Search results
Results From The WOW.Com Content Network
Luminous gems are common theme in comparative mythology. Ball cross-culturally analyzed stories about luminous stones and pearls and found about one hundred variants in ancient, medieval, and modern sources. The wide-ranging locations of the tales comprise all Asia (except Siberia), all Europe (except Norway and Russia), Borneo, New Guinea, the ...
Luminescence occurs in some minerals when they are exposed to low-powered sources of ultraviolet or infrared electromagnetic radiation (for example, portable UV lamps), at atmospheric pressure and atmospheric temperatures.
Before buying any old gem, though, keep reading to uncover the 25 most popular gemstones—and their meanings. Agate “Agate is earthy, warm and rich,” Salzer says, noting that it exists in ...
The word traces its origins back to the Latin lux, meaning "light", and generally implies radiance, gloss, or brilliance. A range of terms are used to describe lustre, such as earthy, metallic, greasy, and silky. Similarly, the term vitreous (derived from the Latin for glass, vitrum) refers to a glassy lustre. A list of these terms is given below.
This is a list of gemstones, organized by species and types. Minerals. There are over 300 types of minerals that have been used as gemstones. Such as: A–B
An asterism (from Ancient Greek ἀστήρ (astḗr) 'star' and -ism) is a star-shaped concentration of light reflected or refracted from a gemstone. It can appear when a suitable stone is cut en cabochon (i.e. shaped and polished, not faceted). A gemstone that exhibits this effect is called a star stone or asteria.
In Tibetan Buddhist tradition the Chintamani is sometimes depicted as a luminous pearl and is in the possession of several of different forms of the Buddha. [ 3 ] In Japan, where the Hindu goddess Lakshmi is known as Kisshōten in Shinto , she is commonly depicted with a Cintāmaṇi in her hand.
[4] [5] Most gemstones are hard, but some softer minerals such as brazilianite may be used in jewelry [6] because of their color or luster or other physical properties that have aesthetic value. However, generally speaking, soft minerals are not typically used as gemstones by virtue of their brittleness and lack of durability.