Measure Specific Gravity
30 minutesmeasure specific gravity with precision, following established lapidary methods and verifying results at each stage.
Field context
This workflow is part of 1 niche field
Learn gem identification from scratch with a clear step-by-step workflow, recommended tools, safety guidelines, and expert tips.
measure specific gravity with precision, following established lapidary methods and verifying results at each stage.
test hardness safely with precision, following established lapidary methods and verifying results at each stage.
check refractive index with precision, following established lapidary methods and verifying results at each stage.
observe inclusions with precision, following established lapidary methods and verifying results at each stage.
record id report with precision, following established lapidary methods and verifying results at each stage.
Key benchmarks for gem identification.
| Grit | Purpose | Time |
|---|---|---|
| 80 | Rough grind | Coarse |
| 220 | Shape | Medium |
| 14000 | Polish | Fine |
Keep stone wet while grinding — dry silica dust causes silicosis.
Never skip grit steps — each stage removes scratches from the previous.
Wear safety glasses even when wet grinding — slurry splashes at high speed.