10/19/2017 The color scheme of diamonds.
In nature, in addition to colorless diamonds, there are colored natural stones, they are called fancy. The color of a diamond is one of its most important characteristics and features. An important feature of a diamond's color is its relatively low color saturation. Most diamonds used as jewelry inserts in jewelry have pale color tones and shades, and most appear colorless. An untrained human eye cannot distinguish diamonds adjacent to the color scale, but colored diamonds are unlikely to leave anyone indifferent.
It was the guarantor of friendship and justice, its owner was freed from anxiety. Astrology: This is the sign of Aquarius, but also Pisces, Libra and Gemini. History: Emerald has long been recognized as the king of precious stones. It was known, mined and became a collection of jewelry, amulets and religious objects for many millennia before the birth of Christ. Found in the tombs of the Egyptian pharaohs, it was discovered in Pompeii and Herculane. It is used in jewelry, crown jewels, and religious objects from antiquity, medieval and modern times.
09/16/2017 Mosaic is one of the types of finishes using colored natural stone.
Natural natural stone is a unique and unrepeatable material in the hands of a master. But jewelry, cameos, carvings, which are quite common in modern life, this is not the whole list of the use of precious, semi-precious and ornamental stones. Manufacturing takes a special place different types mosaics. Mosaic is not just one of the oldest types of finishes using colored natural stone, but also one of the oldest types of fine art. Time has no power over mosaic stone paintings, stone paints do not fade, do not fade or crumble.
Unique emeralds are part of well-known and lesser-known treasures and museums. Many raw emeralds lie in ruins sea vessels between America and Europe. The unusual and distinctive color of emerald has become synonymous with the officially recognized color shade - the so-called emerald green.
History: Other yellow and green stones have been noted under this name in the past. Topaz appears in the markets under different names, more or less depending on the degree of occurrence. Nowadays, it is also a gem. Various magical powers were attributed to him. People gave wisdom, generosity and intelligence. Women have beauty and protect them from infertility. Topaz could calm a storm at sea.
07/25/2017 Jewelry painting.
Jewelry painting is a new, bright and timely trend in the field of art. These are paintings adorned with natural precious and semi precious stones, which give the picture a deeper meaning and enhance the energy.
05/30/2017 Natural gemstones are magnificent unusual diamonds.
Astrology: According to the Greeks, it was the stone of the people born in the sign of Libra, according to the Babylonians in the sign of Scorpio. When buying a wardrobe, the main criterion for our choice is whether the item was made from natural materials. So why do women choose synthetic jewelry that accompanies them throughout the day, in direct contact with their skin? Most women just don't know what jewelry is from natural stones can contribute to a change in their quality of life.
I wonder what if it comes about buying jewelry - women are primarily guided by current trends, showing shape, motives and symbols, as well as certain top brands. If they are not prone to allergies, most of them are not inclined to think about what materials were made from the gemstones from which they got their eyes. It's enough that it's trendy, shines brilliantly and falls within the budget! And when you buy clothes, jackets or underwear, the main criterion of our choice is to know whether the item was made from natural materials.
Graff Venus is the world's largest flawless colorless heart-shaped diamond. Sky Blue Diamond is a precious natural stone. The Sky Blue Diamond is an 8.01 carat pure sky blue diamond. A rare green diamond caught the attention of specialists at the Bonhams auction in May. The natural gemstone weighs 5.03 carats and is the centerpiece of the original ring, surrounded by a path of round pink diamonds. The Apollo and Artemis diamonds were the stars of the May auction in Geneva and the most valuable and significant pair of earrings ever offered at an auction.
We do not want to wear something artificial and synthetic all day long, in which we cannot breathe and feel in any situation, as well as in our own skin. Not to mention creams and food products- we make sure that they do not contain artificial additives, preservatives that they do not test on animals, they are not genetically modified. Most women answer: because she is beautiful, because she is fashionable and, by the way, does not clear the bank account to zero.
However, the real answer is this: we do not know how the jewelry, created by nature, of which we are a part, can change the quality of our life. Natural stones, after proper processing, grinding and polishing, become precious stones.
04/25/2017 Hyacinth.
Hyacinth is a gem. The chemical composition of this gem is zirconium silicate, or rather a kind of zircon. The color of the hyacinth can be yellow, brown, golden, bright red, or caked blood. Sometimes hyacinth is similar in color and luster to orange or yellow sapphire or pomegranate. And with prolonged heat treatment, red hyacinth completely loses its color and becomes like a transparent diamond. That is why in the East, hyacinth is considered the "brother" of diamond.
All gemstones are properly polished, polished and prepared for bonding in precious metals. Just a few years ago, only stones that could be used to paint glass were suitable for gemstones, i.e. their hardness on the Mohs scale was at least the remaining 6-1 hardness stones, they were called semi-precious stones. Today, the line between the two names is blurred, and the term "semi-precious stone" is banned. According to the International Association for Jewelery, Jewelery, Jewelery, Diamonds, Pearls and Stones, the term “semi-precious stone” is too general and can contribute to excessive interpretational freedom. Therefore, all stones that meet the criteria for clarity, clarity and perfect cut are called gemstones.
04/05/2017 The history of the appearance of the "Marquis" cut.
Cutting jewelry inserts made of precious and semi-precious stones“The Marquis was first used many years ago - during the reign of Louis XV. The king himself was the customer of the invention of the new cut.
03/21/2017 All about black diamonds.
Nutston, sometimes referred to as gemstones, can be natural, reconstructed and even synthetic. These stones are usually “perfect” stones - without the slightest inclusions and scratches, with intense color and shine, with a perfect cut. The most popular synthetically produced gemstones are diamonds, emeralds and opals. Modern technology means that there is no gem in the world that does not have its synthetic counterpart, created in a laboratory using one of a dozen methods.
Man wanted to be even better than nature, and therefore created stones that do not have a natural picture in nature. Thus, man created an excellent stone with the highest possible physical, chemical and optical properties, imitating the ideal gemstone - diamond, and also hundreds of times cheaper!
Black diamonds have completed their transition from minor to major roles. They are now competing with other gemstones for the centerpiece in rings and other jewelry. It is worth taking a closer look at what is hidden behind the unique appearance of this mysterious gem.
03.03.2017 Lost Treasure - Trisakti Diamond.
For the production of imitation, artificial materials are used - synthetic materials, plastic or glass. Imitations are fairly easy to spot because they are almost completely resistant to mechanical factors such as upholstery, falls and knocks. Nicks, internal clouds, air bubbles or water are sometimes visible to the naked eye, and also show a single refraction of light. However, to simulate very valuable gemstones, lead crystal glass is used, which is extremely difficult to refract light and therefore difficult to distinguish from natural stones and crystals.
There are many beautiful legends in the world about magnificent precious stones lost somewhere in time. One of them is the amazing pink Trisakti diamond ...
02/26/2017 Commercial names of precious stones.
Everyone who made purchases in jewelry stores, of course, met unfamiliar names (or part of a name) of stones on labels for jewelry with jewelry inserts made of precious and semi-precious stones. Let's see why this is happening.
Diamonds, imitation pearls and opals are very common in the market. The most perfect imitation of a diamond produced on a global scale is Swarovski crystals. Its name comes from the seeds of bread - carcasses that were used to weigh stones in the Middle East in the past. For example, 1 carat is the weight of a diamond with a shiny cut and a diameter of 6.5 mm. The value of a gem is calculated based on the actual weight of the gem, expressed in carats, with the price per carat increasing as the size of the gem increases.
02/10/2017 Famous gemstones - OPALS.
Everyone knows the names and stories of famous natural gemstones such as diamonds, emeralds, rubies. We also told you about these stones - diamonds (http: //www..html), emeralds (http: //www..html). However, any natural stone, jewelry insert from it has its own beauty and originality. Today we will tell you about the famous natural stones - opals.
Thus, a 2-carat stone can be 4 times more expensive than a 1-carat stone. And, of course, due to the individual density of the stones, the size of a 1-carat ruby differs from the size of a 1-carat amethyst. When precious stones were worn not only as decoration or evidence of wealth. It was believed that precious stones have an impact on the health and fate of its owners.
Sapphire and ruby can be called “brothers” because one and the other stone is corundum. They differ in their color: ruby is the red color of corundum, and sapphire is corundum. of blue color... The most sought-after are saffron shades of cornflower from Kashmir, Thailand and Myanmar. Sapphire was considered a mysterious pearl, mystics, esotericists and seekers of secret knowledge, who greatly appreciated it.
01/27/2017 The quality of alexandrite.
Alexandrite is one of the very rare gemstones. It is a beautiful transparent gemstone with a pronounced glass luster. Its main distinctive feature is the ability to change its color depending on the lighting. So, during the day, in normal sunlight, this stone is painted in rich green tones, and under artificial lighting it instantly acquires red-violet hues.
The very name "sapphire" comes from Hebrew for hidden and holy things. Sapphire was considered beautiful and effective remedy protection against poisons, eye diseases and fever. He also defended against misfortune, betrayal and ambush. He had to give his owner purity of thought, imagination, unusual intuition and vigor. Sapphire is one of the most versatile and strong stones from the point of view of action, it was called the talisman of the sages, "the seal of wisdom", "the stone of wisdom."
It is easy to flood your home during the stormy and rainy season. If the worst happens, it's a flood, let's check our house completely after the flood. Flooding at home by flooding or flooding is a big problem for residents. How to decontaminate a house contaminated with bacteria, chemicals and other substances that were brought along with the water? What Chemicals Should I Use? Read how to take care of your home after a flood so you can get back to it quickly. Accurate disinfection, cleaning and disinfection of flooded surfaces is essential.
01/15/2017 Methods for the synthesis of precious stones.
The modern history of the creation of artificial gems began in 1857, when the French chemist Marc Gaudin, having fused two salts - alum (potassium and aluminum sulfate) and potassium chromate, obtained ruby crystals weighing about 1 carat. Synthetic gemstones include artificially obtained mono- or polycrystalline and amorphous chemical compounds. There are two groups of synthetic jewelry materials. The first includes stones, which are structural and chemical analogs of natural crystals, but differ in composition and content of trace impurities. For example, these include - diamond, ruby, sapphire, emerald, amethyst, alexandrite. And the second group includes stones obtained in laboratory conditions, but having no analogues in nature, for example, cubic zirconia, yttrium-aluminum garnet (YAG), gallium-gadolinium garnet (GGG).
Removing dirt safely, cleaning up dirt and sludge is a complex issue. They are available in a variety of colors, enhance the dynamics of the burning fire, each with a unique shape, and help maintain the heat that creates the flame. If you are looking for decorations for your ethanol fireplace, you have come to the right place!
Stones for dry closets - various patterns and colors
Take a look at our offer of different colored stones and choose the ones that will be an interesting element of interior design in your home. This makes the decorated bio fireplace look unique. At your disposal, for example, are snow-white round stones that work great as a decoration for modern minimal spaces, as well as multi-colored stones such as colored quartzite stone with irregular sharp edges.
Decorative stones - more warmth in your home
Do you know that decorative stones from biofuels help to keep warm after the flame is extinguished?01/03/2017 What determines the cost of precious and semi-precious stones?
Evaluation of precious stones is carried out according to a number of parameters: size or weight, color, transparency (clarity), cut quality, authenticity. During the valuation of jewelry inserts, everything is taken into account, up to a slight change in any of the specified parameters. Thus, natural processed stones have different prices.
They are resistant to high temperatures, heat up quickly and slowly release heat from the outside, so you can reduce fuel consumption in your bio chamber. Elegance and savings in one! Arrange the selected stones in any way, remembering one principle - do not block the holes of the furnace. Also make sure they are not directly in the flame. If stones come into contact with fire, they can contribute to the formation of stubborn soot, both on the stones and on the walls of your fireplace.
If you get the impression that some semi-precious stones attract you instinctively, no matter where they are attached or the models of jewelry, let's find out that there is an explanation related to the boundaries of our subconscious. Mircea Eliade, for example, explains that people have always been caught up in light. Precious or semi-precious stones, in their own terms, were considered "tears of the gods" crystallized in the bone marrow of the Earth, bound only by priests and kings because of their sacred power.
Sapphires from Sri Lanka
Ceylon sapphires are prized for their big size, high quality and rich colors.
Ceylon has been famous for its precious stones since biblical times, when for the first time precious and semi-precious stones were brought from the island to the Court of King Solomon. The sapphire mines here are considered the oldest in the world, and by the time Marco Polo arrived on the island in 1292, sapphire mining was well established.
Now that we are all overcoming myths, the intimate relationship with crystals has not yet been erased. When we wear a gem set with stones, we always convey a message that explains more than our penchant for good taste. Let's see what was and still is the most beloved semi-precious stones.
Amethyst is jewelry with spiritual power. It was a favorite storytelling crystal - miniature works of art created by kings in the most important rings - with a stamp. The name comes from Ancient Greece and means "not poisoned," and the ceremonial courts incorporated this quartz grade into the belief that it would protect poets and noble poisons. The same meaning makes amethyst the main stone set in the rings of Anglican cardinals and bishops.
Peridot is a natural gemstone.
Peridot is one of the most beautiful natural green semi-precious stones. Peridot has a color that more or less reflects the color of the flawless green grass. Peridot is formed during volcanic eruptions. Peridot gemstone is a transparent stone, often of good purity.
The popularity of jewelry with diamond jewelry inserts.
According to regularly conducted polls, jewelry with diamond inserts does not cease to be in high demand among the population of almost all countries of the world, including Russia.
Paraiba gem - rare tourmaline ...
Paraiba is a blue tourmaline. It is a very rare and amazingly beautiful gem. This gem was first found at the end of the last century, in 1987, in the eastern part of Brazil. The name of the mineral comes from the place of discovery - the state of Paraiba (Brazil). The natural stone was discovered during the development of 500-year-old pegmatites by workers.
Famous emeralds.
There are many precious and semi-precious stones. Some natural stones were found several centuries ago, others jewelry stones- currently. Many of them have been cut and occupy a worthy place as jewelry inserts in jewelry from leading designers. And only very few become known to the whole world ...
Natural stone carving. Types, their differences.
There are several types of gem or semi-precious stone carving. It depends, first of all, on the desired end result. However, you should not confuse such concepts as cutting jewelry inserts and carving on natural stone. The first is shaping the gem. The second is the application of an image to the surface of a precious and semi-precious stone.
The sacred emerald of Buddha is a famous gem.
The Sacred Emerald Buddha is one of the most interesting natural gemstones. This extraordinary emerald with the figure of Buddha carved on it is an important emerald in the jewelry world.
Rose quartz is a natural stone. "Big World Star".
Rose quartz is the "king" of translucent quartz. Transparent specimens of this natural stone are rare, have a daunting beauty and can be quite expensive. Rose quartz is widely used as jewelry inserts in the manufacture of various jewelry.
Symmetry of a diamond: concept, criteria, the latest methods for evaluating symmetry.
The cut of a diamond is the most important factor that has the greatest effect on the sparkle of a diamond jewelry insert and its brilliance. Most gemologists believe that the cut of a diamond is one of its most important characteristics. Symmetry score refers to the precision of a diamond's proportions and symmetrical face placement. The symmetry of a diamond has a very serious impact on the sparkling of a diamond, its "play" and scintillation.
White and transparent natural stones.
Precious and semi-precious stones white, as well as transparent and colorless natural stones, most often used in jewelry as jewelry inserts.
Colors of natural stones: red, yellow, brown and blue shades.
The world of natural precious and semi-precious stones is multifaceted. No wonder natural stones are called gems. Gemstones, especially in the sun, shimmer with all the colors of the rainbow and not only ... What kind of stone to choose for a jewelry insert in a new jewelry? Let's see what other colors there are natural stones.
Colors of natural stones: green, pink, lilac shades.
This article is intended for those who have decided to buy jewelry with jewelry inserts made from natural stones, but want to be guided in their choice by the color of the stone. The division of natural stones by color is conditional, because the same mineral sometimes has many colors and shades.
Topaz in the modern world.
The natural stone topaz has been known to people since ancient times. In different countries, it was equally believed that wearing jewelry with topaz jewelry inserts is very useful. This natural stone brings beauty to women, wisdom to men. In our time, the stone has a second "birth" - people appreciated its qualities - beauty, shine, healing and magical properties.
Seraphinite is a natural stone.
Serafinite is a very rare natural stone, the only deposit of which is located in the area of Lake Baikal in Siberia (Russia). The first mention of this stone dates back to the end of the nineteenth century. Seraphinite on the surface has an unusual pattern, reminiscent of various lace patterns. Thanks to this, jewelry with jewelry inserts made from this rare semi-precious stone is very much appreciated.
Clinogumite. A rare gem.
Clinogumite can rightfully be called both a fairly widespread mineral and one of the rarest precious stones on the planet. Natural stone - clinohumite has a color ranging from white and light yellow to bright orange-yellow and dark reddish brown.
Andalusite is a natural semi-precious stone.
Although andalusite is a common mineral, gem-quality stones are extremely rare and therefore highly prized. Andalusite jewelry inserts have the effect of pleochroism - the stone changes its color depending on the angle of incidence of sunlight. This effect distinguishes andalusite from similar precious stones - tourmaline, rauchtopaz. The high hardness of the semi-precious stone makes it easy to process and durable to wear. Beautiful shades of andalusite jewelry inserts, as well as pleochroism and luminescence effects allow ...
Unique technology for creating icons with natural stones.
Since ancient times, icons have been decorated with precious metals and jewelry stones - precious and semiprecious minerals. It is believed that the tradition of decorating icons with natural stones dates back to Byzantium. From there she came to Ancient Russia and reached its heyday by the XI-XII centuries. The chronicles tell us about many icons adorned with jewelry inserts made of precious and semi-precious stones. It is very pleasant to realize that in the last thirty or forty years the art of creating icons with natural stones using various technologies has begun to revive in Russia ...
Chrysoberyl is a semi-precious gemstone.
Chrysoberyl is a semi-precious natural stone, the deposits of which are quite rare. There are about three hundred known deposits of chrysoberyl scattered around the world. Jewelry with chrysoberyl jewelry inserts is “not for everyone”. This semi-precious stone occupies a special narrow niche in the jewelry market, as it is in demand, mainly, among connoisseurs of the special optical properties of the stone - the effect of the cat's eye and the alexandrite effect.
Optical effects of precious and semi-precious stones. Part 4: Pleochroism; Opalescence; Hawkeye, Bullseye and Cat's Eye.
Pleochroism is a fairly common optical effect, in varying degrees characteristic of many precious and semiprecious stones. Opalescence is the ability of a stone to emit multi-colored light reflections on its surface. Cat's eye- This is the optical effect of the appearance of a white stripe, reminiscent of a cat's eye.
Optical effects of precious and semi-precious stones. Part 3: Dichroism, Irisation, Labradorization, Luminescence.
Dichroism is one of the most extraordinary optical effects of precious and semi-precious stones. Irisation is the optical effect of natural stones, when an inner rainbow glow is observed near the stone under bright sunlight or artificial lighting. Labradorization is a special case of iridescence. Luminescence is the ability of a natural stone to glow when exposed to ultraviolet rays.
Optical effects of precious and semi-precious stones. Part 2: Alexandrite effect, Asterism, Birefringence, Dispersion.
Many precious and semi-precious stones also have a certain optical effect ... Alexandrite effect, Asterism, Birefringence, Dispersion
Optical effects of precious and semi-precious stones. Part 1: Aventurescence, Adularescence.
When we go to buy a piece of jewelry with a precious or semi-precious stone, then, as a rule, we choose the piece where the jewelry insert captivated us with its beauty, brilliance, play of light. Natural stones have a number of characteristics that distinguish this stone from others. It is the set of these properties that determine the value of the stone. Many precious and semi-precious stones also have a certain optical effect ...
Spodumene.
Spodumene - a mineral - has become known relatively recently. The first mention of this natural stone dates back to 1800. Varieties of gemstones have their own names: greenish stones are called giddenite, purple ones - kunzite.
Mariinskite is a new gem.
Russian scientists have discovered a new mineral - a precious stone, which was named "Mariinskite". The mineral turned out to be a close "relative" of natural stones - alexandrite and emerald, consisting of beryllium, chromium and oxygen (BeCr2O4). However, unlike alexandrite, which changes its color depending on the lighting from green to pink, mariinskite remains bright green under any conditions.
Natural turquoise. Lessons from professionals.
According to some estimates, the amount of fake and ennobled turquoise on the market reaches 90 - 95 percent. They learned to forge turquoise back in antiquity. And in modern times, deception occurs when imitation is sold at the cost of natural stones. Turquoise is a stone, the color of which drove and drives many crazy. Ivan the Terrible and the Holy Roman Emperor Rudolph II believed in magical properties. It is believed that this natural stone can predict or even ward off misfortune.
The famous diamonds of 2013.
Diamonds, jewelry with diamond jewelry inserts, especially those with exclusive characteristics - this is a separate topic. Jewelers and aficionados of these precious stones follow developments in this area with great interest. Each year is marked by some events related to natural stones, namely diamonds and the processed version - diamonds: some gemstones are found, some are sold at auctions at incredible prices, with others they create masterpieces. We bring to your attention a list of fifteen of the most stunning diamonds and diamonds of the past 2013.
Lapis lazuli.
Lapis lazuli is a wonderful jewelry and ornamental stone of various shades of blue. The color of lapis lazuli varies from bright blue, greenish to deep blue and purple. Lapis lazuli - "heavenly stone". Lapis lazuli has been known since ancient times and has always been considered a natural sacred stone.
Aventurine.
Aventurine is a natural stone. Aventurine is a type of quartz containing small particles of mica or hematite, less often native copper. The color of aventurines is due to the composition of inclusions and impurities, usually they are colored yellow, green, blue, cherry and black. The characteristic sparkling golden tint and shimmering luster of aventurine is given by inclusions of mica, goethite and hematite flakes, as well as cracks filled with iron hydroxides.
Diamonds again. Three auction giants in the fall of 2013.
Diamonds ... Always actual topic... There is always a demand for these precious stones. And outstanding diamonds and polished diamonds attract both collectors and the public. The most magnificent and unusual in their characteristics diamonds and polished diamonds are exhibited at auctions.
Gemstones in jewelry by designers from Israel and Spain.
Jewelry with natural stones is made by both honored craftsmen and novice designers - jewelers. In both cases, if the master is talented, his products are in deserved demand. Each master has his own secret, his own specialization, his favorite material and jewelry stones. We present to your attention completely different styles of jewelry from talented jewelers from Israel and Spain.
Jewelry inserts made from natural stones ... but not in jewelry.
Diamond miner Rio Tinto commemorated the discovery of the Argyle underground mine and released a limited edition gold bar with pink diamond jewelry inserts. Since June this year, New York is hosting a jewelery themed exhibition entitled Other Worlds. Space Age Decorations "dedicated to science and space in context jewelry art... Many famous designers and collectors took part in this exhibition, presenting their works and exhibits from private collections with natural stones for all to see.
Russian school of natural stone cutting. Successes and achievements.
Everyone knows that the "Russian cut" (Russian cut) of diamonds has long become a symbol highest quality... What about the cutting of other precious and semi-precious stones? Russian cutting of jewelry inserts from various jewelry stones is not so well known in the world, since Russia is not one of the major suppliers of colored stones and is unlikely to significantly affect international trends in their cutting. It was like that before. But last years made some adjustments, which today ensured the triumph of Russian cutting of gems and showed that the prestige of our country in the world of precious stones is based not only on strict technical control processing quality during the Soviet system.
New finds of diamonds - natural and synthetic. Trends in the development of the synthetic diamond market.
Gemesis Diamond, a leading global distributor of artificial diamonds and jewelry, produced the world's largest and cleanest laboratory-created diamond ... Petra Diamonds recovered from its Cullinan diamond mine in South Africa high-quality diamond of exceptional blue color weighing 25.50 carats ... Today, many manufacturing companies are engaged in the cultivation of synthetic diamonds using various technologies. Today jewelers mostly agree on two main points when it comes to synthetic stones: even though there are increasing reports of synthetic diamond production, the point has not yet been reached where it will challenge consumers' desire for a real stone.
Gem giants are the king of emeralds and blue and colorless diamonds.
Diamonds, emeralds are some of the most beautiful precious stones. Of course, these gemstones acquire additional beauty after competent cutting. Jewelry with jewelry inserts made from these natural stones look chic and will always be appreciated. But there are precious stones that have not even been processed, but look amazing, for example, "Imperial Emerald" ...
The most expensive and unique diamonds in the world.
"The Little Prince", "Wittelsbach-Graf", "Archduke Joseph", "The Pink Count", "Jubilee Pink Argyll", "Drop of the Sun", "Martian Pink" - these are magnificent diamonds that have made amazing jewelry inserts with exceptional characteristics that adorned jewelry ...
"Historical" products of 2012 with gemstones.
Smolensk jewelers created a copy of the Great Russian Imperial Crown, decorated with many jewelry inserts made of precious stones ... The Armenian Jewelry Association presented the world's largest yellow diamond, weighing 110 carats, at an exhibition in Paris ...
Gems are rare natural formations with extraordinary beauty and high strength. They are capable of refracting light, have high chemical resistance and hardness. These include: diamond, ruby, sapphire, emerald, alexandrite, and sea pearls.
Properties of gemstones:
- refraction of light (this is one of the main aesthetic properties of jewelry stones. Well and properly cut and polished stones have a strong luster)
- chemical resistance (common to all gemstones, which is one of the reasons for their durability and preservation. They almost do not dissolve in alkalis and acids)
- hardness (one of the main indicators of the properties of jewelry stones)
Despite the fact that gemstones are of high hardness, chipping of the stone sometimes occurs. This is due to the fact that the stone has cleavage. Cleavage of precious stones is the natural divisibility of stones in crystallographic directions. Cleavage is diamond, topaz, tourmaline, chrysolite. This property must be taken into account when setting and wearing stones, so that no chipping occurs.
Carat is a unit of mass that has been used in jewelry since ancient times. One carat is equal to 200 mg, the designation on the tag is Ct. The weight is determined on special carat scales. The higher the weight of the diamond, the higher its value. As the weight of the diamond increases, not only does the diameter increase, but so does the depth of the stone (it looks much wider). In all cases, the price of a stone most of all depends on its quality - purity, transparency, color density, beauty of tone, hidden and obvious defects, quality and style of cutting. Therefore, it is impossible to reduce everything to "arithmetic" in jewelry.
Semiprecious stones slightly inferior in value to precious stones. They are less solid, more widespread in nature.
However, some semi-precious stones have their own precious varieties, which are highly valued either for their rare color or for their rare optical properties. For example, the topaz stone is rarely pink, therefore pink topaz will be a precious variety of this stone, this type of topaz will be much more expensive than its "counterparts".
A stone can also fall from the group of semi-precious to the group of precious ones, if its production has sharply decreased for some reason. This happened in the last century with the alexandrite stone. His field in the Urals was depleted and had to be closed. Alexandrite immediately began to be valued at the level of precious stones and "migrated" to this group.
Most often, precious stones are found in jewelry: amethyst, citrine, rauch-topaz (smoky quartz), rose quartz, topaz, garnet, tourmaline, chrysolite, opal, zircon. And this is only a small part of those varieties of semi-precious stones that are found in nature.
Ornamental stones . These are opaque stones, and this is the main condition for separating them into a separate group. They, too, may differ in value from each other. Usually their value is kept on par with semi-precious stones.
Organic stones - these are stones that appeared due to the processes occurring with living organisms or plants. There are only four of them: pearls, amber, coral and jet.
Organic stones require completely different care than mineral ones. In no case should they be exposed to any chemical attack. Do not clean them in a chemical cleaner, wipe them with an impregnated polishing cloth, sprinkle perfume on them, take a bath, shower in jewelry with such inserts.
Synthetic stones are artificial stones. Such stones are absolutely similar to their natural counterparts in chemical composition and appearance... Almost all precious and semi-precious stones on this moment can create in the laboratory.
Imitations - these are inserts similar in appearance to precious, semiprecious and ornamental natural stones, but differing in composition from them. Imitations can be of both natural and artificial origin. When a less valuable natural stone imitates a more expensive one, then they speak of natural imitation. And when a natural stone is imitated with some kind of insert created by human hands, they speak of artificial imitation.
Methods for refining stones.
1) Heat treatment(during heat treatment, whole line changes. It is often combined with chemical treatment, both for the purpose of whitening and for the purpose of coloring, also for the purpose of filling in natural and specially created pores, cracks and channels. Heating is used to enhance the color, heating in a special oven followed by cooling. Allows you to improve the natural color, transparency of the gemstone. The properties after this treatment are stable, do not change over time.
Sapphires and rubies are usually heat treated to remove inclusions and to improve color or change hues. For example, grayish sapphires of Sri Lanka and Kashmir were considered unsuitable for cutting, but when annealed under certain conditions, they acquire a blue color and are widely used in jewelry.
For some gemstones, such as tanzanite, aquamarine, blue zircon and citrine, refinement is an integral part of the production process, however, when sold, the refinement is often not advertised.
A type of heat treatment is used for diamonds HPHT (a method that allows in some cases to discolor brown diamonds, and in others - to change the color of diamonds from brown to bright yellow-green or canary yellow. Such annealing is performed at high pressures and high temperatures using special equipment used to grow synthetic diamond crystals. Diamonds processed in this way first appeared on the market in early 1999. The color acquired by a diamond during HPHT processing does not change over time.)
2) Irradiation(to date, many stones are exposed to one or another method of irradiation in order to change their color). Application of effects of one or several types of radiation (ultraviolet, X-ray, gamma radiation, etc.). They are used to change the color of stones such as diamond, topaz, quartz, etc.
Diamonds under the influence of irradiation change color to blue, bluish-green or dark green, and upon subsequent heat treatment - to amber-yellow, brownish-red, lilac or blue-green.
Light blue topaz becomes bright blue as a result of irradiation (most of the bright blue topaz on the market today have been exposed to radiation). With the help of irradiation or annealing and their combination, you can achieve almost any color of topaz: colorless, greenish, brown, pink, etc.
Irradiation is widely used to obtain smoky, greenish-yellow quartz from colorless, as well as amethysts from pale-colored citrines. Subsequent annealing allows obtaining citrines, green colorless quartz from amethysts, as well as blue, green and colorless quartz from smoky varieties.
Irradiation is also used to obtain blue and steel-gray (black) pearls.
The color of the irradiated stones listed above usually does not change over time, however, care should be taken when repairing jewelry with such stones and do not expose them to strong heat.)
3) Laser drilling(some stones, in particular diamonds, are subjected to this method in order to remove an internal defect)
4) Impregnation(for partial restoration and restoration of defects, the method is effective for refining stones with cracks coming out to the surface. For impregnation, various coloring agents are used - oils, resins, liquid glass. As a result, cracks become less noticeable, the color and strength of the stone improves. exposed emeralds, diamonds, rubies, sapphires, opals and turquoise.
5) Thermal diffusion staining- It is used to improve the natural color of stones, most often rubies and sapphires. The ennobling technique consists in introducing dyes into the surface layer of the stone. As a result, the color of the stone becomes more saturated. This method has one drawback - the stone cannot be polished afterwards, since there is a risk of damaging or removing the painted layer.)
STONES AND OTHER INSERTS USED IN JEWELRY
The stones used to create jewelry are of two types by their origin - natural (mineral and organic) and artificial; cut glass, plastic, bone, enamel are also used in jewelry.
Natural stones are subdivided into precious, semi-precious and ornamental (see Table 7).
This classification of gemstones is based on the following attributes of their quality: cost, color, transparency, luster, hardness.
Characteristics of the properties of jewelry stones
Colour- one of the most important properties of stones, the range of their color is unlimited and depends on the amount of chromophores in the stone - carriers of color, which are grains of iron, chromium, manganese, cobalt, copper, nickel and other metals contained in minerals (see Table 8).
Stones in which there are many chromophores, usually of a bright, saturated, constant color; if these “dyes” are few, they can be slightly colored. There are striped, spotted and other patterns.
Shine- metallic (opaque heavy stones) and non-metallic (glass, diamond, mother-of-pearl, silky, waxy and matte).
When determining the gloss, the color of the stone is not taken into account.
Transparency- the ability of stones to transmit rays of light, which are reflected not only from the surface of the stone, but are also refracted inside it.
Refraction- the ratio of the speed of light in emptiness and in a certain environment; the refractive index is higher where the decay of white light is stronger; the highest refractive indices are for diamond (the highest is 2.6), sapphire (1.76), topaz (1.62) and artificial cubic zirconia (2.2).
The game - light play during refraction of rays, depending on the density and structure of the stone. The stronger the refraction of the rays in the stone, the richer and more noticeable the light play. Structure- crystalline, amorphous. Hardness-depends on the nature of the structure, geometric shape, size and arrangement of atoms.
Density- determined by the mass of a unit of volume.
Cleavage- the property of minerals is easy to split into parts with smooth shiny surfaces.
Break- smooth (calcium - in cleavage minerals); uneven (quartz); grainy.
Chemical resistance characteristic of almost all stones, which makes their safety durable. Minerals are more resistant, they are not even affected by acids (with the exception of amethyst and rock crystal, which lend themselves to hydrofluoric acid), which have a detrimental effect on organic stones.
Penetration of stones for hardness is carried out by the following methods: by scratching the surface of the tested stone with materials of different hardness (Mohs scale); indentation of a metal ball (Brinell method); by indenting a diamond pyramid (method of MM Khrushchev and EE Berkovich).
In this edition, the hardness indicators of gemstones and their imitators will be given on the Mohs scale.
table 7. Classification of stones by origin
|
Precious |
Semiprecious |
Ornamental |
Artificial |
Cut glass |
|
|
Diamond Emerald Ruby Sapphire Pearl |
Aquamarine Almandine Amethyst Alexandrite Beryl Turquoise Hyacinth Rock crystal Garnet Moonstone Topaz Tourmaline Chalcedony Agate Carnelian Opal Chrysoberyl Chrysolite Spinel Coral Mother of pearl Amber |
Aventurine Amazonite Lapis Lazuli Jade Obsidian Eagle Jasper |
Synthetic corundum Ruby Amethyst Sapphire Alexandrite |
Multicolored faceted glass for inserts |
|
|
Artificial crystal |
|||||
|
Garnetites (rare earth garnets) |
Other glass |
||||
|
Average Anhydrite Serpentine Malachite Marble Fluorite |
Cubic zirconia |
||||
|
Emeralds |
|||||
|
Alabaster Gypsum Selenite |
Cultured pearls |
Gems
Minerals: diamond, emerald, ruby, sapphire. Rarely found in nature, transparent, with a bright shine, different colors, hard, durable stones. Weight unit of precious stones 0.2 g - carat.
Pearls, a stone of organic origin, also belong to precious stones.
Diamond- transparent crystalline carbon, has a bright luster, refraction and light scattering, play of light (all these qualities are greatly enhanced by cutting).
It is the hardest mineral on the planet due to the very strong structural bonds of carbon atoms. Its hardness is 10. This gemstone has the highest refractive index: 2.4-2.6. However, the diamond is brittle and easily breaks along the cleavage planes. Density is approximately 3.55 g / cm3. Chemically resistant, does not react to alkalis and acids (it dissolves only in molten sodium and potassium soda). At the concentration of solar, cathode, ultraviolet and X-rays, it can glow with blue, green, yellowish and white light (a phenomenon of natural luminescence). The diamond is transparent (up to invisibility in distilled water). This gemstone is called by the craftsman a diamond “ pure water”. There are diamonds of various shades - yellowish, brownish, greenish, bluish and blackish. ... The main parameters of the characteristics of diamonds. In shape, they are round, oval, triangular and other polyhedrons (for example, Kr-17, Kr-33, Kr-57; Ov-57; Tr-19) - a total of 17 shapes;
By weight - small ("meme") - up to 0.29 carats, medium ("melange") - up to 0.99 carats, and large - carats or more;
By color - 9 groups by the degree of transparency, the most transparent are the 1st group;
Defectiveness - 11 groups, no defects - 1st group;
Geometrically correct - "A" - the correct view, "B" and "C" - deviations.
The diamond code is designated as a fraction:
in the numerator - designations of the shape, mass, serial number of the color, in the denominator - the defect group.
Examples: Ov-57 / 0.72 / 2 / “B” - means: Ov - oval diamond, 57-sided, 0.72 carat, 2nd color group, “B” - Deviation group;
Kr-17 / 1.7 / 1 / “A” - this code says: round diamond, 17-sided, 1.7 carats, 1st color group, defect-free.
Emerald - a transparent mineral of bright green color, colored with an admixture of chromium oxide, a kind of beryl. Non-metallic luster, from glassy to greasy, refraction 1.58, has a high hardness 7.5-8, density 2.6-2.9 g / cm3. Among all the green stones, the priority of the emerald is undeniable in terms of beauty and, therefore, in value.
The bar for the cut quality of emeralds is as high as that of diamonds. The second most beautiful and valuable gemstone used to decorate jewelry is processed just as carefully as a diamond before being placed in a frame. Only natural defects are “accepted” in emerald stones, which do not affect the durability of emeralds (manufacturing defects are unacceptable). The color range is from dark green to greenish tint. By weight - 0.05 to 0.49 carats - small, from 0.5 to carat - medium, more than 1 to 10 carats - large and from 10 carats - very large.
Ruby- transparent red corundum - aluminum oxide. Color (from dark pink to red) ruby was presented with minor admixtures of chromium and iron oxide, refraction 1.76-1.77. The hardness of this stone is 9, the density is 3.95-4.2 g / cm3, it does not dissolve in any of the acids.
Fiery red and dark red rubies are highly prized; completely transparent, very rare, quoted even higher.
Sapphire- also a kind of corundum - crystalline alumina, a transparent gem colored with titanium and iron compounds.
There are sapphires of reddish-blue or violet color, refraction 1.76. In terms of hardness (9), like ruby, sapphire is second only to diamond. Density 3.99 g / cm3. The color of sapphire, like that of an emerald, is multi-gamma; color variability is not related to the chemical composition of the stone. Like other blue stones, sapphire changes color when artificially glowing. It is also assessed by the number of defects.
Pearl- the only precious stone in nature of non-mineral origin (organic), consists of calcium carbonate (90-94%), organic matter (4-6%) and water (2-4%). Color - usually white, with a yellowish tint, with pearlescent tints, sometimes pink, reddish, purple and even black, less often greenish and blue pearls. It is fragile, dries out over time, loses its shine (fades), refreshed by the action of weak acids, has a slight hardness, and is brittle. In shape, the pearl grain is usually round, as well as oval, rice-like, pear-shaped, flat and various irregular shapes (baroque). The diameter sometimes reaches 15 mm. Pearls are sea pearls (larger and more valuable) - round, shiny, white and pink in color, and river pearls (usually small).
Of all precious stones, pearls are not processed, they are used in jewelry (necklaces, beads, inserts into products) in their original form. Cultured sea pearls are also used.
Table 8. Classification of stones by color and transparency
|
Colorless, white |
Blue green |
Blue-blue |
Lilac, pink-purple |
Red, pink |
Brown, brown-red |
|
Transparent |
|||||
|
Diamond |
Topaz |
Topaz |
Ruby |
Ruby |
Garnet |
|
Topaz (heavyweight) |
Euclaz |
Aquamarine |
Tourmaline |
Spinel noble |
Tourmaline |
|
Phenakit |
Tourmaline |
Sapphire |
Almandine |
Tourmaline (rubelite) |
Zircon |
|
Rhinestone |
Fluorite |
Tourmaline |
Amethyst |
Almandine |
Smoky quartz |
|
Kyanite |
Titanite |
||||
|
Cordierite |
Amber |
||||
|
Sodalite |
|||||
|
Fluorite |
|||||
|
Yellow, golden |
Green, golden green |
Black, gray |
Variegated, polychrome |
Irradiating |
|
Transparent |
||||
|
Beryl |
Emerald |
Tourmaline |
||
|
Topaz |
Beryl |
Beryl |
||
|
Smoky quartz |
Demontoid |
Corundum (blue with red) |
||
|
Amber |
Uvarovite |
|||
|
Titanite |
Chrysoberyl |
|||
|
Alexandrite |
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|
Tourmaline |
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|
Vesuvian |
||||
|
fluorite |
||||
|
Dioptase |
||||
|
Colorless, white |
Blue green |
Blue-blue |
Lilac, pink-purple |
Red, pink |
Brown, brown-red |
|
Quartz |
Almazonite |
Lapis lazuli |
Rhodonite |
Rhodonite |
Rhodonite |
|
Chalcedony |
Jasper |
Sodalite |
Quartz pink |
Jasper |
Porphyry (quartzid) |
|
Opal milk |
Turquoise |
Fluorite |
Cornelian |
||
|
Onyx marble |
Azurite |
Lepidolite |
Belorevit |
||
|
Alabaster |
Ratovkit |
Selenite |
|||
|
Rock salt |
Labrador |
||||
|
Yellow, golden |
Green, golden green |
Black, gray |
Variegated, polychrome |
Irradiating |
|
Translucent and opaque |
||||
|
Cornelian |
Nephritis |
Jet |
Ribbon jasper |
Opal |
|
Aventurine |
Amazonite |
Hematite |
Agate (onyx) |
Moonstone |
|
Pyrite |
Malachite |
Rutile |
Written agate |
Obsidian |
|
Half-fallen |
Turquoise |
Tourmaline |
Hairy |
Selenite |
|
Amber |
Chrysoprase |
Flint |
Bissolite (hairy with asbestos) |
|
|
Prase |
Hornfel |
Sunny, stone |
||
|
Heliotrope |
Ural agate (overlap) |
Labrador |
||
|
Vesuvian |
||||
|
Fuchsite |
||||
|
Agalmatolite |
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|
Coil |
||||
Semiprecious stones
Colored and colorless stones of mineral origin, transparent and translucent, with good refraction and play of light - garnet, spinel, hyacinth, alexandrite, aquamarine, amethyst, turquoise, rock crystal and others. Even the same mineral is often of different colors, depending on the internal structure, chemical composition, properties, and stones have different names. And vice versa - stones of the same color are called differently. The weight unit of semi-precious stones is the gram.
Group of stones of red color
Hyacinth (a kind of zircon) is red-brown in color, transparent and slightly transparent, strong glassy, in a fracture - oily sheen, refraction 1.92-1.97, pomegranate hardness, density 4.7 g / cm3, chemically resistant.
Garnet- transparent, has a bright luster (from glassy to greasy), refraction - 1.93, solid -6.5-8.0, density 4.0-4.3 g / cm3. Several varieties of pomegranate are known, the most valuable of which is almandine.
Spinel(a chemical compound of aluminum, magnesium, which is partially replaced by iron or chromium, and oxygen) - color from bright red to pink, transparent, glassy shine; refraction 1.72, has the highest hardness of garnet - 8.0, density 3.5-5.1 g / cm3.
Group of green stones
Aquamarine(a kind of beryl) - it can be greenish-green, blue-green (sea water), blue, transparent, steel luster, refraction 1.58, hardness 8, density 1.6-2.8 g / cm3, chemically resistant.
Alexandrite(a type of chrysoberyl) - it can be green, golden-green, yellow and golden with tints, glass luster, refraction 1.76, hardness 8.5, density 3.6-3.8 g / cm3. Alexandrite has a peculiarity - it has the ability to change color: it is juicy green in daylight, it becomes crimson or blood red under artificial light.
Turquoise(hydrous aluminum and copper phosphate) - colored with copper salts in sky blue or blue with a greenish tinge, opaque, matte gloss, hardness 6, density 2.6-2.83 g / cm3, fragile, chemically unstable, easily absorbs fats and moisture, under the influence of carbon dioxide, loses its blueness.
Tourmaline(a kind of beryl) - the color is greenish and sometimes transparent and low-transparent, glass luster, refraction 1.63, hardness 7-7.5, density 2.9-3.2 g / cm3, durable, chemically resistant.
Chrysolite (a type of olivine) - olive green with a golden sheen, transparent, luster from glassy to greasy, refraction 1.66, hardness 6.5-7, density 3.3-3.5 g / cm3, fragile.
Multicolor stones
Agate- multicolor coloring.
Rhinestone(a kind of quartz crystals) - a colorless stone, transparent, very clean, glassy luster, refraction 1.55, hardness 7, density 2.65 g / cm ^, cut like a cabochon.
Varieties of rock crystal:
- amethyst- purple;
- citrine- yellow (golden topaz);
- smoky quartz- smoky color (smoky topaz). All of them have the same technical and chemical characteristics as rock crystal.
Coral(deposits of marine invertebrates - polyps, consisting of carbonic lime with admixtures of iron oxide, magnesia and organic substances) - bright red, carmine, white, gray, pink, opaque, hardness 3.5-4, density 2.6- 2.7 g / cm3.
Opal(amorphous silicon dioxide) - milky color with a blue tint, it can be wine-yellow-fire color with an iridescent play, hardness 5.5, density 1.9-2.3 g / cm3.
Nacre(the inner layer of sea and river shells and mollusks, consisting, like pearls, mainly of the thinnest plates of calcium carbonate with a slight addition of organic substances) - bluish-silver iridescent luster, which is further enhanced after processing, hardness 4, density 2.6- 2.7 g / cm3. The mother-of-pearl of sea molluscs is prized, used in the form of inserts in jewelry, as well as in the manufacture of buttons, buckles and other items.
Cornelian- red-brown color.
Chalcedony(a kind of silica) - milky gray; varieties of this stone: carnelian, agate, opal and other gems.
Amber(petrified amorphous resin conifers) - from bright yellow to brownish brown, translucent, hardness 2-3, density 1-1.1 g / cm3, soft, easy to process, melts at a temperature of 250-300 degrees. WITH.
Above is appreciated pure amber color, transparent, with inclusions in the mass of frozen plants or insects.
Small pieces of stone are pressed, but pressed amber is valued lower than solid amber, since it does not possess the beauty of the play of light, is opaque, cloudy.
Ornamental stones
These are natural gems, beautifully colored colored minerals, opaque or slightly translucent.
They are valued depending on the brightness of colors, grace and richness of the pattern given to the stones by nature.
They are used as inserts into pendants, brooches, earrings, bracelets, rings and other jewelry. But mostly ornamental stones are naturally intended for large stone-cut jewelry, such as ashtrays, vases, caskets (remember the poem in Pavel Bazhov's short stories "The Malachite Box"?).
The color range of ornamental stones is endless. According to their hardness, they are divided into hard ones - 5.5 to 7: amazonite, lapis lazuli, jade, onyx, flets, jasper; medium - from 3.5 to 4:
anhydrite, serpentine, malachite; soft - from 1.5 to 2.5: selenite, alabaster and ornamental gypsum.
Gems most commonly used in jewelry making
Lapis lazuli(fine-crystalline mineral of the group of aluminosilicates of complex chemical composition) - color from deep blue to pure blue, opaque, glass luster, hardness 5-5.5, density 2.3-2.4 g / cm3, brittle, easily polished.
Bright and sparkling in the sun, lapis lazuli goes out along with its rays and becomes dim and darker under artificial light.
Malachite(aqueous copper carbonate) - bright green, complex pattern, opaque stone of glass-diamond luster, hardness 3.5-4, density 3.4-3.7 g / cm3, easily polished.
Nephritis(a compound of silica and metal oxides) - from dark green to pale green, sometimes white and gray, translucent, oily shine, hardness 5.6-6, density 3.03-3.17 g / cm3, very viscous, easy to polish.
Orlets(manganese silicate) - the color is dark pink with black streaks or specks of manganese oxides, transparent with a small thickness and opaque with a significant one, hardness 5.5-6.5, density 3.4-3.7 g / cm3, very viscous.
Jasper(quartz containing iron oxides) - has a rich variety of color combinations: brick-red, gray-green, brown with white spots, not transparent, hardness 7, density 2.5-2.8 g / cm3, beautiful and inexpensive gem.
Artificial stones
These are synthetic corundums, which correspond in chemical composition to precious stones, which corundums imitate - ruby, sapphire and others; artificial garnets (garnetite), crystals (cubic zirconia), emerald and cultured cultured sea pearls. Artificial stones are obtained from various metal oxides by growing crystals in special apparatus at the required temperatures and pressures; they can be easily processed with all types of cuts.
Emerald - crystals grown in melt by dissolution method; consist of oxides of beryllium, aluminum, silicon and other components from the same elements that are found in natural emeralds. The properties of artificial stones practically reproduce the properties of natural emeralds.
Garnet- also grown crystals from an yttrium-aluminum compound of pink, pale violet and yellow shades and colorless, structurally identical to natural garnet, after cutting give an excellent light play. Defects of artificial garnet include subtle but distinguishable rings and crystal growth lines and inclusions of small air bubbles.
Cubic zirconia- artificial crystals of a new generation (zirconium with the addition of yttrium oxide); grown by directional melt crystallization; inexhaustible color range, transparent, high refractive index 2.2, hardness 7.5-8, density 5.9-6.3 g / cm3, after cutting give an excellent play of light.
Pearl obtained by introducing balls of mother-of-pearl into the mantle of a certain type of mollusks, which are kept in special cages in seawater; the balls are enveloped in rainbow layers secreted by molluscs - this is how artificial pearls are formed. Disadvantages: the pearls are too small, the nacreous core is visible through the shell (in bright light).
Other materials
Jewelry glass. Transparent colorless or colored glass is used as inserts for jewelry made of non-ferrous metals and silver and for making vases, candy bowls, ashtrays, caskets and other jewelry; hardness 5 and higher, density 2.4-3 g / cm3.
To add beauty, glass stones are cut, to increase the light play and shine, the lower part is covered with silver foil. When cutting glass stones, they are given the same shapes as natural ones, and artificial stones... To distinguish a glass stone from a natural one, it is enough to drag a file over it - it crumbles (the natural one will remain intact).
Bone. Bone-carving jewelry-earrings, brooches, pendants, boxes and much more are made.
Ivory (fangs) is white, hard, easy to process, used to create highly artistic products.
Walrus bone (fangs) is white with a greenish tint, when translucent - with a warm pink undertones, hard, easy to cut, engrave, dyed in the desired color, used for cutting volumetric openwork products.
Mammoth bone (tusks) is yellowish in color, sometimes brown and bluish-green in color, imparted by the salts of groundwater, very hard, which makes it difficult to process, it is used for small relief and delicate carving works.
Plastic. Plastic mass is used as a substitute for expensive and rare natural stones for the manufacture of various jewelry. Plastic products successfully imitate a given precious material (be gems, amber, pearls, mother of pearl, coral or ivory).
Enamel. It is a lead-silicate glassy transparent or colored layer applied to the metal (gold, silver) surface of the jewelry for decorative or protective coating. The enamel is fixed by firing. The main component of jewelry enamels is silica, a glass-forming oxide that provides high chemical resistance, strength and thermal properties of the enamel layer. At the same time, the enamels should be low-melting (up to 800 degrees C), sufficiently spreadable, viscous and well wet (envelop) the fragments to be enameled, which ensures the formation of an enamel layer on a given part of the decoration. They also need to be clean, shiny and create the necessary light play.
Lead-silicate enamels are transparent and opaque (add tin oxide, arsenic, salts of hydrofluoric and phosphoric acids). The dyes of enamels are oxides of various metals - cobalt, copper, iron and others. The enamels contain scanty additions of aluminum, zirconium, magnesium, calcium, which help to increase the stability of the enamel layer, and zinc gives the enamels shine and makes them fusible. High-quality enamel must meet all these ^ technological, decorative and aesthetic parameters.
Lucky. These are solutions of solid and liquid film-forming substances in volatile evaporating solvents; Their main property is the ability, when applied in a thin layer, to form, after drying on the treated surface, solid transparent glossy, matte, colorless, colored films that protect the pattern on the product from premature destruction, and enhance the optical effect. Varnishes are prepared from natural and artificial resins combined with oils. Artistic varnishes: oilseed, pistachio, copal and others.
PREPARATION, PROCESSING, STONING
Blank
First of all, the master needs to select the necessary stones according to the individual order for the manufacture of jewelry: precious, semiprecious, ornamental or their imitators - artificial counterparts (substitutes) imitating natural jewelry. Color, structure, hardness, fracture, thermal conductivity, Chemical properties a given stone is determined by the type of its cut, the method of fixing and the type of setting, as well as the choice of an alloy corresponding to the properties of the stone and even the configuration of the product as a whole.
A private craftsman must also have the skills of such a jewelry profession as a fixer, which exists in specialized enterprises. In individual production, he is also an assembler, since he also performs other assembly techniques and operations.
Stone processing
Cut- this is a harmonious combination of various shapes and sizes of faces applied to the surface of the stone according to a previously developed pattern. In addition to the fact that such processing of stones gives them external beauty and grace, cutting significantly enhances the phenomena of refraction and dispersion of light, causing the play and brilliance of cut stones. The right cut and the perfect polish will provide a great shine and play of light in the stone. The cut transforms a natural stone (beautiful and in its original form) into an exquisitely and multifaceted sparkling masterpiece in precious jewelry. The most famous types of cut diamonds are brilliant and rose (small stones). Large stones are cut into a diamond shape; after cutting, they are called diamonds. Above, a diamond cut to resemble a diamond, in the form of a circle with a smooth surface, in which, like in a kaleidoscope, the side faces sparkle, descending in a geometric pattern along the conical sides of the stone (in shape from the side it resembles a whirligig), resembles an eight-pointed star in a circle (see Fig. nine).
Semi-diamond cut.
Other gemstones are also cut. The most commonly used types of cut: simple, stepped, wedges, cabochon (hemisphere), combined (see Fig. 10).
Rhinestone (type of cutting - cabochon), jewelry glass, cubic zirconia (artificial crystals) are also cut. ;: Ornamental stones are polished. Such types of processing as casting, stamping, grinding, sawdust are also used.
There are other ways of processing and renewing stones (for example, pearls are “rejuvenated” with weak acids).
Rice. 9. Brilliant cut:
1 is a side view; 2 - top view
Rice. 10. Types of cut:
1 - simple; 2 - step; 3 - wedges; 4 - cabochon; 5 - combined
Clips for stones and their purpose
Attaching a stone to a piece of jewelry is the final stage in making jewelry with stones. Stones inserted into rings, earrings and other jewelry must be firmly, reliably and at the same time beautifully, gracefully fixed - the commercial quality of the product depends on this.
In addition to drilling, cutting, measuring tools available in a private jewelry workshop (see the “Jeweler's Toolbox” section), a jeweler needs to have special tools to fix stones: for rolling and crimping the metal - a crimper, crimps for fixing round stones, punches with a spherical cavity (root rollers), for corner bartacking, drucke-r s (simple, sharp, with a guide groove), b about to fus, forstekel, corneisen, wachsbein, mittel-grich-redhen (tool for rolling), for fixing the product when fastening - wooden, t and with to and - schnaltsenki, collet clamps and other fixing tools.
The operation of fixing the stones is performed on the retractable ledge of the workbench (finageli).
It is important for this stone to choose the appropriate type of setting and type of setting.
The main types of bartacks: rim, prong, blind, corner; to fix small stones, setting for frames is used: square, faden, tiktovaya, carmezine. For inserts made of amber, pearls, imitation of stones made of plastic and jewelry glass, glue setting is used (mechanical setting for such stones is ineffective due to their inherent qualities and shapes).
Obodkovaya setting is used to secure transparent stones; It is made of an alloy strip and repeats the shape of the stone along the perimeter, which lies in it on the support belt located on the inner side of the frame;
the strengthening of the stone is carried out by squeezing the metal around the stone, which thus shines through from above and below, the beauty and illumination will be enhanced by the pattern cut in the strip of sintering. The fixation of the stone by the rim is reliable.
Clap The setting is intended for setting precious, semi-precious and colored imitation stones. a kind of rim frames, in which vertical legs (prongs) rise above the rim edge, they hold the stone and allow you to show all its beauty. The number, height and shape of prongs are determined by the properties and geometrical parameters of the stone. After carefully pressing the claws to the surface of the stone, they are sawed off, giving the holding paws a conceived shape:
Zumbics, petals, etc.
Deaf The setting (a deaf caste in the form of a metal cup with a flat bottom, in which the stone to be fixed is squeezed) is the most reliable setting. But a stone can only be illuminated by an attack from the top, therefore a deaf caste is used to fix opaque stones. Corner bartack. The stone is fixed in the frame with small columns (corners), which are cut out of the base metal of the frame by thinning its walls - a part of the metal in the form of shavings is selected with a special tool, followed by rolling its upper part into a hemisphere.
Corner setting is used for fastening small stones in open corner-type frames and in “square” frames, faden and tikt, and ensures reliable retention of the stone.
So, very important requirements are imposed on the purpose of the bartacks. The fastener together with the frame should firmly hold the stone, emphasize and enhance its beauty, serve connecting link between the decoration itself and the stone.
Rims for fixing stones in rings
In jewelry with stones, especially in rings and earrings, frames (castes) together with settings are the main elements. Their decorative and artistic qualities, together with the stone, determine the value of the entire decoration. The stones used in jewelry determine their configuration and construction. The names of the frames are of the same name as the names of the setting.
In an individual workshop, frames are made by stamping, as well as cut or sawn out by hand according to preliminary marking.
Combinations of settings can be combined in one product, which is most often found in rings with precious stones: blind - corner, blind - claw.
Rice. 11. Galleries:
1 - smooth; 2 - shaped
Clap frame. The simplest workpiece for its manufacture is a gallery (see Fig. 11) - smooth or shaped - from an alloy strip.
To make a cast for a certain number of prongs, according to the shape and cut of the stone, you need to cut off a part of the stamped gallery after fitting, and not vertically along the prong pattern, but obliquely - for better subsequent soldering, and, if necessary, to taper the frame. Then the gallery is molded (bent) over the stone and, after fitting, its ends are soldered and straightened on a hand bolt for castes or in a conical anchor, adjusting the claws over the stone.
If the frame is made by hand, then first a rim is made from a metal tape (strip), straightened and adjusted to match the stone, then the pattern is marked and manual sawing is performed (with a jigsaw, files of various profiles); after that, the frame is turned over and to the side opposite from the claws, having made filings on it, a rim of rolled square wire, which is called a digel, is soldered; thus, a prong shaped frame is ready, in which the play of the stone is very clearly visible.
Deaf frame - blind caste and rim with parallel or tapered walls.
If there is no press, then a deaf caste is made like this: a rim is made from an alloy tape, and the bottom is soldered to it.
From the alloy plate, artistic overhead elements are cut from a bar of the desired profile (rectangular or semicircular section) to make a ring shank, and from a wire of the desired section, decorating elements in the form of a rope, rhombuses and other types. The side blank (rim) is immediately marked under the drawing and the side edges are cut out, in which the openwork is cut if necessary (it can also be done after the frame is molded).
In the installation of a product with a blind frame, it is especially important to mount a caste with a shank, which is adjusted to the caste and soldered. If the shank is intended to be made of plate elements, then first they are soldered along the side joints, and then they are fitted according to the caste. If the bar is in the form of bar stock, then, in addition to the usual butt joint, it can be bifurcated in the connection zone with the cast or sawn down under a cone, and have a different configuration. The assembled frame is annealed, bleached and straightened, after which they proceed to cutting the pattern and soldering the overhead decorating elements. After the installation of the frame is completed, filing, scraping and preliminary grinding of the ring are performed, then the product is branded and its manufacture is completed: the finishing, setting of the stone and finishing of the ring are performed.
Obodkovuyu the frame is also easy to make by hand: the prepared tape is bent into a rim and, after molding and fitting on the stone, its ends are soldered at the junction. To enhance the illumination of the stone and the beauty of the ring as a whole, a through patterned pattern is cut out in the caste (it is possible even before bending, directly in the tape). Then the caste is corrected in order to straighten the contour and to adjust the size to the stone, as well as to obtain the desired shape - parallelism, slight roundness or taper.
Corner the frame (see Fig. 12) is produced open and built-in. In the manufacture of the first type (open caste), a thick-walled conical rim frame is used as the initial blank; the edge of the rim is adjusted to the girdle of the stone; from the lower part of the tsarg to its upper edge, corners are made diverging in width (along a cone): they are marked with kornaisen on the upper edge of the tsar, its walls between the corners are cut, sawn off and minted until the desired shape of the corners is obtained; the walls between them become thinner and thinner and at the girdle of the stone they are so thinned that, looking from above, only the corners around the stone are visible - the frame is open, and the stone sparkles and shimmers with all its facets and shades.
There are no castes in the built-in frames, the stone is inserted into the socket of a thick-walled plate or directly into the walls of the ring. Nests for round stones are drilled out, and for stones of other forms, recesses in the alloy are processed with graters or cutters in exactly the shape and size of the stone, otherwise it is impossible to fix it.
Rice. 12. Corner frame
Rice. 13. Caret, blank
Frame "Square"- a stone in an alloy plate. The hole in its upper part should match the girdle of the stone. Then a narrow petal is cut out with a graver with two cuts in each corner of the square plate, expanding from the corner of the square towards the stone (Fig. 13).
On the front surfaces of the square, the planes are beveled with a flachshtihel with cuts in the direction from the limbs of the square to the stone. With a wide spitz-pin, the notched metal is raised from the corners of the square, again to the center. In this case, it is necessary to constantly monitor that the corners are fixed sequentially one after the other, otherwise the stone may shift.
According to another technology, the shavings are cut from the corner to the hole with a shaped graver and they are lifted up to the hole, making each one in the form of a root. The spaces between the corners are also beveled after the installation of the stone by the corners.
Rice. 15. Faden frame
rounded off with kornaisen. The outer contour is given the appearance of a smooth welt.
The main view of the "square" frame: top view (Fig. 14). This is the molding of cut shavings by kornaisen into the roots holding the stone in the form of hemispherical heads. Instead of four roots, you can make six or five, significantly changing the shape of the frame (the stone is fixed in the same way in a five or hexagonal plate).
Fadenova frame. Manufacturing technology is similar to the frame of the square. But here the pebbles are not attached in separate squares, but in a strip of alloy, tightly fitting one to one, almost touching girdles (see Fig. 15).
The partitions between the stones are cut to the height of the support belt for the stones, the stones are inserted and the corners are pressed against the girdles. The outer edging is decorated with ornaments of various patterns.
Tiktovaya the frame is the top of the ring densely covered with pebbles (see fig. 16)
This is, in fact, the complication of the faden frame, only the stones are not arranged in a strip, but in several rows; in tiktovka, the girdles of the stones are in close contact with each other, and setting corners are made of the alloy in the wedge spaces between them.
In the manufacture of faden and tiktovy frames, the stones are installed in a plate covered with a layer of wax in order to determine their correct position ahead of time by applying marking strokes on the wax with a grader. I Having taken out the stones, the shavings are cut between the girdle prints and bend them, shifting to the center of each hole. Each stone is held in place by two opposite corners evenly pressed against it. The stones are inserted and attached sequentially one after the other. The illusion of contact of stones, interspersed with hemispherical heads of the corners, is created.
Karmezinovaya frame. Structure: a wreath of small stones is placed around a large stone. The base of the frame made of a plate 1.5-2 mm thick is made slightly convex, somewhat beveled along the outer welt. After the verified markings, a hole is cut out to secure the central (large) stone. The accompanying stones (the environment of the main one) are attached in the same way as in the ones just outlined, also close to each other and to the center stone. According to the size of a round (or other format) plate with holes for stones, a conical side is made and both of these parts are soldered. The pebbles adjacent to the rim of the bezel are also inserted into the drilled holes along the rim on a cone. Opposite the holes for the stones, the outer side of the frame is filed in parallel in the form of arches. Its side walls can be drilled according to the selected pattern. So a prong is formed on the upper edge of each caste, and teeth are cut out on the lower edge. The fastener for the central stone can be clipped, blind or rim, it is soldered into the prepared hole. The diesel is soldered under the rim of the carmezine rim.
