Gem Testing

Collecting, handling and housing gemstones; refractive index and its measurement; double refraction and dispersion; colour, colour filters and the dichroscope; the specific gravity of gemstones and how to measure it; the use of the microscope; the manufacture of synthetic and imitation stones; gemstone enhancement; detection of synthetic, imitation and compostie stones; the use of the spectroscope; fluorescence as an aid to identification; the identification of diamond; the identification of ruby; the identification of sapphire; the identification of emerald; aquamarine and alexandrite; zircon; topaz and other yellow stones; pink, mauve or lilac stones; brown and orange stones; quartz, chalcedony and opal; the garnet family; tourmaline, peridot and spinel; jade and jade-like minerals; turquoise and lapis lazuli; cat's eyes, star-stones and others; amber, tortoiseshell, coral, jet and ivory; pearls: real, cultured and imitation.