Identify my Gemstone

[@cocopufer5667]

All of my gemstones have been identified as "mine".

[@GemologyforSchmucks]

Such accuracy!~

[@Algoldprospecting]

I like that one 😊

[@KP-ty9yl]

Though not a substitute for actual instruments, the Hodgkinson Method is my favorite "party trick" for educated guesses

[@GemologyforSchmucks]

Are you referring to what some call "visual optics"? I've heard rumours (2nd or 3rd hand from gemologists) of people doing it successfully, but not seen it myself. Sounds interesting, if only inductive.

[@KP-ty9yl]

@@GemologyforSchmucks Yep, visual optics! Take a stone (a synthetic ruby is a great starting point because it has a distinctive spectrum) and hold it quite close to your eye, like you’re putting in a contact lens, table toward you, with a pinpoint light source behind (a cell phone flash works well). You might need to tilt the stone or adjust the distance from your eye a bit, but you should see a number of spectra. Obviously the spectrum itself is indicative evidence. Also you can determine single or double refraction by whether the spectra bleed into one another, though this will only happen if you are looking down an/the optic axis, giving a clue to optic character. The higher the birefringence, the further the two spectra will be from one another. And since high RI means light is bent more, the spectra will be further from the center of the stone in high RI stones, and very near the center in lower RI like quartz. Another interesting effect - hydrothermal stones that show the “roiled” growth pattern that may not be evident to the naked eye will show distinctly fuzzy spectra. I consider it a mildly useful skill, but have used it to determine a “rubellite tourmaline” and an “aquamarine” were singly refractive impostors.

[@FarangDoingThaiStuff]

Perfect response, Peter. This will save you lots of time explaining yourself 😂

[@GemologyforSchmucks]

explaining yourself... "again".... XD ~ thanks. I sure hope so.

[@rogerhargreaves2272]

Hey Peter, an hilarious intro. Great to see you again, hope you are well. Rog. Brilliant video btw, I can’t agree with you more.

[@GemologyforSchmucks]

Hey Rog, thanks for the comment and hope this earned a chuckle ;)

[@rogerhargreaves2272]

@@GemologyforSchmucks Ha yea I know, people look at you oddly when you tell them that the stone in their ring is a “Light Green stone”, when they expect you to precisely identify it. 😱😂

[@nooranen3178]

Fun video! :D But absolutely true. Don't ask identifications by pic or video.

[@GemologyforSchmucks]

Thank you ~ and yes... if we can just make it common knowledge that visual ID isn't reliable or certain, then we will have accomplished something good!~

[@KP-ty9yl]

You're on a roll lately!

[@GemologyforSchmucks]

I have my seasons~

[@austinfreyrikrw6651]

Oh yeah, there are just so many gem stones that look alike superficially it’s impossible to say for certain what is what from just a photo alone, in some cases the best one can do is to rule out what it is not.

[@GemologyforSchmucks]

Definitely, which is why we have to go back to our tests. A wild guess is more dangerous than helpful.

[@briangilbert3884]

Hi Peter- since we're talking about gemstone ID... have you ever seen a book (or other source) that gives a gem ID "flowchart?" For example, let's start with a red stone- it could be ruby, garnet, colored glass, something else. Going down my hypothetical flowchart, the Cheapest/easiest way to eliminate colored glass might be, I dunno, a 10x loupe exam to look for doughnuts (or swirls, or whatever)... etc, etc. Ending up with the only way to tell an X from a Y is a refractometer(which I have but am not confident that I'm using correctly) or polariscope (which I don't have but have faked using polarized sunglasses.) I'm never going to be an expert, or even a proper gemologist, but I do worry that I'm going to unwittingly pass on a bad stone that I bought in good faith. I'd like to be able to weed out the most obvious problem stones. Thanks as always- I love watching your videos! BG

[@GemologyforSchmucks]

Hallo~ the Handbook of Gem Identification by Richard Liddicoat has quite a bit of this, yes. It's old, but fortunately gemstones change much slower than we do.

[@lenoraschwede2240]

Love this guy 😊

[@GemologyforSchmucks]

Thank you for your kindness and support~!

[@rain3304]

LOL 😊 you look like me trying to figure out my rings

[@GemologyforSchmucks]

Cheers~ i've been in those shoes too.

[@tangojuli209]

I had to laugh. I get this all the time for both gems and mineral/rock specimens. I can probably identify more of the minerals/rock, than faceted gems :) A lot of minerals you can I.D. based on a few field tests. There aren't a lot of minerals that are synthesized like gems.

[@GemologyforSchmucks]

Growth structure is definitely a boon. That said~ no one knows the variety of growth structures/ crystal habit of minerals better than the miners, and who knows what one is tempted to do when the coin runs low.

[@Pollenoverponds]

What I really wanted to know is if the round green gem in the thumbnail is a chrome diopside cat’s eye, and if you were going to talk a little bit about chrome diopside 💚💚💚

[@GemologyforSchmucks]

What luck ~ that green stone in the thumbnail will be featured in a video here shortly. Keep your eye's peeled and your curiosity will be fed.

[@Pollenoverponds]

Yay thanks!

[@mrmoondoggful]

I get this question all the time...and my answer is always the same. If you would like a valuation of your stone, I must have it in hand to do so. It is a very simple concept...I thought at least. In my younger days, I was a pro photographer and sold high end photographic equipment. We would get calls from customers about repairs and they would say things like 'My camera stopped taking photos...do you know what is wrong and how much would it be to fix it?' *facepalm*

[@GemologyforSchmucks]

Jeepers. It sounds like you can indeed relate. On par with with making a phone call: "i'm ill, Doc... What should I take?" Give me that unicorn pill! XD Ah well ~ on the one hand, there is at least optimism in the world. On the other hand... some folk make optimism look bad.

[@mrmoondoggful]

Bingo! Humans gonna human lol@@GemologyforSchmucks

[@Algoldprospecting]

You looked confused but you never said what the stone was 😮

[@GemologyforSchmucks]

Indeed not~ as that was not the goal of the video ^_^ . I do believe I drop the identity in other episodes however, if you're keen to find out #treasurehunt

[@valesialabelle4848]

I am a new subscriber, And I have questions about other gemstones other natural stones, I'm looking to invest in laramar, I need to know more about and how to identify fake from real, I recently found out that they have stopped Mining Laramar in 2021 because of. Cause of the The difficulty in mining and loss of life. Any knowledge that you could Provide that would be totally awesome, P s, As always sending peace love and joy your way happy new year

[@GemologyforSchmucks]

Happy New Year, and welcome to the channel. Larimar is a stone that I don't have extensive experience with, nor do I have an in depth understanding of the mining situation surrounding it. We mostly see lower grades in Bangkok.I would suggest you approach a company or dealer that specializes in this material.

[@anniepoulton8501]

You shouldn't identify any gemstones by pictures or video

[@GemologyforSchmucks]

Absolutely correct, Annie. This is what I've been saying from the beginning of this channel, though some folks seem to still have SO much faith.