My silly Q! Identification

[Webless]

Hi Guys

I'm Jace, ( From Brisbane but living in Sydney ( god help me )) I've been prowling around the forum for a while learning everything i can You guys all sound like a top bunch of people

My "silly" question is.. How in the hell do you guys identify Gemstones..? Lol I see people showing off gem stones often that are for example 3 stones .. all yellow and similar looking.. but ones a topaz.. ones amethyst and the other is.. i dunno a yellowy sapphire.. to Me there is nothing visible i can see to make one different from another.. especially when all the stones are river smoothed!

As a kind of example: I've been out fossicking lately and found some nice quartz bits.. like.. smooth river stone looking quartz.. and i've been playing around with cutting them on my laps and although one may look like the other.. one is VERY hard and takes 2-3 times longer to cutt then the other..

I'm a reptile keeper and from experience in that field i know identifying characteristics of reptiles most people would think are all the same..

Because of this i know there must be special tell-tale signs that each Gem stone type exhibits that i am just not seeing..

Would love some help seeing what i'm not seeing! Love some picture references for any advise if possible Would be great to say with confidence.. THATS A SPINEL! thats a topaz .. thats a garnet or "this kind of garnet" etc

Thanks!

Jace

[Aussie Sapphire]

It is often a whole variety of things - crystal habit, cleavage, lustre, specific gravity (often felt as "heft" out in the field), etc.

Coming up with a positive id generally takes a few (sometimes more) diagnostic tests - some of which are easy to do and others more complicated or require particular tools. Becoming a gemmologist takes some years of training so being sure of an id is not always easy.

Pictures do not often help all that much but I would recommend you check out mindat.org for a very comprehensive library of photos of gems/minerals from all round the world.  Lots of really good info here:

For example, the listings for amethyst are here:

http://www.mindat.org/min-198.html
http://www.gemdat.org/gem-198.html
and more photos that you can poke a stick at:  http://www.mindat.org/gallery.php?min=198

Here is a discussion about distinguishing topaz and quartz that might give an idea how people tell the difference in the field:

http://aussielapidaryforum.com/forum/index.php?topic=1804.0

cheers
Leah

[Jimnyjerry]

Welcome to ALF Webless.

Leah has given you some good info, the other thing I would add is join a lapidary club in Sydney for some face to face discussions on gemstones and faceting,
here is a spot to start looking for a club
http://gemlapidarycouncilnsw.org.au/clubs/

[Findem]

Hi Jace - you need to get out with someone who knows what they are finding. Nothing beats finding your own gemstones and having them identified on the spot. May I recommend Captain Mendoza's Friday Fossicking based in Glen Innes? Follow this link on ALF http://aussielapidaryforum.com/forum/index.php?action=search2 . You can also check out the links below for my blog and videos.

[Butts]

Welcome Webless

As has been said getting out with someone who knows is a great way and of course pictures also helps. Once you know them you don't really actually recall why you know what it is you just do (bit like a snake to you I guess).

When I first went Sapphire mining for a living I asked an old guy much the same question. He just looked at me and said Mate this is now your living you will learn real quick. He was right.

Growing up around rocks my son at 6 could walk around and look at stones a tourist had found and correctly call them much to their surprise.

Cheers Butts

[starsapphire78]

Welcome to ALF Webless ,i hope you enjoy your time here, and find the answers you seek

[colza]

Ditto Webless. Like anything new the more you get into it in every way possible - field trips, buying books... - the more understanding'll come your way & enjoyment, too.
Cheers,
colza

[Webless]

Thanks everyone! some good info and advise there! Appreciate your time I'm not able to join a club here as i'll be moving to queensland later this year But i'm looking forward to joining one! There is rocks and crystals strewn everywhere in my house now hahaha

Thanks again

Jace.

[Webless]

Hello!

Thanks! I'm starting to get the idea that a lot of the gemstones we treasure and find are in essence grouped into " this is made of eg. silicon and oxygen " but different extras are added to make other things? like Amethyst is just quartz with iron and magnesium? Are all clear-ish crystals made from this same basic formula?

I really appreciate the advise guys!

[Jimnyjerry]

Different chemical formulae groups.

Grab a book like Gemstones & Minerals of Australia by Lin Sutherland & Gayle Webb (major book stores in Sydney) or a second hand oldie like How to Find Gemstones in Australia & New Zealand by Bill Myatt.

They are a good source of information or go try http://www.mindat.org/mineralindex.php