Some up close and personal demantoid inclusion shots

[colorluvr]

To continue on with a prior thread concerning inclusions and me playing around with my camera(s), I thought I share some photos of a couple of my demantoids.

The first demantoid is a nice color of green and it doesn't show up the inclusions IRL because it is so sparkly, but it's got some doozies, so I thought I'd share. sold as 2.14ct, Cushion 8.18 x 6.94 x 4.38mm demantoid from Russia

First shot is IRL, next is with my macro lens (highly cropped), then with an additional flipped lens (about 1/2 inch away) and finally 30x microscope shot

I didn't digitally change any of the photos, but the color is like the IRL shot, the next two are in a photo cube with lots of lighting to see inside the stone and focused to look just below the surface and still show the faceting. The microscope shot is using a concentrated tungsten light which causes the more yellow color.

 

[colorluvr]

The next set are of my certified as natural/no treatment 3.07Ct - 9.75 x 7.93 x 5.35mm; VVS2 - Portuguese Oval/Cushion demantoid. It is supposed to be from Russia, but it didn't come with a cert stating that. It's a very nice stone IMHO, but it does have a tinge more yellow to it than the smaller stone.

I tried to take a photo of the stone out in the sun last summer and it was a disaster. It looks all fuzzy, but I thought I'd share that photo anyway. Next is IRL in a gemholder, a shot with my macro lens and last is one with the flipped/double lens.

 

[colorluvr]

Three more with the flipped/lens combo and one through the microscope. It was difficult to get any clear microscope shots of this stone.

 

[chrono]

These are THE coolest pics.

 

[colorluvr]

Thanks Chrono - I think the inclusions in the second stone look like sperm Can I say that on here?

 

[LD]

I think tadpoles may be a better description! You've mentioned that the gem with the tadpoles has a report from a lab? May I ask which one?

More worringly, in your fourth picture I see a picture of the Terminator - glowing eyes, skull, teeth etc!

 

[chrono]

Beansprouts might sound nicer than s…..

 

[m76steve]

colorluvr-im always trying to improve fotos-here is a backlighted demi-any comments-steve...

 

[colorluvr]

Beansprouts might sound nicer than s…..

I agree - green beansprouts!

 

[colorluvr]

I think tadpoles may be a better description! You've mentioned that the gem with the tadpoles has a report from a lab? May I ask which one?

More worringly, in your fourth picture I see a picture of the Terminator - glowing eyes, skull, teeth etc!

One of the sealed reports from GHI.

 

[chrono]

Colorluvr,
What is the full name of GHI? The name doesn't seem familiar.

 

[colorluvr]

Colorluvr,
What is the full name of GHI? The name doesn't seem familiar.

http://www.ghi.co.th/

Gemological Hallmark International Co., Ltd. Apparently they are in Bangkok.

 

[LD]

Colorluvr,
What is the full name of GHI? The name doesn't seem familiar.

http://www.ghi.co.th/

Gemological Hallmark International Co., Ltd. Apparently they are in Bangkok.

Is this a lab where you can check reports online? I have seen some of their (presumably) older reports but not the sealed ones (I don't think - although I have a yellow/green report that I can't remember who that was from).

Edit: Ignore me! Is it one of the blue/white ones?

 

[colorluvr]

Colorluvr,
What is the full name of GHI? The name doesn't seem familiar.

http://www.ghi.co.th/

Gemological Hallmark International Co., Ltd. Apparently they are in Bangkok.

Is this a lab where you can check reports online? I have seen some of their (presumably) older reports but not the sealed ones (I don't think - although I have a yellow/green report that I can't remember who that was from).

You go on this page http://www.ghi.co.th/GemTestingLaboratory/ and fill in the info - there is a four number password under the flap. I got one of these reports on an unheated sapphire I have also. If I ever decided to set it/insure it, I'd probably get an AGL on it, for for now, I'm comfortable that it's what it's supposed to be.

I also had a friend of mine (not GIA, but has spent a few years studying gemstones and staring at them through a microscope - LOL) look at both stones and do as many tests as you can in a "home lab" and he concurred that they were demantoids.

 

[colorluvr]

LD, it's the blue one like the first one shown on their website, it doesn't look like the one you posted.

 

[colorluvr]

I have one more demantoid that was sold as a "color change", but I would say it's more "color shift". I don't know if I can get decent photos, but I'll try later today. The stone itself is more of an olive green than a true green, but it does change colors a bit - now to just be able to capture that in a picture...

 

[LD]

LOL it's the upgraded/newer version of their reports! I posted an old one!

I'll tell you what was worrying me (and you need to understand I'm not an expert with inclusions so hopefully somebody can pop along and tell me I'm a nutter) but tadpole inclusions are a common sign of a flame infused / verneuil gemstone. Unfortunately Alexandrite synthetics are particularly prone to these but luckily it's a good identifier that makes you run to the hills and away from the offending Alex! I've never heard of these inclusions otherwise - and of course, as I said, I'm far from an expert so they may be common as much and I just haven't stumbled on it before!

The reason I was asking which lab it was is because (a) there are a few that are not as good as others and (b) reports can be (and are) forged nowadays.

Glad yours has checked out though.

 

[m76steve]

for ur closeup pics do most people use a microscoped camera or closeup lenses on digital camera?-steve...

 

[PinkTower]

K,

These are just beautiful. I adore demantoid, don't you. (Well, apparently we are in the minorty. Spellcheck is saying this is not a word!)
I've got about 30 pieces of demantoid Melee. It is posted here, somewhere in the catacombs. My color is not as good as yours, though. What are your plans for the stones. (I think I prefer the smaller one for setting.)

-Pink

 

[colorluvr]

for ur closeup pics do most people use a microscoped camera or closeup lenses on digital camera?-steve...

For about 6 inches away, I use a "medium" macro lens (105mm F2.8 ) for the 1/2 inch away (where you get the really cool inclusion shots) I attach a 50mm F1.8 (flipped over) to the macro lens, but you do have to almost touch the stone and it's a bit tricky to get it in focus. For the microscope photos, I just hold my inexpensive cannon point and shoot (but does have a macro setting) up to the microscope eyepiece and hope for the best... I have to take dozens of those usually to get a good one.

 

[colorluvr]

K,

These are just beautiful. I adore demantoid, don't you. (Well, apparently we are in the minorty. Spellcheck is saying this is not a word!)
I've got about 30 pieces of demantoid Melee. It is posted here, somewhere in the catacombs. My color is not as good as yours, though. What are your plans for the stones. (I think I prefer the smaller one for setting.)

-Pink

Great minds think alike and all that.... yes, I plan to set the small one some day, and it wouldn't give me a coronary if something happened to it (although I'd be sad). The bigger one is just going to live in it's gem box for the forseeable future.

 

[m76steve]

colorluvr-this is about the best i can do at the monent-just toying with what i gots-the beansprouts r more pleasing to the ear than flying sperm-nice fotos-steve...thanks for ur info...

 

[colorluvr]

LD, I'm even less of an expert on inclusions than you are I'm sure, but I have spent a bit of time online lately finding some great photos. Here is one of a demantoid inclusion from Scottish Gemmological Association website:

http://www.scotgem.co.uk/Photos_gemstones.htm

I think you may need to scroll through them to get to the demantoid, then click on the thumbnail, which will enlarge it.

I've posted the photo here to make it easier on everyone. It looks to me (through my totally novice eyes) that there may be the same sort of inclusion going on in this photo on the right hand side of the "center" of the horsetail. I have also posted another photo of my demantoid, to show where there are horsetails without the "tadpole looking" head.

 

[cellentani]

Stunning shots colorluvr - those macro and flipped shots are pretty incredible, and I'd never be able to see that stuff with my loupe! Can you estimate what magnification your flipped lens shots provide? Those shots seem like the best combination of lighting and sharpness.

 

[colorluvr]

Stunning shots colorluvr - those macro and flipped shots are pretty incredible, and I'd never be able to see that stuff with my loupe! Can you estimate what magnification your flipped lens shots provide? Those shots seem like the best combination of lighting and sharpness.

I agree, and the flipped lens photos are a lot easier to do than the microscope ones. The microscope ones are 30x, so maybe 15x and that is just a guess.

The site that gave me the idea of how to attach the flipped lens went into a bunch of detail (and I'm not using a teleconverter like he is) but my last photography class was in college in the 70's, so just getting good shots is fine for me without doing the math - but here's the site with some of the "photography speak" for those who might be interested. I was just pleased to find the site because he was using basically the same camera/primary lens as I am, so I was able to figure out what I needed to get the flipped lens photos on a budget.

http://www.flickr.com/groups/supermacro/discuss/61618/

 

[colorluvr]

I did however, just order a 15x eyepiece for my microscope so I can see what some inclusions look like at 45x. That seems to be a common magnifcation for some of the really cool inclusion photos I've seen online and the eyepiece was pretty inexpensive on ebay.

 

[Arkteia]

Thanks Chrono - I think the inclusions in the second stone look like sperm Can I say that on here?

The thought of demantoids mating to produce more and more baby demantoids warms my heart...

Lovely photos! How did you manage it?

 

[jstarfireb]

If deMANtoids have sperm, are there dewomantoids to mate with?

 

[colorluvr]

If deMANtoids have sperm, are there dewomantoids to mate with?

Absolutely, I'm sure of it (of course, I have no proof) But I'd love to own one of their offspring!

 

[LD]

Hi Colorluvr - the photo you've linked is a horsetail inclusion. It's often a way to distinguish between Russian and other locations (although I believe that it is also now being seen in some Namibians). I think that there have been some photos of those on this forum before. I haven't got time to find them now but will do so and link you to them as they're fascinating. Thanks for the link.

Your photos are great btw - when I use my microscope to take photos it wipes out the colour of the gem so they all look pale but yours seem to retain the colour.