Gemstones .
Mo
http://www.expressindia.com/zevaraat/gemcare.htm
Gemstones Enhancements-all you need to know..
Although gemstone cutting is the most basic enhancement
method necessary to fully display, the beauty of a gemstone,
there are many fascinating methods by which man has
demonstrated his ability to draw maximum color, luster,
clarity and brilliance from nature’s earthbound treasures. A
basic understanding of these enhancement techniques will add
to your appreciation of the beauty, durability and value of
the gemstones jewellery you already own, or purchase now and
in the future.
Emerald Ruby Sapphire AquamarineTourmaline Tanzanite Blue
Topaz Amethyst /Citrine Cultured Pearls Diamond
Emerald<Picture: Emerald>
Emerald. to many, symbolizes rebirth and life abundant. The
rich green hues bring to mind regeneration of life in
spring, and hope of new possibility. Yet perfection in
emerald, as in all things, is among, the most rare of
nature’s treasures. When they are mined from the earth,
almost all emeralds have unique birthmarks that distinguish
them as truly natural gemstones.
Early gem merchants in India sought to purify the color of
their emeralds by immersing them in clear oils or paraffin.
They found that clear oils and waxes rendered surface
fissures nearly invisible to the naked eye. Today, we have
many sophisticated technologies with which to clarity
enhances emeralds. In addition to the oils and waxes of
ancient method, we now use clear resins to penetrate the
open fissures surfacing in the stones. "Hardeners" are often
added to solidify these liquids. This step prevents the
resin from evaporating from the stones, thus making the
clarity enhancement more permanent than oiling or waxing the
gem. Ask your jeweller for information regarding your
emerald selection and care. To understand the journey, your
emerald has travelled form the earth to you is to gain
special insight into its music.
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Ruby
Passion, excitement, luxurious opulence.... these are just a
few words that describe our fascination with this most
precious of gems. For thousands of years, men have sought to
own precious rubies as symbols of devotion and objects of
desire. Imperfections and impurities may be removed by
controlled heating of the gemstones. Some rubies have
fissures or surface breaks that are filled with glass like
byproduct of the heating process. Care should be observed
when wearing fissure filled rubies. This enhancement
technique may wear over time if treated harshly or exposed
to strong solvents or abrasives. Your jewellery will inform
you of the best method to care for your natural gemstones
treasures.
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Sapphire
Soothing, sensuous blue; liquid blue; evening sky blue;
cornflower blue... these are among the many shades of this
lovely gemstone. And yet there are many colors and hues of
sapphire from which to choose; the hot and soft pinks; the
oranges, greens, purples, gold, yellow and whites... all for
your pleasure.
Since ancient times, man has treasured sapphire. Some
thought the heavens crystallized to from a huge sapphire
upon which the earth rested. All sought the pure colors of
this gem variety as an expression of beauty and wealth. Yet
the perfect sapphire is as rare as the finest work of art.
And thus, we have evolved methods over the centuries to
enhance the purest hues of sapphire. This is often achieved
by controlled heating of the gemstones to improve their
clarity and color. Heating sapphires is a permanent
enhancement, as lasting as the gems themselves.
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Aquamarine
The vary name, Aquamarine, brings to mind the limpid, clear
blue tint of the sea. Many Aquamarines are greenish when
mined and cut. For those who prefer the purer blue, these
stones are heated to enhance their blue color permanently.
Yet many Aquamarine fanciers prefer the greenish hues,
saying the greener tones remind them more of the sea. The
color tones of Aquamarine are subtle and varied. Their soft
luster is a wonderful addition to any natural colored
gemstones jewellery.
Tanzanite
Tanzanite is renowned for the exquisite combination of
purple and blue hues of this loveliest of gems discovered in
modern times. Mined in Tanzania, at the feet of the
majestic, Mount Kiliminjaro, virtually every tanzanite is
heated to permanently change its color from orange -brown to
the spectacular violet-blue color for which this coveted
gemstone variety is known.
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<Picture: Blue Topaz>Blue Topaz
Nature rarely produces Topaz in the blue variety although
some examples have been found. Challenged by this rare
occurrence of nature. Man has discovered an enhancement
method to "exite" blue color from a clear to brownish Topaz
variety. After the raw Topaz is mined. It is irradiated to
brown and then heated to a rich sky blue. This enhancement
process is permanent.
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Amethyst /Citrine<Picture: Amethyst>
Amethyst and Citrine are gemstones varieties of quartz.
Artifacts from ancient cultures the world over attest to
Amethyst’s and Citrine’s place in our collective cultural
heritage. The royal purples of Amethyst and the occasional
bright. Golden hues of Citrine were treasured possessions of
emperors. Kings and queens throughout recorded history. No
jewellery collection will be complete without these fine
treasures of nature.
Darker hues of Amethyst are rarely enhanced to perfect their
color, although some varieties do respond well to heat
enhancement. Brownish varieties, when heated, magically turn
into the bright yellow or orange colors known as Citrine.
This enhancement method is permanent and will last for the
life of the gemstones.
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Tourmaline
Tourmalines are found in an abundant array of colors. They
offer a wide variety of choice for the discerning gemstones
jewellery enthusiast. A complete collection of all the
colors represents a fascinating quest for the knowledgeable
seeker of nature’s bounty. Dark blue. blue-green and green
tourmalines are often heated to lighten their colors. Red
tourmalines (also known as rubellite) and pink varieties are
often heated and/ or irradiated to improve their colors.
Heat and irradiation color enhancement of tourmalines are
permanent.
Occasionally, some tourmalines may have surface breaking
fissures that are field with resins and /or hardeners. Care
must be observed with these gems. Avoid expositing them to
harsh abrasives and strong chemical solvents.
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Cultured Pearls
Pearls have been treasured for their lustrous. Creamy
textures and their subtle iridescent reflections since the
dawn of humankind. Because they are so very rare and so very
difficult to recover from the ocean’s depths. Man invented
the technique of "Culturing" salt and fresh-water pearls
from ousters carefully seeded with irritants similar to
those produced by nature. This painstaking effort of
"culturing" is one of the most dramatic examples of man’s
quest to coax beauty from nature.
One of the earliest known methods to enhance a pearl’s color
and luster required that a chicken swallow the pearl. The
belief at that time (400 AD) was that the chicken’s
digestive system would soften the pearl’s blemishes and even
the color. Today, cultured, fresh and saltwater pearls are
often bleached to achieve a uniform color. They may also be
polished in tumblers to make them round and lustrous.
Naturally colored pearls are in short supply. Some pearls
are dyed and/or irradiated to achieve the rich blacks.
grayish blues, pinks and golden hues that are now so much in
demand. To care for your cultured pearls, avoid using nail
polish, abrasives, solvents and polish removers while
wearing them. Ask your jeweller for further instructions
regarding their care.
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Diamond <Picture: Diamond>
Unique in the world of gemstones, diamond is the hardest of
all materials. Perhaps it is because of this durability that
diamonds are treasured as symbols of devotion and purity.
And yet within the structure of diamonds we often find
impurities, or "inclusions," that trap light, distracting
our eye from the radiance we so value. Sometimes these tiny
imperfections are removed by cutting them away. Often we
employ methods that do not sacrifice precious diamonds in
the process. Today we have perfected a fascinating
enhancement technique that focuses tiny beams of laser light
at imperfections and vaporizes them. The minute passageways
created by the laser beam may be filled with clear resins or
glass-hard substances, rendering them nearly invisible to
the naked eye. Only extreme heat or specifically formulated
chemicals removes the filling from the laser passageways.
This methods is also utilized to fill fissures that reach
the stone’s surface, thereby rendering them less visible to
the naked eye.
Diamonds may also be colored in a variety of hues. Extreme
heat and/or irradiation permanently enhances certain innate
color properties. allowing them to display their hues in
more brilliant array. Whether irradiated, lasered or cut
from the most perfect raw material, your jeweller will
inform you of the magical journey your diamond has followed,