Gem Collection (page 5)

Crystal, carving and treated blue topaz
An orange crystal, colourless carving of Queen Victorias head and a heat-treated blue topaz gem of 0.24ct

Birthstone Series: Rose Quartz
A specimen of Rose Quartz from the Natural History Museum, London. Rose Quartz is the birthstone for the month of January (along with Garnet). Photographed by Harry Taylor

Andradite is variety dementoid, garnet and comprises of (calcium iron silicate). These crystals are in a matrix from Lanzada, Valtellina, Italy and the cut stone is from an unknown locality

Diamond and simulants
Five gemstones showing dispersion and light spill. Left to right: strontium titanate, cubic zirconia, diamond, YAG, and synthetic white sapphire

A selection of topaz cut stones
Topaz is the hardest silicate mineral and comprises of (aluminum silicate fluoride hydroxide)

Beryl, variety aquamarine
A specimen of the gemstone, Beryl (Beryllium aluminum silicate). This is the aquamarine variety, which is the blue variety. Another variety of beryl is emerald, which is the green variety

Many colours of corundum
Ruby and sapphire cut corundum stones viewed through their pavilions. Corundum is the second hardest natural mineral known

Birthstone Series: Chrysoprase
A specimen of the mineral, chrysoprase (BM1934.919) from the Natural History Museum, London. Chrysoprase is the birthstone for the month of May (along with Emerald). Photographed by Harry Taylor

Rubies and sapphires
Crystals of ruby from Burma which is the red variety of corundum (aluminium oxide). The other variety is sapphire, this specimen is from Kashmir. The lower left specimen is the Edwardes Ruby

Peridot cut stone 146. 1 ct
Peridot is gem variety of the mineral olivine (Magnesium Iron Silicate). It is also the birthstone of August

Topaz
A crystal and a cut topaz stone from the collections of the Natural History Museum, London. Topaz comprises of (aluminum silicate fluoride hydroxide)

Ruby and sapphire gravel
Ruby and sapphire fragments from gem gravels seen on a background of slate. Ruby and sapphire are both varieties of the mineral corundum (aluminium oxide)

Jadeite crystal and cut stone
Jadeite comprises of (sodium aluminum iron silicate) and is actually not a mineral outright, but is a variety of the mineral actinolite. Specimens from the Natural History Museum, London

Birthstone Series: Onyx
A specimen of the mineral onyx (GM1703), from the Natural History Museum, London. Onyx is the birthstone for the month of February (along with Amethyst). Photographed by Harry Taylor

Birthstone Series: Sardonyx
A specimen of Sardonyx, a variety of quartz, from the Natural History Museum, London. Sardonyx is the birthstone for the month of August (along with Peridot). Photographed by Harry Taylor

Phosphophyllite comprises of (hydrated zinc iron manganese phosphate). Blue-green specimen from the collections of the Natural History Museum, London

Birthstone Series: Tanzanite
A specimen of tanzanite, from the Natural History Museum, London. Tanzanite is the birthstone for the month of December (along with Zircon and Turquoise). Photographed by Harry Taylor

Spodumene
A specimen of the mineral spodumene (lithium aluminium silicate). This mineral comes in two varieties, Kunzite and Hiddenite

Birthstone Series: Bloodstone
A specimen of the mineral bloodstone, a variety of quartz. (33974), from the Natural History Museum, London. Bloodstone is the birthstone for the month of March (along with Aquamarine)

Origin of Gem Minerals
A diagram showing cross sections through the earths continental crust to a depth of 40kms. Many gemstones form within the crust at different levels and at different temperatures

Emerald crystals and cut stone
Emerald is a variety of beryl (beryllium aluminum silicate). The rich, green colour is attributed to small amounts of chromium which is unmatched by any other mineral species

Lazulite comprises of (magnesium iron aluminum phosphate hydroxide) not to be confused with lazurite - as it looks and sounds the same is a rare ornamental and gemstone

Emeralds
Emerald is a variety of beryl (beryllium aluminum silicate). The green colour is attributed to small amounts of chromium. Specimens from the Natural History Museum, London

Gemstone series: sapphire
Sapphire, the blue variety of the mineral corundum (aluminium oxide). Sapphire can be found in a number of different colours. Specimen at the Natural History Museum, London

Birthstone Series: Peridot
Peridot, a gemstone from the Natural History Museum, London. Peridot is the birthstone for the month of August (along with Sardonyx). Photographed by Frank Greenaway

Birthstone Series: Ruby

Birthstone Series: Blue Topaz

Birthstone Series: Topaz
Topaz has a chemical composition of aluminum silicate fluoride hydroxide and is the birthstone for the month of November (along with Citrine). Photographed by Frank Greenaway

Birthstone Series: Brilliant Cut Diamond
Diamond, a gemstone from the Natural History Museum collections, in London. Diamond is the birthstone for the month of April (along with quartz, rock crystal). Photographed by Frank Greenaway

Frank Greenaway, Science Photographer
Museum photographer Frank Greenaway lighting a gemstone so that the internal structure is captured in a photograph

Earths Treasury
Interior view of Earths Treasury gallery, the Earth Galleries, the Natural History Museum, London

Plate 99, from Mineralogie
Various gemstone varieties including diamond, ruby, sapphire, spinel and Topaz. From Recuille complet de Mineralogie vol.3 (1790) by F.L. Swebach Desfontaines

Plate 3 from Histoire naturelle? (1789)
Plate 3, Histoire Naturelle ou Mineralogie Complete from Histoire naturelle: ou, Exposition des morceaux, les mieux choisis pour servir (1789) by by Swebach Desfontaines

Chinese amber carving
An intricate crab carved out of Chinese amber. Amber is fossilised tree resin. Fig. 25 from Amber the Natural Time Capsule

Kor-i-noor replica
An exact copy of the original Kor-i-noor diamond created from cubic zirconia by John Nels Hatleberg (Cat 157). Photographed by Frank Greenaway

Birthstone Series: Aquamarine
Aquamarine is the blue variety of beryl (beryllium aluminum silicate) and is the birthstone of the month of March. A gemstone from the Natural History Museum collections, in London

Birthstone Series: Garnet
Garnet has a chemical composition of iron aluminium silicate. It is the birthstone of the month of January. Gemstone from the Natural History Museum collections, in London

Tiger eye specimen

Opal in matrix specimen

Hematite tumblestone

Carnelian specimen

Diamond with garnet
Red garnet crystal in an octagonal, step-cut diamond. Diamond comprises of compacted carbon and is the hardest natural substance known on Earth

Peridot group
Fine cut peridot of 146 carats (centre) with crystals and rough mass (right) from Zebirget, and Hawaiian basalt containing olivine crystals (left)

Star rubies and sapphires
Star stones of ruby and sapphire, both are varieties of the mineral corundum (aluminium oxide). Ruby always appears in red where as sapphire comes in a variety of colours

Ruby and Sapphire cut stones

Benitoite crystal and cut stone
Benitoite was discovered in 1906 near the San Benito river in California which remains the only known locality for this (barium titanium silicate) mineral

Spodumene crystal and cut stone
Large spodumene (Lithium Aluminum Silicate) crystal and cut gemstone from Brazil

Chrysoberyl
Shown here is a crystal and a cut stone of chrysoberyl (beryllium aluminum oxide). Chrysoberl is a gemstone and is also known as cats eye

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