Have recently started thoughts of gem collecting, and wonder if you are able to ID a piece.
It consists of around 40 beads, very clear (at least to the eye anyway) with around 15 sides (???facets???) on each bead. It is colourless, however when moved around in, the light passing through it gives off different colours on each side, they are typically red, orange/yellow, green and possibly blue (if I can remember rightly). Each bead is around 10mm in diameter and the overall weight must be c. 200grams. I do not think it is pleochroic (as these gems tend to favour a certain colour and then 1 or 2 other colours can be seen within, whereas these are purely colourless, but the light passing through gives out many colours on each side). I have been unable to distinguish it using the internet, so any ideas greatly welcome,
Joined: Fri May 12, 2006 11:24 am Posts: 7523 Location: Rome, Italy
hi and welcome to the forum
sailorben wrote:
Have recently started thoughts of gem collecting, and wonder if you are able to ID a piece.
i would warn you nothing can be positively identified by seeing a picture...... you would have a clue by providing written infos only? if you'r not able to give us at least some more infos (RI, SG et als) guess we 're loosing time here, sorry.....
Joined: Sun Oct 16, 2005 12:22 pm Posts: 21602 Location: San Francisco
In order to ID something you have to test it, even in the most rudimentary way. If you have no tools, you can start with a laptop screen and a pair of polarized sun glasses. If you suspect glass, touch it to your forehead. Warm or cold? Magnification may reveal fracture surfaces or inclusion which can he helpful.
Many things have been previously discussed on the board. Search about a bit.
Sidebar, where exactly CAN one learn the visual optics method. There are some sites online which describe it, but someone needs to make a really good tutorial with some videos and post it. hint hint
Joined: Mon May 14, 2007 11:00 am Posts: 1133 Location: Monterey, CA
Barbra Voltaire wrote:
Bill Hanneman wrote:
Barbara, Perhaps if you also included consideration of the B:D ratio you might derive more useful information.
Fair enough. Start from the beginning, Dr. Hanneman and post a thorough tutorial. The ball is now in YOUR court.
Indeed it is, and you merit a response. But first, let us look at this from my perspective.
As you well know, I have written and sell a book (Guide to Affordable Gemology, $40) in which a full nine pages are devoted to this particular topic. Also, along with my filters, I market a set of plastic cards (Model 2004 - 10 sides, $20) which explains how to practice this technique. Therefore, your request for me to post on your site a "thorough tutorial" on this subject does not initially strike me as something a prudent business man would do.
On the other hand, through your forum, I do believe you are performing a very useful service to the field and future of gemology, and you deserve as much encouragement as it is possible to give. Therefore, let me propose the following. I will grant you permission to reproduce the copywrited pages 144-152 from my book as a "tutorial". You, however, will have to translate it into a PDF or whatever to fit your own format.
Joined: Sun Oct 16, 2005 12:22 pm Posts: 21602 Location: San Francisco
The pdf of the excerpt from Dr. Hanneman's Guide to Affordable Gemology is available here: Gemstone Recognition Without Instruments: http://gemologyonline.com/hanneman.pdf and in addition an HTML page has been added to our site, listed on the left entitled:
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