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 Post subject: Inherited GIA equpment & specific gravity liquid
PostPosted: Mon Jan 21, 2013 12:50 pm 
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Hi all,

I recently inherited my FIL's gemology equipment and specific gravity fluids. How can I tell if they can still be used? He took the GIA class and became a certified gemologist back in the 80's . I also got all of his books from the GIA with the coursework for colored stones, jewelry design, and diamonds I've got everything but the stones to practice on. The specific gravity set has 6 bottles and a small dark bottle of the RI 1.81 but I can't tell if there is anything left in that one, the others ones contain some fluid and there appears to be something black floating in each of the bottle. I read sometimes people put copper in the liquids but this doesn't appear to be that..

I'm now a proud owner of a duplex2 refractometer, gemometer, and polariscope As I am typing this i realized there is a built in light source for the polariscope, however when i turned the switch the bulb flickered and died. Guess I will have to figure out how to buy and change one. I also found some red and green film I dont' know if those are like a chelsea filter or not, does any one know.?

I just ordered a calcite dicroscope and uvlite from mineralab, oh and i have a hastings 10x loupe.

So.. now I need stones to practice with. Does any one know where I would get some. I have many rough stones for my jewelry and a few faceted topaz, garnet, and quartz.

Big question: my cousin bought a lot of jewelry from an auction in the 80's it was supposed to come from a jeweler, and underneath a bunch of cosmetic pieces, he found 10 or so little gold boxes with rubies in them in plastic. He also bought some on ebay but now he forgets which ones are which. Sooooooo. I offered to test them on my new/old equipment. I imagine these may be paste, synthetic, or poor quality. They are all faceted, oh except for the microscopic slivers he got on ebay :shock:

I've been reading about the inclusions found in the rubies from the gia course, and i have also gone thorugh the gem identification made easy and my head is now spinning :?

I plan on looking through my loupe first, and trying to use the equipment. I've been playing with the loupe with some other stones that I know what they are, but of course I am an Beginner anxious to learn. Correct me if I'm wrong, but do I need to have I methylene iodine to test with the polariscope?

Any suggestions on the best way to test these. he has quite a few and I looked up the apprasials services and he cannot afford one of these for all of them, especially since we are assuming glass or less. If I can narrow it down , then I guess he can take it to someone for a more detailed account. Oh, I am sorry for this very long winded intro..

I'm excited to join this forum and learn from all of you . I'm a librarian by trade so the more I read the merrier I get.
Thanks so much for any help you can give me

Mer...


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 Post subject: Re: Inherited GIA equpment & specific gravity liquid
PostPosted: Mon Jan 21, 2013 1:04 pm 
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The easiest way to insure your instruments are working properly is to test gems you positively know the identity of.


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 Post subject: Re: Inherited GIA equpment & specific gravity liquid
PostPosted: Mon Jan 21, 2013 2:42 pm 
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Thanks Barbra, fair enough. I know I have glass, and assuming my favorite stone dealer sticks by her guarantee, I have some stones made into beads like amber, lemon quartz, turquoise, and rough ruby.

Mer


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 Post subject: Re: Inherited GIA equpment & specific gravity liquid
PostPosted: Mon Jan 21, 2013 4:22 pm 
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 Post subject: Re: Inherited GIA equpment & specific gravity liquid
PostPosted: Mon Jan 21, 2013 4:57 pm 
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:shock: I'm shocked I say. :) The study stones sound just what I need to go through the coursework, but been spending money like wild these last few days well off to buy the refractive fluid adn then make up my mind. Do you think I need that to identify your stones??
Barbra Voltaire wrote:


was just outside looking at some topaz and labradorite under the loupe...


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 Post subject: Re: Inherited GIA equpment & specific gravity liquid
PostPosted: Mon Jan 21, 2013 7:28 pm 
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Quote:
Do you think I need that to identify your stones??


The stones have already been identified.....you can use them to insure your instruments are properly calibrated.


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 Post subject: Re: Inherited GIA equpment & specific gravity liquid
PostPosted: Tue Jan 22, 2013 10:15 am 
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Barbra Voltaire wrote:
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Do you think I need that to identify your stones??


The stones have already been identified.....you can use them to insure your instruments are properly calibrated.


i'd add that having educational stones CERTAINLY identified is a good way of start..... :wink:

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alberto

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 Post subject: Re: Inherited GIA equpment & specific gravity liquid
PostPosted: Tue Jan 22, 2013 1:56 pm 
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Barbra Voltaire wrote:

Shameless Plug II, Get my book "Guide to Affordable Gemology" at Pretty Rock.com or Mineralab.


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 Post subject: Re: Inherited GIA equpment & specific gravity liquid
PostPosted: Tue Jan 22, 2013 7:31 pm 
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Bill Hanneman wrote:
Barbra Voltaire wrote:

Shameless Plug II, Get my book "Guide to Affordable Gemology" at Pretty Rock.com or Mineralab.


Bill, I'll check it out. I already have quite a few gemology books, but one can never have too many..

Barbra, I ordered the study stones and having gone outside to see about the RI liquid that has to be 25 years old, there is still liquid but it looks really mucky.. lots of floating UFO's so I went ahead and ordered another bottle.

How, forgive the stupid question, but I recognize almost all of these stones, and as they are not mystery stones (well one is but i have a guess) I will be able to use my equipment, but if they are off a bit, can they be calibrated??

Thanks

Mer


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 Post subject: Re: Inherited GIA equpment & specific gravity liquid
PostPosted: Tue Jan 22, 2013 10:19 pm 
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All the gems in my collection are clearly identified......except for the :-k mystery stone.

It will NOT be what it appears to be....therefore, you'll need to be able to interpret the results of your instruments to identify it.

Actually, even with "floaters" RI liquid often still works. Try it before you toss it out.


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 Post subject: Re: Inherited GIA equpment & specific gravity liquid
PostPosted: Wed Jan 23, 2013 1:23 am 
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Barbra Voltaire wrote:
The easiest way to insure your instruments are working properly is to test gems you positively know the identity of.

That will not work for checking your refractometer. Due to isomorphic substitution, you have to have precise values. Check it out using quartz and synthetic spinel and see if both the RI and the birefringence values are correct. If not, you can probably figure out a correction factor.



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 Post subject: Re: Inherited GIA equpment & specific gravity liquid
PostPosted: Wed Jan 23, 2013 6:37 am 
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Bill Hanneman wrote:
Barbra Voltaire wrote:
The easiest way to insure your instruments are working properly is to test gems you positively know the identity of.

That will not work for checking your refractometer. Due to isomorphic substitution, you have to have precise values. Check it out using quartz and synthetic spinel and see if both the RI and the birefringence values are correct. If not, you can probably figure out a correction factor.



2 questions from an almost newbie:

Why quartz and synthetic spinel?
And how do I separate spinel from synthetic spinel, to be sure I test the right thing?
(and yes! I DO have your book, Dr Hanneman, and like it alot, but I can´t remember I have read anywhere how to separate synthetic spinel from spinel? But I do have a short memory... :-))

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 Post subject: Re: Inherited GIA equpment & specific gravity liquid
PostPosted: Wed Jan 23, 2013 11:14 am 
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The stones that I've supplied are reading diagnostic refractive indices.

Quartz and flame fusion synthetic spinel have reliably consistant refractive indices. They are cheap and readily available.
I guess they could be described as "stones you positively know the identity of". :roll:


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 Post subject: Re: Inherited GIA equpment & specific gravity liquid
PostPosted: Wed Jan 23, 2013 12:27 pm 
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Thanks all.

I guess I'll just wait until I get the stones and test them. What I was trying to find out, if I don't get the readings I should, does this mean my equipment could be broken? Can they be calibrated ?

Hopefully I'll ask clearer questions once I use my new/old equipment. Right now I know I'm not sure what questions to even ask.

Lots of wonderful information in this forum. I'm so glad I joined.

Mer


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 Post subject: Re: Inherited GIA equpment & specific gravity liquid
PostPosted: Wed Jan 23, 2013 1:38 pm 
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Bill Hanneman wrote:
Barbra Voltaire wrote:

Shameless Plug II, Get my book "Guide to Affordable Gemology" at Pretty Rock.com or Mineralab.



I would love to get your book, but do not see it listed at prettyrock or mineralab for some reason.

-Wayne

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