Gemstones

Gemstones

Contributors in Gemstones

Gemstones

There are several ways a light travels through a stone. In a transparent stone, the light travels through stone with virtually no distortion. Transparent stones are clear and easy to see through. See ...

treated stone

Fashion; General jewelry

A stone that has been heated, dyed, irradiated, or stained in order to improve the color or the clarity. Also pertains to gems that have their cracks or fractures concealed by filling the material.

trichroism

Fashion; General jewelry

A property of a stone that will show three colors or shades of the same color when the stone is viewed through a dichroscope.

trillion cut

Fashion; General jewelry

A faceted cut in a triangular shape with 44 facets.

vitreous

Fashion; General jewelry

A technical term referring to the luster of a gemstone. Gemstones with a vitreous or glassy luster are by far the most common in the gems world.

waxy

Fashion; General jewelry

One of the technical terms used to refer to the luster of a gemstone. Turquoise is an example of a gem with a waxy luster.

window

Fashion; General jewelry

In a well cut faceted gem, the pavilion facets (those on the lower half of the stone) should reflect light back out the top or table of the stone. If the facets are cut below the critical angle for ...