SELECTION OF OTHER BEAUTIFUL LESS KNOWN GEMSTONES

In this post, I am displaying a selection of my other gemstones, including those lesser known. These 27 types completes my collection.

Amber yellow fossilized resin of trees, sometimes contin insects trapped eons ago; most famous deposits in Baltic region; previously for medicinal uses, today in jewellery.

h am ov yel with fossilized fly 12.17(18.5x10.5) 8b36 N20 NFS

close up view of fly

Jadeite green; translucent and waxy, most prized emerald green (imperial), for jewellery and carvings; much loved by the Chinese; most important source Shan state in Burma.

h2 ja cvov 2fh gn 15.62(20.3x14.9)c 300 8b35 L33
l1 ja ovc gn 8.50(21x15x2) 85 8b35 M7	l2 ja ovc gn 7.50(20x15x2) 75 8b35 M4

Pearl white, also black; formed by shellfish; characteristic iridescent lustre; natural pearl harvested from Persian Gulf, Red Sea; today most pearls are cultured in Polynesia, Australia, Japan, China; used in jewellery like rings and necklaces.

h3 prl ovc crmwh jp 13.83(16.8x15.8x8)u 150 10b24 N23

Turquoise blue, one of first gemstones to be mined; prized for its intense colour from sky-blue to green; Iran, Tibet, Mexico; Worn by wearer to ward of danger or illness.

m2 tq ov plgnbl afg 3.82(18.7x8.5)op 175 10b30 N18

Mawsitsit (Burmese jade) green; mixture of deep green with black spots or areas, only from Shan state in Burma, hence its Burmese name.

h1 maw fn gn 22.39(23.9x21.1x5.4) 200 8b34 L21	l1 maw hfmn1 gn 8.50(18.6x12x4.3) pair 200  8b33 M23 l1 maw hfmn2 gn 8.43(18.6x12x4.3) pair 200  8b33 M23
l3 maw ov gn 6.57(15.6x10.9x4.6) 130 8b34 Ngft	l maw fltpr dkgn 5.50(18x9.1x4.3) 50 8b34 M10

Sodalite blue purple violet; name reflects sodium content, in shades of blue; major component of Lapis so they are easily confused; from igneous rocks; crystals are rare though have been found in volcano Versuvius in Italy; Localities Brazil, Canada India; can be carved for use in jewellery.

h1 sod prc lv af 22.48(31x17.9x6.1)tl 200 8b30 L21	h3 sod bgc ppbl af 14.30(21.8x16.8x4.3)op 100 8b30 C5
h sod ovc vi af 10.98(19.8x14.8x5)opu 100 8b30 C2	m2 sod ovc bkpp bu 3.0(12x10x4)c 100 8b30 N17

Kornerupine yellow green, 6.5 hardness, rare, some gem quality in very small sizes; strongly pleochroic appears green and reddish brown; Madagascar, Sri Lanka, E Africa; facetted or en cabochon cut for cat’s eye.

s1 ko ov gn br 1.58(8.4x6.2x4)ec 200 3b56 N31	s ko rn ygn ce 1.34(7.1x4.4)vsi 150 3b56 M34
vs ko cern ygn ce 0.61(4.4x)tl 100 3b56 N20

Sphalerite yellow orange, very soft (3.5 MOH), cut only for collectors; usually dark but some transparent yellowish brown or green stones found and faceted; found in Spain and Mexico.

m2 sph ov yel 3.95(12x7.5x4.7)vsi 200 3b56 L41	s sph em oy 1.07(6.1x4.8x3.8)ec 150 3b56 N42
m3 sph cu yo 2.59(10.8x5.8x4.1)si 200 3b56 M44

Danburite colourless, some crystals are yellow and pink; similar to Topaz but has poor cleavage and lower specific gravity; hardness of 7; first discovered in Danbury, USA; Quality crystals from Burma, Mexico, Switzerland, Italy and Japan.

l3 dan ov wh 7.32(13.9x10.8x8)ec 500 b60 L-

m3 dan tr wh 2.16(9x9x5.5)ec 250 b60 N46

Charoite purple - white, new stone in the market; translucent to opaque, hardness of 5-6, density of 2.54-2.78, monoclinic; vitreous to silky lustre; named after river in Siberia; recognised in 1978 as independent mineral.

g1 cha ovc pp-wh si 44.89(38x29x5)op 200 10b25 L27	g cha ovc pp-wh si 35.60(30x22x6.5)op 150 10b26 M12
g cha rtc pp-wh si 31.62(30x22x5)op 150 10b27 M28

Obsidian black green, natural glass formed from volcanic lava; usually black but rare red, blue and green material has been found; some inclusions give a metallic sheen or iridescence; found in areas of volcanic activity eg Hawaii, Japan, Java; pre-historic times used for making tools, weapons, mirrors; most obsidian for jewellery today comes from North and Central America;

g1 ob ovc bkgn indo 48.63(34x20.5x9.8) 100 10b33 L5

l ob ht tsgn af 5.98(13.7x11.9x8.2)ecu 300 6b16 N52

Rhodochrosite pink, derives colour from manganese; gem-quality found and cut for collectors as stone too soft (4 Moh), but banded rock is commonly used for decoration; sometimes called “Inca Rose”; prime commercial sources today from American and Canadian Rockies.

h1 rhc ovc pk 29.36(22.6x11.2x11)tl 50 8b37 L4

m2 rhc ov pk 3.90(10.8x8.7x4.1) 50 8b38 M8

Hemimorphite greenish blue, also called Calamine; Greek name for “half shape”, due to its crystal formation; hardness of 5; deposits found in Algeria, Australia, Italy, Mexico and US.

m1 hep fa gnbl con 4.67(13.5x8.8x3.3)tl 200 10b30 N27

m1 hep ovc gnbl con 4.39(10.2x8x5.6)tl 200 10b30 N39

Phenakite colourless, rare, Greek for “cheat” as often confused with rock crystal; twinning common and distinguishes it from latter; transparent crystals faceted for collectors; hardness 7.5; shiny; Russia, Brazil, USA.

s phe ov wh ma 1.19(8.1x6.3x4.2)ecsi 200 3b56 M43

Petalite colourless, rare glassy and fragile, facet cut for collectors, 6 hardness; crystals are transparent, colourless or white; massive stones cut en cabochon; Elba (Italy), Brazil, Sweden, Namibia, USA.

m2 pet sqpr wh 3.90(10.3x6.9)ec 200 b60 N32

Indocrase (Vesuvianite) oily green, yellow green, first discovered from Vesuvius as small perfect cystals; may also be red, purple, yellow, brown; seldom used in jewellery but cut for collectors; hardness of 6.5; USA, Norway, Russia, Austria, Canada, Italy.

s1 indo prc1 ygn rt 1.92(9x6.x4)si 100 3b53 C5	s1 indo prc2 ylgn lf 1.86(9x6x4.3)si 100 3b53 C5
m3 indo ovc1 ygn tp 2.44 (9x7x4.3)si 125 3b53 C6

Enstatite green, gem-quality faceted from rolled pebbles; varies in colour from grey- to yellowish green or olive green; brilliant emerald green coloured by chromium also occurs; some Sri Lanka and Indian stones are chatoyant and cut en cabochon for cat’s eye effect. USA, Burma, Russia, Greenland, Scotland, Switzerland.

m3 en ce rn dkgn th 2.97(7.6x6.1)ecu 150 3b53 C17

vs en ce ov dkygn bu 0.70(5.9x5.7) 125 3b53 C14

Hematite metallic black, occurs as massive opaque material with metallic lustre; also occur as short, black crystals with iridescent surfaces, called “specular” hematite, a name derived from thier traditional use in mirrors. Main deposits in igneous rocks in N America, Brazil; cuttable material from England, Germany, Italy.

h1 hem tr bk 23.22(15x7.6)op 200 8b32 Cgft

h hem ov bk 11.49(14x12x4.6)op 100 8b32 C11

Malachite banded green, usually found in opaque green masses; colour due to copper content; crystals too small for faceting but massive material is carved or polished to reveal alternating hands of light and dark green; in the past worn to ward off danger and illness; Zaire is most important producer.

l mc ov bd lt-dkgn 5.50(14x10x2) 100 8b33 C5

la mc ov bd lt-dkgn 5.0(14x10x2) 100 8b33 C4

Amblygonite yellow, comes in wide range of colours; large, transparent to translucent crystal do occur but as it is relatively soft (6 Moh), they are cut solely for collectors; Brazil is the main source of gem material; also found in USA and Namibia.

s amb fntr lty br 1.14(9.8x6.1x3.6)ecsi 200 3b51 N31

Anyolite(zoisite) green, black and red; a green zoisite rock with black inclusions and large opaque rubies; named after native language of the Massai for “green”; first discovered in 1954 in Tanzania; due to colour contrasts, it is an effective gem and ornamental stone.

h1 any ov rd-bk-gn af 21.20(25x17.8x4.7)op 100 10b32 M5

Brazilianite yellow, rare and usual gemstone, cut for collectors only as crystals are fragile and brittle though its yellow or yellowish green colour is striking; hardness 5.5; found in Minas Gerais in Brazil, from where it got its name, and is the main supplier; smaller crystals are mined in New Hampshire USA.

vs br fntr y br 0.72(9.6x5.4x2.7)ecsi 150 3b51 N30

Eudialyte reddish violet, also brown-red, brown and pink; translucent to opaque; cut en cabochon for collectors, hardness 5 to 5.5, density 2.74-2.98, trigonal; main source Russia.

g1 eu ov rdvi-gy&pp ru 49.64(39.4x29.5x5.3) 250 10b28 C50

Howlite bone white, soft (3.5 Moh) light mineral with chalky white colour, commonly with black or brown veins; very porous and easily dyed to imitate other minerals, especially turquoise; found in large quantities in California.

l1 how trc wh cal 7.92(21.7x12.1x4.7)op 100 10b30 C5

Thomsonite (Zeolite) pale purple, a zeolite mineral; named after a Scot named R D Thomson; Zeolite is a group of hydrated silicates of aluminum with alkali metals, commonly occurring as secondary minerals in cavities in basic volcanic rocks: used for their molecular sieve properties because they undergo dehydration with little or no change in crystal structure. A collector’s stone.

h1 tho ov plpp dsn 27.98(25x17.7x9) 350 10b23 C64

Unakite(Epidote) green-red pink, also yellow, dark brown; fairly dense and fragile, rarely cut as gemstone; pleochroism is strong showing either yellow, green or brown; rock made up mainly of epidote polished  or tumbled and sold as unakite; Austrian and French Alps, Russia, Italy, Mozambique, Mexico.

g1 un prc gn-brn-pk af 49.81(33x22x9.6)op 100 10b31C6

Cubic Zirconia, ice pink, also in many other colours with colourless the most popular; a laboratory made synthetic stone used to imitate diamonds; is heavier than diamonds; also mistaken for Zircon, a natural stone and qualities that most closely resemble diamonds.  This is a comparison piece.

l1 cz pk ice tril 6.22(10.2x10.1x6)c 200 3b59 C21