Why Do Gemstones Have Different Colors?
Color is the most important characteristic of gemstones, though in the case of most Diamonds it is the absence of color which is most important. What is responsible for the variations in color? Color is produced by the way a gemstone absorbs light. Light is an electromagnetic vibration at certain wavelengths, but the human eye can only perceive certain wavelengths. The field of the visible color spectrum includes red, orange, yellow, green, blue, and violet. There are several different reasons why the various gemstone varieties absorb light differently. Some gemstones are said to be idiochromatic or self-colored. They absorb certain wavelengths of light due to characteristics of their chemical structure. Most gemstones are allochromatic. They are colored by impurities or trace elements in their crystal structure. If all the different wavelengths of light pass through a gemstone, it will appear colorless. On the other hand, if the gem material absorbs all the light, it will be appear bl
