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The qualities sought in gems are beauty, rarity, and durability. The beauty of a
gem depends primarily on its optical properties, which impart its luster, fire, and
color; the durability depends on hardness and resistance to cleavage or fracture.
The physical properties by which gems are distinguished from each other are
form of the crystal, index of refraction of light, hardness, presence or absence of
cleavage, type of fracture (conchoidal, even, or uneven) in stones without
cleavage, specific gravity, color, streak (color of the powder as determined by
rubbing it over white, unglazed porcelain), luster (appearance of the surface in
reflected light—adamantine, vitreous, resinous, greasy, silky, or pearly), and
transparency. Minor properties that serve to identify some stones are chatoyancy
(changeable luster or color under undulating light), opalescence, asterism (star
like sparkling), play of color, fluorescence, phosphorescence, iridescence, and
electrical properties. The unit of weight used for gemstones is the metric carat;
one carat equals 200 mg.
The precious stones are diamond; some forms of corundum (ruby, sapphire,
Oriental emerald, Oriental topaz, and Oriental amethyst); and emerald. The
chief semiprecious stones are aquamarine, amethyst, topaz, garnet, tourmaline,
spinel, peridot (see olivine), zircon (see zirconium), chrysoberyl, quartz, opal,
turquoise, moonstone, and jade. The organic gems are pearl, amber, coral, and
jet; of these, pearl is usually counted as a precious stone.
Artificial and imitation gems are of various kinds. Synthetic stones are made in
the laboratory of the same chemical elements as natural stones. Among the
synthetic gems produced commercially are rubies, sapphires, emeralds, and
spinels. Diamonds of gem quality have also been manufactured. Color changes
are produced in diamonds by exposing them to radioactive bombardment.
Synthetic stones may sometimes be detected by the presence of air bubbles,
which, when numerous, cause a cloudy appearance; by having curved rather
than straight striae; and by their unnatural color. Doublets are made by
combining a crown, or upper part, which is a thin slice of either the true stone or
some inferior but hard gem, with a lower part of the true stone, a substitute
stone, colored glass, or colored paste. Triplets generally consist of a layer of
paste between two genuine stones of poor color. Paste (glass) gems usually
contain lead and are consequently very soft; they soon lose their brilliance and
color. Imitation pearls are glass or plastic beads coated with a preparation made
from fish scales. A cultured pearl is made by inserting a small bead inside the
oyster; the irritation causes the oyster to deposit pearly material upon the bead,
leading to the formation of a pearl.