subject: Properties Of Some Precious Gem Stone Beads [print this page] Wearing precious gem stone beads is the rage nowadays. Lets take a look at the properties of some of them. A popular website on this subject is www.ratnasagarjewels.com.
Ruby beads are pink to blood red gemstones. They are a variety of the mineral corundum. The name ruby is derived from the word rube which stands for red in Latin. The characteristic red color is caused primarily because of the presence of the element chromium. Ruby beads have a hardness of 9.0 on the Mohs scale of mineral hardness. Incidentally among the natural gems only diamond and moissanite are harder. All naturally occurring rubies have imperfections which include color impurities and inclusions of rutile needles called silk. These needle inclusions help differentiate them from synthetics, stimulants or substitutes. Also rubies can show color changes. This happens very rarely. Ruby beads may show chatoyancy or the cats eye effect.
Agate beads is comprised of silicon dioxide which was sedimented in ancient times to form attractive flowing bands of different colors and textures. There exist perennially several bands and layers of differing materials in all sorts of colors and designs in chalcedony, quartz, jasper or iron oxides. It makes agate one of the most fascinating gemstones for lapidary. Heating it makes it more attractive. Different kinds of agates include rainbow or iris agate, eye agate, onyx agate, tree agate, plume agate or scenic agate, moss agate or seaweed gate and more.
Sapphire beads are a gemstone variety of the mineral corundum when it occurs in a color other than red or dark pink. Pink-orange sapphires are also known as padparadscha. Trace amounts of iron, titanium or chromium give corundum blue, yellow, pink, purple, orange or greenish color. Sapphire beads may also be colorless and found in shades of grey and black. Blue sapphire beads are present in various mixtures of their primary and secondary hues, various tonal levels and at various levels of saturation.
Coral beads are formed by calcium carbonate in the skeletons of colonies of soft bodied molluscs. Its color ranges from pink and reddish-orange to the rare black. Incidentally it is also found in a blue color. Blue, white, red and pink corals are comprised of calcium carbonate. Black and golden corals are made up of the horny substance conchiolin.
Emerald beads are a variety of the mineral beryl colored green by traces of chromium and occasionally vanadium. They have a hardness of 7.5-8 on the Mohs scale of mineral hardness. Their toughness is considered generally poor. Emerald beads occur in hues ranging from yellow-green to blue-green. Incidentally gray is the normal saturation modifier or mask found in emerald beads. Emerald beads tend to have many inclusions and surface breaking fissures.
Amethyst beads are also popular. Oriental amethyst or violet sapphire is a type of corundum. True amethyst or occidental is a kind of quartz or colored rock crystal comprised of silica. Violone is a silicate of lithium and alununium. Violone has iron in the quartz.
So go ahead and acquire these magnificent beads for an attractive and unique look.
