Gemstones

Kunzite is a remarkable gemstone that belongs to the spodumene mineral family. It was first discovered in 1902 in the Pala District of San Diego County, California, by renowned mineralogist and gemologist George F. Kunz, after whom the stone is named.Kunzite gets its delicate pink to violet color from the presence of trace amounts of manganese. The gemstone has a hardness of 6.5-7 on the Mohs scale, making it relatively durable but also susceptible to scratches and abrasions. Kunzite has a refractive index of 1.66-1.68, which gives it excellent brilliance and fire when polished.In terms of appearance, kunzite can vary...

Iolite, also known as Cordierite, is a mineral that belongs to the silicate group. It is a transparent to translucent gemstone that comes in different shades of blue, purple, and gray. The blue-violet variety of iolite is the most popular and is often used in jewelry. Iolite has a unique property called pleochroism, which means that it displays different colors when viewed from different angles. This property makes it a popular gemstone for designers who want to create jewelry with a dynamic appearance.The chemical formula of iolite is (Mg,Fe)2Al3(SiO4)3. It has a crystal structure that belongs to the orthorhombic system...

Lapis Lazuli is a blue-colored gemstone that has been highly prized since ancient times. It is composed of several minerals, including lazurite (25-40%), sodalite, calcite, and pyrite. The blue color of Lapis Lazuli is due to the presence of lazurite, which is a silicate mineral containing sulfur, sodium, and aluminum.Lapis Lazuli is relatively soft with a hardness of 5-6 on the Mohs scale. It has a specific gravity of 2.7-2.9 and can be easily scratched or chipped. Despite its relative fragility, Lapis Lazuli has been used for thousands of years in jewelry making, decorative objects, and even as a pigment...

Alexandrite is a rare and unique gemstone that was first discovered in 1830 in the Ural Mountains of Russia. What makes this gemstone so unusual is its ability to change color depending on the type of light that it's exposed to. In daylight, alexandrite appears green, blue-green, or yellow-green, while under artificial light, it takes on a reddish-brown or purplish-red hue.The color-change phenomenon in alexandrite is due to the presence of chromium as an impurity within the mineral. Chromium absorbs certain wavelengths of light and emits them again in a slightly different wavelength, leading to the observed color change.In terms...