Gems aren't only in jewelry
Image credit: Jacob & Co.It's not the destiny of every diamond to wind up on an engagement ring. Or on any jewelry, for that matter. And that goes for other gems, too.
This issue of JII doesn't deal with the business of insuring jewelry. Instead, it's a look at some of the other ways gems may enter our lives. Just a relaxing eye-pleaser to welcome in the new year.
The opening picture shows a gold-plated, diamond-studded credit card — one most of us are unlikely to see in real life. The diamonds are genuine and, yes, the card is usable. Besides its purchasing power, it offers access to a number of exclusive events.
The card is a product of Jacob & Co.'s Billionaire brand, which lives up to its name. Membership in the select group is by invitation. Holders of the card will be limited to just 150 people worldwide, those who are, as the website luxurylaunches put it, "people with bottomless pits of wealth."
Globe of gems
Where in the world are colored gems found? On the right globe, they're everywhere. Lapis lazuli translates as "stone from the sky" for its vibrant color. On this globe, lapis makes the oceans and other stones the various countries.
Lapis lazuli cabinet
Lapis has been prized since at least the 8th century BC, as beads in burial sites from that period testify. During the Middle Ages lapis was ground into powder to make ultramarine, which became the most expensive pigment available to artists of the Renaissance—more expensive than gold.
Mahjong dice of variously colored quartz
Quartz comes in a variety of colors depending on trace amounts of impurities it contains. Some colors of quartz have their own name. For example, yellow quartz is Citrine, purple quatz is Amethyst.
Onyx sink
Onyx can range in color from white to black. Each color variation has its own unique veining patterns. Onyx is naturally formed from calcite in caves or bedrock openings around the world.
Abalone shell Damascus knife set
Abalone is a marine mollusk with a distinguished place in the world of seafood. In another world, the iridescent nacre inside the abalone shell has its own enthusiasts.
Abalone is an endangered species, illegal to harvest in the wild, so the food and the stunning shells come to us through aquaculture.
Chessboard of malachite & copper
Chessboards and chess pieces can be an art world unto themselves, as this stunning board testifies. Malachite forms near copper deposits and is found deep within caves. It is a rather soft mineral, so malachite gemstones are often treated with a layer of resin or wax as protection from scratches.
Carnelian door knobs
Carnelian's history dates back some 4500 years, when Sumerians and Egyptians fashioned the mineral into body ornaments. Its use in door knobs is a much more contemporary application. Carnelian deposits are found in various countries around the world.
Hidden gems
Gem materials add striking color and visual drama to personal adornment and home décor, but sometimes they work behind the scenes. Some even participate in jewelry while not being the star.
The jewels in a 17-jewel watch are actually tiny rubies that act as ball bearings to reduce friction between delicate components. The metal ball bearings used in earlier times would eventually wear out or corrode and impair the functioning of the watch. Ruby, being highly resistant to wear, greatly extends the watch's lifetime.
The "crystal" on a contemporary luxury watch is most likely sapphire. Vintage watches made before the late 1970s will probably have acrylic crystals, which can be scratched more easily (though some watchmakers still prefer acrylic crystals).
Sapphire, like ruby, is corundum, a material that can be scratched only by diamond, so sapphire provides excellent protection for jewelry worn on the wrist and exposed to potential damage. These days the ruby and sapphire used in watches is likely to be lab-grown.
Diamond-edged saw blades are used to cut diamonds and other gems for jewelry. And diamond dust is used for polishing.
The construction and demolition industries, as well as firefighters and military personnel, use large blades for cutting all kinds of hard or abrasive materials, such as concrete, asphalt, bricks, steel, rebar, glass and ceramic.
An estimated 70-90% of mined diamond is not suitable for jewelry and is given over to such industrial uses. Lab-gown diamond can also be made specifically for industrial use.
Ruby knives are used in ophthalmic surgery. They are sharper than the conventional surgical knife, and healing is said to be faster. Single crystal ruby is close to diamond in hardness and retaining an edge, and its red color makes it more visible to the surgeon.
Quartz is one of the most abundant minerals in the earth's crust. Concrete, paint, adhesives and glass are all made from quartz sand.
Quartz also has a unique property. When quartz crystal is charged, it will oscillate exactly 32,768 times per second. This dependable phenomenon means quartz crystal can be used for very accurate timekeeping. Many electronic devices that feature a clock – your phone, TV , watch, GPS – most likely have a tiny quartz crystal buried inside.
It's interesting to reflect that those gems resting comfortably in a ring or locket and soaking up admiration are also covert workhorses in the practical world.
FOR AGENTS & UNDERWRITERS
Have a happy and prosperous New Year!
FOR ADJUSTERS
Have a happy and prosperous New Year!
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