frac·ture | ˈfrak-chər
noun
A general term for cracks, feathers or chips in a gemstone
A fracture generally refers to one of many potential flaws in a gemstone, including cracks, feathers or chips that might occur either naturally or due to the mishandling of the gem. It is most commonly used to refer to a break in the gem that is not parallel to the natural planes of the gem. There are several types of fractures that can occur in nature including conchoidal fractures that give a stone a shell-like shape, even fractures that result in clean breaks, uneven fractures that are more jagged, and splintery fractures, often also called fibrous fractures. Different types of fractures may happen in greater frequency for certain types of stones depending on the hardness scale of that stone and the conditions in which it is found.
