Some Gemology Vocabulary
for your next poem/story (pt. 1)
Gemology—the scientific study of gemstones
Acicular - crystals that have a "needle-like" form
Adamantine - the highest classification of surface lustre or reflectivity which may be shown by a gemstone (e.g. in faceted diamond)
Adularescence - a billowing flow of whitish or bluish colors that seem to float along the surface
Allochromatic - a gemstone is allochromatic when it is colorless in its pure state
Aventurescence - specular reflections or spangles of light reflected from plate-like inclusions as a stone is rotated
Baroque - gem materials having an irregular shape e.g. baroque pearls
Botryoidal - interlocking, rounded masses that sometimes look like grapes or bubbles resulting from radiating masses of fibrous crystals
Carat - a unit of weight for gemstones. There are five metric carats to the gram.
Chatoyancy - the cat’s-eye-like phenomenon caused by light reflecting from tiny fiber-like inclusions within a gem. The "eye" is seen at right angles to the direction of the inclusions. Stones must be cut en cabochon to see this effect.
Fluorescence - the emission of visible light by a gemstone when exposed to a light source whose light we normally cannot see
Idiochromatic - a gemstone is idiochromatic when the element causing its color is an essential part its chemical composition. For example, iron, which is an intrinsic part of the chemical makeup of peridot, is the cause of its green color.
Lapidary - the art of working with stone and gems which includes engraving, cutting, and polishing
Opalescence - a reflection of a milky or pearly light from a gem's interior, sometimes used as a synonym for iridescence.
Orange peel - a surface appearance resembling the outer skin of an orange. This is sometimes seen in plastic and glass simulants and should be observed in reflected light.
Phantom crystal - also known as "ghost crystal", they occur in quartz when there is an interruption in the growth cycle. It appears like a faint crystal within a crystal.
Sources: 1 2 3 4 5 ⚜ More: Word Lists
