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A gemstone (also called a fine gem, jewel, precious stone, semiprecious stone, or simply gem) is a piece of mineral crystal which, when cut or polished, is used to make jewelry or other adornments.
This is a list of gemstones, organized by species and types. Minerals ... Some minerals made into gemstones may display a chatoyancy or cat's eye effect, ...
Corundum is a crystalline form of aluminium oxide (Al 2 O 3) typically containing traces of iron, titanium, vanadium, and chromium. [3] [4] It is a rock-forming mineral.It is a naturally transparent material, but can have different colors depending on the presence of transition metal impurities in its crystalline structure. [7]
Ruby is a pinkish red to blood-red colored gemstone, a variety of the mineral corundum (aluminium oxide). Ruby is one of the most popular traditional jewelry gems and is very durable. Other varieties of gem-quality corundum are called sapphires. Ruby is one of the traditional cardinal gems, alongside amethyst, sapphire, emerald, and diamond. [3]
The natural formation of gemstones tends to layer the minerals in regular crystalline sheets, whereas many synthetically produced gems have an amorphous structure, like glass. Synthetics made by the Verneuil process either do not show flaws at all, or if any flaws are present, show curvy, undulating surfaces rather than flat ones.
Nowadays, lab-made gems exist, too. “Thanks to modern technology, gemstones can also be created in a laboratory with the same mineral composition as naturally occurring gemstones,” Salzer says.