Talk:Imitation Gemstones
Another possibility for imitating sapphire (blue corundum) is blue quartz, which gets its coloration from inclusions of crocidolite or rutile fibers. Yet another possibilty is dumortierite quartz, also known as blue aventurine. The latter tends to be semi-opaque, while blue quartz is more translucent (compare with green aventurine). I haven't seen enough of either on the market to judge their respective qualities. Based on what little I have seen, I tend to favor the blue quartz over the blue aventurine. I have seen some rather nice specimens of blue quartz, from Madagascar, being sold on the internet. Both matierials have a Mohs hardness of '7', making them durable enough for any jewelry application. Blue aventurine tends to resemble denim lapis rather than corundum. Both types of quartz are less expensive than blue topaz (roughly half the cost). The trick is finding a reliable supply. Ld Hærek
fake is period
This is a cool article. I was under the impression that fake gemstones were period no? I heard once they were made out of glass or glass paste. I have seen similar things in museums. Sabine 06:59, 21 November 2006 (EST)
Indeed some of the info about particular imiattions says which were period substitutions. It would be great to have more detail though. I've edited the introduction to enhance the mention that imitation gemstones is a period practise. If anyone fancies oing a google search, links ot period examples of carbacons and other imitations would be much appreciated.Tiff
You might try [1] This will take you to an Italian website that analyzes the gemstones in the Iron Crown. Crown Jewels Timeline [2] shows several excellent examples of period jewelry. Pliny the Elder mentions that common gemstones were sometimes palmed off as precious stones, such as claiming a rock crystal as diamond. Other times it was a case of mistaken identity, such as mistaking red spinel for ruby. I did recommend some out-of-period stones, chiefy from a concern for economy. A $100 tourmaline may seem quite expensive until you compare it with a $1000 emerald of the same weight and cut. Ld Hærek
Photos!
I was in a museum in NYC 2 weeks ago and I got some close-ups of fake gems on a statue. I don't have time to put them up right now but I wanted you to know they were there. Sabine 15:40, 6 January 2007 (EST)
http://cunnan.sca.org.au/wiki/Image:FakeGems01.jpg
http://cunnan.sca.org.au/wiki/Image:FakeGems02.jpg
Thanks for the photos, Sabine. I noticed that one of the links I included (for topaz crystals) has gone dead. I have removed that link, but have added some others that might be of interest. --Ld Hærek 07:47, 11 July 2007 (EST)
