Meaning of Vitreous Lustre

Vitreous from Latin 'Vitrum'

Vitreous is the most common type of lustre seen in rocks, minerals and particularly gemstones.

Lustre is a term used to describe the way light interacts with the surface of a stone.

The word 'vitrous' comes from the Latin 'vitrum' meaning 'glass'. Stones with a vitreous lustre reflect light in a similar way to glass.

The word implies the stone's appearance or physical properties are 'glass-like'.

Article Picture

Our photo is a herkimer diamond from Herkimer County New York. The picture is clickable and redirects to the original photo. Courtesy of Stan Celestian.