Gemstones, which come in almost any colour imaginable, add a natural radiance to fine jewellery. A radiant gemstone, whether adorning a pair of stud earrings, a tennis bracelet, or even an engagement ring, adds visual appeal to any precious metal environment, particularly when alternated with diamonds. Gemstones have been used as striking objects to commemorate special occasions and milestones since ancient times. Many are officially recognised as birthstones for particular months of the year, while others celebrate specific wedding anniversaries and have evolved into perfect jewellery gifts for those occasions.
Table of Contents
How to asses precious gemstone?
1. Color
The colour of a gemstone is defined by its natural tone and hue. The highest value is assigned to an extreme, heavily saturated colour of medium tone for the majority of stone varieties. Many gems are enhanced to boost their coloration, which has become industry standard. Color grading gemstones is much more difficult. When evaluating gem colour, three interactive variables must be considered: 1) hue, 2) sound, and 3) saturation.
The basic colour composition of a stone is referred to as its hue. It is usually defined in terms of primary and secondary spectrum colours. For example, the primary colour of a ruby is red with varying degrees of secondary pink or purple; the primary colour of a sapphire is blue with varying degrees of secondary violet and green; and the primary colour of an emerald is green with varying degrees of secondary blue or yellow.
Tone describes the lightness or darkness of a stone on a scale ranging from faint or washed out to opaque or pitch black. The most suitable gems have a medium tone, but medium-dark and medium-light tones are appropriate depending on the gem species. The purity and vividness of primary colour are referred to as saturation. Stones’ hues become lighter, more muted, and lose drama and punch as they incorporate growing quantities of color-suppressing grey or brown. However, the decrease in primary colour strength is not always a bad thing.
Grays can turn blues into delicate pastel tones, while browns can transform reds into gritty autumnal hues. Gemologists evaluate how these three colour variables combine to produce a pleasing colour. While rarity and criteria for each variety influence value, colour grading of coloured gemstones is primarily concerned with beauty.
2. Gem Clarity
Precious gemstones contain naturally occurring inclusions, which may take the shape of a cloud or a crystal. High-quality gemstones are visible to the naked eye. Man-made gems that are completely transparent and have no inclusions are most certainly man-made. Quality levels that were once only pursued in diamonds have been extended to coloured stones over the last few decades. As a result, apparent defects in coloured stones have become less forgivable.
Gem dealers are increasingly relying on gemstone enhancement to erase or mask noticeable inclusions in inclusion-filled coloured stones, such as emeralds, to give them the immaculate appearance required of diamonds. That is the only way the jewellery industry can cater to the public’s growing aversion to included gems. There is an easier way: Be honest with yourself. Don’t expect all coloured stones to have diamond-like clarity.
3. Gem Cut
A superior cut is distinguished in the majority of gemstones by the stone’s ability to absorb light, its symmetrical shape, and the lustre of its shine. The cut quality of a stone is measured using a five-tier rating system: outstanding, very decent, good, fair, or bad. The goals of coloured stone and diamond cutters are normally diametrically opposed. Diamond cutters aim for complete and immediate light return to the observer’s eye.
As a result, they aimed for the shortest possible light-processing time. It’s in and out for them. Colored gemstone cutters aim for the greatest amount of colour return to the observer’s eye. As a result, they cut for a much longer light-handling period, so that the stones can pick up as much colour as possible. With them, it’s best to stay indoors for a bit. Nonetheless, coloured stone and diamond cutters share some concerns, especially regarding stone weight.
4. Gem Size
Since different stone compositions vary in density, the size of a gemstone is represented in millimetres rather than weight. Gemstones with larger dimensions are usually more valuable than those with smaller dimensions.
Types of Gemstones
1. Alexandrite
Alexandrite, a rare form of chrysoberyl, has various hues depending on the type of light that shines on it. The stone’s colour varies from yellow-green to greenish-blue in natural light. It’s a bright red colour under the light of a lamp. This dramatic hue variation contributes to alexandrite’s scarcity and high value. The precious gemstone is mainly mined in Sri Lanka and Russia, though small quantities can also be found in Zimbabwe, India, Myanmar, and Brazil.
This distinctive stone, named after Russian Czar Alexander II, was discovered in his country in 1830.
2. Tourmaline
This distinctive gemstone has a plethora of colour variations. Many fine jewellery pieces use multiple shades of tourmaline to create a rich, dramatic effect. The “watermelon tourmaline,” which is green on the outside and pink on the inside, is a common variant.
Tourmaline, a member of the trigonal crystal family, is a naturally occurring mineral that can be found with trace quantities of iron, aluminium, magnesium, lithium, sodium, or potassium. It has been discovered in igneous and metamorphic rocks in Brazil, Namibia, Zambia, Nigeria, Afghanistan, and the United States. The most common form of tourmaline, known as “schorl,” accounts for up to 95 percent of the world’s output of the mineral.
Also Read:- Top 11 Brown Gemstones List
3. Ruby
The ruby is an exquisite choice for fine jewellery because it is one of the most valuable and rare of today’s naturally mined gemstones. Many people are shocked to learn that this iconic stone comes in a wide range of colours. It comes in a variety of colours, ranging from near-burgundy to a pale pink, in addition to the rich, fiery red that has become its signature feature. The price of a ruby is determined by its colour variation—the darker and brighter the stone, the more it will demand on the market. Clarity, cut, and scale are also factors to consider when determining the fineness of a ruby.
4. Emerald
The emerald’s eye-catching green colour makes it a common choice for adorning fine jewellery and rings. Emeralds, which are derived from the mineral Beryl, get their bright green colour from a trace amount of naturally occurring chromium. The colour of an emerald can range from pale green to a deep bluish hue. The four distinguishing characteristics that determine the value of an emerald gemstone are colour, cut, clarity, and scale.
5. Opal
In the Middle Ages, opal was revered as a near-sacred stone with the combined forces of all other gemstones. Indeed, the stone’s reflection of a wide range of colors—clear, white, grey, red, yellow, green, magenta, pink, olive, brown, and black—endows it with a visually arresting luminescence, making it an eye-catching choice for fine jewellery. The fire opal, which combines yellow, orange, and red, and the Peruvian opal, which has a pleasing blue-green hue, are two special variations.
Also Read:- Birthstones According to their Months
6. Topaz
Topaz is a highly versatile stone for fine jewellery applications due to its wide colour spectrum. Topaz is transparent in its purest form, but it is most commonly found in a yellow shade. Blue, green, grey, white, reddish-yellow, and pink are some of the other colours. Red or pink topaz has the highest market value due to its scarcity. Most topaz stones on the market today have been heated to improve their natural colorations. When heated, yellow topaz turns a reddish-pink colour.
7. Tanzanite
Tanzanite is a mineral that is derived from the mineral Zoisite. When the stone’s crystals are turned in the light, a significant amount of pleochroism gives it a striking luminescence and allows it to represent a variety of colours, including blue, violet, and burgundy. Tanzanique is a man-made version of tanzanite made from the mineral fosterite; this man-made version lacks the naturally occurring mineral’s distinctive pleochroism.
What is the study of gemstones called?
The science of examining, cutting, and valuing precious stones is known as gemology, but the essence of gemology is recognising the gemstones. A gemologist is anyone who works in the field of gemology, and jewellers and goldsmiths may also be gemologists.
Which gemstone should I wear?
These planets govern gemstones such as diamond, emerald, blue sapphire, hessonite, garnet, and cat’s eye. As a result, if you want to wear Red Coral gemstone, you should avoid wearing the non-compatible gemstones mentioned above.
Which gemstone is the most powerful?
The diamond. It is not only one of the most expensive gemstones, but also one of the most powerful.
