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Titanium oxide minerals in gemology
Titanium minerals, such as rutile, anatase and brookite, which are polymorphic modifications of titanium oxide (TiO2), are used not only as an ore for the production of titanium metal, its compounds and raw materials for paints and varnishes, but also as a decorative collection material, however, stones suitable for cutting, are very rare among them. The most widespread in the form of cut stones is synthetic rutile, which first entered the jewelry market as an inexpensive imitation of diamond. Also, everyone is widely known "quartz-hairy", representing quartz (rock crystal, citrine, smoky quartz), containing needle-like inclusions of golden rutile. Such stones look spectacular in cabochons, but sometimes they are faceted. It is rare to find faceted rutile crystals - as a rule, they have a very dark color in brown shades and are of interest only as collectible cuts. Anatase and brookite are rare in large crystals, and cut-quality stones are practically not found. But in cuts, they look much more spectacular than rutile itself, having mainly brown, orange and red colors of a lighter tone, and anatase can also have colors of low saturation of a blue hue.
В геммологической практике бывают весьма увлекательные случаи с диагностикой ювелирных вставок
Но помимо редкости цвета и высокой стоимости таких камней, многие розовые камни выделяются одной замечательной особенностью – они проявляют плеохроизм, то есть в зависимости от положения осмотра камня он может иметь дополнительные оттенки – оранжевый или пурпурный.
Currently, gemstones are produced by two fundamentally different technological methods - the High Pressure - High Temperature method (“HPHT”, High-pressure & High-temperature) and the Chemical Vapor Deposition (“CVD”, Chemical vapor deposition) method. The "HPHT" method is the most tested classical synthesis method, which can be used both carbon deposition on diamond from flux melts and catalytic reactions. In "CVD" synthesis, diamond growth occurs on a seed during carbon deposition mainly from a gaseous medium at relatively low temperatures and pressures.
Jewelry and precious stones are just such a category of goods, when buying which you need to pay attention to many criteria.
Sogdianite is a rather rare mineral and more often it can be found as a collection material (moreover, in systematic collections), and it is extremely rare in jewelry.