Joined: Tue Apr 21, 2009 3:23 am Posts: 71 Location: Brisbane, Australia
cascaillou wrote:
just curious, what is called christinite ? is it CZ ?
Cristinite is an entirely different synthetic to CZ.
From what I understand, it is reconstituted chrysoprase, made under specific lab conditions with some added dopants. Technically it could be synthetic transparent Chalcedony, however if they simply melted it, kept the silica and didn't get any crystallization, it would be glass.
Depending on the colour and batch, optical properties and SG do vary wildly.
It is made in Australia, and has a bit of a following with hobbyists, but at a similar price to synthetic spinel or CZ, is not super popular for jewelry.
Last edited by Lawrence on Thu Jan 26, 2012 7:22 pm, edited 1 time in total.
Joined: Mon May 14, 2007 11:00 am Posts: 1133 Location: Monterey, CA
Barbra Voltaire wrote:
I would be curious to have someone test the material with crossed polars and let us know the reaction.
Why bother? If it weren't glass, the "inventor" or some scientist would have written a technical article touting it as the only known gem material in that RI range that was not birefringent, and they would have published an X-ray diffraction pattern to prove it.
I'm curious to know what is the exact chemical composition (SiO2?), what are the dopants, what is the structure (amorphous, cryptocrystalline, or crystalline? isotropic or anisotropic?) and what's the fabrication process (fusion?). If someone finds out let us know
Cristinite is a trade name for a variety of silica-based doped glasses of varying SG and RI, but all sold under the name "Cristinite". It's just a made-up name for marketing. The material is cheap and easy to cut and polish if you are not too aggressive at the coarser stages, because it is rather brittle.
This makes it an ideal material for test cutting or maybe even earrings or pendants for re-sale, so long as the customer is warned "It's brittle!"
Joined: Sun Oct 16, 2005 12:22 pm Posts: 21602 Location: San Francisco
Jeffrey Hunt wrote:
With a controlled RI this Cristinite is the perfect glass for what I was looking for with a test cut - I originally had this post under Synthetics and Treatments. .
It was moved because the premise of the thread is not about "Cristinite: man-made glass", it is about lapidary.
Cristinite is a trade name for a variety of silica-based doped glasses of varying SG and RI, but all sold under the name "Cristinite". It's just a made-up name for marketing. The material is cheap and easy to cut and polish if you are not too aggressive at the coarser stages, because it is rather brittle.
This makes it an ideal material for test cutting or maybe even earrings or pendants for re-sale, so long as the customer is warned "It's brittle!"
Wayne
I agree it is great fun to cut, & so easy to polish - I have cut several pieces and posted pictures of some them here... It is not ideal, however, or even appropriate in my opinion, for any type of jewelry for re-sale. I have a pendant that I set and wear myself, and I love it, I but would never give or sell a piece to someone else. Drop it on your dresser once, and it's chipped. Been there. Not fun.
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