So you’re in the market for a new precious stone, huh?
Well, you’re not alone. Since remotest antiquity, humans have been searching for these rare and precious products of the earth—and often as not fighting one another for them.
Fortunately, you don’t have to go to that trouble. We’ve assembled five useful tips to help you in your search for precious stones. So read on to learn about the types of gemstones, the different kinds of gems, and all about how to buy gemstones like a pro.
1. The Different Types of Gemstones
There’s much more to gemstones than their good looks.
Basically, they fall into several different categories: precious, semi-precious, organic, and synthetic. The value of the different types of gems is determined by many factors, including rarity, purity, cultural meaning, and accessibility.
When buying gemstones, your choice will be based on a variety of considerations, not the least of which is price. But it also comes down to what kind of gemstone appeals most to you—so let’s take a look at top two types of gemstones, precious and semi-precious:
Precious
Precious gemstones are the royalty of gems…which shouldn’t come as a surprise, since they’ve been reserved for royalty throughout history.
The four gemstones commonly considered precious are diamonds, emeralds, rubies, and sapphires. They’ve been reckoned the most precious since prehistory, largely because of their rarity and their incomparable beauty.
Semi-Precious
Semi-precious gems are fully as rare as precious gemstones, but for whatever reason they’re valued a little less than the precious variety. They come in a number of different hues, and have distinct chemical makeups.
Semi-precious gems include opals, garnets, agates, and amethysts. Often, these gemstones come with a colorful history that dates back to antiquity—amethyst jewelry, for instance, was believed to guard against intoxication.
So take the time to learn about amethyst and other semi-precious gems before choosing which gemstone to buy.
2. Gemstone Color
The color of a gemstone is one of its most important value factors. A gemstone’s color is divided into three categories: hue, tone, and saturation.
The hue is the gem’s basic color, and there are six primary hues: red, yellow, orange, green, blue, and violet. Tone references the lightness or the darkness of the color, and saturation indicates the amount of color in the gem—in other words, its color purity, without the presence of other colors.
3. Clarity
Clarity is just what it sounds like: the clearness of the gem. Generally, the freer a gemstone is of inclusions, impurities, and other imperfections, the more valuable it is.
Certain gemstones, however, might be more valuable due to their impurities—sapphires with star-like inclusions, for instance, or amber with rare fossil organisms.
4. Carat Weight
The carat is the standard weight measurement for gemstones, and it translates to about 1/5th of a gram. Keep in mind that some gems are denser than others, so two different gemstones of the same carat weight might also be of different sizes.
5. Gemstone Cut
This is the final factor to consider. Gemstones have different “cuts,” meaning how they’re shaped and faceted to refract light.
Everyone is familiar with the famous “brilliant cut” used for diamonds, and even the “step cut” used on emeralds. These cuts evoke the full beauty of a gemstone, and different cuts are suited to certain types of gems.
Follow These Tips Before Purchasing Precious Stones
So, now you know a little more about the different types of gemstones, and what to look for when buying them. Purchasing a precious stone is a big decision, so you need to arm yourself with the best facts and information.
If you’re looking for more buying guides, feel free to check out the other articles on the website!
