Hello everyone, I just thought I would post this generally known
on orchid. As a gemstone dealer I have found in the past
few years to my surprise that a fair amount of jewelers are unaware
of the following:
Black quartz drusy is generally dyed black. (There is a natural
black drusy called psilomelane)
Black onyx is dyed black.
Blue topaz is generally irradiated.
There have been more than just a few jewelers who have thought that
the black quartz drusy and black onyx are natural color and that the
blue topaz was heated and unaware that it is generally irradiated.
Hi, Diane- True, most black druzy is dyed. I have rockhounded some
druzy here in Arizona, however, which ranges from grey to black, and
which is not associated with psilomelane. Haven’t had the stuff
tested, but it looks more like it is colored by manganese, the stuff
rockhounds call ‘desert varnish.’
My good friend and fellow Orchidian, Gerry Galarneau, has a couple of
these dark, dusky druzies up on his website,
We also find black druze in some of the older Tampa Bay petrified
coral now and then. Most of it is red but beautiful black pieces are
still avail. Makes stunning stuff!
Cheers from Don at The Charles Belle Studio where simple elegance IS
fine jewelry!
Hello everyone, I just thought I would post this generally known
on orchid. As a gemstone enthusiast, I have found in the
past few years ,to my surprise, that a fair amount of jewelers are
unaware of the following:
Black quartz drusy is found in nature ( it is actually Smokey
quartz druze), clear, white, and off-colors drusy is sometimes
enhanced by being dyed black.
Psilomelane is an oxide of barium and manganese, often with small
amounts of copper, cobalt, nickel and Magnesium. It is not Quartz
drusy, nor does it look like it.
Black onyx is found naturally, it is one of the many colors of
Chalcedony. However most “Black Onyx” gemstones sold today are a
man-made material, dyed black.
Blue gem quality Topaz is rarely found in nature, when it is it
is usually very light blue, and highly prized. Most blue topaz for
sale now, is irradiated, and heated.
IMHO, There are more than just a few jewelers who are unaware of the
physical and optical characteristics of the actual gem materials that
they put into their jewelry. They feel that the stone is secondary,
and there only to enhance their artistry in metalwork. I feel that
the art and metal work are there to enhance the stones that I cut. A
custom cut stone deserves a custom piece to show it off.
Work like you don’t need the money. Love like you’ve never been hurt.
Dance like nobody’s watching. Rock-on-John http://members.rcis.net/mfs