Show me your "glow in the sun" gems!

[Starstruck8]

For the jadeite, it's also vivid saturation plus fluorescence (but this time from uranium)

Fascinating! I hadn't heard this before. Some quick googling tells me that jadeite
glass (an obsolete manufactured product) contains uranium. But I haven't found a clear statement that natural mineral jadeite does (or at least, that uranium is responsible for the glow). Can you say more about this.

 

[Autumn in New England]

Fascinating! I hadn't heard this before. Some quick googling tells me that jadeite
glass (an obsolete manufactured product) contains uranium. But I haven't found a clear statement that natural mineral jadeite does (or at least, that uranium is responsible for the glow). Can you say more about this.

Thanks for catching that, my friend! Not sure what the heck I was saying. Jadeite glows from chromium as well... not uranium!

 

[Nick_G]

Thanks for catching that, my friend! Not sure what the heck I was saying. Jadeite glows from chromium as well... not uranium!

Yes it is chromium that is responsible for the glowing green colour of high quality jadeite, which is a sodium aluminium silicate, where small amounts of chromium replace the aluminium. In fact, there is a very rare sodium chromium silicate end-member called kosmochlor, which is a dark emerald green colour.

 

[Autumn in New England]

Yes it is chromium that is responsible for the glowing green colour of high quality jadeite, which is a sodium aluminium silicate, where small amounts of chromium replace the aluminium. In fact, there is a very rare sodium chromium silicate end-member called kosmochlor, which is a dark emerald green colour.

Thank you, Nick!

 

[Crimson]

OK I have to ask, is there some specific term people are using in searches for these stones? Or is it just luck? Or are some stones always/usually fluorescent? I'm such a sucker for fluorescence but have no idea where to start to find some, help?

@Mooshi that’s a good question! @Autumn in New England and @Nick_G and @Starstruck8 have explained it well. I will just add to the discussion of jadeite. Top jadeite should glow indoors and not just out in the sun. Of course, the sunlight will intensify whatever glow the jadeite inherently has. It’s important however to know that some lower quality, treated jadeite can fluoresce, because of the resin that is used in treatment.
Below is an image from Sohu.com that shows the desired features of top quality jadeite. From the left, the columns are:
Nong, which means saturation or intensity. The column goes down from high to low.
Xian Yang, meaning liveliness, vibrancy and brightness. Again, down the column, you will see decreasing/less desirable levels of vibrancy and liveliness.
Zheng, the extent to which it is the highest standard — the desired shade of green. Besides imperial green, sun green is also highly regarded.
Cun - evenness , with no inclusions or blotches.
Besides the above, there is Zhong, which refers to origin. It’s not geographic origin, but refers to texture. The most desirable texture is Old Pit, which is the finest. Texture also relates to transparency or translucency. There are many terms for this, from peas/beans to glutinous, hibiscus, icy, and glassy (the best).
When all the desirable features are present, the jadeite will probably glow.
As with other gems, it’s best to get jadeite certified as natural and untreated.
Finally, colourless, glassy jadeite glows - it is often described as “luminous”. I don’t know what causes that, though. Not chromium…

 

[Rfisher]

 

[Eli22]

My 1.9 ct sapphire from Sri Lanka:

What a dreamy color!!!

This is just indoor lighting but glowing anyway.

In bright light, the imperial green looks wild In photos. Not as crazy in real life!


Taken in sunlight.

Holy cow @Crimson - those pieces are spectacular!!!

 

[maru8888777]

I don’t think this photo was taken in the sun, but it’s night time right now and these two definitely glow in sunlight!

That paraiba.... drool.

 

[Starstruck8]

@Mooshi that’s a good question! @Autumn in New England and @Nick_G and @Starstruck8 have explained it well. I will just add to the discussion of jadeite. Top jadeite should glow indoors and not just out in the sun. Of course, the sunlight will intensify whatever glow the jadeite inherently has. It’s important however to know that some lower quality, treated jadeite can fluoresce, because of the resin that is used in treatment.
Below is an image from Sohu.com that shows the desired features of top quality jadeite. From the left, the columns are:
Nong, which means saturation or intensity. The column goes down from high to low.
Xian Yang, meaning liveliness, vibrancy and brightness. Again, down the column, you will see decreasing/less desirable levels of vibrancy and liveliness.
Zheng, the extent to which it is the highest standard — the desired shade of green. Besides imperial green, sun green is also highly regarded.
Cun - evenness , with no inclusions or blotches.
Besides the above, there is Zhong, which refers to origin. It’s not geographic origin, but refers to texture. The most desirable texture is Old Pit, which is the finest. Texture also relates to transparency or translucency. There are many terms for this, from peas/beans to glutinous, hibiscus, icy, and glassy (the best).
When all the desirable features are present, the jadeite will probably glow.
As with other gems, it’s best to get jadeite certified as natural and untreated.
Finally, colourless, glassy jadeite glows - it is often described as “luminous”. I don’t know what causes that, though. Not chromium…

Thank you for this. It illustrates perfectly why I will probably never buy a jadeite cab. I'd love one, of course - it's a classic man's ring stone. The translucent green glow of the best ones is magical. But quality (and price) depend on so many factors that aren't at all obvious to the untrained eye. So I could never be confident that I was paying the right price for what I was getting.

 

[Avondale]

swoon!

 

[elle_71125]

Both memorable pieces (that could burn a retina)!

Thank you.

What stone is Big Blue? And can I see a photo of the purple sapphire in normal light? Just curious. Both are amazing.

Big blue is a pastel blue tourmaline from Jeff White. It’s a beautiful color but really pops in the sun.

Sure, here’s the purple in shade / full sun. It goes from a grape (almost like a purple garnet) to straight up fuchsia.

That LM sapphire = one of the best finds ever

It really was one of my luckiest finds. I mean, who would ever imagine that showing up on LT?!

 

[elle_71125]

My sweet paraiba & pink spinel ring glows like crazy in the sun. This was one of my first rings and it remains one of my absolute favorites.

 

[CBianco]

Jaw dropping..... I wanna eat all of them candies

My sweet paraiba & pink spinel ring glows like crazy in the sun. This was one of my first rings and it remains one of my absolute favorites.

So gorgeous, it's one of my favorites too! I have such a soft spot for blue stones with a pink halo

 

[Neptune]

My ruby ring...

Check this out, very memorable, @Catmom

Caught my ruby glowing in the sunlight.

 

[T L]

 

[CBianco]

Your gems and rings are spectacular, @T L! I always get excited when you show up!

 

[Catmom]

Check this out, very memorable, @Catmom

I forgot about that one!

 

[dangerzoness]

That one on the right is giving me uranium fever These are all stunningly juicy lol, like forbidden jolly ranchers!

 

[Starstruck8]

This (strongly zoned) pink star sapphire gives a weird pink glow on the side opposite the lighting:


Purple star sapphire:

 

[Crimson]

Thank you for this. It illustrates perfectly why I will probably never buy a jadeite cab. I'd love one, of course - it's a classic man's ring stone. The translucent green glow of the best ones is magical. But quality (and price) depend on so many factors that aren't at all obvious to the untrained eye. So I could never be confident that I was paying the right price for what I was getting.

Yes, jadeite has been for me the most challenging gem. I had to read sources in Chinese (;both traditional and modern script). I learnt that part of the confusion is also caused by the fact that the generic Chinese word for Jade. Yu, was used to refer t9: a variety of beautiful stones, including jasper, and even turquoise.

 

[Crimson]

This (strongly zoned) pink star sapphire gives a weird pink glow on the side opposite the lighting:


Purple star sapphire:

I have been waiting for your stars, @Starstruck8. They are gorgeous.
I like the idea of stars in sunlight. Let me follow your theme with moonstone in sunlight, and ruby cabs.

Indoors at night


Late morning sun.

 

[Starstruck8]

I have been waiting for your stars, @Starstruck8. They are gorgeous.
I like the idea of stars in sunlight. Let me follow your theme with moonstone in sunlight, and ruby cabs.

Indoors at night


Late morning sun.

That's the bluest blue moonstone I've ever seen! With that, your jadeite and your amazing rubies, you have a wonderful collection of glowy cabs.

 

[cocotate]

I have been waiting for your stars, @Starstruck8. They are gorgeous.
I like the idea of stars in sunlight. Let me follow your theme with moonstone in sunlight, and ruby cabs.

Indoors at night


Late morning sun.

My goodness those ruby cabs look radioactive in the sun! Wow!

 

[CBianco]

She never fails to entertain, goes from reddish pink to super pink

 

[lilmosun]

So many beautiful glowy gems ...seeing the glow of stones under artificial UV light is fun but there is something amazing/special about those that take on another life in natural sunlight.

My contribution is my favorite mahenge spinel. I haven't been able to capture it's full glow in photos but here are a couple of picks of one of mahenge spinel taken today on a NE winter day (outdoors and indoors by window). What makes this one stand out from my others, which also fluoresce is sunlight, is how it will suddenly get this possessed pulsating glow on hand when wearing it in VA - as of someone plugged it in..reminds me of Superman's kryptonite. It's crazy. Unfortunately no photos.

 

[Catmom]

I have some new ones to add, yay. These are coming for Christmas and I can't wait! Jelly opals. diamonds and onyx earrings.

 

[Mooshi]

My lab sapphire from Finewater glows like crazy in the sun!

 

[CaseyLouLou]

My multicolored sapphire glows in the sun, probably due to it having fluorescence. It’s a very fun stone.

Shade




Sun

 

[maru8888777]

My sapphire doing its thing in the sun


Pinkish-red spinel


Red spinel

 

[ItsMainelyYou]

My sapphire doing its thing in the sun


Pinkish-red spinel


Red spinel

As always, love that sapphire.
I love them all but that pink pop of a ring! I don't think I've ever seen it before I want an everyday glowy solitaire like that.