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I am Phenomenal. I am exiting and alluring. Imagine the sense of awe
the ancients must have felt when they first gazed at me. Imagine the thoughts
that must have coursed through their minds! Now, open your mind to that
same sense of wonder as you experience a gemstone that transcends the
mystery of color, to the magic of phenomena!
Phenomena! Certain, special gemstones have the unique ability to display
a majestic star pattern, the intriguing feline like Cat's-eye, the almost
hypnotic billowing sheen of moonstone, and the playful iridescent patterns
of contrasting color seen in Fire Agates and Ammolites.
The star effect, known to gem lovers as Asterism, appears as rays of
a star across the domed surface of the gem and is most often seen in Ruby,
Sapphire, Quartz, Garnet and Spinel. It is produced when a strong source
of light reflects off of the multitude of geometrically arranged layers
of threadlike inclusions that inhabit these unique gems. If the threads
in the gem all align themselves in a single direction, much like the strands
in a spool of thread, the reflection will appear as a single ray of light
called Chatoyancy, or Cat's-eye. The Cat's-eyes occur in Chrysoberyl,
Tourmaline and Quartz.
The silvery glow that floats across the surface of a gem somewhat like
a moonbeam across a fog enshrouded lake, is called Adularescence, or the
Moonstone effect. Amolite or Fire Agate have a rainbow effect similar
to what occurs in brightly colored wings of exotic butterfies called Iridescence.
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