BGO20 Bismuth Germanate Facet Rough

BGO20 Bismuth Germanate Facet RoughThese are BGO 20 aka Bismuth Germanate specimens. Some are end cuts that show crystal faces while others have been sawn into flat plates in the process of making wafers for scientific use. Bismuth Germanate (in this case, specifically Bi12GeO20 aka sillenite) is a very unusual lab created crystal. It is valued in science for its highly unusual electrooptical and piezoelectric properties which allow it to be used in nonlinear optics and for acousto

They've been faceted and set in solid sterling silver jewelry

venomous color

This is a really cool one

and while I'm sure the USSR scientists were frustrated by the production problems

The stainless steel post upgrade is a replacement for the aluminum one on the CutKit™ 1 and 2 masts--just unscrew the aluminum original and thread the steel one on

Some of the original lab ruby rough was grown from the pink pure chromium formulas originally intended for lasers

This is lab created yellow-orange lithium tantalate facet rough

and many are deep blue-black due to iron contamination

Some also have cracks - we have photographed each piece both frontlit and backlit to help see what you're dealing with

Lab alexandrite is grown for use in lasers--these hearts were made from offcuts of laser crystals

It has some bubbles which have a bit of directional sparkle when they catch the light

These are faceted labmade Zinc Sphalerite (ZnS)