Information On Gemstones

Gemstone Scene Article

Collecting Prescious And Semi-Prescious Gemstones

By Lee MacRae

Why collect loose gemstones you ask? Well for one thing they've been sought for their beauty for many centuries. And just like natural diamonds they can become extremely valuable over the years. Many hobbyists love to collect and work with the nearly 150 types of gemstones found today. Follow along as we discuss the hobby of loose gemstone collecting.

Right at the beginning, what you need is to get yourself some books on gemstones. You want to know everything there is to know about your new hobby. The more you understand about the hobby of gemstones the better off you'll be. You will know exactly what to look for.

First on the list to evaluate is gemstone color. It is a fact that gemstones are the most intensely colored natural material available on earth. Gemstones are so related to color that they've even become associated with particular ones. Without a doubt you will recognize sapphire blue, ruby red, jade green, aquamarine, emerald green or turquoise. Gemstones become higher in value when they equal the colors in the spectrum of red, orange, yellow, green, blue, and violet. They are valued much less when they are lighter or darker than the pure natural color.

The cut of the stone is extremely important and factors into appraisal of diamonds but gemstones as well. An excellent cut will highlight the pure color of the stone, diminishes its inclusions, and show off its symmetry and proportions. One excellent method to determine the precision in the cut is to consider how well it reflects light on a consistent basis throughout the surface of the stone. But if a gem is cut too shallow, most of this light were refracted away instead of reflecting inside the gemstone. That will make the gem seem washed out and windowed.

The next factor to look at is the clarity of the stone under consideration. This means the purity of the gemstone with no internal conclusions, particles or spots within the crystal. Obviously, stones with a lack of flaws would make the gemstone highly valuable.

Gemstones are often categorized according to their size since it is more uniform than carat weight. But two different gemstones may have the same size but differ in carat weights and as a result different prices as well. This is due to gemstone difference regarding specific gravity or relative density and depends on the materials chemical composition and crystal structure type Normally a one carat brilliant round diamond of typical proportions will be approximately 6.5 mm in diameter. A comparable a brilliant ruby of the same proportions in size will weigh approximately 1.55 carats.

Though you may find gemstones used a lot in jewelry, they are perfectly good collectibles in their own right. In fact, there are many attractive and interesting gemstones that are simply too big and fragile for use in jewelry. Take each gemstone and think of it as a piece of art, a miniature sculpture to be 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 use vacation time to actually hunt for raw gemstones in stead of buying. In the US in Oregon you'll find Agate, Obsidian, Hydrolite and Sunstone. And in Canada you can hunt for nephrite jade in the Frances Lake area in the Yukon Territory or amazonite (microcline) near Lac St-Jean, Quebec as well as Ammolite, a rare gemstone found only in southern Alberta. Take up gemstone collecting and you won't regret it.

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More Information On natural colored diamonds

The sapphire has traditionally been involved in the area of religious magic, and
it was believed that the owner of the stone could use it to harness psychic
powers. It was, and still is, the choice of high church officials and regents
especially when their rings are mounted. There are several language origins for
the word "sapphire." In Sanskrit it was known as "sauriratna" in honor of the
planet Saturn. Ancient Chaldean references called it "sampir," while the Greeks
had a modern translation, "sappheiros" which denoted the color blue. The Arabic
translation was "safir" and the Latin texts call it "saphirus."
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Lapis is known as the December Traditional Birthstone. Lapis Lazuli is the
anniversary gemstone for the 7th and 9th year of marriage. It is said that Lapis
helps one understand the mind. It helps to expand your viewpoint. It is good for
connecting the heart and the mind when worn over the heart.
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Quartz will chip and crack rather easily. Brown quartz is often refered to as
Smokey Quartz. Smokey Quartz is often irradiated clear quartz. Smokey Quartz
will fade in the sun. Quartz is found in Brazil, Madagascar, USA (Alabama,
Alaska, Arkansas, California, Colorado, Georgia, North Carolina, Rhode Island,
South Carolina and West Virginia), and former USSR.
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