Why do gemstones end with ITE?
The Rock and Mineral names can be traced quite often to Greek and to Latin. It is common practice to add an “ite” to a mineral name. The suffix “ite” is derived from the Greek word lithos (from its adjectival form -ites), meaning rock or stone.
What are the 7 gem names?
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- Blue Sapphire (Neelam)
- Emerald (Panna)
- Hessonite (Gomed)
- Pearl (Moti)
- Ruby (Manik)
- Red Coral (Moonga)
- White Sapphire.
- Yellow Sapphire – Pukhraj.
What does ite in Latin mean?
1. a suffix of nouns denoting especially persons associated with a place, tribe, leader, doctrine, system, etc.
What is Sphene used for?
Sphene continues to be the name used for titanite in the gem and jewelry industries. It is a minor gemstone that is popular with collectors because of its high dispersion. Sphene is one of the few minerals with a dispersion higher than diamond.
What does the ending ITE mean?
Why do gemstone names always end in ‘ITE’?
Thus, it is a convention in the world of gems that all new minerals must be given names which end with an ‘ite’ suffix. However, when it comes to gemstone names (not minerals), they do not always end in ‘ite’. But all official gemstone trade names must still be approved by regulation, just as minerals do.
What are the different types of gemstones?
People have classified gems in many different ways. Traditionally, precious stones were the Big Four gemstones — diamonds, emeralds, rubies, and sapphires. Semi-precious stones were everything else. Today, gemologists don’t use these terms because they imply that some gems are better or worth more than others.
Why do all new minerals have an ‘ITE’ suffix?
The International Mineralogical Association’s Commission on New Minerals, Nomenclature and Classification publishes strict guidelines for the naming of new minerals, as well as the renaming of existing ones. Thus, it is a convention in the world of gems that all new minerals must be given names which end with an ‘ite’ suffix.
Do gemstone trade names need to be regulated?
But all official gemstone trade names must still be approved by regulation, just as minerals do. In the case of gemstones, it is the CIBJO that regulates the naming of gemstone types, so as to avoid sellers intentionally trading gems under misleading names, such as ‘ sunset ruby ‘, ‘ green amethyst ‘ or ‘ smoky topaz ‘ for example.
