Our Featured Gemstone Article
Starting To Collect Gemstones
By Lee MacRae
Gemology is the science, art and profession of identifying and evaluating rocks known as natural diamonds or loose gemstones. A number of people taken up gemology more as a hobby. They become interested in collecting items like loose gemstone or natural diamonds. Some people even begin to visit various locations close by or even in other countries to look for raw gemstones. Some hobbyists will learn to cut or tumble the gemstones they find. If this hobby interest you read along as we discuss the different aspects of this hobby.
The first thing you need to do is to get some books from the library or bookstore. You want to know everything there is to know about the subject of gemstones. The more you know about each kind of gemstone the less likely you are to make a mistake. You'll know exactly what to look for in a quality stone.
Color is a very important part in the value of the stone. The closer the color of the gemstone is to its purer spectral value the more valuable the stone becomes. Traditional spectral colors include violent, blue, green,, orange and red. Gemstones colors that are darker or paler than a pure spectral color are considered a lower value.
How a stone is cut is the second most important factor to look at. The precision of the cut determines the amount of light is reflected by the gemstone. It will ultimately ultimately determine the stones brilliance and how much someone will pay for it.
The next factor to look at is the clarity of the gemstone under consideration. This means the purity of the stone or the lack of internal inclusions, internal particles or spots within the crystal. Without a doubt, zero flaws would make the gemstone highly 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. You should know however that weight and size are not the same in gemstones. The density and specific gravity can differ in stones. Take a diamond that weighs 1.00 carats and you will see that a similar sized ruby or sapphire is 1.20 carats.
Although gems are frequently used in jewelry, loose gemstones are great for collecting. In fact, there are many attractive and interesting gemstones that are just too big or fragile to be used for jewelry. Here's a suggestion -- don't think of a gem as a component of jewelry; 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 many hobbies where you have to buy everthing you can actually go hunting for raw gemstones in the field. In the United States in Virginia you can find Amethyst, Garnet, Beryl and Moonstone. And in Canada you can hunt for nephrite jade in Dease Lake, British Columbia or labradorite on the adjacent islands and coastal area of Labrador as well as ammolite from Lethbridge, Alberta. Think of gemstone collecting for the great hobby it is.
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More Info On natural diamond
Obsidian is fairly fragile. treat obsidian carefully as sharp blows will cause
it to crack. Obsidian is most often found in Hawaii, Japan and Java. However, it
can be found in all areas with volcanic activity. Apache tears are dark obsidian
pieces found in Arizona and New Mexico. It is said that gemstone healers use
obsidian to get clearer insight into problems. In ancient times, obsidian was
used as mirrors. Sharp shards of obsidian were formed into arrowheads.
Buy loose Diopside gemstones today!
Citrine is November Modern and Traditional Birthstone. Citrine is the
anniversary gemstone for the 17th year of marriage. Citrine is said to help one
connect with Spirit. Citrine is given as a symbol of hope, youth, health, and
fidelity. The name "Citrine" is derived from the French word for lemon.
Buy loose oval Emerald gemstones today!
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