KEY STRENGTHS: This handy piece of equipment is perhaps the most important tool in gemology, spectroscope breaks up the light being transmitted from a gemstone into its spectral colors, which allows the gemologist to see the various wavelengths that are being absorbed by the gemstone. Thereby allowing the gemologist to know what elements are contained in the gemstone that causes the absorption. Making this one of the most important tools in identifying gemstones.
Elements within a gemstone will absorb certain levels of energy. And light is energy. Therefore certain elements in a gemstone will absorb certain colors of light based on what energy level they are absorbing. The spectroscope allows us to see which color of light, or energy, is being absorbed, thereby allowing us to know what elements are in a gemstone. This, in turn, allows us to know more about the gemstone, like their identification, where it came from, what causes it to have color, etc... The prism spectroscope is composed of three optical grade glass prisms in optical contact with each other. Spectroscopes allows you to analyze a loose or mounted stone's spectrum. They help distinguish naturally colored diamonds from those that have been irradiated and help to distinguish natural stones from synthetics by the stone's selective absorption of certain wavelengths.