The final instalment in my series on jewels that play with light examines three different gems that, while they do not change color, have a unique internal structure that allows light to produce interesting optical effects. Two of them, popularly known as cat’s eye and tigers eye, are well known. The third family of stones…
Category: Jewels That Play with Light
Jewels That Play With Light: Amazing Alexandrite
By far the rarest of all the “jewels that play with light” is alexandrite. Despite the fact that it is the precious birthstone for June as well as for a 55th wedding anniversary, it is not well known by the public. It may surprise many people to learn that this gem can be far more…
Jewels That Play With Light: Mysterious Moonstone, Luminous Labradorite and Scintillating Sunstone
Second in my series on jewels that play with light is the mysterious moonstone, along with its two ‘sisters’, labradorite and sunstone. All three are feldspar stones, a family that comprises about 60% of all minerals found on earth. A shared characteristic of all the feldspars is that their internal structure is crystalline. It’s this…
Jewels That Play With Light: Opals, Real and Faux
Within the small family of jewels that “play with light”, opals surely claim top honors for variety as well as sheer beauty. The opal’s fascination deepens when one realizes just how many kinds there are and how they differ. From natural to synthetic to frank imitations, the range is nothing short of amazing. Let’s look…
The Chatsworth Lady 