gems, gemology, basic gemology, advanced gemology, gem testing, spectroscopy, infrared, FTIR

Since its discovery at the beginning of the nineteenth century, infrared light has proven to be a versatile tool for scientists, industrialists, and consumers. The gem industry has benefited from the power of infrared spectroscopy in gemstone identification for more than 30 years. By measuring the frequencies of vibrations of bonds between atoms in the structure of a gemstone, scientists can determine the composition and atomic arrangement of many important defects that indicate whether a gem is natural, laboratory-grown, or treated. Clever adaptations of instrument hardware and sampling techniques have allowed for efficient and accurate analysis of diamonds and many of the most important colored gems such as ruby, sapphire, emerald, and jadeite. No gemologist’s toolbox is complete without an understanding of the power of infrared spectroscopy for gem identification.