Golden Laser Garnet Facet Rough, Ce+Nd YAG

These are lab created golden laser garnet aka Ce+Nd YAG (Yttrium Aluminum Garnet) facet rough.  Smaller pieces can be purchased by weight range and larger pieces are labelled with their gram weight and letter in the photo and they can be purchased individually.

This is an unusual synthetic material, YAG doped with both Ce and Nd. While Nd YAG is one of the most classic laser materials and has been widely used for numerous applications since the 60s the formula has been tinkered with over the years to optimize it even further. In particular cerium can act as a booster to the neodymium, and depending on the balance and the possible prescence of other elements the color varies dramatically. In this version the YAG has actually mostly been doped with Cerium and just a pinch of neodymium.

Ce alone gives YAG an ultra bright yellow color, and Nd alone gives a purple shifting color. Together they give the stone a striking yellow to amber color which shifts between more orange and more yellow from light source to light source. They also show a striking yellow and pink fluorescence. Pink fluorescence like this is a very unusual feature--it only shows up under a blacklight but still makes for an interesting addition to the gem. Some of these stones have zones of pink fluorescence combined with yellow, others just show a brighter yellow.

YAG has an RI of 1.83, hardness of 8.5 and cuts and polishes very easily. It is ideal for all jewelry applications. This is a great stone for beginners who want an uncomplicated cut or advanced cutters who want to show off their skills.

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