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Welcome to The Gemology Project

The Gemology Project is a non-profit gemstone and gem science wiki-style database for anyone interested in gemstones and gemology (gemmology). Every month we highlight a gemstone and a piece of gemstone identification equipment to help us all understand more about the wonderful world of colored stones and diamonds.

We invite every gemologist, gemstone dealer or gem enthusiast to share their practical and theoritical gemological knowledge and help this central gemology repository grow.
You can simply click on the "submission" links at the top and bottom of each page and your information will be included as soon as possible.


In the spotlights: Alain van Acker

With great sadness we announce our goodbyes to Alain van Acker, the founding father of this site. He passed away and will be sorely missed. He was a great mind, an excellent teacher and a true friend. His accomplishments will live on though. This site being a solid memory of him and his work. The information provided on this site is an unique opportunity for you to learn more about gemstones. On Alain's behalf: enjoy the ride!


Book tips
Gemstones of the World by Walter Schumann

Gemstones of the World is truly the single volume that every hobbyist, jeweler, jewelry maker, and rockhound needs: it’s the cornerstone of the field. And this updated edition contains a host of new findings on “Gemstones for Collectors,” additional gems in the “Table of Constants,” and the “double fraction” figures that experts have long wanted—a very special new feature.

All the gemstones are treated in their many variations: more than 1,500 full-color photos showcase each precious and semiprecious stone in both its rough, natural, and its polished and cut renditions. Each entry offers complete information on the gemstone’s formation, structure, physical properties, and characteristics, along with the best methods of working, cutting, and polishing it. There are even full treatments of lesser-known gems, from andalusite to vesuvian, and a special section is devoted to rocks as precious stones, including alabaster, onyx, obsidian, and fossils. Organic gem materials are also covered, such as coral, ivory, amber, and pearl. Charts and tables help collectors identify unknown gemstones and check for genuineness.
ISBN 1402740166

Featured article: Sublimation

The sublimation method to create synthetic materials is a method where a solid is heated at appropiate temperatures and pressure, usually in a near vacuum, so that it goes from the solid state directly into the gaseous state, skipping the liquid state. The gas then condenses as a solid, again skipping the liquid state. A material famous for this is CO2 (dry ice); at room temperatures and normal atmospheric pressure this solid block of ice will immediately sublime into a gas.

Synthetic moissanite is the main synthetic gemstone produced by this process ... more



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