Talk:Gemstones

Pub discussion

Gems & Jewellery page?

We have some info on shopping for gems at Shopping#Places_for_particular_goods, quite a bit at Colombo#Gems_and_jewellery since that city is a market for them, a whole article on Diamond rings in Antwerp, probably plus other things.

Should this be consolidated somewhere? A separate article? A section of Shopping with some redirects pointing to it? Pashley (talk) 12:15, 22 July 2022 (UTC)

Yes. I think a travel topic of them might be of interest to many, but not the majority of travellers. I would have recommended a section in Shopping, but there is already a long list there, so I suppose we (=you?) have enough knowledge to write at least a short page, and a link there would be easier to use than the current list (and avoid a long list in the shopping article). –LPfi (talk) 08:34, 24 July 2022 (UTC)

Started at gemstones, just moving text from pages linked above & editing a bit. It clearly needs more work.

In particular, does anyone know enough about turquoise to add something on that? Pashley (talk) 13:40, 24 July 2022 (UTC)

Guide? DotM?

I just promoted this from Stub to Usable. If it could reach Guide, it would make a fine FTT. What does it need to get there? Pashley (talk) 03:38, 11 August 2022 (UTC)

Oppose No understand section for a travel topic? Nope. SHB2000 (talk | contribs | meta.wikimedia) 03:54, 11 August 2022 (UTC)

Create an Understand section with existing Gemstones#Pricing and Gemstones#Hardness as subsections? I do not think much other text would be needed. Pashley (talk) 05:47, 11 August 2022 (UTC)

Did that. No new text, just moved some around. Pashley (talk) 06:29, 11 August 2022 (UTC)

A year & quite a few changes since the above. What do people think now? Pashley (talk) 01:09, 6 August 2023 (UTC)

Or now? Pashley (talk) 18:32, 31 December 2023 (UTC)

No responses so I'll follow my own judgement, promote to Guide & nominate for FTT. Pashley (talk) 19:42, 3 October 2024 (UTC)

Additions?

Search for "rockhound" turns up about half a dozen articles that mention the term, destinations that attract those people. Should we add a section here (or even create a separate article, though I'd say not yet) with links to those? If we do, would we then need a Stay safe section since there are hazards in the field and in handling some gems? e.g. malachite contains mercury & can release poisonous fumes when being cut or polished.

Some gems, like jade, are often carved & others sometimes. But there are also non-gem stones used in carving, e.g. alabaster (see Fuzhou#Buy for one type). Canada's Inuit are famous for soapstone carvings & a search for "soapstone" turns up many other regions that have them. Pipestone_National_Monument is another place famous for carvings, Turkey's meerschaum pipes are carved, and so on. Again, should we add a section? Pashley (talk) 06:12, 11 August 2022 (UTC)

On reflection, I do not think either of those would work well as a section here. Pashley (talk) 07:37, 11 August 2022 (UTC)

I just created redirects to this article from Jewellery and (shudder) Jewelry. Would anyone volunteer to create an actual article for those? Pashley (talk) 06:54, 11 August 2022 (UTC)

I've now created an article at Rockhounds; it could use other contributions. I'm not likely to do articles for Jewellery or carving. Pashley (talk) 03:27, 12 August 2022 (UTC)

Deeming on the search results, the term rockhound may be used only in USA and Canada. There may also be differences in what amateur geologists typically do. Over here, the government has been eager to advance amateur archaeology to help the mining industry to find ores. People have been encouraged to send samples to the geological institutions, with information on location etc., which has contributed to making geological maps. –LPfi (talk) 07:43, 12 August 2022 (UTC)

Gemstones#Stones

How should this section be organised? Alphabetised? Split up into sections for for precious & semi-precious?

Are there stones that should be added? e.g. Agate & jasper are mentioned but do not have listings. Pashley (talk) 13:57, 5 October 2024 (UTC)

Should more stones (perhaps even all?) have photos? I think the number is about right now, but there are pretty stones like tiger eye where a photo might look well. Pashley (talk) 14:01, 5 October 2024 (UTC)

Some stones get their own headings & subsections, starting at Gemstones#Rubies_and_sapphires. All the others just have listings. Do we have the mix right? Should other precious stones -- diamond & emerald -- have their own subsections? Perhaps a subsection for quartz minerals since at least a half dozen of those can be used as gems? Pashley (talk) 14:26, 5 October 2024 (UTC)

If you think listings would be useful, add them. There isn't room for more photos, though. Ikan Kekek (talk) 21:01, 5 October 2024 (UTC)

Cut & polish

Volcanic amethyst geode

Does this need a section of Understand to explain the types of cut? Facets vs cabuchon, or irregular but polished as for tumbled agate & the w:Black Prince's Ruby.

Cuts rare in jewellery but used for display pieces like slabs of rock or cross-sectioned geodes? Pashley (talk) 14:16, 5 October 2024 (UTC)

Sure, explain different cuts and include geodes if that seems relevant. Ikan Kekek (talk) 21:10, 5 October 2024 (UTC)

Done, but could likely use improvement. Pashley (talk) 15:43, 1 November 2024 (UTC)

Gemstones#Cutting_and_polishing Pashley (talk) 17:20, 1 November 2024 (UTC)