Morganite | Pearl jewelry | Chalcedony

Q: I am having a problem and I hope you can help. I have difficulty stringing precious gem beads. I can’t seem to get my needles through the tiny holes. I would appreciate any help you can give me.
Thank you for your informative newsletter.
I hope you can help me, and soon. L.R.

A: Based on my understanding, here is how it is done at our gem cutting facility in India. Cut a 3”~4” length of household electric cord. Cut and peel off the plastic covering and you will find 2 strands of twisted wires. Untwist the strands and separate the individual tiny wires. Take one tiny wire, fold it in half, and place your thread through the folded end. Without twisting the wire, use this as a two pointed needle and thread your precious gem beads.

And now back to our Toughness Chart:

Here is information for using the following chart:

TOUGHNESS CODE: POOR, FAIR, GOOD, EXCELENT. (WEAKEST TO STRONGEST).
COLOR CODE: BLACK= BK, BLUE= BL, BROWN= BR, COLORLESS= CL, GOLD= GD, GRAY= GY, GREEN= GN, PINK= PK, ORANGE= OR, RED= RD, VIOLET= VL, WHITE= WT, YELLOW=YW, WHITE= WT, OPAQUE=OP, TRANSPARENT=TP, DARK= DK, LIGHT= LT,
HARDNESS CODE: 1 TO 10 (SOFTEST TO HARDEST).

GEM NAME	COLORS	HARD-NESS	TOUGH-NESS	NOTES
CORUNDUM GROUP	ALL COLORS	9	EXCELENT (EXCEPT FRACTURED STONES)	AVOID HEAT W/IRRADIATED STONES. AVOID HEAT & SOLVENTS W/ OILED OR DYED GEMS. BORAX ETCHES SURFACE. .
RUBY	VARYING REDS	9	EXCELENT	“ “ “ “ .
SAPPHIRE	ALL EXCEPT RED	9	EXCELENT	“ “ “ “ .
DIAMOND	CL & ALL	10	GOOD-EXCEPTIONAL	CAN CLEAVE IF EDGE IS KNOCKED. HIGH HEAT CAN ETCH FACES.
DIAMOND-COLORED&	ALL	10	GOOD-EXCEPTIONAL	HEAT ALTERS COLOR IN NATURAL GREEN & ALL IRRADIATED .
DOLOMITE	NONE, PASTELS	3.5-4	FAIR	EASILLY DYED, AVOID ACIDS MOST IS DYED & GIVEN TRADE NAMES. .
DIOPSIDE	GN,YW,BK,NONE	5-6	FAIR-POOR	CLEAVES EASILLY .
STAR DIOPSIDE	BLACK	5-6	FAIR-POOR	4 POINTED STAR, CLEAVES .
CHROME DIOPSIDE	EMERALD GN	5-6	FAIR-POOR	CLEAVES .
DIOPTASE	EM/GN-BL/GN	5	FAIR	BRITTLE.
DUMORTIERITE	DK/BL-VL/BL, RD/BN	7-8.5	FAIR
FELDSPAR GROUP	MOST.	6-6.5	POOR	CLEVAGE PERFECT & IN 2 DIRECTIONS. HEAT MAY CRACK OR CLEAVE .
AMAZONITE	GN, BL/GN	6-6.5	POOR	MOTTLED OR EVEN COLOR. IMPORTANT GEM IN MORACCO & No..AFRICA
MOONSTONE	CL, YW, WT.	6-6.5	POOR	VITRIOUS LUSTER W/BLUE FLASHES. SENSITIVE TO PRESSURE. .
ORTHOCLASE	OP. CHAMPAIGN	6-6.5	POOR	VITRIOUS LUSTER. .
LABRADORITE	DK/GY-GY/BK	6-6.5	POOR	AKA SPECTROLITE. COLORFUL METALIC PLAY OF COLOR, BRITTLE. .
SUNSTONE	OR, RD/BN	6-6.5	POOR	AKA AVENTURINE FELDSPAR. BRITTLE. .
FLUORITE	CL, ALL	4	POOR	CLEAVES EASILLY. BRITTLE, AVOID HEAT, FLAME, SULFURIC ACID. .
GARNET GROUP	ALL COLORS	6.5-7.5	FAIR-GOOD	AVOID THERMAL SHOCK.
PYROPE	RED [W/BRN TINT]			IMITATIONS MADE OF RED GLASS
RHODOLITE	ROSE VAR. PYROPE
ALMANDINE	RED W/VIOLET TINT
SPESSARTINE	ORANGE-RED/BROWN
GROSSULAR	CL, GREEN,YELLOW,BROWN
HESSONITE	RED/BROWN			AKA CINNAMON STONE
HYDROGROSSULAR	OPQ/GREEN, DENSE OPAQUE GREEN			AKA: AFRICAN JADE, TRANSVAL JADE .
TSAVORITE	GREEN-EMERALD/GREEN		AKA: TSAVOLITE
ANDRADE [VAR.]	BLACK,BROWN,YELLOW/BROWN
DEMANTOID	GREEN-EMERALD/GREEN			THE MOST VALUABLE GARNET
MELANITE	OPAQUE BLACK			USED FOR MOURNING JEWELRY. CONFUSED WITH BLACK GLASS. .
TOPAZOLITE	YELLOW-LEMON/YELLOW
UVAROVITE	EMERALD GREEN
GASPEITE	OPQ. LT/GREEN	4.5-5		VITRIOUS LUSTER
GNEISS	GY,GRNISH,BRNISH, REDISH		GOOD	A ROCK, BLACK & WHITE, COMPOSED OF QUARTZ & FELDSPAR. USED IN AFRICA & BY ANCIENT CIVILIZATIONS
GOLD IN QUARTZ	GOLD & WHITE	2.5-3 + 7	GOOD	CRYSTALINE GOLD FINGERS IN MILKY QUARTZ MATRIX. .
GOLDSTONE	GOLD, BLUE	6	GOOD	MAN MADE. COPPER & BRASS FILINGS IN COLORED GLASS. AKA. AVENTURINE GLASS.
GYPSUM	WT,YISH,PK,BLUISH	2	POOR	AKA:SELENITE. FIBEROUS, SILKY LUSTER. VERY HEAT & ACID SENSITIVE

Tune in next week for more stones!

REFERENCES:
1) GIA (GEMOLOGICAL INSTITUTE OF AMERICA) PUBLICATIONS.
2) GEMSTONES OF THE WORLD, BY WALTER SCHUMANN
3) NUMEROUS OTHER GEMS, MINERALS, AND ROCKS BOOKS AND PUBLICATIONS + YEARS OF
STUDY & EXPERIENCE.