Table Spectrometer

Gem Related Discussion
1

I got a refurb student table spectrometer for my birthday. The type one would find in a physics lab. Does anyone know of any docs describing how to set up to use with gemology. RI, dispersion, etc.

2

What is the Manufacturer Name (e.g. Nicolet or Perkin Elmer etc) and the Model Number (e.g. Magna 850 or LS50B etc) ?

3

Thanks for the quick reply. There are no markings on the equipment. It came from India and looks like all the other student spectrometers. The listing in ebay calls it a DIA Optical. I could not find anything about DIA Optical. I found lots of info about the standard physics experiments with a prism and diffraction grating, but nothing about using it for getting dispersion and RI from a gemstone. I think that a re-reading of the Hanneman spectrometer article in the Affordable Gemology book may help since it looks like the same process is being used. Any help or even an experiment procedure for working with gemstones would be a big help.

Thanks,

Buffalo Val

4

I didn’t find what you seek with a couple of Google clicks, but I think the operation of this gizmo is detailed in most of the gemology texts, if I remember right. A visit to your local library will probably produce what you seek. I see the method explained in my copy of Webster’s classic, Gems. While this is doubtless a very neat piece of kit, I doubt that most gemologists have ever seen one, since RI and dispersion, etc., are much more easily measured with a refractometer. If I were you I would play with this and then sell it and get a refractometer for about $60 to $100. I also don’t see where you can determine optic sign and character, and, if you ever needed to do that, you could with a refractometer. Just sayin’…

5

Thanks for the reply. I just thought it might be fun to play with and it has been. I will keep playing around and figure it out. I do have refractometer which is fine but a bit like a black box as far as what it is actually doing.

Cheers,

Buffalo Val

6

Could be that you have Spectroscope, yes?
As opposed to spectrometer.
Post an image

7

Sorry for delay in posting. Had go to hospital. All is well now. Here is a picture of the piece of equipment.

spectrometer
spectrometer1600Ă—900 100 KB

Thanks for any ideas on how to view a gemstone. My idea is to mount the stone on a square of black poster board with the table pointed at the eyepiece. Focus the light on the pointy end of the stone and the look for the rainbow through the eyepiece. There is lots of information about how to look at the spectrum of various light sources but I have found nothing about looking at spectrums of gemstones with this apparatus.

8

Your device looks very much like an advanced version of the Pulfrich’s Refractometer.

1 Like
9

Thank you, I will look into that.