Weighing gemstones
Diamonds and other gemstones are weighed in a special unit. This is called a ‘carat’. There are five carats (cts) in one gramme. Therefore 1 kg is 5,000 cts. Tiny diamonds have their own measure. They are weighed in ‘points’. One carat is 100 points, so a quarter-carat gem (0.25 ct) is a ‘twenty-five pointer’. Gold is also measure in carats but these are not based on weight. They are amounts of gold in metal, and 24 carats is equivalent to 100 per cent pure gold.
Testing for hardness
By comparing other stones with the hardness of a diamond, a test called the ‘hardness test’ was developed. Minerals can be tested by measuring their hardness. In the diagram, the hardness value of several different substances is given. This is called the Mohs scale and measures hardness from one, representing talc, to ten — diamond — with the highest hardness value.
Calcite is a colourless mineral found in limestone; gypsum is a white mineral and is used for making plaster.
Picture Credit : Google