How To Identify Raw Gemstones

Few people tread out in the open looking for gems. They are gem hunters and spend a good part of their life prospecting for gemstones. If you have been bitten by this prospecting bug then read the following paragraphs carefully.

Identifying a raw gem involves several steps. They are explained below.

Step 1 – Observe the stone carefully

Try to find out the weight of the gemstone. A gemstone is slightly heavier than similar looking stones. Gauge the feel of the stone. Try to scratch the stone and check if scratching or cracking it is easy or not. Try to break open the stone. Notice how the stone breaks. Different types of gemstone break in different ways. Some types of gemstone will splinter while some stones will fracture choncoidally. Some types of gemstone will develop a cleavage instead of splintering. Raw gemstones are also identified by the way they fracture. Jade fractures into splinters while some other stones like fluorite and calcite will develop cleavages. Other types of gemstones however develop conchoidal fractures.

Step 2 – Examine the crystalline structure of the stone

Not every colorful looking stone you find in the open or in a mine can be a gemstone. You have to examine the stone’s crystalline structure – shape and the size of the crystals in the stone. Jewelers call this process finding the “crystal habit of the raw stone”. If you are not experienced in identifying the crystal habit, then take a book of gemstones along with you for reference. Emeralds have a crystal habit of hexagonal prisms, sapphires have a crystal habit of hexagonal bipyramids, the crystal habit of calcite is oblique oblong and that of garnets is cute rhomboid.

Step 3 – Check the stone’s density – Its specific gravity (heft)

The specific gravity of gemstones is measured using a hydrostatic machine. You will have to measure the specific gravity of the stone. A ratio of the weight of the gemstone in the air against the weight of the stone in water is noted. Values for some of the gemstones are – diamond – 3.52, sapphire and rubies – 4, jadeite – 3.33. There will be inconsistencies while measuring the specific gravity of raw gems as several types of minerals will be sticking to them. A specific gravity table of gemstones also known as

heft values; can be used to help in identification.

Step 4 – Check for inclusions

A raw gemstone will naturally have some impurities like – foreign minerals, trapped bubbles of air or liquid, cracks, which form due to the immense pressure exerted on the stones. These impurities are called as ‘inclusions’ by jewelers. Often, real gemstones are identified by their inclusions. For example tourmaline stones have elongated bubbles of liquid trapped inside. Similarly, ruby and sapphire, which are corundum stones, have tiny needle like inclusions that may intersect at 60 or 120 degrees inside the stone.

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