Latest Gemological Article
So You Want To Collect Gemstones
By Lee MacRae
The term gemology refers to the science, art and profession of identifying and evaluating rocks known as natural diamonds or loose gemstones. A number of people taken up gemology as a hobby. They become interested in making a collection of loose diamonds or loose gemstones. Some people even begin to travel to various neghbourhood locations to look for raw gemstones. Some hobbyists will learn to cut or tumble the gemstones they find. If you have an interest in this hobby then read along as we discuss the in and outs of gemstone collecting.
To begin with you need to learn all you can on the various gemstones available. This knowledge will help you to know the properties of each stone and prevent you from wasting your money. This will help you make informed decisions.
First on the list to evaluate is gemstone color. Gemstones are the most intensely colored natural material available on earth. Gems have become so synonomous with color, they've even had their names combined with associated colors. You've no doubt heard about emerald green, ruby red, sapphire blue, jade green, turquoise or aquamarine. Gemstones will have a higher value they closer they are to natural spectral colors of yellow, blue, violet, green, orange and red. They become less valuable when they are lighter or darker than the spectral color.
The way a stone is cut is the second most important factor to look at before a purchase. The preciseness of the cut will determine how much light the stone will reflect. It will ultimately determine the brilliance of the stone and its final value.
Gemstone clarity is the next item to consider. When we talk of clarity it relates to the absence of flaws or blemishes inside the stone. A gemstones that is normally found to be clean is obviously worth more. To determine the flaws not seen with the unaided eye you need a 10X gemstone loupe (gemstone clarity magnifier) or gem microscope. Serious hobbyists will employ an inexpensive 10X gemstone or jewelers loup for viewing stamps, coins, beads as well as gems.
Next thing to look at is the duo of weight and size. Due to the fact 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 an equal sized Sapphire would weigh more than 1.20 carats. An Emerald of equal size would be approximately 0.95 carats while an Alexandrite gemstone would be about 1.23 carats.
Getting involved in collecting gemstones can give you an enjoyable pastime and also rewarding in the long run. You can start small and don't have to spend a lot of money and yet you can buy some very beautiful items. Many people love to take vacations to go hunting gemstones. For example in Maryland you can search for Beryl and Clam Pearl. Or you can take the time to travel and find opal at Lightning Ridge in NSW, Austalia, topaz in Mt Surprise or O'Briens Creek in Queensland, Australia or hunt in the garnet fields in Fullarton River in Queensland, Australia.
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"Indeed there is no stone, the colour of which is more delightful to the eye;
for whereas the sight fixes itself with avidity upon the green grass and the
foliage of the trees, we have all the more pleasure in looking upon the
smaragdus, there being no green in existence of a more intense colour than this.
And then, besides, of all the precious stones, this is the only one that feeds
the sight without satiating it. Even when the vision has been fatigued with
intently viewing other objects, it is refreshed by being turned upon this stone;
and lapidaries know of nothing that is more gratefully soothing to the eyes, its
soft green tints being wonderfully adapted for assuaging lassitude, when felt in
those organs" The Natural History, Book XXXVII. The Natural History of Precious
Stones, Chapter 16. Pliny the Elder (23-79)
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In the 1950's the Gemological Institute of America established a system for
grading diamonds based on the four C's. This was a great asset to the diamond
community and it became the standard for grading world wide. While the system
for grading color and clarity removed most redundancies, the standards for
grading the cut left something to be desired. That is not necessarily a
criticism of the GIA; no one has been able to establish a simple a usable system
that would cover all the variables involved.
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More natural color diamonds Info
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