Starting To Collect Gemstones
By Lee MacRae
Many people, young and old, say collecting semi-precious and precious gemstones like loose diamonds or loose gemstones is a passionate hobby. They simply love the beauty and the colors Of the assorted number of gemstones you can find just about everywhere in the world. This article will examine the things you need to know when starting this gemstone hobby.
The first thing you need to do in starting the hobby of collecting gemstones the proper way is through the power of knowledge. By taking a quick trip to the library or local bookstore you can locate all you need to know about the subject that will prevent you from making mistakes at the start.
The first criteria you need to evaluate is stone color. Without a doubt, gemstones are the most intensely colored naturally occurring materials you can find. Gems have become so synonomous with color, they've even had their names combined with associated colors. Everyone knows ruby red, emerald green, sapphire blue, aquamarine, turquoise, and jade green Gemstones are valued much higher when they equal the colors in the spectrum of orange, green, yellow, violet and blue. They become less valuable the farther they deviate from the pure natural color.
Gemstone cut is easily one of the most important aspects in evaluating gemstones. The stone has to be cut correctly to reflect light properly. A poor cut will not reflect light in a consistent way. Color saturation, hue and tone will always look inconsistent.
The next factor to consider is the clarity. This means the purity of the stone or the lack of internal inclusions, internal particles or spots within the crystal structure. Needless to say, stones with no flaws will make a gemstone very valuable.
Next up are weight and size. Except for corals and pearls, all gemstones are valued by the unit called the carat. One carat equals a 0.2 grams. Be aware however, that weight and size are not the same in gemstones. The density and specific gravity can differ in stones. Take a diamond that is 1.00 carats in weight and you will find that a similar sized sapphire or ruby would weigh 1.20 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 simply too big and fragile for use in jewelry. Look at each stone and consider it as a piece of art and value it 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 find your raw materials through field trips In the US in Georgia you can find Ruby, Beryl, Amethyst, Citrine, Garnet and Quartz. And in Canada you can find nephrite jade in Mount Sidney Williams, British Columbia or labradorite on the adjacent islands and coastal area of Labrador along with the unique deep blue beryl in Canada's Yukon Territory. Think of gemstone collecting for the great hobby it is.
Buy oval Peridot loose gemstones along with wholesale loose diamonds and also natural diamonds today in our store!
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Turquoise is one of December's birthstones and is a vibrant light blue stone
often seen in southwestern jewelry. It is reasonably priced and quite lovely.
Turquoise's color ranges from sky blue to green. It has a hardness of 6. Howlite
is often dyed to imitate turquoise. Turquoise made in a laboratory has a very
uniform color. Chalky varieties of turquoise are often coated with wax or oil to
enhance color - and when treated like this, the color change is not permanent.
Buy smoky quartz loose gemstones today!
This is the most prized and expensive of the naturally-colored chalcedonies. Its color varies from a bright apple-green to greenish-yellow. Unlike most other green stones which owe their color to chromium or vanadium, chrysoprase derives its color from a nickel silicate. It was a particular favorite of Frederick the Great of Prussia who loved the bright green color. Today it�s used on many buildings in Prague in the Czech Republic, including the Chapel of St. Wencelas. James Avery uses the best qualities of chrysoprase in our jewelry. Deposits are found in Australia, Brazil, India, Malagasy Republic, South Africa, Russia and the U.S. It ranks 6.5 to 7 on the Mohs Scale of Hardness.
Buy your loose gemstones at wholesale today!
More loose gemstone beads Info
Lacey Oak Earrings (e-lelo-g)
Tue, 18 Nov 2008 12:15:50 -0800
Solid 24kt gold lacy oak earrings. These leaves are electroformed around actual leaves. 14kt gold-filled earwires. Leaves measure about 1.75" from base of earwires. Each leaf is unique and individual.
Hammered Oval Earrings #4:White Pearl/gg (e-hro4-wp-gg)
Tue, 18 Nov 2008 12:15:50 -0800
Hammered vermeil oval, measuring 1 1/2'', with white pearl rondelle accent. 14kt gold-fill earwires. Also available in silver. Available in all sizes, 1-5. Please select stone color: garnet, pink tourmaline, citrine, peridot, hessionite, white pearl, black onyx, white quartz, black pearl, carnelian, blue topaz, mystic topaz, apatite, green apatite, dark apatite, london blue etc.
Garnet Clover and Vermeil Hammered Ring Earrings (e-hr01-gc-g)
Tue, 18 Nov 2008 12:15:50 -0800
Hand hammered 23kt gold vermeil ring. Clover shaped faceted garnet. Earrings are about 1/2" in diameter. 14kt gold fill earwires. Also available in sterling silver. Assorted stones available: moonstone leaves or cushion cut kyanite.
