How to Identify Gemstones

In this week's episode, Natalie explains all about how to identify gemstones, by sight and with tools, whether they're precious gemstones or semi-precious gems.

JTV is one of the leading experts on gemstones and is the best source on YouTube for all things gem related. Featuring gem history, the science behind the stones, gemstones in pop culture, and much more, you too can become a gem expert by immersing yourself in JTV’s channel. Natalie, our host, is a Graduate Gemologist and an Applied Jewelry Professional.

[OrangeFluffyCat]

You can also check your stone’s specific gravity using a small jewelers scale, a cup of water, and a thin wire coiled into a small basket or spoon shape to support your stone.

Weigh your stone (for example, lets’s say it’s a purple stone that weighs 3.2 grams), then put the cup of water on the scale, zero out the scale, then measure the amount of water weight displaced by the stone by fully submerging the stone into the water supported by the wire, not touching the bottom of the cup. (Let’s say for example the scale read 1.2grams. You then divide 3.2g by 1.2g to get about 2.66... your purple stone is probably amethyst, which has a specific gravity of 2.65).

There are plenty of charts online listing the specific gravity of gemstones.

[jesswihart]

I love stones and "rocks". Thank you for the video.

[gs.f]

Im not sure if this video has been done before. But i think they should make a video on how to properly have a gem and mineral collection.

[commanderdingdong]

One does not simply determine a gem based on color

[Benjahmenn]

Best ad I've ever seen



I subbed

[MrBlack]

I found a pebble of jasper in some old fishtank gravel and it is nearly a pergect sphere. Its most certainly interesting.

[Pandagurl]

I just bought a sphalerite and best purchase yet ❤️ the lights dance like fire but don’t want to wear it outside as it is 2 Carat plus and softer than Opal

[abbyperez]

I found a beautiful sparkling blue stone, it's cut oval but when close up in light it's clear in the middle and blue around. What type of stone can it be?

[blessedone]

I found an uncut Garnet 4 years ago... It's beautiful! 😊😊😊

[nathanmonroe]

I have a stone that I dug up out of an excavation close to the size of a basketball. I suspect that it could be green Jasper but have no way to confirm that. What do you suggest I do?

[w.d.gaster]

As someone who has been in the gemstone game my entire life since age 4, I can conclude this video has fairly accurate and good basic knowledge of gems for beginners.
The only problem is the “4-C’s”
That stuff is a bit more for do seasoned rock hounds, but I appreciate the effort on making that complicated part easy.
If you want to find gems or gold, or fossils, or even meteorites, you got to study a specific type of stone you want to find, locate an area where it seems to be concentrated in, find the origin of the actual pocket, then start having a blast going through rock underwater with a sifting tool, a kitchen strainer of ANY KIND should be completely fine for your first time.

You should also bring a backpack with you. Just saying.

[thatsmallrockshop]

What about a clear white montana sapphire that glows hot pink under black light. Is it still a sapphire or would it be something new ? As sapphire shouldnt flourese under u.v light but a ruby would

[fuseteam]

i think you could link to videos explaining some of the terms in the cards

[xxx_mehx_men]

Hi! Have you come across a black stone which gives birth to stones? I came across your video while searching to know something about it... I have one if you are interested

[phoebesulistio]

Hey, this is a song by in love with a ghost. I don't see a link crediting them for it in the description...

[jamiehughes]

What happens if it is very opaque, for example rough garnets like melanite or almandite. I been buying and collecting gemstones through out most of my life since early childhood but i don't have the proper professional equipment

[greghayes]

But the stone I have found are natural and uncut. I don’t know if I have found a Zircon, or a very clear and consistent coloured piece of Quartz…

[Naterade]

I searched this up and im lucky to have found this video because i recieved a birthday gift from my Grandmother(God rest her soul)'s
sister probably when i was about 12 or 13. I was really confused as a young teenager (i talk like an old man im only 19 lmao) to have gotten a pallette of gemstones as a gift. I remembered i had it and something stigmatized me about it, so i took it out my dresser to wonder why i got it so i was like what the heck ill watch a video to see what stone is what.
This pallette of 9 stones has little clear containers inside a black box with the JTVtm logo on the containers.
I thought what a coincidence could this be?
so the gemstones are as follows:
*A small white oval with a light indigo hue,
*A larger dark green oval that seems to be an emerald,
*A yellow top shaped stone,
*A dark jade looking smooth oval with stripes through it,
*A large clear/white oval thats very diamond like,
*A rectangular shaped ruby looking stone,
*A very pretty light blue oval/top shaped stone
*A pretty light purple i think its an amethyst teardrop shaped stone,
(im pretty sure that's February's birthstone which is my birthmonth i wondered if it carries some good luck with it because ive never took notice to precious and semi precious gems)
*And last but not least, a circular top shaped yellow/green stone
So with that being said, could i have some help or insight on this box of gemstones? After all it is from jtv.
Also gotta say i subbed and im going to keep watching because this stuff is neat and that gorgeous girl narrating has a really good sense of fashion keepin it vintage

[Rahmaanone]

You are really a precious gem..keep the good work..

[zacharymarvin]

I know most gems are found inside of rocks how can you identify a gem from a rock that hAs been worn do to where you can see lots of colors inside. And if I sent you a picture of something I have could you possibly identify it through a picture.