THE IMPORTANCE OF LIGHT IN GEMOLOGY

Colour is the most obvious optical property, but the way that light interacts with the structure of a gemstone also gives it other optical properties which combine to make each gemstone unique. Effects produced by light reflecting off a gem's surface, off layers or struc­tures within or passing through a gemstone assist the gemologist in identification, but also give each gemstone its particular quality and beauty.

Light reflected off the surface of a gemstone gives the gemstone its lustre, whether it looks metallic, glassy or dull. The brightness and quality of the lustre depends on the condition of the surface, the degree of polish and the refractive index. The greater the amount of light that is reflected back towards the eye, both from the surface of a gemstone and having entered the stone, from internal reflections such as off the inside of the back of the stone (pavilion facets), the brighter the stone will appear. The amount of light, which can pass through a gemstone, will define whether it is transparent, translucent or opaque.

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