Tortoiseshell and Sunstone Optical Properties

Tortoiseshell

Sunstone

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1 Optical Properties

1.1 Luster

Not Available

Vitreous

1.2 Pleochroism

Not Available

Weak or absentWalter Schumann

1.3 Dispersion

NANone

0.007 1

1.4 Transparency

Gemmological Tables (2004)

Transparent, Translucent, Transparent to translucent

1.5 Refractive Index

1.540-1.5601.53-1.55

1 3.25

1.6 Optic Character

Not Available

1.7 Crystal System

Not Available

Triclinic

1.8 Birefringence

Not Available0.007-0.010

0 0.296

1.9 Clarity

OpaqueUlrich Henn and Claudio C. Milisenda

Transparent to translucent

Tortoiseshell and Sunstone Optic Character

Tortoiseshell and Sunstone optical properties play a significant role while distinguishing these gemstones from each other. These properties are influenced by the Tortoiseshell and Sunstone Physical Properties like crystallographic symmetry, pleochroism,etc. in the crystal. Some of the optical properties are refractive index, luster, optic character, pleochroism etc. Prominent among these is Tortoiseshell and Sunstone optic character. You might have noticed your gemologist rotating the gemstone while testing it. Rotating a gemstone along its optic axis helps in determining its optic character.

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Tortoiseshell and Sunstone Transparency

Similar to their colors, Tortoiseshell and Sunstone transparency can also be used as criteria for their primary identification. Although transparency cannot be the only criteria for gemstone identification, it can efficiently used in gemstone grading. Talking about their transparency, Tortoiseshell is Gemmological Tables (2004) while Tortoiseshell is Gemmological Tables (2004) in appearance.