Featured Gemstone Article
Collecting Gemstones
By Lee MacRae
Gemology is a term referring to the profession, science, and even art of evaluating and identifying gemstones from loose gemstones to natural diamonds. A number of people taken up this profession as a hobby. They become interested in collecting and evaluating loose gemstones or loose diamonds. You'll even find some that like to travel to different areas close by or to other countries to hunt for raw or rough gemstones. Some hobbyists will learn to cut or tumble the gemstones they find. If this hobby interest you then follow along as this article discusses the various aspects of gemstone collecting.
The very first step in beginning this hobby the proper way is by getting adequate knowledge about them. By taking a quick trip to the library or local bookstore you can find books on the subject that will make you an informed buyer.
First on the list to evaluate is gemstone color. Gemstones are the most intensely colored natural material available on earth. Gemstones are so related to color that they've even had their names combined with associated colors. Everyone knows ruby red, emerald green, sapphire blue, aquamarine, turquoise, and jade green Gemstones become higher in value when they equal the colors in the spectrum of violet, blue, green,, orange and red. They drop in value the farther they deviate from the natural color.
Cut is one of the all-important 4Cs and factors highly into the appraisal of not only diamonds but gemstones as well. A precision cut gemstone showcases the pure color of the stone, diminishes its inclusions, and show off its symmetry and proportions. One way to determine the precision regarding the cut is how consistent and well, it reflects the light over the stones complete surface. If the gemstone is cut to shallow most of the light will refract out instead of reflecting inside the gemstone. 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 gemstones that is normally found to be clean is more valuable. To determine the flaws not seen with the unaided eye you need a gemstone loupe (gemstone clarity magnifier) or gem microscope. Serious hobbyists will use an inexpensive 10X gemstone or jewelers loup for viewing their coins, beads, stamps or in our case gemstones.
Next on the agenda is the duo of size and weight. Due to the fact gemstones can vary in density or specific gravity. Weight and size are not necessarily equal across the board. Take the example of a diamond that weighs 1.00 carats and an equal sized Sapphire would weigh more than 1.20 carats. An emerald stone would be about 0.95 carats and an Alexandrite gem stone would came in at 1.23 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 gems that are just too big or fragile to be used for jewelry. Take each loose gemstone and Think of it as a mini sculpture or piece of art to be highly treasured for its unusual nature and for the craftsmanship of the artisan who shaped it. And in this hobby you don't have to always lay out cash because you can use vacation time to actually hunt for raw gemstones in stead of buying. In the US in Missouri you can hunt for Pearl, Fluorite, Pyrite and Calcite. And if you travel to Canada you will find opal in the Okanagan, British Columbia or amazonite (microcline) near Lac St-Jean, Quebec and even iolite from Manitouwadge, Ontario. Take up gemstone collecting and you won't regret it.
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Healing stones need to be natural gemstones as free as possible from dyes, bleach, coating, or other enhancements. Such enhancements can interfere or block the effectiveness of the gemstones. Synthetic stones can not be used for healing as they do not contain the earth's energy.
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Amethyst is the most highly valued gemstone in the quartz family of minerals. Colors range from pale lilac to deep purple. Amethysts are routinely enhanced, meaning they are heat treated to improve their appearance or durability. They are often considered the color of royalty because amethysts have long been treasured by ancient kings and emperors. They were once prized even more than diamonds. The amethyst is often referred to as the Bishop�s Stone, as it is worn by bishops to symbolize their triumph over worldly vices.
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During the Middle Ages people believed that the use of topaz strengthened the
mind and prevented sudden death. Some physicians of those times prescribed it as
a remedy for weak vision. It was also used as a method of preventing mental
disorders or curing these disorders altogether.
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More natural rough diamond Information
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