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Show me your "glow in the sun" gems!

Starstruck8

Brilliant_Rock
Joined
May 13, 2021
Messages
587
For the jadeite, it's also vivid saturation plus fluorescence (but this time from uranium)
Fascinating! I hadn't heard this before. Some quick googling tells me that jadeite
glass (an obsolete manufactured product) contains uranium. But I haven't found a clear statement that natural mineral jadeite does (or at least, that uranium is responsible for the glow). Can you say more about this.
 
Joined
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Messages
4,026
Fascinating! I hadn't heard this before. Some quick googling tells me that jadeite
glass (an obsolete manufactured product) contains uranium. But I haven't found a clear statement that natural mineral jadeite does (or at least, that uranium is responsible for the glow). Can you say more about this.

Thanks for catching that, my friend! Not sure what the heck I was saying. Jadeite glows from chromium as well... not uranium!

giphy.gif
 

Nick_G

Shiny_Rock
Joined
Sep 7, 2018
Messages
328
Thanks for catching that, my friend! Not sure what the heck I was saying. Jadeite glows from chromium as well... not uranium!

giphy.gif

Yes it is chromium that is responsible for the glowing green colour of high quality jadeite, which is a sodium aluminium silicate, where small amounts of chromium replace the aluminium. In fact, there is a very rare sodium chromium silicate end-member called kosmochlor, which is a dark emerald green colour.
 
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Yes it is chromium that is responsible for the glowing green colour of high quality jadeite, which is a sodium aluminium silicate, where small amounts of chromium replace the aluminium. In fact, there is a very rare sodium chromium silicate end-member called kosmochlor, which is a dark emerald green colour.

Thank you, Nick!
 

Crimson

Brilliant_Rock
Joined
Apr 3, 2019
Messages
684
OK I have to ask, is there some specific term people are using in searches for these stones? Or is it just luck? Or are some stones always/usually fluorescent? I'm such a sucker for fluorescence but have no idea where to start to find some, help? :mrgreen2:
@Mooshi that’s a good question! @Autumn in New England and @Nick_G and @Starstruck8 have explained it well. I will just add to the discussion of jadeite. Top jadeite should glow indoors and not just out in the sun. Of course, the sunlight will intensify whatever glow the jadeite inherently has. It’s important however to know that some lower quality, treated jadeite can fluoresce, because of the resin that is used in treatment.
Below is an image from Sohu.com that shows the desired features of top quality jadeite. From the left, the columns are:
Nong, which means saturation or intensity. The column goes down from high to low.
Xian Yang, meaning liveliness, vibrancy and brightness. Again, down the column, you will see decreasing/less desirable levels of vibrancy and liveliness.
Zheng, the extent to which it is the highest standard — the desired shade of green. Besides imperial green, sun green is also highly regarded.
Cun - evenness , with no inclusions or blotches.
Besides the above, there is Zhong, which refers to origin. It’s not geographic origin, but refers to texture. The most desirable texture is Old Pit, which is the finest. Texture also relates to transparency or translucency. There are many terms for this, from peas/beans to glutinous, hibiscus, icy, and glassy (the best).
When all the desirable features are present, the jadeite will probably glow.
As with other gems, it’s best to get jadeite certified as natural and untreated.
Finally, colourless, glassy jadeite glows - it is often described as “luminous”. I don’t know what causes that, though. Not chromium…

A19AA700-55F5-482F-92EA-8F863A10CD0E.jpeg
 
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Starstruck8

Brilliant_Rock
Joined
May 13, 2021
Messages
587
@Mooshi that’s a good question! @Autumn in New England and @Nick_G and @Starstruck8 have explained it well. I will just add to the discussion of jadeite. Top jadeite should glow indoors and not just out in the sun. Of course, the sunlight will intensify whatever glow the jadeite inherently has. It’s important however to know that some lower quality, treated jadeite can fluoresce, because of the resin that is used in treatment.
Below is an image from Sohu.com that shows the desired features of top quality jadeite. From the left, the columns are:
Nong, which means saturation or intensity. The column goes down from high to low.
Xian Yang, meaning liveliness, vibrancy and brightness. Again, down the column, you will see decreasing/less desirable levels of vibrancy and liveliness.
Zheng, the extent to which it is the highest standard — the desired shade of green. Besides imperial green, sun green is also highly regarded.
Cun - evenness , with no inclusions or blotches.
Besides the above, there is Zhong, which refers to origin. It’s not geographic origin, but refers to texture. The most desirable texture is Old Pit, which is the finest. Texture also relates to transparency or translucency. There are many terms for this, from peas/beans to glutinous, hibiscus, icy, and glassy (the best).
When all the desirable features are present, the jadeite will probably glow.
As with other gems, it’s best to get jadeite certified as natural and untreated.
Finally, colourless, glassy jadeite glows - it is often described as “luminous”. I don’t know what causes that, though. Not chromium…

A19AA700-55F5-482F-92EA-8F863A10CD0E.jpeg

Thank you for this. It illustrates perfectly why I will probably never buy a jadeite cab. I'd love one, of course - it's a classic man's ring stone. The translucent green glow of the best ones is magical. But quality (and price) depend on so many factors that aren't at all obvious to the untrained eye. So I could never be confident that I was paying the right price for what I was getting.
 

elle_71125

Ideal_Rock
Premium
Joined
Jan 29, 2012
Messages
6,194
Both memorable pieces (that could burn a retina)! :love:
Thank you. :lol:

What stone is Big Blue? And can I see a photo of the purple sapphire in normal light? Just curious. Both are amazing.
Big blue is a pastel blue tourmaline from Jeff White. It’s a beautiful color but really pops in the sun.

Sure, here’s the purple in shade / full sun. It goes from a grape (almost like a purple garnet) to straight up fuchsia.

B311BADE-F08B-43A5-9268-AAC1CF2D2D54.jpeg


That LM sapphire = one of the best finds ever

It really was one of my luckiest finds. I mean, who would ever imagine that showing up on LT?! :-o
 

elle_71125

Ideal_Rock
Premium
Joined
Jan 29, 2012
Messages
6,194
My sweet paraiba & pink spinel ring glows like crazy in the sun. This was one of my first rings and it remains one of my absolute favorites.

01BE53B2-5872-43A3-990E-84AF327F4C16.jpeg
 

Catmom

Super_Ideal_Rock
Premium
Joined
Apr 6, 2005
Messages
12,414

Crimson

Brilliant_Rock
Joined
Apr 3, 2019
Messages
684
Thank you for this. It illustrates perfectly why I will probably never buy a jadeite cab. I'd love one, of course - it's a classic man's ring stone. The translucent green glow of the best ones is magical. But quality (and price) depend on so many factors that aren't at all obvious to the untrained eye. So I could never be confident that I was paying the right price for what I was getting.
Yes, jadeite has been for me the most challenging gem. I had to read sources in Chinese (;both traditional and modern script). I learnt that part of the confusion is also caused by the fact that the generic Chinese word for Jade. Yu, was used to refer t9: a variety of beautiful stones, including jasper, and even turquoise.
 

Crimson

Brilliant_Rock
Joined
Apr 3, 2019
Messages
684
This (strongly zoned) pink star sapphire gives a weird pink glow on the side opposite the lighting:
PinkStar.jpg

Purple star sapphire:
PurpleStar.jpg

I have been waiting for your stars, @Starstruck8. They are gorgeous.
I like the idea of stars in sunlight. Let me follow your theme with moonstone in sunlight, and ruby cabs. 53B5FD29-636C-4A0A-BC8B-A708C117F7E5.jpeg

Indoors at night
F0C7EC3C-75C1-47A2-8CF2-56BFAA9037FC.jpeg

Late morning sun.
87A0B92C-7A8B-482B-868D-86639674F2A9.jpeg
 

Starstruck8

Brilliant_Rock
Joined
May 13, 2021
Messages
587
I have been waiting for your stars, @Starstruck8. They are gorgeous.
I like the idea of stars in sunlight. Let me follow your theme with moonstone in sunlight, and ruby cabs. 53B5FD29-636C-4A0A-BC8B-A708C117F7E5.jpeg

Indoors at night
F0C7EC3C-75C1-47A2-8CF2-56BFAA9037FC.jpeg

Late morning sun.
87A0B92C-7A8B-482B-868D-86639674F2A9.jpeg

That's the bluest blue moonstone I've ever seen! With that, your jadeite and your amazing rubies, you have a wonderful collection of glowy cabs.
 

lilmosun

Ideal_Rock
Premium
Joined
Jun 30, 2014
Messages
2,394
So many beautiful glowy gems :kiss2:...seeing the glow of stones under artificial UV light is fun but there is something amazing/special about those that take on another life in natural sunlight.

My contribution is my favorite mahenge spinel. I haven't been able to capture it's full glow in photos but here are a couple of picks of one of mahenge spinel taken today on a NE winter day (outdoors and indoors by window). What makes this one stand out from my others, which also fluoresce is sunlight, is how it will suddenly get this possessed pulsating glow on hand when wearing it in VA - as of someone plugged it in..reminds me of Superman's kryptonite. It's crazy. Unfortunately no photos.

20221209_134958.jpg 20221209_134544.jpg
 

Catmom

Super_Ideal_Rock
Premium
Joined
Apr 6, 2005
Messages
12,414
I have some new ones to add, yay. These are coming for Christmas and I can't wait! Jelly opals. diamonds and onyx earrings.

IMG_2874 (002).jpg
 

ItsMainelyYou

Ideal_Rock
Joined
Jun 27, 2014
Messages
4,760
My sapphire doing its thing in the sun
tempImageKTSMlN.png
tempImagerUB3ou.png
Pinkish-red spinel
tempImageaQa5bA.png

Red spinel
tempImageE2sI8a.png
As always, love that sapphire.
I love them all but that pink pop of a ring! I don't think I've ever seen it before :love: I want an everyday glowy solitaire like that.
 
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