Information On Gemstones

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Starting To Collect Gemstones

By Lee MacRae

Many people today say collecting various loose gemstones or loose diamonds is a favorite pastime. They love the colors and the beauty Of the assorted number of gemstones you can find just about everywhere in the world. This article will discuss a number of things you need to know in starting in this hobby.

The first thing you need to do in becoming a gemstone collector the intelligent way is by acquiring knowledge about them. By visiting a local library you can find books on the subject that will prevent you from making mistakes at the start.

One of the first things you look at Is gemstone color. Highly prized gemstones exhibit colors similar to the purest spectral colors of yellow, blue, Violet, green, orange or red. Muted gemstone colors or too dark lowers the value per carat.

Gemstone cut is very important and factors highly into the appraisal of not only diamonds but gemstones as well. A precision cut gemstone highlights the natural color of the gemstone, lessen any inclusions and show off its symmetry and proportions. One way of determining the excellence in gemstone cut is to consider how well and consistent it reflects light over its entire surface. If the stone is cut on the shallow side much of the light will refract out of the gem rather than reflecting inside the stone. Gem color appears washed out.

The clarity of a gemstone is an important consideration. When we talk of clarity it relates to the amount of inclusions (trace elements or large particles of other elements or minerals) that a gem has. A perfect gemstone is more valuable. To examine flaws not seen with the naked eye you need a gemstone loupe (gemstone clarity magnifier) or gem microscope. Many hobbyists will employ a 10X jewelers were gemstone loup for viewing stamps, coins, beads as well as gems.

Next up are size and weight. Except for corals and pearls, all gemstones are priced by the carat. One carat equals a 0.2 grams. However you should know size and weight and gemstones are not the same. Density or specific gravity can very. Take a diamond that weighs 1.00 carats and you will see that a Sapphire or ruby of the same size would weigh 1.20 carats.

Although gems are frequently used in jewelry, they are a great hobby and pastime as well. In fact, there are many attractive and interesting gemstones that are too fragile or too large to be used in jewelry. Here's a suggestion -- don't think of a gem as a component of jewelry; Think of it as a mini sculpture or piece of art to be highly treasured for its beautiful colors and the finish you apply to it. And unlike some hobbies that require you to pay for your specimens you can actually go hunting for raw gemstones in the field. In the United States in Oregon you'll find Agate, Obsidian, Hydrolite and Sunstone. And if you travel to Canada you will find nephrite jade in Cry Lake, British Columbia or sodalite and rose quartz near Bancroft, Ontario and even iolite from Manitouwadge, Ontario. Think of collecting gemstones as a great hobby and pastime.

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Lapis Lazuli, an ancient gem, is a deep blue stone that is known as the stone of
total awareness. In Egyptian cultures, people made a practice of burying a
lapis lazuli scarab with their dead, as they believed it offered protection. In
the earliest cultures, lapis lazuli was valued more highly than gold. Lapis
Lazuli brings mental clarity, self knowledge, and honesty. It is a stone of
truth and friendship, promoting harmony in relationships.
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Within each gemstone variety, quality dramatically affects price: a gem can sell
for $100 or $2,000,000. When buying a gemstone - buy the best quality, most
experts recommend. Choose a smaller stone of higher quality over a larger stone
of lower quality, or buy a higher quality gem from an unusual variety if your
budget is too small.
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Why I Like Gemstones

Our Featured Gemological Article

The Hobby Of Gemstone Collecting

By Lee MacRae

Many people today say collecting loose gemstones or loose diamonds is their favorite hobby. They simply love the beauty and the colors of the wide array of gemstones found around the world today. This article will look at a number of factors you should understand in starting in this interesting hobby.

At the very beginning you'll need the knowledge on the various gemstones available. This knowledge will help you to know what exactly you're looking for and prevent you from wasting your money. A knowledgeable buyer is a wise one.

To start with, an important aspect in gemstone evaluation is color. Without a doubt, gemstones are the most intensely colored natural material available on earth. These materials are so related to their color that they have even lent their names to specific colors. You've no doubt heard about emerald green, ruby red, sapphire blue, jade green, turquoise or aquamarine. Gemstones are valued much higher the closer they come to the natural spectral colors of yellow, blue, violet, green, orange and red. They are valued much less when they are lighter or darker than the natural color.

The cut of the stone is extremely important and factors highly into the appraisal of not only diamonds but along with your gemstones. An excellent cut will highlight the natural color of the gemstone, lessen any inclusions and exhibits good overall symmetry and proportion. One excellent method to determine the precision of the cut is to consider how well and consistent it reflects light over the stones complete surface. If the gemstone is cut to shallow much of the light will refract out of the gem rather than reflecting internally. That will make the gem seem washed out and windowed.

Another factor to look at is the clarity of the stone. This means the gemstones purity or the absence of internal inclusions, internal particles or spots within the crystal. Needless to say, stones with no flaws are hard to find and make your stones very valuable.

Next item to look at is the duo of size and weight. Due to their nature gemstones can vary greatly in density and specific gravity. Weight and size are not necessarily equal across the board. If you have a diamond that weighs 1.00 carats a sapphire of equal size would weigh 1.20 carats. An emerald stone would be about 0.95 carats and an Alexandrite stone would be about 1.23 carats.

Getting involved in collecting gemstones can become an enjoyable pastime and also rewarding in the long run. You can take your time and not lay out a lot a cash at the start and yet you can end up with some very beautiful stones. Many people loved to spend weekends to go hunting gemstones. Take the example of the United States. In Utah You can find Topaz, Garnet, Petrified Wood, Jasper and Obsidian. Or ou can take a longer vacation and find opal in Opalton, Yowah, Queensland, Austalia, topaz in Beechworth, Victoria or hunt the peridot fields in Mortlake in Victoria, Australia.

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Zircon is known since the Middle Ages. The oldest known zircons are from Western
Australia, with an age of 4.4 billion years. The name probably comes from the
Persian word "zargun" which means "gold-colored," although zircon comes in a
wide range of different colors. The most popular zircon-color is blue.
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An aspect of a stone�s color that can effect its value is its rarity. For
example, a golden-pink topaz (Imperial Topaz) is more valuable than a blue topaz
, all other characteristics being equal. This is because it is harder to find
topaz of this color.
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