Gemmology
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Thursday, 17 April 2025


Gemmology — gemstones — characteristics, classification, specimens, library
Chromian diopside

GEMMOLOGY — GEMSTONES

characteristics, classification, specimens, library

As gemstones we accept cut specimens of crystals of natural mineral species having a visible transparency and certain durability. From over 4800 known minerals (according to data of the International Mineralogical Association), approximately 150 satisfy the above conditions and form crystals of sufficient size to be cut.
Characteristics

Colour in gemstones
Clarity in gemstones
Cut in gemstones

Treatment in gemstones

The section ‘Classification’ presents descriptions of 171 different kinds of natural gemstones (106 mineral species). The Nickel-Strunz systematic order (10th edition) is used. Since gemmology does not always follow the systematics of minerals in naming, many popular varieties or just ’names’ are listed.

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List of minerals
Alphabetic list of gemstones
Synthetic stones and simulants
Classification
Featured

Titanite

— Also known as sphene; a common accessory mineral in intermediate and felsic rocks, pegmatites, and alpine veins; in gneisses, schists, and some skarns (Anthony et al., 2001—2005).
Titanite
Andalusite
Andalusite
Clinozoisite
Clinozoisite
Kornerupine
Kornerupine
Serendibite
Serendibite

The section ‘Repository’ contains data and photos of 760 specimens of gemstones. The smallest is just 1.96 mm (0.02 ct) ruby from Mozambique, and the largest — 70.11 mm (326.60 ct) rock crystal from Africa. Besides there are 8 specimens of synthetic stones.

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Simple colour schemeredorangey redreddish orangeorangeorangey yellowyellowgreenish yellowyellowish greenslightly yellowish greengreenvery slightly bluish greenbluish greenvery strongly bluish greengreen-blue or blue-greenvery strongly greenish bluevery slightly greenish bluebluevioletish bluebluish violetvioletbluish purplepurplereddish purplestrongly purplish redslightly purplish redcolourlessgreyblack
Repository
Ametrine — specimen 0226

Some exceptional specimens of gemstones from our ‘Repository’

More specimens of gemstones
Marialite-meionite series — specimen 0255
Sapphire — specimen 0263
Malaia garnet — specimen 0268
Malaia garnet — specimen 0269

— More from ‘Repository’

Currently there are 283 bibliographical references and abstracts to publications with gemmological or mineralogical thematics in the ‘Library’. The section comprises also a glossary with 391 terms.
Library
Glossary

nifontovite — species of mineral; faceted specimens exist
nonagon — rare shape in faceting a gemstone
nuummite — an unapproved name; metamorphic rock found in Greenland, consisting primarily of two species of amphiboles — anthophyllite and gedrite; ornamental stone; sometimes spelled ‘nuumite’
obsidian — a rock; see obsidian in ‘Classification’
Publications

Anthony, J. W., Bideaux, R. A., Bladh, K. W., Nichols, M. C. (Eds), 2001—2005 — Turquoise — Features the data of turquoise; from ‘Handbook of Mineralogy’.
Anthony, J. W., Bideaux, R. A., Bladh, K. W., Nichols, M. C. (Eds), 2001—2005 — Pectolite — Features the data of pectolite; from ‘Handbook of Mineralogy’.


Gemmology — gemstones
Front page | Introduction | Classification | Repository | Library

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The specimens illustrated in this site do not exist in the collections of the National Museum of Natural History, Sofia.