www.gem-passion.com

by gagan choudhary

More

Home
About
Books
Articles
PictureGallery
Potpourri
Contact

Gem mining in the 'Moontown' - Chanthaburi (Thailand)

(click on the image to enlarge)

UV Fluorescence

When present, a chalky yellow to green fluorescence under ultraviolet light is a good indicator of maxixe-type beryl, which otherwise is absent in aquamarines. However, many resin-treated aquamarines display similar fluorescence, therefore, one needs to be careful while making separation of these beryl types using fluorescence.

Treatment

Heating of aquamarine is well known in the trade, where green component is removed to produce a purer blue of aquamarine. However, colour of ‘maxixe-type’ blue beryl is produced by irradiation of colourless beryl. The author has witnessed some colourless beryls originating from Mozambique turning into blue while they were attempted to produce peach to pink beryl (morganite).

Conclusion

Due to the popularity of “Santa Maria” colour of aquamarine, which is characterized by a deeper blue of medium to high saturation, ‘maxixe-type’ beryl is often misrepresented as aquamarine. However, these are two different varieties and should be presented as what they are.

Gagan Choudhary's book in Hindi "Gems aur Rocks" is now available

ORDER NOW !

See updates on our Facebook page too

gem-passion.com

Home | About Gagan Choudhary | Books | Articles | Picture Gallery

Important Reference Books & Journals | Important Links | Helping Hands! | Contact | Subscribe Mailing List

Information given on www.gem-passion.com can be freely downloaded or used for personal, non-commercial purposes

No reproduction (whether graphics or text) is allowed, for either commercial or non-commercial use, without written consent of Gagan Choudhary

The views expressed on this website are solely of the author and not necessarily of the organization he is working with.