1 00:00:00,000 --> 00:00:11,360 Welcome to the Gilt Trips podcast. I'm your host, Kendra Lockhart. As a goldsmith and 2 00:00:11,360 --> 00:00:17,560 gemologist, I'll be speaking 24 carat on all things jewelry, metals, and gems. Join 3 00:00:17,560 --> 00:00:24,080 me plus a few friends to demystify both materials and designs as your private jeweler. Let's 4 00:00:24,080 --> 00:00:34,320 tune in on these topics and get golden. One of the most important roles in gemology is 5 00:00:34,320 --> 00:00:41,360 creating some unity and placement when a jewel is discovered then identified. Part of the 6 00:00:41,360 --> 00:00:49,080 human experience is creating order that is universal enough to easily share and comprehensive 7 00:00:49,080 --> 00:00:57,080 enough to reveal a logical pattern. Imagine if you went to a library or a grocery store 8 00:00:57,080 --> 00:01:03,000 and there was no system or grouping to help you see the likenesses or recognize items 9 00:01:03,000 --> 00:01:10,360 that belong together. It makes jobs in the industry so much easier if all of the mysteries 10 00:01:10,360 --> 00:01:20,040 are solved and every congruent item is in the same area. Which families of gems have become 11 00:01:20,040 --> 00:01:27,560 mainstream? What are the virtues of each type? Come learn more in this episode and see the 12 00:01:27,560 --> 00:01:36,040 big picture on categorizing discovered jewels. Chapter timestamps are in the show notes. 13 00:01:36,040 --> 00:01:42,200 The simplest place to begin is to break the order of gems down into the families and then 14 00:01:42,200 --> 00:01:50,480 the individual jewels. The two words that I'll use to match this science are species, which 15 00:01:50,480 --> 00:01:58,800 is a family, referring to composition, chemical makeup, crystal habit, and those words are 16 00:01:58,800 --> 00:02:07,720 fancy for the pattern, structure, and layout of its makeup. The second word is variety, 17 00:02:07,720 --> 00:02:15,480 meaning coloring agents, features, effects, or phenomenon. Let's begin with special effects 18 00:02:15,480 --> 00:02:25,040 and gems, which helps me appraise by process of elimination in my job. The first phenomena 19 00:02:25,040 --> 00:02:31,480 is Agular Rescence. Derived from the root word for moon, it is found in the Feldspar 20 00:02:31,480 --> 00:02:39,600 family, which I will cover later. This is characterized by a luminous or metallic reflection 21 00:02:39,600 --> 00:02:48,440 and so it seems light and shiny for its material. Sometimes the signature sheen is only observed 22 00:02:48,440 --> 00:02:55,080 in certain directions, which is due to variables of interferences in the diffraction, which 23 00:02:55,080 --> 00:03:05,600 is a big word for the bending of light waves. Asterism. Coming from the Latin word for star, 24 00:03:05,600 --> 00:03:12,560 this is visible in dome cut gems called cabochons. They have a flat back but a gum drop top as 25 00:03:12,560 --> 00:03:19,600 far as faceting. How this effect happens is due to needle shaped inclusions in mostly 26 00:03:19,600 --> 00:03:25,520 corundum material, and that is a gem family I will cover later in this episode, that are 27 00:03:25,520 --> 00:03:33,960 in certain directions for a geometric echo of the jewels crystal structure. So we can 28 00:03:33,960 --> 00:03:46,840 see a 4, 6 or 12 ray pattern in some materials. Adventuracence. This is when many bright reflections 29 00:03:46,840 --> 00:03:54,600 create a spangly or clustered glitter effect within gem material. The inclusions are plate 30 00:03:54,600 --> 00:04:04,520 like so light reflects in different directions and isn't singular or a dimensional phenomenon. 31 00:04:04,520 --> 00:04:13,520 This is found mostly in adventuring quartz and yes quartz is a family or in sunstone. 32 00:04:13,520 --> 00:04:21,840 Chatoancy. Oh I love this word. Derived from the French word for cat, this is made possible 33 00:04:21,840 --> 00:04:29,960 by parallel inclusions that are long or two blood cavities or crystals. The result is 34 00:04:29,960 --> 00:04:36,360 a vertical flash across the gem that looks like a cat's eye, most common in chrysoberal 35 00:04:36,360 --> 00:04:44,200 gems. Color change. This attribute is like a whole jekelhyde switch when exposed to different 36 00:04:44,200 --> 00:04:54,680 lighting such as day incandescent or warm lighting versus fluorescence which is cool 37 00:04:54,680 --> 00:05:01,000 lighting. The most well known gem with this behavior is Alexandrite and the change is 38 00:05:01,000 --> 00:05:06,960 from reddish like a ruby to greenish like an emerald or tourmaline depending on the light 39 00:05:06,960 --> 00:05:16,040 source. Iridescence. I love this one. And it breaks it down into spectral colors like 40 00:05:16,040 --> 00:05:24,920 a rainbow. The colors take turns shifting as the light source or the gem or the observer 41 00:05:24,920 --> 00:05:36,600 moves. This appears most often on pearls, some shells and fire agate. Orient. This refers 42 00:05:36,600 --> 00:05:43,640 to the sheen seen on a pearl and does not exhibit in all pearls. It would be like losing the 43 00:05:43,640 --> 00:05:49,920 enamel on your tooth so that it is dull and no longer plays with light. Sheen is dependent 44 00:05:49,920 --> 00:05:59,600 on the layers, the thickness, the base color and the behavior when it comes to reflecting. 45 00:05:59,600 --> 00:06:07,400 And lastly, play of color. This phenomenon is specific to types in the opal family. This 46 00:06:07,400 --> 00:06:14,560 describes flashes of color that happen as a result of the diffraction of light. Think 47 00:06:14,560 --> 00:06:21,000 of this as the quote, now you see me, now you don't unquote phenomenon. And opal can 48 00:06:21,000 --> 00:06:31,280 have what I call peekaboo moments of blue, red, yellow, green, orange and purple. And 49 00:06:31,280 --> 00:06:40,800 is probably why it was assumed to be a supernatural gem in earlier centuries. Before I take you 50 00:06:40,800 --> 00:06:46,800 through the gem families known as species, I want to address that certain elements can 51 00:06:46,800 --> 00:06:54,720 distinguish varieties, but not necessarily predictably. For example, different color 52 00:06:54,720 --> 00:07:02,540 varieties of a gem species can have very different commercial values. Regarding barrel, its pure 53 00:07:02,540 --> 00:07:11,480 form is called goshnight. It's colorless and not necessarily appealing. However, add a 54 00:07:11,480 --> 00:07:19,720 bit of iron and you have the blue green version or variety called aquamarine. That is a highly 55 00:07:19,720 --> 00:07:29,120 desired gemstone. If instead of iron, you add a bit of chromium in a barrel, it becomes 56 00:07:29,120 --> 00:07:38,280 a deep green emerald. And yet, in an entirely different family, corundum is also colorless 57 00:07:38,280 --> 00:07:46,200 in its pure state. If you were to add iron here, with a bit of titanium, you get a blue 58 00:07:46,200 --> 00:07:56,240 sapphire. Chromium, which made that emerald into green barrel, creates a red version known 59 00:07:56,240 --> 00:08:07,760 as ruby. Simply said, ruby and sapphire are varieties of the corundum gem species. They 60 00:08:07,760 --> 00:08:18,200 have the same chemistry and crystal structure. However, the color variations are defining. 61 00:08:18,200 --> 00:08:27,040 Now let's learn some groups and individual gems. Quartz. I adore the quartz's. The most 62 00:08:27,040 --> 00:08:35,640 common varieties are amethyst, rose quartz, and citrine. Then, we have clear quartz known 63 00:08:35,640 --> 00:08:45,120 as rock crystal at times, smoky quartz, and a lovely sage green known as praesialite. Fact 64 00:08:45,120 --> 00:08:51,240 wise, this is the most abundant crystalline gem in our world and it was used in watches 65 00:08:51,240 --> 00:09:00,640 and clocks and photograph needles as a beautiful piezoelectric property that can transfer energy. 66 00:09:00,640 --> 00:09:09,800 Today, it helps make TVs, electronic games, cell phones, and specialized lenses as part 67 00:09:09,800 --> 00:09:17,160 of our modern tools. The folklore behind it is that it is considered the master healer 68 00:09:17,160 --> 00:09:24,720 as a stone or an amplifier to other gem's metaphysical uses. Clear quartz is a very 69 00:09:24,720 --> 00:09:33,800 simple composition and associated with clearing and purifying ourself and our surrounding. 70 00:09:33,800 --> 00:09:42,920 Barrel is a mineral composed of beryllium, aluminum, silicate, hence the name. Pure barrel 71 00:09:42,920 --> 00:09:49,560 is clear like I mentioned. It's the elements and impurities that cause the varieties. The 72 00:09:49,560 --> 00:09:56,480 South American limestone is an excellent ground for the development of the species, hence 73 00:09:56,480 --> 00:10:06,160 many amazing aquamarines, emeralds, and morganites hail from this area. Other varieties are heliodor, 74 00:10:06,160 --> 00:10:13,680 or golden barrel, thanks to iron irons, red barrel, once called bixbite, which is due 75 00:10:13,680 --> 00:10:24,440 to the manganese presence. And so we have clear, blue, green, orangey pink, yellow, 76 00:10:24,440 --> 00:10:33,280 and red versions in this family. Factually, a member of the barrel family, aquamarine, 77 00:10:33,280 --> 00:10:40,920 has a raw color of greenish blue and becomes sky blue with heat treatment. Abundant supplies 78 00:10:40,920 --> 00:10:49,520 are from Brazil and parts of Africa because soils affect hues differently. As far as folklore, 79 00:10:49,520 --> 00:10:56,000 this is a gem whose name comes from the Latin words for water and of the sea. And it was 80 00:10:56,000 --> 00:11:04,200 used to protect travelers, especially sailing. In healing, it's associated with breath and 81 00:11:04,200 --> 00:11:13,640 is said to cure or avoid sinus and lung issues. Many owners associate clarity and youthfulness 82 00:11:13,640 --> 00:11:23,120 with this stone. Corundum is a crystalline form of aluminum oxide and typically contains 83 00:11:23,120 --> 00:11:32,880 traces of iron, titanium, vanadium, and chromium. This is a naturally transparent material and 84 00:11:32,880 --> 00:11:41,080 again, impurities or elements color the varieties. It falls into two main versions of that, ruby 85 00:11:41,080 --> 00:11:48,560 and sapphire. Rubies owe their redness to the presence of chromium and sapphires exhibit 86 00:11:48,560 --> 00:11:58,520 a range of colors. Blue needs iron and titanium. Podparagea sapphire, my personal favorite, 87 00:11:58,520 --> 00:12:06,600 is a rare pink orange. The best part of corundum is that it is so near the hardness of a diamond 88 00:12:06,600 --> 00:12:13,400 that watches will use it for its crystal to buffer against damage and scratches. And yet 89 00:12:13,400 --> 00:12:21,400 it also holds up very well in cocktail rings and engagement jewelry. Factually, ruby is 90 00:12:21,400 --> 00:12:28,240 the cousin of sapphire since they're both corundum. Various chemical elements create 91 00:12:28,240 --> 00:12:35,040 the color variations. Ruby is the scarcest corundum. Highest hue crystals come from 92 00:12:35,040 --> 00:12:43,560 Burmra, which is now called Myanmar. Commercially, this gem helps with tattoo removal and most 93 00:12:43,560 --> 00:12:52,480 medical lasers. And in fine watches, like a 15 jewel watch, tiny little rubies will 94 00:12:52,480 --> 00:13:02,720 delay metal fatigue. As far as folklore, it's used to influence passion, wealth and protection. 95 00:13:02,720 --> 00:13:13,080 This gem is often used for prosperity, fertility and safety. As for sapphire, which also occurs 96 00:13:13,080 --> 00:13:23,680 in yellow, green, pink, purple, orange and clear tones, the last being used for shadow-resistant 97 00:13:23,680 --> 00:13:29,600 crystals on luxury and performance timepieces, the hardness is just below a diamond like 98 00:13:29,600 --> 00:13:37,560 I mentioned. The best sapphire, blue of course, comes from Kashmir, where we value the precious 99 00:13:37,560 --> 00:13:47,600 tint. Secondly would be India, Sri Lanka, Myanmar, which is Burma, all follow, providing 100 00:13:47,600 --> 00:13:54,800 unusually vivid and electric tones. Again with the folklore, this was considered a holy 101 00:13:54,800 --> 00:14:01,920 gem in a few faiths. And the most attention a sapphire has ever gotten in modern times 102 00:14:01,920 --> 00:14:08,360 was Princess Diana's or Princess Kate's engagement ring. While we tend to symbolize 103 00:14:08,360 --> 00:14:16,320 love unions with diamond, sapphire has been associated with fidelity and has been common 104 00:14:16,320 --> 00:14:27,400 in wedding jewelry. Metaphysically, it is associated with wisdom, clarity and tranquility. 105 00:14:27,400 --> 00:14:34,200 Heldspar is a group of rock forming aluminum silicate minerals. And you've heard me say 106 00:14:34,200 --> 00:14:42,560 silicate, stay tuned for more of that with opals. This however is by default an abundant 107 00:14:42,560 --> 00:14:52,240 part of the top earth's makeup. My job is to assess as labradorite, moonstone, rainbow 108 00:14:52,240 --> 00:14:58,320 moonstone, and then of course go beyond the commercial names and into scientific labels 109 00:14:58,320 --> 00:15:04,520 so other gemologists can instantly know which conversation on Heldspar we are having, either 110 00:15:04,520 --> 00:15:14,680 in person or remotely. Factually, moonstone has a specific effect regarding late reflection 111 00:15:14,680 --> 00:15:21,360 that is found only in a few jewels. As for labradorite, lower grades are important beyond 112 00:15:21,360 --> 00:15:29,240 jewelry since they are used in glass, road construction and ceramics. Folklore around 113 00:15:29,240 --> 00:15:36,360 moonstone, it is worn for the intention of balance and emotional cleansing. Labradorite 114 00:15:36,360 --> 00:15:43,600 is considered very metaphysical and is related to the color changing effect equalling a doorway 115 00:15:43,600 --> 00:15:50,200 into the unknown. It is considered a stone of transformation that can enhance strength 116 00:15:50,200 --> 00:16:00,520 of the will and inner worth. So I personally wear one for bringing forth my transitions. 117 00:16:00,520 --> 00:16:09,120 Plus I find it beautiful. Agate. This is a type of calcidony that is known for its 118 00:16:09,120 --> 00:16:20,400 ringed colorways. It can be white, gray, yellowish brown, reddish brown, blue, or green. And the 119 00:16:20,400 --> 00:16:28,400 colors are caused by manganese based minerals made with silica rich water deposits that 120 00:16:28,400 --> 00:16:37,080 drip into quartz layers and those run parallel to cavity walls. Or when lava cools, steam 121 00:16:37,080 --> 00:16:44,480 and gases form bubbles that get trapped into solidifying lava, creating colored cavities. 122 00:16:44,480 --> 00:16:51,240 So it goes through quite the transformation. Most of these are named for their character 123 00:16:51,240 --> 00:17:02,280 or their location. Turmaline offers so many options. Let me start with hue and then variety. 124 00:17:02,280 --> 00:17:12,000 Turmaline comes in pink, yellow, orange, red, green, blue, and multicolor such as watermelon 125 00:17:12,000 --> 00:17:19,240 turmaline. So maybe you know the familiars such as pink or green. Let's mention rarer 126 00:17:19,240 --> 00:17:27,280 ones like rubalite, a red turmaline, or in dicolite, a bluish teal turmaline. 127 00:17:27,280 --> 00:17:33,960 Factually, like the quartz family, there is piezoelectricity, a word meaning the charge 128 00:17:33,960 --> 00:17:40,800 of energy within a stone. Turmaline's energy is found as far as use in the hair and beauty 129 00:17:40,800 --> 00:17:51,840 industry, air purifiers, cosmetics, and paints. Turmalines are almost every color. Metaphysically, 130 00:17:51,840 --> 00:17:57,680 as gem has been used to heal and expand the emotional body. Regardless of color, it's 131 00:17:57,680 --> 00:18:07,080 associated with purifying our virtues. Love, prospering, energetic boundaries, inspiration, 132 00:18:07,080 --> 00:18:15,240 and unblocking all benefit from Turmaline. Garnet. Since it's a birthstone, you may 133 00:18:15,240 --> 00:18:22,920 not know that when you look up garnet, you can find words like pyrope, almondine, spesartine, 134 00:18:22,920 --> 00:18:30,680 and grassular. Pyrope is what we accept and is common for birthstones, clasrings, and 135 00:18:30,680 --> 00:18:39,960 commercial jewelry. Almondine is a bit more purple than brown as pyrope is, and reportedly, 136 00:18:39,960 --> 00:18:46,760 almondine is perhaps the most common garnet species. Spesartine is a manganese-rich member 137 00:18:46,760 --> 00:18:54,560 of the garnet family and is usually a reddish-orange in color. It can also have modifiers of yellow, 138 00:18:54,560 --> 00:19:01,840 pink, and brown. While I am not much of a pumpkin spice girl, I adore the pumpkin tones 139 00:19:01,840 --> 00:19:08,120 of this variety while appreciating its virtues as a garnet. 140 00:19:08,120 --> 00:19:16,840 During grassular, this is typically a greenstone. Can I have other tones? Yes, but I am focusing 141 00:19:16,840 --> 00:19:25,480 on that botanical hue for this classification. And I will go deeper into Savarite, since 142 00:19:25,480 --> 00:19:31,120 that is the most jewelry-forward gem of all the green garnets, making the others more 143 00:19:31,120 --> 00:19:39,960 collector items. My adoration for Savarite has many facets. First, it has chromium, or 144 00:19:39,960 --> 00:19:47,320 vanadium, which gives emerald tones to this lush greenness. Secondly, its clarity and 145 00:19:47,320 --> 00:19:55,600 finish is royal. Last, Savarite garnet, my favorite variety of grassular, is rich in 146 00:19:55,600 --> 00:20:01,600 its underdogness. After all, Tiffany's has endorsed this. 147 00:20:01,600 --> 00:20:10,480 Actually, garnets are found in embraces and cosmetics for scrubbing and beautifying. Folklore-wise, 148 00:20:10,480 --> 00:20:17,680 there is correlation that the material helps to let go of negative emotions, reduce anxiety, 149 00:20:17,680 --> 00:20:25,840 stress, and depression. It can help people heal broken bonds of love. Garnet is thought 150 00:20:25,840 --> 00:20:33,680 to soothe emotional turmoil and provide a sense of stability and calm. 151 00:20:33,680 --> 00:20:42,240 Opal has quite the roll call. We have white opal, black opal, water opal, sometimes called 152 00:20:42,240 --> 00:20:53,800 jelly opal, fire opal, boulder opal, matrix opal, and Mexican opal. But what are we describing? 153 00:20:53,800 --> 00:21:01,480 It's a very hydrated silica composite that makes some crystals morph into transparent, 154 00:21:01,480 --> 00:21:11,480 translucent, opaque, and multicolored. Actually, opal is used in insulation, fillers, and ceramic 155 00:21:11,480 --> 00:21:20,080 ingredients. Folklore-wise, it is associated with hope and has historically been correlated 156 00:21:20,080 --> 00:21:28,440 with the supernatural or metaphysical, meaning the invisible side of life. If the elements 157 00:21:28,440 --> 00:21:34,600 of fact and folklore appeal to you, I will be sharing my educational gem deck of cards 158 00:21:34,600 --> 00:21:46,360 this fall. Stay tuned for details on why I did this and how to obtain yours. 159 00:21:46,360 --> 00:21:50,400 Thank you for listening and learning with me. I would love you to share this project 160 00:21:50,400 --> 00:21:54,840 with people finding rare beauty in today's world and throughout our times. Until the 161 00:21:54,840 --> 00:22:05,000 next episode, keep your own story sparkling.