Destructive Gemstone Testing
Destructive gemstone testing, done carefully, can help gemologists and mineralogists with difficult gem or mineral identifications. Learn the right techniques with our 5-part series.
These destructive tests are informative but, obviously, they can damage the gems and reduce their value. Gemologists normally use complex optical and microscopic examinations to identify unknown gemstones without damaging them. Unfortunately, standard gemological tests occasionally fall short of positive identification. In these cases, gemologists must resort to destructive gemstone testing. With great care, however, these tests can be conducted in a limited manner without diminishing the value of the stone.
Destructive Gemstone Testing Series
Our five-part series on destructive gemstone tests offers concise explanations of the principal procedures.
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