UNDER CONSTRUCTION
Gemlab Research & Technology is a subsidiary of the Canadian Institute of Gemmology (C.I.G.); it conducts independent research in gemmology related areas.
Early projects included colour gem grading with spectrometers and gem identification techniques using an immersion-scope. More recently portable fibre-optics spectrometers and LED light sources have expanded traditional gem testing procedures; they will become important tools for the practising gemmologist in the future. The Canadian Institute of Gemmology is in the forefront of providing professional development courses to its graduate students and members of the jewellery trade; innovative delivery methods are being studied and incorporated.
Over the years cost for electronic equipment has dropped considerably and UV-VIS-NIR spectrometers with software are now available to experienced gemmologists using a note-book computer.
The price for a basic setup including fiber probe, GL Tungsten Halogen Light Source (GLHalogen 10W) and soft-ware will be under $ 1,800. See for more information with specs and pricing.
We are presently working on our new USB portable GL Gem Spectrometer™ (GLGemSpec 300 - 1000 nm FWHM <1.00 nm) with customized software.
GL Gem Spectrometer with Dell Mini 9" netbook
The GL Gem Spectrometer™ will be a fully portable minature system; ideally it will run off a Laptop/Netbook computer and a rechargeable battery for the light source unit. Software is available for Windows7/Vista/XP and Win CE for PDA's and mini-netbooks. It also runs on Linux and Apple OS X via emulator.
The GLGemSpec will also work on the LabView platform (see image); VIs for version 7.1., 8 and 9 have already been developed. Our long-term project includes a RAMAN unit for under $ 10,000 and other advanced instrumentation.
The instrument will be first offered to A.G. (C.I.G.) graduates and participants in the AG-PDP program; the upgrade GEM 250 course will contain a training module for the broad range GL Gem Spectrometer. We will report about the testing phase in the CIGem News Summer 2010 edition.
Acknowledgements: I would like to thank Martin Haske at Adamas Gemological Laboratory for his extensive research and contribution in making spectrophotometers accessible to gemmologists. I hope that the GL Gem Spectroscope with its low acquisition cost will make this technology available to many more.
Up until now we have been testing portable OceanOptics spectrometers in the UV-VIS (200 - 1100 nm) and NIR (850 - 2500 nm) range in the following study areas:
View/Download Ocean Optics "Spectrometers 101" presentation. 
1.2 MB, Acrobat Reader or plug-in needed.
We have added a Tucsen 5.0 MP Color CMOS Camera (2560x1920 pixels) to our trinocular KYOWA microscope connected to a DELL netbook which is also used with our Ocean Optics spectrometers.
The new Tucsen Tsview software provides a user-friendly platform to control the camera, view and edit images(including fluorescence analysis)and infra-red (IR) macro photography.
The software also allows real-time sharing of images over the Internet. C.I.G. students taking course # 150 Gem Identification I can now be assisted through MSN Messenger or SKYPE in their course work.
Ocean Optics USB2000 UV-VIS Miniature Fiber Optic Spectrometer
The USB2000 couples a low-cost, high-performance 2048-element linear CCD-array detector with an optical bench that's small enough to fit into the palm of your hand -- the same detector and optical bench that have provided superior performance to the users of our 15,000 systems out in the field.
The USB2000 also works the same way as other Ocean Optics spectrometers in that it accepts light energy transmitted through single-strand optical fiber and disperses it via a fixed grating across the linear CCD array detector, which is responsive from 200-850 nm.
Purchase price is US$ 3,061 and $ 253 for the optical fiber assemblies.
The LS-1 Tungsten Halogen Light Source is a versatile white-light source optimized for the VIS-NIR (360-2500 nm). The lamp offers high colour temperature, highly efficient output and long life in a compact, economical package. In this setup a reflection/backscattering probe was used.
Purchase price for LS-1 was US$ 577 and for the R400-7-SR (200 - 1100nm) $ 635.
Initially we were using the portable Ocean Optics USB2000 Miniature Fiber Optic Spectrometer for colour grading projects.
The new SpectraSuite, the first modular, OS-independent spectroscopy software platform runs on Windows, Linux and MacOS based systems.
For fluorescence studies and more sophisticated gem identification projects we have acquired an Ocean Optics NIR 256-2.5 spectrometer with high-power halogen light source and filters; this allows us to conduct testing in the entire 200 - 2500 nm (UV-VIS-NIR) range.
We are cooperating with the Fox Group Inc. - the manufacturer of new UV-LEDs (350 nm and 360 nm, 250 nm in development)- in detecting and analyzing treatments such as fillers. Initial reports will be published soon.
The HL-2000 Tungsten Halogen Light Sources are versatile lamps optimized for the VIS-NIR (360 nm-2000 nm). The lamps feature adjustable focusing of the SMA 905 Connector to maximize light coupling into a fiber. A fan keeps the light sources cool and stable. A built-in filter slot accepts optical filters up to 25.4-mm round or up to 50.8-mm square and up to 3 mm thick.
The NIR256-2.5 near-infrared spectrometer is designed for applications that require sensitivity in the near-infrared region such as tunable laser wavelength characterization and general NIR spectroscopy. It features a temperature-regulated InGaAs detector array, which is internally cooled for optimum signal-to-noise and sensitivity.
The NR256-2.5 is a less costly, less complex alternative to FT-IR and comparable technologies and acquires data as fast as 10 milliseconds. The spectrometer has an effective range of 850-2500 (enhanced for 2100-2500 nm region).
Purchase price for the OceanOptics NIR 256-2.5 spectroscope is US$ 25,405. The HL-2000 Tungsten Halogen Light Source costs US$ 750.
We have experimented using various immersion liquids to improve the quality of spectras. The optical artifacts caused by the cut of the stone are eliminated by suspending it in a bath of liquid with a refractive index that matches that of the stone.
I followed closely the "Technique for UV-visible-NIR Microspectral Analysis of Gems by CRAIC Technologies". The full article can be read here.
The choice of the immersion liquid plays an important role in the results obtained from the spectrometer. Glycerin may be an effective immersion liquid for this purpose though it may not match the RI of the stone closely. As a consequence the signal-to-noise ratio was lower and spectral artifacts may still appear; however, glycerin does not degrade over time and has a spectral range which extends deep into the ultraviolet region, it is water soluble and can easily be removed from the gemstone.
The choice of the immersion liquid plays an important role in the results obtained from the spectrometer. Glycerin may be an effective immersion liquid for this purpose though it may not match the RI of the stone closely. As a consequence the signal-to-noise ratio was lower and spectral artifacts may still appear; however, glycerin does not degrade over time and has a spectral range which extends deep into the ultraviolet region, it is water soluble and can easily be removed from the gemstone.
Over the years I have experimented with various setups to get a quick image of an inclusion or a decent close-up of a gemstone. The solution mentioned above with our Kyowa trinocular microscope and a high resolution camera connected to a laptop produces very good results but is time consuming.
After studying Bob's Rock Shop Product Review on the Raynox Video MicroExplorer and reading Jamey Swishers excellent suggestions at his Photography Help the following ideas present a low-cost portable solution for top quality micro-photography of gems.
As I had already the Raynox Video Explorer and the Panasonic DMC-FZ28 (upon Jamey's recommendations) I only needed to purchase another Super Macro Conversion Lens MSN-202 with adaptor providing an additional 4x macro-lens. This mounts easily onto the extension tube of the DMC-FZ28 which has produced the best imagery for gemstones and inclusions for me sofar. For illumination I use the built-in fluorescent light in the base of the explorer and/or a Schott flexible fibre-optics ring-light which is connected to a Micro Light FL-3000 with 150 W halogen bulb and directly attached to the macro lens. One can see the reflection of the ring-light in the photo below.
For immersion photography I try to use an immersion dish with a liquid close to the R.I. of the stone. The following images of an emerald were taken (from left to right) with base light only, base light and 50% illumination from ring-light, base light and 100% illumination from above. Another emerald is shown in a "dry" setup using a black disk as background.
The same setup can be used for macro-photography; the macro conversion lens has to be exchanged for the 35x micro lens from the original video-explorer.For the following shots of various gems I used an Ott-Lite True Color flip-light. These images are shown as I took them; I did not enhance them nor crop them.
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The Panasonic FZ28 is a versatile camera and the superior optics of the Raynor micro/macro lenses in the above setup produce images which match results from a professional gem microscope costing thousands of dollars; it takes very little time to take a picture and the system is portable.
Just for fun I used the FZ28 to produce a short YouTube movie of a synthetic red spinel crystal (1993, Russian production).
Our Gemlab Research & Technology website should be up soon. I will add an extra photo section to it.
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Carvings from Brazil - a selection of the finest
We are offering a large selection of genuine and synthetic gemstones suitable for study purposes. Everything from unusual collector's stones to sophisticated lab-grown gem materials will be available.
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