Specimens?
When we hear the word “specimen,” we think of blood tests, scientific testing, and archeological findings. The world of Gemstone Specimens, however, is far more intriguing, stunningly gorgeous, and as wide as it is deep.
Before gem faceting became an art, gemstones were appreciated in their natural form, what we gem nerds call their “crystal structure.” This is one of Rachel Dery’s (daughter of award-winning gemstone cutter, Roger Dery) favorite things to talk about so we’ll let her share their newest collection, curated by Rachel herself.
Hi! It's Rachel Dery.
I love to share about the anatomy of gemstones and their external appearance apart from any human changes. Sometimes, gemstones in their natural state have a rustic, unadulterated, pure beauty that is almost a sin to touch. Most gems are enhanced by faceting, the reason why the art of gem faceting exists! Their skin may be too abraded to see the color clearly and their shape may not effectively show off the gem’s natural sparkle. Faceting sets off their best characteristics and seeks to put on display as much intrinsic beauty as possible.
Specimens are gemstones that already have a unique, one-of-a-kind appearance and don’t need any human adjustments. We are excited to present the newest collection of Roger Dery Gems: Stunning Specimens! Often, their defining feature is their crystal structure. A gem’s crystal structure is the shape of the crystal that we can see with human eyes, which is a reflection of the gem’s internal chemical composition and atomic structure. Every gem has a different crystal structure! Look at the difference between the (L to R) Tanzanite, Spinel and Sapphire specimens.
Sometimes, a specimen’s beauty is not in its perfect textbook structure, but in the story it tells about its journey to reach human hands. For example, the Ruby specimen below tells a story of a long and arduous journey to reach humans. The path it took ate chunks out of its structure and the mottled texture of its surface tells us it came into contact with other hard rocks.
Sometimes, a specimen’s beauty is in the insight it gives us to its original home. When a specimen is found with part of its host rock, the original rock it formed on, it lets us dream about the location and conditions under which it grew, like this Merelani Mint Garnet specimen.
If you would like to view Rachel's gemstone specimens, or any of Roger Dery's beautifully precision cut gemstones, please message through our website, call us, or contact us via social media. We'll be happy to make them available to you.