The spectrometer irradiates the sample with monochromatic light. Both in transmission and reflection electrons are excited, which absorbs specific amounts of energy characteristic for distinct chemical elements and their valence. Scanning of the wavelength ranges of ultraviolet and visible light allows the collection and interpretation of an absorbance spectrum. The UV-Vis spectra provide information about the composition of the sample and allow the differentiation of, say, Fe2+ and Fe3+.
The Gubelin Gem Lab possesses a Perkin Elmer Lambda 19 and a Varian Cary 5000 spectrometer in the laboratory in Lucerne and a Perkin Elmer Lambda 35 for Off-Premise Testing.
