C.S.I.

*
*(Colored Stone Identification)
The instruments do not lie! So often, a gem can be misidentified because we make assumptions based on our first
impressions when looking at a stone. ("It's red. It must be a ruby or a garnet").Using our instruments first, can avoid some
embarrassing mistakes.
Below is a table of refractive indices, LOW to HIGH. More selections will be added as time permits. I'm going to start
with stones we will most commonly encounter.
>>

Refractive
Indices
1.434
1.44
1.44 to 1.90

Birefringence
-

Specific
Optic
Identity
Gravity Chartacter

3.180.01
2.05
2.3-4.5

isotropic
isotropic
isotropic

Fluorite
Imitation Opal
Glass

1.450 +0.020
-0.08

2.15 +0.07
-0.90

isotropic

Opal/ Fire Opal

1.45 to 1.55

isotropic

Obsidian

isotropic
11isotropic
isotropic
isotropic

1.483 0.003
1.486-1.658
1.486-1.658
1.500
1.50: approx
1.50
1.5181.5260.004
1.522-1.530

0.172
0.172
-

2.45 +0.05
-0.10
2.20-2.40
2.65 0.05
2.700.01
2.75 0.25
2.38
2.40 0.04

0.008

2.56 0.01

2-

0.008

2-

1.53-1.69

0.16

Pearls

1.53-1.69

0.16

2.56 0.01
2.66 +0.12
-0.05
2.72+0.06

Sodalite
Coral
Calcite
Lapis Lazuli
Lapis: Gilson imitation
Moldavite
Orthoclase: Moonstone
or Sanidine
Amazonite

1.532( 0.007)1.542( 0.006)

0.010

2.650.02

1-

Cultured Pearls
Aventurine Feldspar
(pladgioclase w/ flecks
of hematite)

0.004-0.006

2.600.05

1+

1.080.02

isotropic

Amber

1.850.15

isotropic

Ivory

0.008-0.009

2.610.05

2-

Cordierite /Iolite

0.009

2.660.01

1+

Quartz

0.009-0.011

2.7000.05

2+

Labradorite:Plagioclase

0.003-0.004

2.65

1-

Synthetic Emerald:
Lechleitner IV

0.003-0.005

2.650.01

1-

Synthetic Emerald:
Chatham

1.5351.5390.005
1.54 (1.5391.545)
1.54 (1.5351.57)
1.542- +0.045
1.551
-0.011
1.544-1.553
1.559-1.568
0.002
1.560- +0.004
1.563
-0.003
1.561-1.564

Chacedony

1.5621.5670.012

0.005-0.008

2.68

1-

1.566-1.570

0.004-0.006

2.68

1-

1.5661.571+0.007

0.005-0.006

2.680.01

1-

0.005

2.70

1-

0.005-0.009

2.700.02

1-

Heliodor

0.005-0.009

2.690.02

1-

Emerald: Brazil

0.005-0.009

2.700.02

1-

Emerald: Colombia

0.005-0.009

2.710.03

1-

Aquamarine

1.575-1.581

0.006

2.69

1-

+0.016
-0.015+0.019
1.583
-0.015

0.006

2.72 +0.15
-0.04

1-

Synthetic Emerald:
Lechleitner I
Beryl

0.005-0.009

2.730.02

1-

Emerald: Urals

1Aggregate

Rhodochrosite

1.569-1.574
1.5701.5750.004
1.5700.0051.575 0.006
1.5701.5760.006
1.5750.0111.580 0..016

1.577

1.5791.5850.002
+0.020
1.580-0.002
+0.030
1.790
-0.004
1.5811.5900.001
1.5851.5920.003
1.5851.5940.006
1.6021.6210.003
1.6061.6320.006

0.210
(0.208-0.220)

3.68 +0.02
-0.23

Synthetic Emerald:
Gilson
Synthetic Emerald:
Lechleitner II
Synthetic Emerald:
Linde
Synthetic Emerald:
Lechleitner III

0.009

2.71-2.76

1-

Emerald: Zambia

0.005-0.009

2.740.02

1-

Emerald: Africa/India

0.005-0.009

2.820.05

1-

Morganite

0.019-0,021

2.940.03

2+

Brazilianite

0.026-0.027

2.950.08

2-

Nephrite

2+

Turquoise

Amblygonite

2.76+0.08
-0.45
3.020.04

1.610-1.650

0.040

1.612-1.636

0.020-0.027

1.616-1.641

0.022-0.027

3.00+0.10
-0.05

0.008

3.530.04

2+

Topaz

0.024

3.05-3.06

1-

Tourmaline: Brown

0.006

3.000.03

2+

Danburite

0.024

3.05-3.06

1-

Tourmaline: Brown

0.002-0.008

3.180.05

1-

Apatite

+0.014
-0.010
+0.016
1.627
-0.010
1.6161.6400.002
1.6301.6360.003
1.6161.6400.002
1.6341.6380.012

2Actinolite
A ggregate

1.619-

0.020

3.06+0.15
-0.05

1-

Tourmaline

0.013

3.17

2-

Andalusite

0.002-0.006

3.17

1-

Apatite

0.036-0.038

3.140.14

2+

Peridot

0.014-0.016

3.180.03

2+

Spodumene

0.020

3.340.04

0.250
0.024-0.030
0.010-0.012
0.010
-

3.950.15
3.290.11
3.290.07
3.35-3.55
3.32-3.36
3.600.06
3.40-3.74
3.650.13

2+
aggregate
2222+
isotropic
isotropic
2+
isotropic

1.7340.025

3.610.12

isotropic

1.7400.017
1.7460.026
1.7461.7550.005
1.7600.020
1.7621.7700.010
1.7621.7700.008
1.7900.030

3.610.12
3.780.16

isotropic
isotropic

0.007-0.011

3.730.02

2+

3.840.10

isotropic

0.008

3.990.04

1-

Sapphire

0.008

4.000.03

1-

Ruby

4.050.12

isotropic

+0.015
0.010
+0.022
1.644
-0.010
1.627-1.640
+0.005
1.642-0.014
+0.003
1.648
-0.014
1.6541.6900.013
1.6601.6760.005
1.6601.6800.008
1.660-1.910
1.675-1.701
1.678-1.688
1.690-1.700
1.700 to1.712
1.712-1.725
1.716-1.744
1.730
1.624-

Jadeite
Malachite
Diopside
Axinite
Zoisite: Tanzanite
Garnet: Grossular
Spinel
Rhodonite
Synthetic Spinel
Green Transparent
Grossular
Hessonite
Pyrope
Chrysoberyl:
Alexandrite
Rhodolite

Almandine