Post subject: Bought some "Axinite" but I think they are Hessonite, HELP/
Posted: Fri Nov 06, 2020 9:28 pm
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Joined: Fri Jun 19, 2020 8:16 pm Posts: 34
I was looking in ebay for some camera stuff and ended up bidding on some "Axonite". Since I don't have any I thought it would be fun to add a new stone to the "collection" I won my auction and received the stones. I think I got garnets instead. They are not too bad but I don't think axinite. Reddish Orange colour. The cut ranged from not too bad, to "cut by a drunk guy in the dark".
SG: 3.65 instead of the expected 3.18-3.37 RI: Singly refractive: 1.758, 1.760, Third stone no real reading, maybe 1.775. My RI liquid is 1.79 so very inexact reading.
I also looked at the spectroscope but only saw a very pronounced dark line between blue and green. I would not swear by that, my small opl and I have never really made friends.
When I put them under the microscope it looked an awful lot like some brownish hessonite I have.
So what do you guys think? Hessonite? other?
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Specs are a littlr bit off but very close (really just the one slughtly high RI). Have you checked the calibration on your refractometer? The treacle (and thus distinctive sleepy appearance) sure feels diagnostic, on top of sg and ri being within range.
Post subject: Re: Bought some "Axinite" but I think they are Hessonite, HE
Posted: Sat Nov 07, 2020 2:29 pm
Established Member
Joined: Fri Jun 19, 2020 8:16 pm Posts: 34
Stephen Challener wrote:
Specs are a littlr bit off but very close (really just the one slughtly high RI). Have you checked the calibration on your refractometer? The treacle (and thus distinctive sleepy appearance) sure feels diagnostic, on top of sg and ri being within range.
I checked my refractometer against known stones, Syn. quartz and aquamarine and found no cause for concern. I don't think there is a problem with the instrument. It's not great but seems to be accurate.
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