shape
carat
color
clarity

Check out this site! Gemstones and magnetism. Great read!

Barrett

Ideal_Rock
Joined
May 26, 2009
Messages
2,218
Check out this cool website I saw posted on another forum. It talks about magnetism in gemstones and how it can be used to discern what you may have or not have. It's actually a good read..informative and easy to understand plus the fact anyone can use magnetism to test their stones and not have to have some expensive tool or training like some other gemmo tools. You just need a neodymium magnet which some people have already or can be picked up for $6. Just go through all the pages at the bottom and click the links as well.

http://gemstonemagnetism.com/

"Synthetic gems and imitations gems like glass are mostly inert or weak, and can often be separated from natural gems. The metallic dopants used to color most synthetics are in concentrations too low, or valence states too weak, to be detected. For example, natural Spinels of any color (except very pale gems and some orange gems) show a weak to moderate magnetic response. They can be easily separated from synthetic Spinels, which are mostly inert, but occasionally very weak in blue synthetic Spinel colored by cobalt."

"Other examples are Indicolite Tourmaline and Verdelite Tourmaline, which are strongly magnetic and may drag. They can be separated from imitation gems made of synthetic Spinel or Glass, which are weak or inert. "

"Aquamarine is a variety of Beryl that can look like pale blue Topaz. Conveniently for us, Aquamarine is weakly to moderately magnetic, and can easily be separated from Topaz, which is always inert"

"Tanzanite can be mistaken for Iolite, a less valuable gem with similar color. However, Iolite is pigmented by iron and strongly attracted to a N-52 magnet. Tanzanite shows no magnetic response. "
 

T L

Super_Ideal_Rock
Premium
Joined
Sep 20, 2008
Messages
25,159
Re: Check out this site! Gemstones and magnetism. Great re

Interesting. I actually heard tourmaline is a decent conductor of electricity too. That's why the stones get so dusty if you let them sit out in the open for long periods.
 

Barrett

Ideal_Rock
Joined
May 26, 2009
Messages
2,218
Re: Check out this site! Gemstones and magnetism. Great re

I like the idea of using something simple to determine fakes and misrepresentations from the real thing. Use it on rough stones or parcels or single gems. Differentiating between synthetic spinel and the real ones was always difficult and unless you have the right instruments (such as a refractometer and polariscope, et al) and working knowledge of how to make the separations between natural and laboratory created stones then the layperson/consumer will always be at risk of getting slipped a fake one. The use of a magnet can make that much easier for anyone to check their stones. It makes it easy to seperate those gemstones which are many times used in the ole switch-e-roo
 

Deathspi

Shiny_Rock
Premium
Joined
Oct 25, 2010
Messages
385
Re: Check out this site! Gemstones and magnetism. Great re

Very interesting, I shall be testing later! (If I can find my magnet that is)...

I read recently that if your hematite is magnetic then it's actually hematine. Stumped me a bit really, I didn't even know hematite was 'faked', I thought there was no need to do so. Oh well!
 

Barrett

Ideal_Rock
Joined
May 26, 2009
Messages
2,218
Re: Check out this site! Gemstones and magnetism. Great re

I posted this link over on Mindat and Ken already found a mis-identified gemstone ...a CC garnet that was sold to him as a CC sapphire...
 

magnetismguy

Rough_Rock
Joined
Jul 11, 2011
Messages
1
Re: Check out this site! Gemstones and magnetism. Great re

Glad to see so many people are visiting my website gemstonemagnetism.com. Thank you Amethystguy for posting the link. Everyone who works with gems owes it to themselves to become familiar with using a magnet for gem identification. And yes, its actually fun!
 

brandy_z28

Brilliant_Rock
Joined
May 23, 2008
Messages
1,934
Re: Check out this site! Gemstones and magnetism. Great re

Very cool! One more little tidbit to try out on my loose stones.

Thanks AG! :appl:
 
Be a part of the community Get 3 HCA Results
Top