Gemstone
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A gemstone is a piece of mineral crystal which, when cut or polished, is used to make jewelry or other adornments. Certain rocks and occasionally organic materials that are not minerals may also be us
A collection of gemstone pebbles made by tumbling the rough stones, except the ruby and tourmaline, with abrasive grit inside a rotating barrel. The largest pebble here is 40 mm (1.6 in) long.
Spanish emerald and gold pendant at Victoria and Albert Museum
Enamelled gold, amethyst, and pearl pendant, about 1880, Pasquale Novissimo (1844–1914), V&A Museum number M.36-1928
A diamond cutter in Amsterdam
Ruby
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Ruby is a pinkish-red to blood-red-colored gemstone, a variety of the mineral corundum, consisting of aluminium oxide. Ruby is one of the most popular traditional jewelry gems and is very durable. Oth
Gemstone
…with a distinction between precious and semi-precious; similar distinctions are made in other cultures. In modern use, the precious stones are emerald, ruby, sapphire and diamond, with all other gemstones being semi-precious. This distinction reflects the rarity of the respective stones in ancient times…
A ruby crystal from Dodoma Region, Tanzania
The main ruby-producing countries
Crystal structure of ruby showing the substitution of Al3+ ions (blue) with Cr3+ (red). The substitution density of Cr3+ ions in this model is approximately 2%, approximating the maximum doping normally encountered.
Ruby (Corundum) - Hunza Valley, div. Gilgit, Northern Areas, Pakistan.