Question about luster descriptions/terms

[the_mother_thing]

I was browsing sapphires from a couple of the ebay sellers on the ps list, trying to get an idea if what I really want color wise. I see them using terms for describing luster like "dazzling", "brilliance", "exceptionally fine", "exceptional". I recall seeing a list somewhere of common terms to describe luster, but don't recall "dazzling" being one of them. Is this possibly a red flag/concern? A geographical/cultural language thing?

Does anyone happen to have the link to the usual terms for describing a stone's luster or other qualities? I thought I bookmarked it.

 

[treasurehunter]

Its just their own made up words

 

[Lady_Disdain]

Luster is how the light reflects on the surface of a gemstone. A bad polish may impact the luster but luster itself is a result of gem type: hematite has metallic luster, for example. The most common luster types are adamantine (diamond like, so stones like sphene, zircon and diamonds), vitrous (glasslike, so quartz, tourmaline, sapphire, etc), silky (many cabbing minerals) and resinous (stones like amber).

Dazzling, brilliant, exceptional is just ebay speak, trying to hype up a stone. To me, it shows that the seller is not above ignoring technical aspects to make a sale.

 

[the_mother_thing]

Thank you both for your input. I felt like that is exactly what I was seeing/thinking, Lady_D.

I have resolved that I cannot figure out what the right stone is/would be for my project, as I don't know enough about how the different blue stones behave/perform. So I am going to start a new thread with specs on my project vision and what I am looking for, in hopes the many experts here can guide me to a suitable gem to achieve the look I am going for. I keep going back and forth between sapphires, spinels, and tanzanites, but with how I plan to set it, I don't know what color to look for to land at the look I want. Incorrect terms to describe a gem's qualities just makes it so much harder.

 

[T L]

Luster is how the light reflects on the surface of a gemstone. A bad polish may impact the luster but luster itself is a result of gem type: hematite has metallic luster, for example. The most common luster types are adamantine (diamond like, so stones like sphene, zircon and diamonds), vitrous (glasslike, so quartz, tourmaline, sapphire, etc), silky (many cabbing minerals) and resinous (stones like amber).

Dazzling, brilliant, exceptional is just ebay speak, trying to hype up a stone. To me, it shows that the seller is not above ignoring technical aspects to make a sale.

I think luster is best seen through videos as well. It's almost impossible to ascertain through a still photo.