Tom C wrote: > > There is also, as you suggest red coral. Coral, calcium-based is much > softer than a silica-based gemstone. > > On the Mohs scale of hardness, coral is around a 4, while quartz is a 7. If > it's easily scratched with a knife blade then it's softer than quartz (which > you jay not want to try). A steel knife plade is around 5 1/2 on the > hardness scale. > > Due to the abundance of chalcedonies, I'd still lean in that direction. > > Tom C.
I'll second that... maybe he _could_scratch the underside of it... are we sure it isn't plastic? I thought jasper was a possibility but it looks too translucent... what about a low grade opal? still quartz, of course ann > > >From: "Shel Belinkoff" <[EMAIL PROTECTED]> > >Reply-To: pentax-discuss@pdml.net > >To: pentax-discuss@pdml.net > >Subject: RE: OT - A Jewelry Question > >Date: Mon, 7 Nov 2005 15:45:46 -0800 > > > >OK - thanks for your guess. Now, what else ~could~ it be, do you think? > > > >Shel > >"You meet the nicest people with a Pentax" > > > > > > > [Original Message] > > > From: Tom C - A Jewelry Question > > > > > > I'm guessing it's Carnelian, a variety of Chalcedony, which using a word > >I > > > like, is a cryptocrystalline form of quartz. > > > > > > http://www.gemhut.com/carneln.htm > > > > > > Tom C. > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > >From: "Shel Belinkoff" > > > > > >If you know something about jewelry perhaps you can suggest what the > >red > > > >stone in this item may be. Coral comes to mind ... > > > > > > > >http://home.earthlink.net/~ebay-pics/turqpendant.jpg > > > >
