Gemstone Windows and Dark Patches: What to Look for in a Cut Gem

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AI-generated educational illustration. Conceptual only; not a photograph of an actual specimen or location. A coloured gem may have a pale, see-through centre or areas that look almost black. Both affect its appearance, but they do not have the same cause. What is a window? A window is an area where light passes through the gem instead of being returned towards the viewer. You may see the background through it, especially near the centre. Cutting angles and the material's refractive index—how it bends light—help determine whether this happens. There is no single ideal depth for every gemstone. Why dark patches need a closer look Darkness can have several causes. The material may absorb a lot of light. Some facets may reflect dark surroundings or the observer. Extinction is another cause, involving light that is not returned to the viewer after internal reflection. For that reason, calling every black patch “extinction” can be misleading. A simple viewing routine Look at the gem fac...

USA States Gemstones

USA States Gemstones

StateGemstone
AlabamaStar Blue Quartz
AlaskaJade
ArizonaTurquoise
ArkansasDiamond
CaliforniaBenitoite
ColoradoAquamarine
ConnecticutGarnet
DelawareSillimanite
FloridaMoonstone
GeorgiaAquamarine
HawaiiBlack Coral
IdahoGarnet
IllinoisFluorite
IndianaAgate
IowaGeode
KansasJade
KentuckyFreshwater Pearl
LouisianaOpal
MaineTourmaline
MarylandPatuxent River Stone
MassachusettsRhodonite
MichiganChlorastrolite (Greenstone)
MinnesotaAlexandrite
MississippiFlint
MissouriGalena
MontanaSapphire
NebraskaBlue Agate
NevadaTurquoise
New HampshireSmoky Quartz
New JerseyZeolite
New MexicoTurquoise
New YorkGarnet
North CarolinaEmerald
North DakotaChalcedony
OhioFlint
OklahomaBarite Rose
OregonOregon Sunstone
PennsylvaniaAzurite
Rhode IslandBowenite
South CarolinaAmethyst
South DakotaRose Quartz
TennesseePearl
TexasTopaz
UtahTopaz
VermontGrossular Garnet
VirginiaAmazonite
WashingtonPetrified Wood
West VirginiaChalcedony
WisconsinRed Granite
WyomingJade

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