In solid materials each . travels at a different speed, and thus each has a distinct au,, w refraction. Isaac Newton first recorded this phenomenon in his tents with glass prisms. Newton discovered that a prism can ~ate the component colors, or wavelengths, of white light by bending each a different amount. This is called dispersion.

Dispersion is important to the beauty of many gems, including - diamond, sphene, and others. It is especially important in color¬less that have no body color to make their appearance distinctive.

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The dispersion of a gem is the amount that individual light wavelengths MW separated in the material. This effect can be enhanced by proper cutting. But basically the stronger the dispersion; the better the separation¬ & the more vivid the individual colors appear where different emerge from the gem.