◂ BACK TO GEM ENCYCLOPEDIA
Amethyst
The essence of the color purple, amethyst is beautiful enough for crown jewels yet affordable enough for class rings.
See Gem As
Tools
Research
And Then Came the Fantasy Cut
Once upon a time, gem cutting was a strict craft bound by centuries of tradition. Then Bernd Munsteiner (b. 1943) invented the fantasy cut.
Positive Design With Negative Space
Sometimes what you don’t see is as important as what you do. “Negative space” is the explanation to this curious statement.
Insights From Inclusions
Natural gemstones are typically far more valuable than synthetic ones, so being able to identify them correctly is a powerful skill.
Identification of Extraterrestrial Peridot by Trace Elements
Twenty-six peridot samples from the Esquel pallasite meteorite and 27 samples from 10 terrestrial sources were studied by laser ablation.
Amethyst from Four Peaks, Arizona
For more than a century, the Four Peaks mine in Maricopa County, Arizona, has produced gem-quality amethyst from crystal-lined or crystal-filled cavities and fractures in a brecciated quartzite host rock.
A Status Report on Gemstones from Afghanistan
An overview of the plentiful and various gem materials being discovered and produced in Afghanistan.
“Enhydro” Amethyst from Morocco
A Simple Procedure to Separate Natural from Synthetic Amethyst on the Basis of Twinning
Infrared Spectroscopy of Natural vs. Synthetic Amethyst: An Update
