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Friday, 08 November 2024

The Science of Gemstone Colors

The Science of Gemstone Colors

Gemstones have always been admired for their beauty and mysterious charm, but one feature that makes some of them particularly unique is the ability of certain stones to change color depending on the light or the surrounding environment.

This fascinating phenomenon has deep scientific roots, involving the chemistry and physics of precious stones.

Stones that change color, such as alexandrite and corundum, are considered among the rarest and most precious. This phenomenon, known as "color change," occurs when the gemstone appears one color under one light source (such as natural or sunlight) and a different color under artificial light (such as incandescent light).

Alexandrite, for example, appears green-blue in natural light and red-purple under artificial light because the chromium within the stone’s structure absorbs specific wavelengths of light, creating the color change in response to different light sources. Each light source has a different distribution of wavelengths; for instance, sunlight contains more blue components, while incandescent light has a predominance of red components. This means that under natural light, the gemstone mainly reflects blue-green wavelengths, while under artificial light, the red tones will appear more intense.

The color change in alexandrite is so striking that it is often described by the phrase "emerald by day, ruby by night." While other gemstones may also change color based on the light source, the transformation of alexandrite is so remarkable that this particular effect is named after it: the "alexandrite effect."

The color change in gemstones is not just an aesthetic feature but represents an interesting application of optical and chemical science.

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