Natural or synthetic?

Hi all,

I just got my trinocular microscope and I’ve been investigating some gemstones…

I can’t find a very useful online library of inclusions etc in how to identify corundum as natural or synthetic… I guess I have to buy one of those hideously expect books from GIA… But I was wondering if any of you could help me out.







The gem holder on my microscope is missing a small piece that the manufacturer forgot to send me. So now i have to wait another week for the gem holder to be operational…

Thanks for the help.

Best regards,

Daniel

I am not aware of a database of inclusions, but there are websites like Inclusions in Sapphires | A Guide to Understanding Inclusions You could also try searching using google images lots of results.
As an alternative the books are available at quite reasonable prices secondhand try suppliers like Alibris and Abe books. Its worth shopping around and not just buying the first one found
good luck!!

I just got my trinocular microscope and the gemholder is missing s piece. The factory is sending me the part.

I find it very difficult to focus while holding the gemstone in my hand.

I guess I will repost once the gemholder arrives.

Thanks for the feedback. I am still learning how to use the microscope. My biggest problem with it is that the gem-holder is missing its mounting bracket. It currently now on its way to me. I hope to have it in the next week or so.

Hi,

Please buy Wise Jewelry Application. If you are a member of IGS you will get better price. You will get information about gems.

Regards

I agree, also noticed no corundum inclusions…

Stone holders are handy to have, but I have identified most stones while holding between my fingers… try playing with different light settings, like dark field, turn the stone around to see the effects. It also helps to submerge it into filtered water… just don’t spill water in your microscope’s well. You need lots of known unknown practice… that is where you know what the identity of a stone is, and then do all the tests until you find proof of the already known identity… It is essential to follow a well constructed course.

NA sexta imagem observei, que as linhas do coríndon estão com uma variação de luz o que não é normal em um coríndon, natural , então esta mais parecido, para linhas de uma alexandrita, e não de uma pedra de coríndon pela variação de cor verde, azul e tons de cinza, estou anexando 4 imagens de coríndons naturais, de minha propriedade não são bem transparentes mas as linhas e algumas inclusões são bem visíveis, para compara os angulos

obrigado

Looks like sapphire

@kreder9277 yes it is a sapphire. I just need to practice using the microscope in order to know whether it is natural or synthetic.

I just got Dr. Hanneman’s book (it was finally released by customs) “a guide to affordable gemology” and it has instructions on how to build your own gem holder. So I’m going to try that today and see how it goes.

It depends if the air quality here improves. I have to wear an n95 mask around my apartment… Only place I don’t have to wear it is in my bedro.where i have an air purifier installed.

A lot of the time I use my gem holders so I can move my gems around so I can look for more inclusions. I ended up with a laboratory microscope that is extremely powerful that I enjoy using more than any other scope in my toy box. It’s fun to see some of the inclusions in emeralds, a stone that love.

It looks like there are lace inclusions in several of your images. Love to see closer. Pretty sure that Synthetic stones do not have rutile thin lace inclusions.

I think those are lace inclusions. I’ll have to find the stone, clean it thoroughly and then photograph it.

I think the way I’m going to clean it is to let it soak in warm water and some.mild detergent. Then brush it with a soft bristled toothbrush with mild degreasing detergent (like dish soap). None of this should actually harm the sapphire since it is fairly scratch resistant.

Final washing in a little ethyl alcohol or acetone to let it dry faster than onto the gem holder and the microscope. Neither alcohol not acetone should

I’ll do this wearing nitrile gloves so I don’t leave finger prints or any other organic residue.

Hi looks like crystal lattice structure to me