Chrome Diopside

I was prompted to write these comments on chrome diopside after seeing a

television shopping network's recent promotion of this gem as "Russian
diopside" and their featuring it extensively in rings. Chrome diopside is a
rich, emerald green variety of the mineral diopside which derives its color
from chromium. A recent Russian find in 1988 is the source of the
Tsavorite-like stones that are gaining in popularity and recognition today.
As beautiful as the material is, its use in rings is risky at best. A hardness
of (5.5-6), moderate brittleness, and cleavability limit its use to pendants,
brooches and earrings unless placed in highly protective settings and given
gentle treatment. For these other uses, though, the stone is beautiful and
under-appreciated. Good cutting is important as this variety, especially in
larger sizes, can be very dark. A good cut with fairly shallow angles can
improve brilliance. Cabochons can be distinctive and attractive, and
collectors eagerly look for the rare cat'seye form.
A well cut piece of chrome diopside is a beautiful sight to behold, and a
reasonably priced alternative to Tsavorite or chrome tourmaline.
[Chrome diopside gems: emerald step cut, pear shaped cabochons, cat'seye
set, pair of heart shaped brilliant cuts]
Value
The prime value factor for this gem is color, with medium dark green
stones at the top. Such a stone in a larger size (2 cts or more) is especially
rare since so many larger pieces suffer from light extinction and are too
dark. Cat'seye stones bring a premium price. Fine cutting enhances value
considerably by adding scintillation and brilliance.
Gemological Data
Makeup: a calcium, magnesium silicate
Luster: Vitreous
Hardness: 5.5-6
Crystal structure: Monoclinic
Fracture: conchoidal to uneven
Cleavage: perfect in two directions
Density: 3.29
RI: 1.66 - 1.72
Birefringence: .029

All text and images are Copyright of Barbara W. Smigel, 2012 unless
otherwise indiated.
!o reprodution allowed without expliit permission.
Jet
If you were to visit some of the many English websites devoted to this gem
you would begin to realize, first, what a long history of use the gem has in
the British Isles, and in the World, and second, how passionately some
individuals feel about this lesser known gemstone.
Jet, an opaque black, organic gem is usually described as a form of
fossilized wood, but not in the sense of "petrified" wood, where the orginal
cellular structure has been replaced by minerals and preserved. Jet is
essentially a form of lignite coal, having its origin in buried wood from
ancient forests, but much modified over millions of years by compression
and heating deep underground. Occasionally you find the term "black
amber" applied to jet, but that name is neither geologically nor
gemologically accurate and must be considered a misnomer. Perhaps the
name arose due to the fact that, like amber, jet will develop a static
electrical charge when rubbed.
One of the earliest of mankind's ornaments, jet beads have been unearthed
from burial sites dating to the Bronze Age. The extension of the Roman
Empire into the British Isles resulted in this black gem's use in the jewelry
and art objects of rich Romans. Besides ornamental use, there are written
records showing that powdered jet was used as a medication by the
physicians of the 17th Century.
The height of jet popularity was during the Victorian era. Upon her
widowhood, Queen Victoria began wearing "mourning jewelry",
primarily of jet, and continued to do so throughout her long life. The
public emulated their Monarch, so that earrings, brooches and pendants
were produced in large quantities and varying qualities and worn by
everyone who could afford them. By the 1870s the gem had reached its
peak of use and, until quite recently, has been in a consistent decline in its
popularity ever since. Some speculate that the gem's association with
death, mourning and sadness is responsible.
Recently, signs of renewed popularity have been seen, perhaps as part of
the general revival of interest in Victorian jewelry, or maybe due to its
credentials as a gem with "metaphysical" attritubes and uses.
[Jet rough, Victorian brooch, rose cut jet cabochon]
[ Victorian jet jewelry: carved bracelet, bead necklace, earrings]
Although there are known deposits of jet in many parts of the world, such
as the USA (Utah, Colorado, New Mexico), Spain and the Middle East,
historically, the premier site is along the Yorkshire coast, near the town of
Whitby in England. Deposits there occur in shale beds which form cliffs
along the beach and which extend under the sea. During the height of its
popularity it was mined, but both before and after that period, a sufficient
supply is picked from "land slides" and collected from material washed up
on the beaches.
Jet is soft (hardness ranging from 2.5 to 4) and somewhat brittle. Jet
jewelry shouldn't be cleaned in an ultrasonic or with steam. It can be
washed with warm soapy water and a soft brush, and a small amount of
mineral oil applied to the surface will revive the shine.
Simulants such as bog oak, "French Jet" glass, ebony wood, dyed horn,
early and modern plastics and a rubber-like material called "vulcanite"
are seen in the marketplace. One sure way to verify natural jet is to touch
an inconpicuous part of the piece with a red hot needle and smell the
results -- only jet will smell like burning coal.
Value Factors
Even the best quality jet is modestly priced as a raw material. Most of the
value of jet is associated with the artistry of carving or the historical
context of the jewelry or ornamental piece. The finest pieces have a
smooth, well polished surface that is free of cracks and blemishes.
Gemological Properties:
Chemical Composition: a mix of hydrocarbons
Crystal System: Amorphous
RI: 1.64 - 1.68
Density: 1.32
Fluorescence: none
Luster: resinous to vitreous
Hardness: 2.5 - 4
Fracture: conchoidal
Toughness: poor
All text and images are Copyright of Barbara W. Smigel, 2012 unless
otherwise indiated.
!o reprodution allowed without expliit permission.
Benitoite
Benitoite is the quintessential American gemstone. Gem quality specimens
are mined nowhere in the world except in San Benito County, California.
Adopted as the California State gemstone, it is a favorite with collectors
who admire its beautiful blue body color and its dispersion (.044) equal to
diamond.
Dispersion has the potential to cause stones to twinkle with flashes of red
and green, although there is a trade-off between dispersion and body color.
Some admirers are willing to forgo the dispersive display to get a darker
blue stone, while others admire a lighter stone in which dispersion is more
evident. The stone below shows a balance between visible dispersion and
rich blue body color.
[A 2.0 carat stone showing dispersion]
At hardness 6.5 it is tough enough for most jewelry applications. Its
scarcity, however, makes it virtually unknown to the general public. The
flattened triangular crystals are usually small and highly dichroic showing
blue and colorless. Obtaining the blue color usually means orienting the
crystal for lesser yield. Finished gems are almost always under 1 carat and
usually less than .5 carat. No treatments or enhancements are known for
Benitoite. It is truly one of the most beautiful (and wearable) of the
collector gems.
[Benitoite gems: varying in hue, tone, and clarity]
Value
This gem is quite expensive, especially for rich blue, clean stones at carat
and above sizes. Clarity enhances value, especially in stones eyeclean or
better. Very light and very dark stones are on the lower end of the value
spectrum with medium dark stones at the pinnacle. Perfection of cut is
sometimes sacrified, even by the custom cutter, to achieve the largest
possible gem so windows and less than optimal proportions are fairly
common.
Gemological Data
Makeup: a barium, titanium silicate
Luster: Vitreous
Hardness: 6.5
Crystal structure: Hexagonal
Fracture: conchoidal
Density: 3.67
RI: 1.76-1.80
Birefringence: .047

All text and images are Copyright of Barbara W. Smigel, 2012 unless
otherwise indiated.
!o reprodution allowed without expliit permission.
Aquamarine
Blue to blue-green beryl, known as aquamarine, is quite a familiar stone, a
staple in jewelry stores, catalogs and on home shopping programs, and
rightly so. It is a magnificent gem which can be stunningly beautiful when
well cut and polished and of good size and color. Unfortunately, huge
amounts of material have been sold which either lack enough color to truly
be called aquamarine or which are inferior in their fashioning. The most
common natural color for this gem is a light to medium light slightly to
moderately greenish blue. The name, aquamarine, then, indicates its
resemblance to the color of sea water.
Virtually all rough is heated to convert some of the green tones to blue.
The treatment is undetectable and stable and therefore the consumer
should assume all pieces to be heated unless otherwise specified. Recently a
growing number of consumers have begun to appreciate the natural
greenish gems.
At hardness 7.5 it makes an acceptable ring stone and requires no special
care or precautions in cleaning. The most common types of inclusions
found in this variety are liquid filled fingerprints and hollow growth tubes.
Major sources of stones include Brazil, Nigeria, Zambia and Madagascar.
A common simulant for this gem is light blue synthetic spinel which can
easily be distinguished from aqua by its optic character and refractive
index. Aquamarine is the birthstone for March.
[Aquamarine gems: varying in color, quality and fashioning style]
Value
The deepest blue large stones have the highest value with medium and
light blue stones of the same size fetching less. In smaller sizes, price still
depends on color which is harder to obtain in small pieces. Blue-green
stones of any size have traditionally had only about 50 -75% of the value of
true blues, but this is changing as consumers are beginning to favor and
seek out unenhanced stones. Mass production of blue topaz by irradiation
in the 1980's briefly depressed the aqua market, but it rebounded when
topaz took a nose-dive -- chiefly because the supply of darker blue topaz is
virtually unlimited whereas only nature can make fine colored aquas
which are now, and always have been, rare. Heating doesn't darken the
color of aqua it just diminishes the green component. African aquamarine
is relatively more abundant and can be less expensive that comparable
Brazilian material.
Gemological Data:
Makeup: a beryllium aluminum silicate
Luster: vitreous
Hardness: 7.5
Crystal structure: hexagonal
Fracture: conchoidal
Cleavage: none
Density: 2.69
RI: 1.57-1.58
Dispersion: .014
Birefringence: 0.006
Pleiochroism: weak to moderate: blue and greenish blue in lighter or
darker tones

All text and images are Copyright of Barbara W. Smigel, 2012 unless
otherwise indiated.
!o reprodution allowed without expliit permission.
Rock Crystal Quartz
" really had no thought of writing an essay about what " onsidered the
least interesting of the rystalline #uart$ %arieties& ro' rystal. (hat is,
until a friend ga%e me a gift of a beautiful )offee table) boo' alled Rock
Crystal Treasures: From Antiquity to Today. (he breathta'ing pitures and
well researhed text ser%ed well, to gi%e me a needed )attitude
ad*ustment).
(he term, ro' rystal, in use today, deri%es from the +ree' word
)'rystallos) meaning , ie. "n a treatise written around -00 BC.,
(heophrastus /a pupil of Aristotle0 explains the origin of ro' rystal as
being from ie that forms at suh a high altitude, and therefore suh a old
temperature that it was inapable of melting. (his idea held sway until the
11th entury when large deposits were loated in Bra$il, an ob%iously
warm loation. (oday2s ma*or soures are Bra$il and 3adagasar with
important seondary deposits in many other plaes inluding Ar'ansas
and !ew 4or' in the 5SA.
"Quartz Sceptre"
(he +ree's were not the first appreiators of this gem, howe%er.
Babylonians ira 2000 BC. were ad%ised that owning amulets or seals of
ro' rystal would inrease a man2s wealth and possessions. 3a'ing
olletions of ro' rystal speimens with what were %iewed as
metaphysially important inlusions was a pasttime of the wealthy in
anient China. (hese items, purhased for purposes of ontemplation and
spiritual enlightenment, were sometimes gained at great prie ,, as there
are reords of rih men spending themsel%es into ruin to obtain the best
piees.
"nluded #uart$es also ha%e a small share of today2s ommere& with o%er
60 minerals 'nown to our as inlusions in #uart$ there are still plenty of
speimens for the interested olletor.
Rock crystal with inclusions of: tourmaline pyrtie edenite

7o' rystal balls and s'ull ar%ings ha%e long been gi%en speial
signifiane in di%ination and neromany. (hese artifats ha%e an
enthusiasti audiene in today2s world, although heap glass imitations
abound. /By the way, the doubly refrati%e nature of #uart$ ma'es a dual
image %isible through them, not seen with glass0. .arly Christian art
ma'es fre#uent use of ro' rystal to symboli$e purity, by its assoiation
with the 8irgin 3ary or angeli figures in paintings, tapestries and other
art ob*ets.
9ewelers from earliest times until today ha%e used ro' rystal liberally.
Some of the most well 'nown and photographed examples inlude
.dwardian, Art !o%eau and Art :eo piees in museum olletions.
"n today2s gem mar'et, the plae of ro' rystal is a modest one. !ew
faetors often hoose it as an inexpensi%e, yet natural, pratie material
and ar%ers appreiate the a%ailability of large, inlusion free piees.
Car!ed rock crystal
;or the last se%eral deades olorless #uart$ has been made in laboratories
for use in ommuniations and eletroni e#uipment. Although olored
syntheti #uart$es are something to worry about when purhasing
amethysts or itrines, natural ro' rystal still reigns for gem use, as it is
heaper and more abundant than the man made %ersion.
"alue Factors
As huge rystals are a%ailable, the %alue of gems or ar%ings from this
material is almost entirely due to the beauty, interest or artistry of the
piee.
#emolo$ical %roperties:
Chemial Composition& Si<
2
Crystal System& (rigonal
7"& 1.=6 , 1.==
:ensity& 2.>=
;luoresene& none
?uster& %itreous
@ardness& 1
;rature& onhoidal
;luoresene& none

All text and images are Copyright of Barbara W. Smigel, 2012 unless
otherwise indiated.
!o reprodution allowed without expliit permission.
Red Beryl
Discovered in the late 1970's and still found in gem quality at only one site
in the world, the Wah-Wah Mountains of Utah, red beryl, or
Bixbite, is one of the world's rarest and most desirable gemstones.
Typically as included as its fellow-beryl, emerald, few crystals
approach gem quality. Most specimens of fine crystals are
zealously guarded by mineral collectors and are never faceted.
Found in white volcanic rhyolite; its color is contributed by cesium and
manganese. Fewer than 10,000 stones are cut per year with more 95% of
those being melee, mostly in lower grades. Various commercial mining
ventures, in the past, have had sporadic success in producing stones, but a
new enterprise, using more modern methods, is doing better. Red beryl
remains, though, one of the most expensive of all colored gems. In recent
years Russian synthetic red beryl has come on the market.
[Red beryl (Bixbite) gems: One of the rarest]
Value Factors
The great rarity of this material and its popularity with collectors means
that almost any sized piece in any clarity and color grade can find a ready
buyer. The best stones would have a raspberry pink to slightly purplish
red color and be no more than slightly included. The rule of exponential
increase with increase in size decidedly applies to this gem so often found
in sub carat sizes. Cut is an afterthought, value-wise, in this material as
cutters seek to produce the largest possible gem from their rough so
windowed stones with poor proportions are in the majority.
Gemological Data:
Formula: Be
3
Al
2
Si
6
O
18
(+Mn, +Cs)
Crystallography: Hexagonal
Luster: Vitreous
Hardness: 7.5 - 8
Cleavage: Indistinct.
Fracture: conchoidal to uneven
Density: 2.66 - 2.70
RI: 1.58 - 1.59
All text and images are Copyright of Barbara W. Smigel, 2012 unless
otherwise indiated.
!o reprodution allowed without expliit permission.
Coral
Other than shells and animal teeth, coral was one of the earliest jewelry
materials enjoyed by our species. Neolithic amulets in red coral found in
digs in Switzerland date back to 8000 BCE. Virtually every cilivization
since then, which either lived in proximity to warm shallow seas, or had
developed trade routes to such, has made enthusiastic use of this material.
Living corals are tiny, colonial, filter-feeding invertebrates which
manufacture solid living quarters out of calcium carbonate or protein. It is
the collective, vacated homes of previous generations upon which the living
coral film grows, and which we harvest and make use of in jewelry and
carving.
Historically the important gem corals have been divided into "calcareous"
(stony) and "proteinaceous" (horny) types. At present, with these two
traditional sources becoming scarce and demand, especially for
inexpensive bead material driving the market, two other types ("sponge",
and "bamboo" corals) are commonly seen.
When someone describes a lipstick or a flower as "coral" colored, what
comes to mind is a slightly orangey medium red. Traditionally this color,
which occurs naturally in the calcareous corals, was the standard by which
the group was judged. The globally wide-spread calcareous group is made
up of species whose colors range from white, pink, and peach to "coral"
red. The highly desired, hot, vivid reds come primarily from the
Mediterranean and the seas around Japan, and for these specimens the
competition is vigorous.
They grow as branching structures which look something like a leafless
tree, and in the rough, show minute parallel striations on their surface.
Although rather soft by gem standards, they are reasonably tough and
take a high polish. Natural colors are due to organic carotenoid pigments,
but pieces of inferior color are sometimes dyed.
[Calcareous corals: polished branch, 10x photo showing striations, top color
red cabochon]
[Calcareous corals: pink carving, white carving, baby pink beads]
The other important group, whose houses are made of a tough, keratin-
like protein called conchiolin or gorgonin, comprise the black and golden
corals. Although not highly mineralized, the protein is very tough, so that
properly prepared and polished pieces are near the equal of the stony
types in durability and beauty, and sometimes exceed them in value.
Colors range from black to dark brown to golden. The golden color is
highly prized and can be natural, the result of injury or degeneration of
the black coral organisms, or human-induced by bleaching with hydrogen
peroxide. (After all, they are made of a hair-like protein).
[Proteinaceous corals: Living black coral, polished cabochons, polished
branch fragment and bead necklace]
[Proteinaceous coral: polished golden coral branch]
The blue and "sponge" corals are calcareous but with a much less compact
structure than their pink and red relatives. As a result their texture is
rough and porous and they take little, if any, polish. The natural colors are
pinkish red with brownish areas, and grey blue, so they are usually dyed to
improve their color, and/or resin impregnated to increase their durability.
[Enhanced red "sponge" coral bead, bead at 10x showing porous structure,
at 40x showing resin in openings]

[Enhanced blue coral beads, bead at 15x showing structure]
Bamboo coral, or "sea bamboo" has an interesting structure that explains
its name. The coral skeletons consist of stretches of branch-like, stony
calcium carbonate material, interspersed with joint-like regions of
gorgonin protein. The natural color is creamy white with brown or black.
Sometimes the harder sections are cut out and dyed to make small beads
or cabs, while in other cases larger pieces are used which incorporate both
regions and retain the banded patterning.
[Natural bamboo coral branch, dyed bamboo coral beads]
Like most other organic materials, fossilization of coral can occur through
petrifaction or the creation of pseudomorphs. Fossil corals from ancient
colonies which have become silicated, make durable (hardness = 7) and
interesting cabochon materials.
[Fossil Coral from Indonesia]
In addition to various enhancements, there are coral simulants in the
market, such as, dyed shell, and lab creations such as "Gilson Coral"
(although not a true synthetic, the composition, appearance and properties
are quite close). Less convincing simulants, such as glass and plastic,
abound in inexpensive costume jewelry.
Coral gems with their hardness of 3 - 4 should be worn and cleaned gently.
Warm water and mild detergent are best for cleaning needs, and daily
wear rings or bracelets are risky. The calcareous types can be damaged by
exposure to acids and the proteinaceous types should be protected from
high heat and long exposure to water.
Value Factors
By far, the most valuable corals are the natural reds, blacks and golds.
Fashions change in this regard, though, as the white and baby pinks were
preferred in Victorian times. A good polish and freedom from blemishes is
important and, of course, the artistry of the fashioning must be taken into
account.
Some locales from which corals are obtained have been over-fished or
environmentally degraded, leading to protective management of the stocks
and scarcity of supply. Happily, in the future it may be possible to "farm"
some types of corals to supplement our needs. There are pilot programs
attempting this in Japan and Hawaii.
Gemological Data:
Varies by species

All text and images are Copyright of Barbara W. Smigel, 2012 unless
otherwise indiated.
!o reprodution allowed without expliit permission.
Ivory
Ivory, as defined by most gemologists, is derived from the teeth or tusks of
mammals, although some other materials with similar characteristics and
appearance have traditionally been given this name. Examples of tooth
ivory are less common, and generally limited to: hippo and sperm whale
teeth (teeth are defined as dentition which is not visible when the mouth is
closed, whereas a tusk protrudes from the closed mouth). Tusks from
African and Asian elephants, wild boars, walruses and narwhals as well as
extinct mammoths and mastodons have been used throughout history (and
pre-history) to produce a range of ornamental and useful objects. Simple
ivory amulets and tools have been found in archeological sites dating 7000
years before present. The Chinese penchant for ivory goes far back in their
history (5000 BCE) as does their supremacy in the art of carving it into
intricate designs and inlays. By 500 BCE India was engaged in a vigorous
ivory export trade.
The properties of ivory vary somewhat by species in terms of hardness,
uniformity and the basic shape of the raw material. Some sources, like
elephant tusk, provide large, mostly solid pieces, whereas other types (like
narwhal tusks) are mostly hollow, and others like hippo teeth are smaller,
which can limit useage to certain sizes or shapes. The hardest and whitest
ivory is derived from hippo teeth which makes them more difficult to
carve, but less likely to stain and crack.
ELEPHANT IVORY
The majority of very old ivory carvings and ornaments are probably from
Asian elephants whose tusks are relatively smaller and found only on male
animals. Within the last several hundred years, however, the African
elephant has been the ivory provider of choice, due to its historically
greater population numbers, larger tusks, and the fact that both sexes are
tusked.
The once thriving commerce in African elephant ivory would stagger
today's conservation minded individual -- before plastics were invented in
the late 19th century, ivory was the source for such diverse and universal
items as buttons, hair combs, jewelry, furniture inlay, billiard balls and
veneer for piano keys. (The finest billiard ball makers produced only three
balls per tusk).
By the 1970's when the environmental movement swept the Western
world, the consequences of this carnage were obvious. In 1989 a world-
wide ban on elephant ivory trade was instituted as part of CITES
(Convention on the International Trade in Endangered Species). This
treaty has had mixed, mostly positive, results, with elephant populations
rebounding to a degree, and interest in still-legal forms of ivory and ivory
simulants increasing. The down-side is the inevitable escalation of value of
elephant ivory objects, and consequent stimulation of black market trade.
Currently small parcels of CITES approved ivory from elephants dying of
natural causes or captured goods from smugglers are legally sold to
finance conservation efforts.
[19th century Chinese dice cup and Victorian needle case, Victorian Era
brooch, Contemporary legal elephant ivory scrimshaw pendant]
"FOSSIL" ELEPHANT IVORY
Until about 7-10,000 years ago, mammoths ranged over Eurasia and
mastodons over the Americas. Throughout their long reign as species,
innumerable individuals died and were buried in mud, ice or peat. These
artifacts, although not mineralized in the true sense of fossilization, have
been preserved, and due to erosion, geological events or mining have been,
and are being, unearthed and used as ivory sources.
Like all elephant ivories these show distinct structural properties which
result in a layered structure in longitudinal section and a cross hatched
pattern in cross section. This characteristic called the "engine turned"
effect is diagnostic of elephantine ivories and absent in all other forms.
These ancient ivories sometimes have acquired unusual colors through
long contact with minerals and mineral solutions.
Such materials are not covered by CITES, indeed the species
are already extinct, and are becoming very popular. In the US, digging for
anything on public lands is restricted by Federal land management
agencies, but in Alaska, Canada, Greenland and Siberia, Inuits and other
native peoples have been greatly benefited by the ability to harvest,
fashion, and trade these items to an eager world market.
[Contemporary mammoth ivory amulet, mammoth ivory showing "engine
turned" effect, mastodon ivory ojime bead (19th century Japanese)]
MARINE MAMMAL IVORY
Marine mammals, particularly walruses, and toothed whales (sperm
whales and orcas) have been a long treasured source of ivory for
populations in locations where these species are common. Inuits, in fact
have a much longer history of walrus ivory use than that of the much
harder to kill whales. Marine mammals are protected from harvest, except
for quotas for certain native peoples who have the right to use their legal
catches for meat, hide, bone and ivory and the right to fashion and sell
such artifacts. This represents a welcome economic benefit for such
groups, as well as a valuable stimulus to preservation of ancestral arts and
crafts.
Walruses being at least semi-terrestrial animals have also been long buried
and recently unearthed -- such "fossil" walrus ivory can also be legally
collected and traded by indigenous peoples. In structure walrus ivory
shows a distinct core region when sliced in cross section.
[Contemporary legal walrus ivory bead, "fossil"walrus tusk slice showing
mineral staining and central core]
Sperm whale teeth have a long history of use in New England in the USA,
and throughout the whaling nations of the world. The most common way
the teeth were fashioned was by leaving them whole or taking small
sections and decorating the piece with an engraved and colored design,
called scrimshaw. Most often the designs were related to nautical or
whaling subjects.
[Sperm whale tooth scrimshaw: Image courtesy of Booth Trading Company]
OTHER IVORIES
At present hippos are not considered endangered and are not covered by
CITES. They shed teeth naturally which people located in their habitats
can collect and legally sell to much of the world (the US, UK and most
European countries, however, do not allow any "raw" ivory to be
imported, regardless of source). There is a huge market in Japan and
China, though, where small carved objects of hippo ivory have largely
replaced those of elephant ivory.
[Antique whole hippo tusk carving: Image courtesty of Dr. Terrill Smith,
contemporary Japanese hippo ivory netsuke]
During the Victorian Era many gems of organic origin were in favor,
including obscure ivories such as seen in this circa 1870 brooch fashioned
of two animal (pig?) teeth.
[Victorian animal tooth brooch]
Although most would define ivory as deriving from mammal teeth, one
notable exception is the case of hornbill "ivory". Technically the material
is more akin to horn than tooth as it derives from the "casque" or second
beak which grows on top of the regular beak in this group of souteastern
Asian birds. It is a golden color and exceptionally translucent with the
most coveted and expensive specimens showing a bright red "rim". These
birds are endangered and cannot be legally hunted, nor can items from
them be traded except under restricted conditions as certifed antiques in
some parts of the world.
[Kenyalang "Helmeted Hornbill": Image courtesy of Sarawktourism.com,
antique hornbill ivory netsuke]
IVORY SIMULANTS/ENHANCEMENTS
With the current restrictions on ivory trade in place, we can easily
understand the emphasis on simulants in today's market, but simulation of
ivory is nothing new. Ivory has always been an expensive, limited, and
much imitated material. Two natural materials which have a long histories
of use as substitutes, are bone and "vegetable ivory" derived from tagua
(S. America) or doum palm (Africa) nuts. Early plastics such as celluloid
and casein were widely popular as faux ivory from the late 19th century,
with modern plastics carrying on the tradition today.
Simulants can be detected relatively easily by microscopic examination.
Plastics and vegetable ivory show a complete lack of the "structure"
typical of ivories. Bone, although showing internal patterns that verify its
origin as an animal tissue, is quite distinctive with its Haversian Canals.
[Contemporary bone necklace, early 20th century celluloid brooch,
contemporary tagua nut carving]
Relatively little in the way of enhancement is used on ivory, the most
common being the staining of newly carved items with tobacco juice, tea or
other dyes to simulate the appearance of great age. Similar effects can be
obtained with gentle heat or irradiation. Mild bleaching solutions of
hydrogen peroxide or chlorine can even out color, and remove some
blemishes, and is occasionally done. Very rarely specimens of bone or
ivory are dyed blue with copper salts to simulate a rare, naturally colored,
fossil ivory known as odontolite.
CARE
As a soft organic gem, ivory deserves gentle cleaning and careful use.
Wiping the piece with a damp cloth should suffice for most cleaning needs
and prolonged exposure to high temperatures should be avoided.
Value Factors
Because important legal and ethical factors restrict and influence the
market for ivory, it is difficult to generalize about value. Clearly, antique
ivory objects, under conditions where they can be legally traded, are
valued based on the rarity of the materials, their age, provenance, and the
artistry of their fashioning. Examples of items for which collectors (ethical
and otherwise) will pay dearly are large elephant ivory pieces, narwhal
tusk work, and most precious of all, hornbill "ivory" carvings.
In the arena of legally traded ivories and ivory simulants, most items are
modestly priced with rarer and larger items and those with greater
antiquity or higher artistic merit at the top, and vegetable ivory, bone, and
plastic simulants in the lower brackets. "Fossil" ivories which have been
stained attractive colors through natural mineral processes do bring a
premium price. In any ivory piece, translucence and freedom from cracks
is valued. Yellowish, orangey and brownish hues (unless they are
deliberately applied to simulate age) add value as a patina.
Gemological Properties
(These vary somewhat with species, the ones below are for elephant ivory)
Makeup: 65-70% hydroxyapatite Ca
5
(Po
4
)
3
OH, plus collagen and elastin
protiens
Crystal system: none, amorphous
Refractive Index: 1.54
Hardness: 2.5 - 2.75
Toughness: fair
Specific Gravity: 1.70 - 2.0
Cleavage: none
Fracture: splintery
UV Reaction: fluoresces weakly to strongly bluish white to LW, less to SW
Luster: greasy
All text and images are Copyright of Barbara W. Smigel, 2012 unless
otherwise indiated.
!o reprodution allowed without expliit permission.
Danburite
;irst diso%ered in :anbury, Connetiut, in 1A-B, this gem has been found
and mined in 9apan, 7ussia, 3exio, Burma, and 3adagasar. "t ranges
from mil'y transluent white, to transparent piees of olorless, light
yellow, tan, and rarely, %ery pale pin'.
(he type loality of the 5S deposit whih was named for the town nearby,
has long sine been o%ered o%er, and made inaessible by the growth of
this now rather large ommunity. Ciees that atually originated from this
loation are now pri$ed by olletors.
:anburite is found in metamorphosed limestones and low temperature
hydrothermal %eins, but few its numerous loales yield either impressi%e
rystals for the mineral olletor, or transparent piees of suffiient si$e to
faet. 9oel Arem in his )Color .nylopedia of +emstones) states that
although the mineral itself is relati%ely ommon, large, faetable piees are
rare. (he rystals often ha%e a distinti%e wedge,shaped habit and niely
terminated ones are beautiful to see. (he best rystals, mostly transluent
or mil'y white ha%e historially ome from mines in Central 3exio.
Although similar in shape and olor to topa$ rystals, :anburite an be
distinguished by its la' of lea%age ompared to the strong lea%age seen
in topa$.
&A fine transparent orthorhom'ic (an'urite crystal set with a pink
sapphire and a 'rown diamond in a sil!er and )*k $old necklace+
?i'ewise, ut gems ha%e a luster and refrati%e index %ery lose to that of
white, yellow and brown topa$, but gemologially these two speies an be
separated by the differene in speifi gra%ity /topa$ is denser0 and
birefringene, whih is higher in topa$. (he distinti%e blue fluoresene of
many :anburites when exposed to ultra%iolet light, is also an
indentifiation riterion.
&Sawn pieces of (an'urite rou$h from ,e-ico some of the crystal faces can
'e seen+
Although it is not ommon enough to beome a ma.or ommerial *ewelry
stone, there is enough material for gem olletors, and ad%enturous *ewelry
lo%ers to bring this lo%ely and under appreiated gem into their olletions.
:anburite is also sought out by those who are interested in the
metaphysial properties asribed to gems and rystals.
&Faceted (an'urites from !arious locales showin$ the 'rilliance and luster
typical of well cut stones+
With no lea%age, good toughness and a hardness of 1D :anburite ma'es
an exellent *ewelry stone, that surpasses #uart$ and beryl in brilliane. "ts
modest dispersion means that although %ery brilliant, ut gems la'
)fire)/spetral olor fle's0. :ue to some heat sensiti%ity /the heat from a
*ewelers torh will fuse it0, it is best not to sub*et this gem to steam
leaning, but otherwise, it re#uires no speial are, and an be used in all
appliations, inluding rings and braelets. (here are no 'nown
enhanements, synthetis or imitations on the mar'et.
8alue ;ators
(he tried and true %alue fators for gems in general apply to this speies
%ery well. All other things being e#ual, larger, leaner, and better ut stones
are worth more per arat. (he only a%eat here, might be that a notieably
pin' stone /most as so pale as to be essentially olorless0 would surpass the
olorless, yellows, and browns in %alue. "n my opinion, for a relati%ely rare,
brilliant, and #uite wearable gem, pries are low enough to represent a real
gem bargain.
+emologial Croperties&
3a'eup& Calium Borosiliate& CaB
2
/Si<
6
0
2
@ardness& 1
Birefringene& .00>
:ispersion& .01>
(oughness& good
Crystal System& <rthorhombi
?uster& %itreous
:ensity& -.00
Cleohroism& none
7"& 1.>-,1.>6
Clea%age& none
;luoresene& ;re#uently shows a strong light blue to
blue green to ?W 58 and a wea'er reation to SW 58

All text and images are Copyright of Barbara W. Smigel, 2012 unless
otherwise indiated.
!o reprodution allowed without expliit permission.