Gemstones go to Disco?! [ Polariscope Tutorial ]

[@elsabe13]

An amazing friend gifted me a Polariscope, I think it’s Russian - it has a built in conoscope. You are a very gifted teacher Peter! This is helping me learn how to use it. Love your level of detail! I also have a matching Russian Refractometer from my friend! I was so happy to receive these cool pieces of equipment!

[@GemologyforSchmucks]

That sounds like some exciting treasure to have been gifted. What a lovely friend.

[@Jewelsbyburak]

I was in Bangkok 2 months ago, i wish i visited you

[@andreasraptopoulos4967]

Great work, as always! 😉

[@GemologyforSchmucks]

Thanks very much :D

[@blantyresteelltd.6794]

Hi Peter. I have recently developed an interest in gemology and i love watching your very informative videos. I wonder where i could get some practical ecperience in order to underdtand gems bettet. Derpak Sood . Nairobi. Kenya

[@GemologyforSchmucks]

Thanks very much for your comment, and I'm glad that my videos add value to you and support your growth of knowledge. Kenya has some great gem materials, and my main suggestion for getting practical experience is this: go find a gem market and walk around looking at everything you can. Buy if you think it is pretty, but only at the price that you think is worth the beauty. The true price of a gem is a meeting point between what is beautiful and inherently rare. Once you have seen enough gemstones, and talked to enough people about gems that they enjoy, you will know is beautiful, but also difficult to find. So my suggestion is go, see, and touch (after asking XD) Kenya and Tanzania both have some significant gem trading centers to my understanding. I've not yet been to East Africa, so I will refrain from giving specific names.

[@tnfaccess6047]

Hi, would this be useful in identifying rough diamonds. If so which benefits would it provide? P.s iv just discovered your channel and love how you deliver your content, learning whiles being entertained. Can we get some content about rough diamonds?

[@GemologyforSchmucks]

@@tnfaccess6047 diamonds are singly refractive, so the polariscope is not particularly helpful in identification.

[@andersonxavier6364]

So, is that useful to identify synthetic amethyst made of quartz, from natural amethyst or both will have the same characteristic? Thanks for the video.

[@GemologyforSchmucks]

Thanks for your question~ as a beginning - all synthetic materials are the same as natural stones chemically and crystallographically, aside from their growth conditions, and perhaps their inclusion scenes. Natural amethyst and synthetic amethyst are both quartz. Inclusions that can show the stone is from a natural origin, or a lab condition origin are what we rely on to distinguish natural from synthetic amethyst

[@billwidener6780]

What is a giid reference book that will list the stones that do split light and tells what how they react. I am only getting started and don't know for sure if I want to take the training like from the gem society.

[@GemologyforSchmucks]

Hi Bill ~ that's actually in a video I was working on yesterday. There's a new chapter of videos coming out soon, so keep your eyes peeled.

[@billwidener6780]

@@GemologyforSchmucks That's great. I will be looking forward to watching them. Love all your videos, thank you very much.

[@prasannaperies9416]

Thank you. Prasanna, from Los Angeles.

[@GemologyforSchmucks]

My pleasure Prasanna~

[@ameliavanderberg9543]

Polaris is my FAVORITE star!

[@GemologyforSchmucks]

I'm also a fan of north ~ its a good direction XD

[@enasoii]

What is the brand of Polariscope you use?

[@GemologyforSchmucks]

This one is Gemex. There’s a shop in Bangkok called Sachi Tools that distributes. Check out their site ~

[@Couturestroke]

Thank you. Can I use Polaris cope with gems on settings (jewelry)?

[@GemologyforSchmucks]

Excellent question ~ yes, absolutely. Thats one of my favourite perks of this instrument. There are some types of information (optic axis etc) that may be difficult to find because of the jewelry mounting, but it's definitely worth checking the polariscope to see what you can see during the identification process.

[@Couturestroke]

@@GemologyforSchmucks thank you very much 💗 I am a complete beginner, will attend workshop in October and considering to get a diploma. Is it worth getting the course?(for career change) It's quite a fortune (1yr graduate course)

[@GemologyforSchmucks]

@@Couturestroke an excellent question, and its one that im asked often. Conveniently enough its also the topic of one of the videos that i'll be releasing soon XD. The short answer for now is: depends on what you really want to do in the gem world. Not everyone needs to spend all that money and time on formal studies. Some folk only need to know about one type of stone and only buy and sell a very specific number of stones and qualities. At that point, a full gemological training isnt necessary, but you WILL need to educate yourself about the stones that you choose to deal with.

[@ricardodelgado7102]

Can you suggest brands for polariscopes that rotate ? Also could you suggest options to.take to.gem fairs, portable ? Thank you.

[@GemologyforSchmucks]

Great question Ricardo - For traveling to fairs/shows i'd suggest this folding type that the Gem-A people get in their kit. Whether its this model or another comparable, i don't think it matters much. This is much more convenient for stones of any size than some of the ones that are tubes that connect to a flashlight. shop.gem-a.com/gemmological-instruments/polariscopes/gem-a-portable-folding-polariscope For an office model this one on amazon is pretty decent. The shops in BKK retail them at about 100usd, so you can use that as a guideline. (link below). Many of us from AIGS prefer one with the upper filter lower down to the body. The height on this one is a bit awkward in our opinion. the link below is a good starting point. www.amazon.com/Generic-Desktop-Polariscope-Built-LED/dp/B00MNEBCEE/ref=sr_1_2?dchild=1&keywords=polariscope&qid=1592109828&sr=8-2

[@GemologyforSchmucks]

FOUND IT! This model it looks like you would need to buy a conoscope separately, so maybe still shop around. www.amazon.com/Optical-Polariscope-Stress-Polarizing-Eyeglass/dp/B0732Q1N5M/ref=sr_1_8?dchild=1&keywords=polariscope&qid=1592109828&sr=8-8&th=1

[@capcomist]

Are polariscopes also useful for seeing the stresses in a crystal? I know this is theoretically possible but are the stresses big enough that you can practically see them when appraising stones?

[@GemologyforSchmucks]

Absolutely - there are certain stress planes (i can't say "all" definitively) that show up as bright swaths of interference colours when oriented correctly between crossed polar filters. It's both beautiful and fascinating.... it also can stir up feelings of disquiet if its your stone XD That said - not all stones are necessarily so fragile just because they have stress planes. Evidently in diamond cutting factories, they'll have a microscope fitted with polarising filters (a pair, just like in the polariscope) so that they can identify stones with precarious stress planes, and plan how they cut the diamonds accordingly. Excellent question, thanks Sam.

[@capcomist]

@@GemologyforSchmucks Interesting! thanks very much :)

[@idonthaveaname42]

Would a portable one be worth getting?

[@GemologyforSchmucks]

There is a portable one that I've heard some folk have, but I've not seen it for sale yet. If you're going into the bush or something, yes its worth getting. Otherwise, the standard size ones would fit in a briefcase or other traveling bag if you were going around with it.

[@fallofmanbrand]

great video bro

[@GemologyforSchmucks]

Thank you Thank you ~~~

[@KC9RXP]

Can I use polorized sunglasses?

[@GemologyforSchmucks]

In certain contexts, yes, which is why its the only kind I choose to own. I hope to make a video sooner than later about how polarized sunglasses can be used in a field context.

[@KC9RXP]

@@GemologyforSchmucks Sweet. Looking forward to that then. 👍

[@TheMasteryo2]

I am definitely going to buy one now I have way to many mystery stone

[@GemologyforSchmucks]

Mystery stones are the beeest. All you need now is a Sherlock Holmes hat and a bubble pipe XD

[@idonthaveaname42]

Wheres a good place to buy these?

[@GemologyforSchmucks]

A refractometer can be bought online. I've seen them on amazon even.

[@fuzzofrizzbeebot2775]

Schmucks ? Right up my ally

[@GemologyforSchmucks]

Glad you enjoy my work~

[@marianavarela5253]

´HI PETER NELSON

[@GemologyforSchmucks]

Hi Mariana~