Physi cal pr oper t i es of Gemst ones
The properties of a gemstone are basically classified under two divisions: physical and optical. While physical properties are concerned with what a gem is made of and how it is made, the optical classification deals with how a gem interacts with light. In this article, we’ll focus on the physical properties. The physical properties of a gemstone are not affected by how it reacts to light falling on it. On the contrary, every property of a gemstone, optical or otherwise, depends on the material it is made of and the arrangement of atoms in its structure. That is why; an amber bead necklace looks very different from a shiny obsidian pendant, although both of them are gemstones. Amber and obsidian, or any two kinds of gemstones for that matter, are different because they have different chemical compositions and three dimensional structures. On the basis of structure, gemstones can be divided into two groups – crystalline and amorphous.