JEWEL PROPERTIES

DOUBLE REFRACTION (200X) DOUBLE REFRACTION (10X)
This photo, taken at 200X, shows Moissanite created by Charles & Colvard’s double refraction. Moissanite is cut with the table perpendicular to the “c” axis; consequently, by looking through the table of a stone, one is viewing the singly refractive direction which does not produce doubling. Viewing through the crown or pavilion facets is recommended. Diamond is singly refractive, and therefore does not show doubling. By using a 10X loupe to look throught the crown or pavilion facets of a round brilliant cut stone, one can easily see the double image of back facet edges – almost like “track lines” that must be parallel.

 

BRILLIANCE: measured by the amount of white light that enters a jewel and then is reflected back to the viewer.
FIRE: the breaking of light rays into the color spectrum, measured by the amount of colored flashes viewed when the jewel is moved in various lighting conditions.
LUSTER: the amount of light that is reflected back to the viewer from the surface of the jewel.
DURABILITY: determined by its hardness, or resistance to scratching, and its toughness, or resistance to chipping or cleaving.
RARITY: the availability or preceived availability of a jewel.

 

COMPARISON CHART
REFRACTIVE INDEX(BRILLIANCE)
DISPRESSION(FIRE)
LUSTERINDEX

MOHS

HARDNESS
TOUGHNESS
SPECIFICGRAVITY
Moissanite

2.65-2.69
0.104
20.4%
9.25
Excellent
3.21
Diamond
2.42
0.044
17.2%
10
Good*
3.52
Ruby

1.77
0.018
7.4%
9
Excellent**
4.00
Sapphire
1.77
0.018
7.4%
9
Excellent**
4.00
Emerald
1.58
0.014
4.8%
7.5
Good to Poor
2.72