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name: identify-gemstone locale: wenyan-ultra source_locale: en source_commit: 82c77053 fence_basis_commit: 82c77053 translator: "Julius Brussee homage — caveman" translation_date: "2026-04-24" description: > Identify gemstones using optical properties, physical tests, and inclusion analysis. Covers refractive index, specific gravity, pleochroism, spectroscopy indicators, and common simulant detection. Use when identifying an unknown gemstone, verifying a seller's claim about species identity, distinguishing natural stones from simulants or synthetics, building gemological literacy through structured observation, or identifying rough material before cutting to ensure safe handling. license: MIT allowed-tools: Read metadata: author: Philipp Thoss version: "1.0" domain: lapidary complexity: intermediate language: natural tags: lapidary, gemstones, identification, mineralogy, optics

辨寶石

以系統性物光性試、包體析、對已知種剖排除法辨寶石。

用

• 未知寶石欲辨種
• 驗賣者之寶石身分斷
• 分自然寶石於常仿或合成
• 用結構觀試建寶石學知
• 切前辨毛料以保安處理

入

• 必：寶石樣（散石宜；鑲者限試）
• 可：折射儀與接觸液（RI 液，1.81 標）
• 可：二色鏡（察多色性）
• 可：Chelsea 色濾
• 可：比重秤或重液
• 可：10x 放大鏡或寶石顯微鏡
• 可：UV 燈（長 365nm 與短 254nm）
• 可：偏光鏡（察光性）

行

一：目察

以裸眼再以 10x 放大察樣。

Visual Inspection Checklist:
+--------------------+------------------------------------------+
| Observation        | Record                                   |
+--------------------+------------------------------------------+
| Colour             | Hue (red, blue, green...), saturation    |
|                    | (vivid, moderate, weak), tone            |
|                    | (light, medium, dark)                    |
+--------------------+------------------------------------------+
| Transparency       | Transparent, translucent, opaque         |
+--------------------+------------------------------------------+
| Luster             | Adamantine, vitreous, waxy, pearly,      |
|                    | silky, resinous                          |
+--------------------+------------------------------------------+
| Cut style          | Faceted, cabochon, carved, rough         |
+--------------------+------------------------------------------+
| Estimated size     | Approximate dimensions (mm) and weight   |
+--------------------+------------------------------------------+
| Surface condition  | Scratches, chips, abrasion, wear pattern |
+--------------------+------------------------------------------+
| Phenomena          | Star (asterism), cat's eye               |
|                    | (chatoyancy), play of colour, colour     |
|                    | change, adularescence                    |
+--------------------+------------------------------------------+

1. 於日光當光（5500-6500K）下記本色
2. 從不同角透石察色帶
3. 評透與光——此即縮候選
4. 尋光現象（星、貓眼、色遊）
5. 記裸眼可見包體

得：全目覽含色、透、光、諸現象。僅此即縮候至可管列。

敗：光劣（黃室光）→記限。日光或等效燈強薦。鎢絲光改色感致色變石誤辨。

二：物性試

試可測物性縮辨識。

Key Physical Properties:
+--------------------+------------------------------------------+
| Property           | Method                                   |
+--------------------+------------------------------------------+
| Hardness (Mohs)    | Scratch test against reference minerals  |
|                    | or hardness pencils. CAUTION: Do NOT     |
|                    | scratch faceted gemstones — use other    |
|                    | tests instead for cut stones             |
+--------------------+------------------------------------------+
| Specific gravity   | Hydrostatic weighing:                    |
| (SG)               | SG = weight in air / (weight in air -    |
|                    | weight in water)                         |
|                    |                                          |
|                    | Common SG values:                        |
|                    | Quartz: 2.65                             |
|                    | Beryl: 2.68-2.74                         |
|                    | Tourmaline: 3.02-3.26                    |
|                    | Topaz: 3.53                              |
|                    | Corundum: 3.99-4.01                      |
|                    | Zircon: 4.60-4.73                        |
|                    | CZ: 5.65-5.95                            |
+--------------------+------------------------------------------+
| Heft               | Does the stone feel heavier or lighter   |
|                    | than expected for its size?              |
|                    | CZ and zircon feel noticeably heavy      |
|                    | Quartz and glass feel average            |
+--------------------+------------------------------------------+

1. 毛料：用 Mohs 參點試硬度
2. 切石：用流體靜力法測 SG
3. 評重——有經驗者單以重分 CZ 於鑽
4. 記表可見之解理面

得：硬度範（毛料）或 SG 值（切石），足分候選種。SG 常為切石最強單診斷。

敗：靜力秤無→用重試為粗導。覺「過重於其尺」者多 SG 高（>3.5）。硬度試將損切石→略至光試。

三：光試

用寶石光儀取決定性特性。

Optical Property Tests:
+--------------------+------------------------------------------+
| Test               | What It Reveals                          |
+--------------------+------------------------------------------+
| Refractive Index   | Measured on refractometer with RI fluid  |
| (RI)               | Diagnostic for most species:             |
|                    | Quartz: 1.544-1.553                      |
|                    | Beryl: 1.577-1.583                       |
|                    | Tourmaline: 1.624-1.644                  |
|                    | Topaz: 1.609-1.617                       |
|                    | Corundum: 1.762-1.770                    |
|                    | Spinel: 1.718                            |
|                    | Diamond: 2.417 (OTL on refractometer)    |
|                    | CZ: 2.15 (OTL on refractometer)          |
+--------------------+------------------------------------------+
| Birefringence      | Difference between high and low RI       |
| (BR)               | Quartz: 0.009                            |
|                    | Corundum: 0.008                          |
|                    | Tourmaline: 0.018-0.020                  |
|                    | Singly refractive: 0 (spinel, garnet,    |
|                    | diamond)                                 |
+--------------------+------------------------------------------+
| Pleochroism        | Colour variation with crystal direction  |
| (dichroscope)      | Strong: tourmaline, tanzanite, iolite    |
|                    | Moderate: corundum, topaz                |
|                    | None: singly refractive stones           |
+--------------------+------------------------------------------+
| Optic character    | Singly refractive (SR), doubly           |
| (polariscope)      | refractive (DR), aggregate (AGG)         |
+--------------------+------------------------------------------+
| UV fluorescence    | Long-wave and short-wave UV response     |
|                    | Diamond: often blue (LWUV)               |
|                    | Ruby: strong red (LWUV)                  |
|                    | Emerald: usually inert                   |
+--------------------+------------------------------------------+
| Chelsea filter     | Transmits deep red and yellow-green      |
|                    | Emerald (Cr): appears red/pink           |
|                    | Aquamarine: appears green                |
|                    | Blue synthetic spinel: appears red       |
+--------------------+------------------------------------------+

1. 折射儀測 RI——取高低兩讀以求雙折射
2. 二色鏡試多色性——緩轉記色變
3. 偏光鏡察光性（SR vs DR vs AGG）
4. 試 UV 螢光，長短皆試
5. 疑鉻色者用 Chelsea 濾

得：RI 值（至 0.001）、雙折射、光性、多色述、UV 反應。合二步即可確辨多數寶石種。

敗：RI 超限（OTL，>1.81）→多為鑽、CZ、鋯石（高型）或高 RI 合成。用 SG 與熱導分。無折射儀→倚 SG + 目性 + 包體。

四：包體析

放大察內以確種、分自然與合成。

Diagnostic Inclusions by Species:
+------------------+------------------------------------------+
| Species          | Characteristic Inclusions                |
+------------------+------------------------------------------+
| Diamond          | Crystals (garnet, diopside), feathers,   |
|                  | cloud, graining, pinpoints               |
+------------------+------------------------------------------+
| Ruby/Sapphire    | Silk (rutile needles), fingerprints,     |
|                  | colour zoning (straight angular),        |
|                  | crystal inclusions                       |
+------------------+------------------------------------------+
| Emerald          | Three-phase inclusions (solid + liquid + |
|                  | gas), jardin (garden-like fractures),    |
|                  | pyrite crystals                          |
+------------------+------------------------------------------+
| Tourmaline       | Growth tubes, liquid-filled fractures    |
+------------------+------------------------------------------+
| Quartz/Amethyst  | Tiger stripes, phantoms, two-phase       |
|                  | inclusions, negative crystals            |
+------------------+------------------------------------------+

Synthetic Indicators:
+------------------+------------------------------------------+
| Synthetic Type   | Telltale Inclusions                      |
+------------------+------------------------------------------+
| Flame fusion     | Curved growth lines (striae),            |
| (Verneuil)       | gas bubbles (spherical)                  |
+------------------+------------------------------------------+
| Flux grown       | Flux fingerprints (wispy veils),         |
|                  | platinum platelets                       |
+------------------+------------------------------------------+
| Hydrothermal     | Chevron or zigzag growth patterns,       |
|                  | seed plate remnant                       |
+------------------+------------------------------------------+
| Glass simulants  | Round gas bubbles, swirl marks,          |
|                  | conchoidal fracture chips                |
+------------------+------------------------------------------+

1. 寶石顯微鏡暗場照或 10x 放大下斜光察
2. 先尋種診斷包體
3. 察合成指示——曲紋與氣泡為焰熔合成之定論
4. 記包體型、位、頻
5. 可則攝包體供檔案

得：種確之包體模與自然/合成之判。某種由包體辨勝於光性（如祖母綠之 jardin）。

敗：石眼淨 10x 無見→或極淨自然或合成。缺包體升合成概率——取光與物試確。必要則實驗室析（FTIR、Raman）。

五：排除法辨

交叉諸數據達末辨。

1. 合性剖：
   • 色+透+光
   • 硬度或 SG
   • RI+雙折射+光性
   • 多色+UV
   • 包體模
2. 比候選種之參考表
3. 排除有測性衝突之種
4. 若二候以上留→辨決定試：
   • 例：藍托帕石 vs 海藍——SG 為決定（3.53 vs 2.70）
5. 以信心級陳辨：
   • 確：多性確單種
   • 或：性合單種而一試缺
   • 不確：數據衝突或試不足——薦送實驗室

得：末種辨（如「天然藍寶，熱處理」）含各試類之證。或於野試不足時明薦送實驗室析。

敗：不能以可用具辨→書諸測性送寶石實驗室。予實驗室所測數據，加速其析。

驗

• 目察於日光當光畢
• 至少二物性已測（硬度/SG + 他一）
• 若有折射儀→RI 已測且雙折射已算
• 若有二色鏡→多色性已試
• 包體至少於 10x 放大下察
• 辨由系統排除達，非假
• 常仿皆顯考並排
• 自然/合成判已定（或標不確）

忌

• 僅信色：色為最不可靠之辨性。藍石含藍寶、托帕、海藍、坦桑、堇青、尖晶、玻、CZ。必以可測性確
• 略鑲石之 SG：鑲石限試，然仍可察 RI、多色、包體、UV。書限非猜
• 混高 RI 合成與自然：焰熔紅藍寶 RI 與 SG 同自然。唯包體（曲紋 vs 直生長）分
• 假貴=自然：商業珠飾常含處理、合成、仿。每石必試不論聲稱
• 損樣：絕勿硬度試切石——留明劃。切石用非破試（RI、SG、包體）

參

• cut-gemstone
• appraise-gemstone
• mineral-identification