Gemmology
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Friday, 18 June 2021


Gemmology — gemstones — characteristics, classification, specimens, library
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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

Epidote

— Characteristic of several facies of regionally metamorphosed rocks and some contaminated felsic igneous rocks; in contact zones between igneous and calcareous sedimentary rocks; from alteration of plagioclase (Anthony et al., 2001—2005). Faceted specimens are rare.
Epidote
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
Andesine — specimen 0305

Some exceptional specimens of gemstones from our ‘Repository’

More specimens of gemstones
Agate — specimen 0371
Agate — specimen 0372
Cordierite — specimen 0380
Cordierite — specimen 0381

— 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

grandidierite — species of mineral; see grandidierite in ‘Classification’
grandite — synonym of grossular-andradite series
granite — a common type of intrusive, felsic, igneous rock which is granular in texture
green beryl — variety of beryl; see green beryl in ‘Classification’
Publications

Haüy, R. J., 1801 — VII. Diaspore (m.), c’est-à-dire, qui se disperse — Published by Haüy in 1801 in ‘Traité de Minéralogie’; contains the original description of the mineral diaspore.
Gehlen, A. F., Fuchs, J. N., 1813 — Ueber Werner’s Zeolith, Hauy’s Mesotype und Stilbite — Published in 1813 in ‘Journal für Chemie und Physik’; contains the original description of the mineral scolecite.


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.