The Magic Wand of Truth and Lies [Gem Tester Tutorial]
Вставка
- Опубліковано 19 січ 2021
- Pen testers and other devices that advertise the ability to identify gemstones are massively popular. Can we trust them? What can they do? How do I use them?
For more articles on gemology and investing in gemstones, and to contact me directly, visit gemshepherd.com
![The Tellers of Secrets [Gemologist Interview]](http://i.ytimg.com/vi/l8fvtkof9xQ/mqdefault.jpg)
These videos are wonderful, valuable, well executed. Thank you!!
Thank you Tango~! I appreciate your kind words
I am learning so much.
This is my favourite channel right now.
(Aspiring Gemologist)
(New gem cutter)
-Astro
Welcome, Astro. I'm glad you're benefitting from my work.
So glad I found your channel! Shalom
I'm glad that you've found it aswell ~
I've been watching your channel for about a year now and i wasnt particularly fond of the way you taught at first being a bit jovial where i was used to a more dry explanantion but now i find that i cant wait for each new video to come out, lol kinda funny to put this on one of your old videos but just wanted to make sure you knew people still watch and like your older videos as well, still good information
P.S. Love the new channel too
Cheers - different strokes for different folks, as they say. Glad the old content is still relevant for you ;)
Peter...I just watch your show coz i think you are an amazing entertainer.....Best wishes
Thank you Yusuf. I am honoured by your words.
I love the intense fire of Moissanite, 2.5 times that of diamond, love it. My mother’s wedding ring is a Moissanite with natural diamond halo
It is definitely an intense simulant. Glad you enjoy it.
I am new subscriber. I am learner gemologist i like what u doing ! Greate from UK
Welcome Laurentiu, may my work serve your needs ^_^
Great demo Peter. Yea you’ve got to keep the tip clean & the contact recess clean. The tip is very delicate so keep the cap on it and use a full battery. I clean mine with isopropyl alcohol. Yea it’s a good indicator tool, but that’s it. Specific gravity is better for loose gemstones; and yea, experience. I’m always learning and I admit I’ve made mistakes in the past. Thank you for sharing.
The only tools i “trust” at this point are my refractometer and spectroscope, and the latter only for my key fave stones eh? You really need the whole setup for certainty. Thx again Rog.
@@GemologyforSchmucks - thanks Peter. Yea I’ll have to get those. 👍
Is there an somewhat efficient way to test Sp Gravity?
@@tangojuli209 I found this link helpful.
ua-cam.com/video/xEuMlXMth_M/v-deo.html
HI Peter, I would like to take some classes on Gemology, do you have an suggestions other than to keep watching you
Hi Chris~ It depends entirely on what your desired outcome is.
If you want some general knowledge about coloured gemstones and diamonds, then GIA has a set of 3 courses that come together for the AJP certification, and the three courses cover the essentials/entry level knowledge for coloured gems, diamonds and jewelry. This is great for people that are looking at getting into a sales position, or want to taste gemology and decide if they want to go in for full studies in a course such as the GG with GIA, the FGA program with Gem-A (the Gemmological Association of Great Britain) or my own choice, the A.G. program with AIGS.
All of these schools listed above have correspondence courses available and are in the same league. Each has their own advantages and disadvantages. If you're wanting to trade in gemstones, then you really need to put your hands on them and go see them in person, so I advise away from the correspondence route, once you have decided that you are going to commit and get into this world.
Thanks for the comment.
Hi, just found your channel and I am novice gemologist that just graduated from GIA in December (was supposed graduate in May but corona happened) and I’ve been looking to find one of these testers and I’m happy that this can actually separate synthetic moissanite from Diamond since even our instructors have told us that even if it tests Diamond it could still be a moissanite but with a microscope you can find doubling easily. I did hear in passing whenever someone would ask that some testers can separate it which makes me glad that this one does. Of course if it tests Diamond it does not separate if it’s a synthetic Diamond or not but after all that and sorry for the long explanation, are there more cost effective alternatives or should I just get this one?
Hi Jacob, and congratulations on graduating~
Most gemologists that I know will combine this or a comparable level of pen tester with a loupe or microscope. If you don't have a microscope, you'll still be able to use a loupe in this situation as long as you practice a little bit with some known stones.
For the most cost effective choice, i'd say spending for the better tool (one such as this, not necessarily one WAY more high tech) is the better idea. Low price pen testers often lack the ability to distinguish moissanite from from diamond. If you don't deal regularly with diamonds, then i'd just skip buying the pen tester entirely (personal opinion). Ask yourself if the pen tester can protect you from losing money. If the answer is yes, the buy it. If not... skip it.
@@GemologyforSchmucks thank you for the response 😁
@@GemologyforSchmucksWhy not use the polariscope to distinguish Moissanite from Diamond. Diamond is singly refractive while Moissanite is doubly refractive.
@@24kGoldenRocket If you're down to those last two options, you definitely could use the polariscope, excellent point. The thermal conductivity characteristics that the pen tester can measure however provides a little more information when dealing with other potential diamond simulants.
I have started fossicking recently and was wondering if this tester would distinguish old glass from gemstones? Or another way?
If you're interested in distinguishing from glass, then i'd recommend this other video on using your phone and polarized sunglasses. It should assist with many gemstones (but not singly refractive ones like garnet, diamond etc. )
ua-cam.com/video/ZKja_p4ROs8/v-deo.htmlsi=eaVCWsYuXUYhs9AD
What about the presidium gem indicator?? What’s your thoughts?? I have one it’s for colored stones.
It's just a slightly more contrived version as the one used in this video in my opinion. From all the material i've seen from the company, it makes use of the same technology and simply compiles a list of the stones that can fall in the same electrical/thermal readings. It's not to be trusted as an end all stone identification tool. Use it, but know its limitations.
So when selling lab created corrundum in different colors, is it ok to call them lab created sapphire? Can i call the red one ruby?
As long as you call it "lab-created ruby/sapphire" or "synthetic ruby/sapphire", i'd call that fair disclosure.
Most presidium diamond testers won't test rough diamonds the diamond has to be cut and polished in order for the presidium dimond mate A to actually work
So if I'm bored and locked in Thailand, what would abe a good way to explore the gem markets, 2..can anyone other than the sellers , make a profit, I feel l know the answer, but l will ask anyway, love your style.
Hi there ~ until the covid govt ban on malls is lifted, exploring the markets will be tough. Once that is lifted, head to Silom in Bangkok and check out the Jewelry Trade center and many of the shops in the surrounding area. Feast your eyes; thats a good place to start. Get yourself a decent 10x triplet loupe (I have some reviews on this channel and what to look for.) And finally, can anyone other than the sellers profit, the answer is definitely yes IF you do two things: 1) Buy at a price that you can leave yourself a margin to sell on to a retail market. 2) cultivate end consumers.
In coloured stones (as opposed to diamonds) there is plenty of space for independent sellers to do their trade. The difficulty is getting experience on the qualities of stones and building the pipeline of buyers that trust you. You actually find a lot of former bankers in the gem trade because being a banker is boring AF for many people, and they already have a network of people who are looking for physical assets that hold and or build value as opposed to 1s and 0s in a bank account. So yes - there is room, but no it's not as easy as selling detergent to an empty supermarket.
Thanks for reaching out~
Very enjoyable
Thank you - i'm glad to have been of service.
I always cringe when I see these in action, not so much that the person getting their 'diamond' verified will be disappointed, but more so because I get the feeling that with just one slip during testing, a non-diamond stone will have a nice visible scratch across the table or crown facet and if the probe slips, requiring re-check(s), then multiple scrapes. Can this happen?
They are nerve wracking to watch, certainly, but to my understanding most of the probes are copper, so the hardness isnt there to scratch most stones. That said, im sure there are brittle stones that wouldn’t appreciate that overt force.
@@GemologyforSchmucks Thank you for the lightning-fast reply! 🙏
Beautiful....... Price
I welcome you to check Presidium's website, or research other competitive brands.
Presidium diamond testers won't work for rough stones
Hi peter when Iam in the mine can this machine help me
a diamond mine? maybe. Coloured stones? not so much. I think it is more likely to deceive you, if you do not know what to expect.
Can it identify CZ with carbon coating?
An excellent question. Diamond simulants in their endless varieties are not something I deal with on a daily basis, and i've not come accross CZ with a carbon coating. I've also not heard someone mention it. That said ~ the vast majority of diamonds are exclusively traded with gemstone reports, so I am quite skeptical that such stones would get very far.
Dude, no bandana! 🤪 Every time I bought one “ THEY “ came out with a better substitute diamond. Nothing beats a good loupe,micro, and years of knowledge. Cheers 🥂
Indeed~ I am a man of much variety. Monotony is death. And yes ~ cheers to the knowledge, and good optics.
Good Day Sir, i found a stone but i dont know what type of stones it is.. Plz help me to know this stones..
It is color white but when i put this in the light of my cp, it shows a yellow orange color..
I have a picture on it and a video but how ican send it to you...
@@joeyjuntilla8823 head over to gemshepherd.com and there is a contact tool. Identifying stones from photo/video is something that no one can do reliably, but I might be able to point you in the right direction. If you want to know with absolute certainty, you'll need to have the stone tested by someone with the right instruments.
I am waiting for a presidium tester to be 100% sure that I have the first largest rough diamond to be found in the US. This would go down in the history of the country to be the first and only diamond to be from these lands for up to an hour, only one of more than 5 carats found in Arkansas in the crater of a hi is known. it is not known that there is a bigger one found, say hello my good friend
With something that substantial, once you're confident that it is a diamond, you'd want to get a gem report from GIA in my opinion. High octane reports for high-octane stones. I'm usually not too brand particular, but they're diamond people. Cool stuff, Sergio.
Always clean the probe. A clean probe is a happy probe.
That is indeed what she said.
@@GemologyforSchmucks hahaaa,!
Tester lll can not test CZ
CZ shows up as inert on modern advanced pen-testers. As long as the probe is clean, most quality devices should be able to distinguish between CZ and a large variety of other simulants.
Actually pen testers do not identify gemstones: the test result is related only at the single small point of contact of the sensor and not at the whole gem.
You are absolutely right Massimo. This style of pen tester is a poor replacement for a gemologist.
@@GemologyforSchmucks 100% agree ... I'm a Graduate Gemmologist!
Less cooking and more gemology please! :-)
I think more cooking AND more gemology XD