;">Fortunately though, there are beautiful opals available even for those of us on a budget.</span><p></p> <p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size:130%;"><o:p> </o:p></span></p> <p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size:130%;">One option of course is to sacrifice quality somewhat.<span style=""> </span>You can find opals for under $20 per carat that are still beautiful.<span style=""> </span>The colors won’t be as vivid as the higher priced opals and there may be areas of the stone that show no flashes of “opalescence” but they will still be very attractive stones.</span></p> <p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size:130%;"><o:p> </o:p></span></p> <p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size:130%;">But what if you want a really bright, flashy opal?<span style=""> </span>Another option is to look for an opal “doublet” or “triplet.<span style=""> </span>One reason that precious opal is so expensive is that it often occurs in thin layers that just aren’t thick enough to cut into a gemstone.<span style=""> </span>But these thin pieces of material can still be used to make doublets and triplets!<span style=""> </span>The layer of precious opal is first bonded to a layer of a cheaper stone.<span style=""> </span>Usually ironstone is used.<span style=""> </span>It is readily available in the Australian opal mining regions, it is very hard and it is a dark color. It does several things.<span style=""> </span>It makes the stone thick enough of course plus it makes it. Plus, it gives the opal a dark background which makes its natural colors stand out more vividly!<span style=""> </span>If it is going to be a doublet, it is then cut and polished as would any other opal.<span style=""> </span>If it is going to be a triplet, another layer is first glued to the top of the stone.</span></p> <p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size:130%;"><o:p> </o:p></span></p> <p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size:130%;">This other layer is usually quartz.<span style=""> </span>Quartz is very clear and very durable. So now when it is cut, you have a layer of fiery opal sandwiched between a layer of ironstone and a layer of quartz.<span style=""> </span>The dark backing makes the stone appear more brilliant and the quartz top make it more durable and scratch resistant than a solid opal.<span style=""> </span>But best of all, the prices for doublets and triplets are much lower.<span style=""> </span>You will usually only pay about 10% of the price you would pay for a comparable looking solid opal.<span style=""> </span>So for $20 you can get an opal that looks like a $200 opal.<span style=""> </span>For $200 you can get one that looks like its worth thousands!<span style=""> </span></span></p> <p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size:130%;"><o:p> </o:p></span></p> <p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size:130%;">There are some cases where the layers may separate over time if not cared for properly.<span style=""> </span>But if handled and cleaned with care, as you should with any opal, they can last a lifetime and you can own the opal of your dreams without spending a fortune.</span></p>Bretthttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02497952464402277586noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-33596372.post-56825457854752811162009-02-18T18:52:00.005-05:002009-02-18T19:59:20.376-05:00Rich Blue Iolite Earring StudsIolite is not a real well known gemstone, but they are beautiful. High grade Iolite looks a lot like sapphire but at a fraction of the price. The mineral name is Cordierite. It is also sometimes called "water sapphire"<img src="http://img.auctiva.com/imgdata/3/1/4/6/3/3/webimg/208513227_tp.jpg" /><object width="602" height="394"><param name="movie" value="http://asw.auctiva.com/StoreWindow.swf"><param name="wmode" value="transparent"></object><br />These are very nice, gem grade iolites from Kenya. They are set in sterling silver posts. For more details look at <a href="http://stores.shop.ebay.com/Palm-Beach-Gems">eBay item 300294975279</a>Bretthttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02497952464402277586noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-33596372.post-1549122114943172512009-01-19T15:05:00.004-05:002009-01-19T15:46:47.661-05:00Color Change Garnets<div style="text-align: right;"><span style="font-size:130%;">If you were born in January, you probably know that your birthstone is <a href="http://www.palmbeachgems.com/garnets.htm">Garnet</a>. Most people think of rich red gemstones when they think of garnets. However throu</span><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/_sg19LNA58HE/SXTiXjA_S2I/AAAAAAAAAEo/74T7iEvg2qQ/s1600-h/Alexandrite3b.jpg"><img style="margin: 0pt 0pt 10px 10px; float: right; cursor: pointer; width: 101px; height: 99px;" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/_sg19LNA58HE/SXTiXjA_S2I/AAAAAAAAAEo/74T7iEvg2qQ/s200/Alexandrite3b.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5293104356231433058" border="0" /></a><span style="font-size:130%;">g</span><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/_sg19LNA58HE/SXTiXR4qEYI/AAAAAAAAAEg/107kxYE7O_M/s1600-h/Alexandrite3a.jpg"><img style="margin: 0pt 0pt 10px 10px; float: right; cursor: pointer; width: 97px; height: 99px;" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/_sg19LNA58HE/SXTiXR4qEYI/AAAAAAAAAEg/107kxYE7O_M/s200/Alexandrite3a.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5293104351633084802" border="0" /></a><span style="font-size:130%;">h the years garnets have been discovered in many different colors. In fact just about every color but blue. There are </span><span style="font-size:130%;">emerald green "Tsavorite" Garnets, bright orange "Spessartite" Garnets </span><span style="font-size:130%;">and even some rare pink garnets. But if you still can't make up your mind there are also "color change" garnets. </span><span style="font-size:130%;"> These garnets appear to be very </span><span style="font-size:130%;">different colors depending on the type of light</span><span style="font-size:130%;">ing. Typically they will be a greenish-blue color in sunlight but when indoors u</span><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/_sg19LNA58HE/SXTlbKOjAEI/AAAAAAAAAEw/elGeLLbM3IE/s1600-h/color-change-garnet-rough.jpg"><img style="margin: 0pt 10px 10px 0pt; float: left; cursor: pointer; width: 200px; height: 177px;" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/_sg19LNA58HE/SXTlbKOjAEI/AAAAAAAAAEw/elGeLLbM3IE/s200/color-change-garnet-rough.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5293107716831772738" border="0" /></a><span style="font-size:130%;">nder incandescent lighting they will appear a reddish-purple color. They look a lot like Alexandrite which are famous for their color-change properties. All of the color change garnets that I've seen have come from Africa, mostly from Madagascar, </span><span style="font-size:130%;">Tanzania and Kenya. The prices vary depending on size, clarity and how pronounce</span><span style="font-size:130%;">d the color change is. Top specimens can be $1000 per carat or </span><span style="font-size:130%;">more.The picture at left is a r</span><span style="font-size:130%;">ecently unearthed piece o</span><span style="font-size:130%;">f color change garnet rough weighing 280cts found near the Kenya-Tanzania border.</span><br /></div>Bretthttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02497952464402277586noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-33596372.post-71715352777816879142009-01-04T17:52:00.002-05:002009-01-04T17:55:29.266-05:00Beautiful Coober Pedy Freeform Opal 1.83cts<img src="http://img.auctiva.com/imgdata/3/1/4/6/3/3/webimg/213702458_tp.jpg" /><br>This beautiful solid opal is now for sale on eBay. It is a freeform cabochon, approx. 17x12mm eBay item #300284853802 end time Jan-11-09 13:06:11 PSTBretthttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02497952464402277586noreply@blogger.com0