What are natural gemstones and how do they form

General Sites

What are natural gemstones and how do they form?

http://socrates.berkeley.edu/~eps2/wisc/Lect2.html

Natural Gemstones Geologic Environment http://pubs.usgs.gov/gip/gemstones/environment.html .At this USGS site you can find out how natural gemstones form and where they are found.

A Primer of Gemstones
This site includes a general guide to natural gemstones. http://www.pbs.org/wgbh/nova/diamond/gemprimer.html

Crystals: More than meets the eye: Gems http://www.yale.edu/ynhti/curriculum/units/1989/6/89.06.07.x.html
Here you can learn more about how natural gemstones form and where they can be found.

Diamonds http://www.howstuffworks.com/diamond1.htm
At his site you can find out how diamonds formed underground.

What are the chemical, physical, and optical properties of natural gemstones?

http://ist-socrates.berkeley.edu/~eps2/wisc/Lect5.html

Chemical Formulas of Gemstones http://pubs.usgs.gov/gip/gemstones/formulas.html
Visit this USGS site to find out the chemical formulas of natural gemstones.

Electronic Gemstone Library http://www.cigem.ca/510.html
This site is a source for information on natural gemstones and their properties.

Gemology: Physical, Chemical and Optical Properties http://www.geogem.com/physchemprop.html
At this site you can read more about the properties of natural gemstones, including specific gravity, cleavage, hardness, fracture, refraction, transparency, and luster.

How are natural gemstones treated to reveal color or eliminate flaws?

http://ist-socrates.berkeley.edu/~eps2/wisc/Lect9.html

Gemology: Gemstone Knowledge http://www.reeds-jewelers.com/gemology/knowledge/htm
Visit this site to find out how natural gemstones are treated to enhance or change color or to eliminate flaws.

Emerald and Gemstones: Treatment Methods
This site includes a code that jewelers use to let customers know if, and how, a natural gemstone has been treated.

Gemstone Treatments – What You Need To Know
At this site you can choose a type of gemstone and find out what kinds of treatments it may be subjected to in order to enhance color or correct flaws.

How are gemstones created in the laboratory?

Created Gemstones http://www.chatham.com/science.html
This is the web site for the Chatham Company. Carroll Chatham discovered how to create emeralds in a laboratory setting in 1938.Explore this site to find out when different gemstones were created in laboratories.

Geolite Gems and Jewelry http://www.geolite.com/GemsJwls.htm
Visit this site to see how emeralds are grown by the hydrothermal method.

What are the chemical, physical, and optical properties of created gemstones?

· Created Gemstones http://www.chatham.com/story.html
At this Chatham Company website, click on comparison to see how the chemical composition of created gemstones compare to those of natural gemstones.

· PehnecGems: Created Gemstones

http://www.1st-gemsource.com/emerald.htm
Visit this site to find out more about the chemical, physical, and optical properties of created gemstones.

How do the prices of natural and created gemstones compare?

Emerald http://www.chatham.com/story.html
This site gives prices for natural and lab-created emeralds, topaz, amethysts, sapphires, and rubies.

Chatham’s Consumer Price List http://www.chatham.com/loosegems.html
At this site you can find the prices of created emeralds, opals, rubies, sapphires, and diamonds.

Amulet: Emerald http://www.am-diamonds.com/emerald_cut_diamonds.php
Scroll down to see the prices for natural emeralds at this web site.