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Monday 6 February 2012    Sherry Jewellery - Bespoke jewellers - Unique designs - Diamond ring specialists

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Green gems

Emerald:  Emerald is the most precious of the beryl family of gems. It is closely related to the Aquamarine. Inclusions or striations are common and thought to be a good indication of a genuine stone. Only the very finest quality are clear and demand exceptionally high prices. The most desirable colour are the darker greens. Emeralds are vulnerable to pressure, so must be treated with a measure of care.
  • Deposits found on all continents: Russia, Brazil Sri Lanka, North America,
  • Mohs hardness scale: 7.5-8      Mohs scale
Green Sapphire:   Green Sapphire is from the corundum group of minerals. Its colours range from pink, orange, purple, green, yellow, the reds are designated as Rubies
  • Deposits in Sri Lanka, Burma, Brazil, Thailand, Africa
  • Mohs hardness scale: 9              Mohs scale

Green Tourmaline:   Tourmaline is another gem found in multi-colours. It’s one of those gems designated according to colour, in this case Verdelite. The emerald greens are the most desirable shade in this colour. Over recent years, demand throughout Europe has been strong.
  • Deposits in mainly in Brazil and Africa but also in Sri Lanka, North America, Afghanistan,
  • Mohs hardness scale: 7 - 7.5      Mohs scale

Peridot:   Peridot, also known as Olivine, because of the olive green to yellow colour that it exclusively occurs in. The gem has been mined for thousands of years. Interestingly, it’s a mineral that also occurs in meteorites. Olivine is a common mineral but gem-quality Peridot is a little less numerous.
  • Deposits in Norway, Sri Lanka, South Africa, Pakistan, Australia, Mexico, Kenya, Hawaii, North America, Burma.
  • Mohs hardness scale: 6.5 -7      Mohs scale

Diopside:   Diopside is from the pyroxene group of minerals. The darker bottle greens are more sought after. It also occurs in a very dark near-black colour, often cabochon cut known as black cat’s eye or black star Diopside. It’sometimes confused with other green stones like Emerald and Peridot.
  • Deposits in Burma, South Africa, Finland, India, Italy, Austria.
  • Mohs hardness scale: 5 - 6         Mohs scale

Tsavorite:   Tsavorite is from the Garnet family, which form their own group of six minerals called nesosilicates. Tsavorite is named after the Tsavo National Park, where it was first mined in Kenya in the 70s. The first deposits were discovered and mined for the commercial gem trade, by a Brit, Campbell Bridges. It’s a vivid and intense blue green. A Tsavorite larger than 2cts is rare.
  • Deposits in Kenya and Madagascar
  • Mohs hardness scale: 7 – 7.5   Mohs scale

Demantoid:   Demantoid is from the Garnet family (Andradite) and is the most valuable. The name Demantoid means ‘diamond like’ because of its diamond-like lustre. It is very rare. The Russian Demantoid is worth more than the Namibian soured stone. The Russian stone can have a type of inclusion referred to as horse tails; this type of inclusion is acknowledged as an enhancement, to gem collectors. (Sorry no picture yet)
  • Deposits in the Urals and Namibia,
  • Mohs hardness scale: 6.5 -7       Mohs scale




Particpant in the Kimberley Process Certification Scheme British Jewellery Association Member Registered with the Birmingham Assay Office Fellow of the Institute of Professional Goldsmiths
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