Questions tagged [gemology]

One often hears that diamonds aren't rare at all. Upon closer inspection, such claims appear to actually state that diamonds cost more than their abundance alone would account for. Sources that outright claim that diamonds are common don't seem to…

Revelation 21:19-20 (NIV) lists twelve kinds of precious stones that make up the city walls of the New Jerusalem: Jasper, Sapphire, Agate, Emerald, Onyx, Carnelian, Chrysolite, Beryl, Topaz, Chrysoprase, Jacinth, and Amethyst. According to some…

Cubic zirconia (CZ) is an artificially produced gemstone that is similar to diamond. When discussing it as a "diamond replacement", I have often seen the claim that it is inferior because it scratches more easily. For example: Unlike diamonds, CZ’s…