This magical-looking trait is caused by the way certain stones absorb different wavelengths of light depending on the light source. The most famous example is Alexandrite, which looks green or bluish-green in natural sunlight, but turns purplish-red under incandescent indoor lighting. This is known as the “Alexandrite Effect.”
Gem cutters (lapidaries) use different techniques depending on the stone’s optical properties and clarity:
Sri Lanka (historically known as Ratnadweepa, the “Island of Gems”) produces many highly valuable stones. The most prominent include:
A doublet or triplet is a stone that is composed of two or more pieces. Often, a thin slice of a high-quality, expensive, or naturally colored stone is glued to a base of a cheaper material (like black glass or plastic) to make it look larger or more expensive. Always check the sides of a…
In the professional world of gem grading, “eye-clean” is a term used to describe a colored gemstone that has no visible inclusions (flaws) when viewed by the naked eye from a distance of about 6 to 12 inches. If you need a magnifying glass to see the internal marks, it is considered very high-quality.
Scientifically, there is no difference! Both Sapphire and Ruby are exact same mineral: Corundum. The only difference is the trace elements present during their formation. If corundum has traces of chromium, it turns red and is called a Ruby. If it has traces of iron and titanium, it turns blue (or yellow, pink, green) and…