Wonders Within Gemstones

[WinkHPD]

I was looking through my gem library yesterday for information about an article I am working on when my eye fell on a book I had not opened in a while that I used to just sit and pour over for hours on end.

We spend a couple of hours together again yesterday and I am moved to share a few things from it with you.

The book was published in 1996 with a forward from John Koivula, who is himself a highly respected gemstone inclusion photographer and was at the time the Chief Gemologist at GIA. He and Gubelin have published two magnificent tomes of gemstone inslusion photos, which can be purchased at http://photoatlas-vol2.microworldofgems.com/ by those who wish to see more. Josh at Pala told me about it when the books came out, and they have some incredible photos there.

Perhaps if we are lucky, some of our wonderful contributors here will share some of their own photos, I will contribute a couple, but they are no where near the quality of Mr. Goutiere''s.

Here is an incredible comet within a sapphire. As you can see from the caption, the separation of the fibers in the comet''s tail is indicative of heat treatment.

Wink

 

[WinkHPD]

Here is an incredible rainbow in a "colorless" topaz...

Just seems like a LOT of color in a colorless stone.

 

[WinkHPD]

This is the last from Mr. Goutiere''s book, it too is a topaz, but it looks as if our artists could take lessons from the creator of this beautiful "painting". The mix of colors, the balance, the splendor of this absolutely amaze me.

Wink

 

[WinkHPD]

I offer up a couple of my own pictures, pale by comparrison, but still fun. The first is a reflecting crystal within a diamond. I do not know the magnification, probably about 40x, but I did not take measurements when I took the photo. This is the view as it came to the camera.

Because of the wonderful optical qualities of the diamond you can see both the original reflections, but also secondary and tertiary reflections scattered around the diamond. Because of depth of field considerations they are out of focus in the picture, but if you back the power down to closer to 10x they are all quite nicely in focus. Doesn't do much for the clarity grade of the diamond, but it makes a nice picture!

Wink

 

[WinkHPD]

Of course if you are feeling playful you might want to do a little solarization filter and add some orange to the body color of the picture in photoshop and you get a nice looking picture for brightening up your day...

 

[WinkHPD]

This last photo is without doubt the best one that I have ever personally taken. It is a cluster of fibers, probably geothite that look like a genie''s bottle or a space shuttle to me. This was found in a client''s amethyst ring that she brought to me for repair. While looking at the stone for possible damage prior to her leaving it with me I spotted this and asked for permission to photograph it. With her permission I also sent it to Robert Weldon, a well know gemstone photographer who also took photos, but (sorry Robert) I like mine better.

Wink

P.S. It has also been suggested to me that these might be bytholite fibers. I am going from memory here and have probably misspelled the name or even made it up entirely, my memory is not all it is cracked up to be with unusual gem and mineral species... Maybe one of our more gemologically correct contributors can help me out with this one.

 

[widget]

THANK YOU, WINK!!!!!!

How wonderful!!

That last one is clearly an old fashioned shaving brush...is that what they call them? for lathering up before shaving?

GREAT pictures!

widget

 

[Richard M.]

Great images, Wink!

I like Widget''s shaving brush idea. Is byssolite asbestos, same as found in demantoid, the mineral you had in mind?

In a back corner of my memory I recall a fibrous iron mineral that''s sometimes associated with amethyst quartz. It''s called cacoxenite. I''m posting this image as a radiating crystal example and the one that follows is from a stone I cut not too long ago.

Richard M.

 

[Richard M.]

There''s some amethyst in there somewhere! This stuff is very scarce nowadays but I have a few pieces yet to cut.

Richard M.

 

[WinkHPD]

Date: 3/5/2006 8:30:48 PM
Author: Richard M.
Great images, Wink!


I like Widget''s shaving brush idea. Is byssolite asbestos, same as found in demantoid, the mineral you had in mind?


In a back corner of my memory I recall a fibrous iron mineral that''s sometimes associated with amethyst quartz. It''s called cacoxenite. I''m posting this image as a radiating crystal example and the one that follows is from a stone I cut not too long ago.


Richard M.

byssolite, yes, that is probably it. Do you think this may be bissolite? A picture in the book I quoted above showed a group of fibers that looked very much like the space pod separating from the booster rocket, and he identified those as geothite. I am totally not the one to say with certainty what they are, only that they are beautiful.

I really like that fan shaped inclusion in your first picture. Sometimes looking within the gem is more exciting than the view from the outside. The amethyst picture I took above was from a very inexpensive medium pale amethyst. I would never have seen the beauty within if I had not been asked to repair the ring, as it was the kind of amethyst that I would have never picked up.

Wink

 

[Richard M.]

Date: 3/6/2006 10:37:04 AM
Author: Wink
I am totally not the one to say with certainty what they are, only that they are beautiful.
Wink

I agree they''re interesting and beautiful. And I definitely join you in lack of the expertise to identify them for certain. Based on some brief research today I sort''ve doubt your inclusion is either goethite or cacoxenite. They''re both iron minerals and seem to form with straight radiating crystals, unlike the curvy fibers in yours.

I did find this image of byssolite which to me looks similar to yours. I was able to establish that byssolite sometimes definitely forms in quartz crystals, so your guess may be a good one. Inclusions are great fun. Imagine, ''horsetail'' inclusions in amethyst!

Great photography, by the way! I''d love to be able to shoot inclusion images. Maybe some day...

Richard M.

 

[strmrdr]

way kewl stuff :}
Thanks for posting this!

 

[Linda W]

Thank you so much for sharing these pictures. They are absolutely amazing and very beautiful.
I never knew what existed inside of my gemstone rings.


Linda W.

 

[WinkHPD]

Date: 3/6/2006 12:55:00 PM
Author: Linda W
Thank you so much for sharing these pictures. They are absolutely amazing and very beautiful.
I never knew what existed inside of my gemstone rings.


Linda W.

Thank you, I am glad you enjoyed them.

Wink

 

[Hest88]

Love these! Thanks so much!

 

[Anthony de Goutière GG. VGA]

Wonders Within Gemstones
I sent an email with answers to the queries re goethite and haven''t received and answerI would appreciate hearing from someone, or am I looking in the wrong place for an answer.
Best regards
Anth

Date: 3/5/2006 6:46:52 PM
Author:Wink
I was looking through my gem library yesterday for information about an article I am working on when my eye fell on a book I had not opened in a while that I used to just sit and pour over for hours on end.

We spend a couple of hours together again yesterday and I am moved to share a few things from it with you.

The book was published in 1996 with a forward from John Koivula, who is himself a highly respected gemstone inclusion photographer and was at the time the Chief Gemologist at GIA. He and Gubelin have published two magnificent tomes of gemstone inslusion photos, which can be purchased at http://photoatlas-vol2.microworldofgems.com/ by those who wish to see more. Josh at Pala told me about it when the books came out, and they have some incredible photos there.

Perhaps if we are lucky, some of our wonderful contributors here will share some of their own photos, I will contribute a couple, but they are no where near the quality of Mr. Goutiere''s.

Here is an incredible comet within a sapphire. As you can see from the caption, the separation of the fibers in the comet''s tail is indicative of heat treatment.

Wink

ony de Goutière
Author of wonders Within Gemstones

 

[WinkHPD]

Date: 3/28/2006 12:43:07 AM
Author: Anthony de Goutière, GG, VGA
Wonders Within Gemstones

I sent an email with answers to the queries re goethite and haven''t received and answerI would appreciate hearing from someone, or am I looking in the wrong place for an answer.

Best regards

Anth

Date: 3/5/2006 6:46:52 PM

Author:Wink

I was looking through my gem library yesterday for information about an article I am working on when my eye fell on a book I had not opened in a while that I used to just sit and pour over for hours on end.


We spend a couple of hours together again yesterday and I am moved to share a few things from it with you.


The book was published in 1996 with a forward from John Koivula, who is himself a highly respected gemstone inclusion photographer and was at the time the Chief Gemologist at GIA. He and Gubelin have published two magnificent tomes of gemstone inslusion photos, which can be purchased at http://photoatlas-vol2.microworldofgems.com/ by those who wish to see more. Josh at Pala told me about it when the books came out, and they have some incredible photos there.


Perhaps if we are lucky, some of our wonderful contributors here will share some of their own photos, I will contribute a couple, but they are no where near the quality of Mr. Goutiere''s.


Here is an incredible comet within a sapphire. As you can see from the caption, the separation of the fibers in the comet''s tail is indicative of heat treatment.


Wink

ony de Goutière

Author of wonders Within Gemstones

If you sent it to me I did not receive it. I love your book! I think I must have purchased it at Tucson one year as it is autographed and has been used many times over the years. I keep it in its cover and it almost looks new, but for the slight curl of the upper right corners where I turn the pages, over and over and over.

 

[GemJunky]

Check out the archives of professionaljeweler.com: http://www.professionaljeweler.com/archives/articles/aarcgems.html

Some examples:

http://www.professionaljeweler.com/archives/articles/2004/jun04/0604gg.html

http://www.professionaljeweler.com/archives/articles/2004/jan04/0104gg1.html

http://www.professionaljeweler.com/archives/articles/2001/may01/0501gg.html

http://www.professionaljeweler.com/archives/articles/2000/nov00/1100gg.html

http://www.professionaljeweler.com/archives/articles/2000/sep00/0900gg1.html

http://www.professionaljeweler.com/archives/articles/2000/jul00/0700gg2.html

http://www.professionaljeweler.com/archives/articles/2000/jun00/0600gg.html

http://www.professionaljeweler.com/archives/articles/2000/mar00/0300gg1.html