Duhhh!
The moissanite is doubly refractive with high RI and
characteristic inclusions. Who needs a detector? Hold your
"diamond" up to the light and if you see double “rainbows” it’s
NOT diamond and it probably is moissanite. QED.
Roy (Jess)
Duhh! So nicely demonstrated!! If someone had just set thats
would it would do , then you are so right who needs equipment,
but I was not aware that is would be doublely refractive. That is
why we all have our expertise in different but related areas!!!
Thanks Chris http://www.tace.com/glitters
This ties in to what Marty Haske was saying about visual optics
and of course that is very important. The problem is for
jewelers or dealers who are buying a “lot” of stones or are
studying a piece that has several stones in it. For those that
have time on their hands visual optics will do. For a quick
determination, however, a machine may be the way, and obviously
a thermal unit will NOT do the trick. I have seen the material
and reported on it in JCK magazine last year (December 1996) It
does look like a diamond at first glance. Under a microscope,
“doubling” becomes visible, though you may have to look for it.
The stones sometimes have a whitish, ribbon-like inclusion. Most
stones I have seen have been off-white, leaning towards yellow.
But Jeff Hunter says that problem has been overcome and that
whiter stones will be available. GIA has prepared an extensive
report on the material in Gems and Gemology for their Fall 1997
issue.
Regards,
Robert
Thermal Unit should do the trick based on Thermal conductivity
of SiC and Diamond differences, it’s just that they are not set
up for it… recalibration should do it…–