Creativity and design of a piece of jewelry begin in most of the cases by the acquisition and manipulation of the gem. Depending on many factors choosing the gem can lead to the design of a sophisticated and breathtaking jewel.
There is an outstanding number of people that acquire gems for scientific purposes, mainly to perform specific research about their characteristics and properties. Another significant group of people acquires gemstones to make them the foundation of a jewel.
In this article, we will do a study through the most remarkable and desired gemstones for jewelers. We will consider the various essential characteristics to evaluate when buying and managing gemstones: physical properties, color tones, and availability.
Gemstones Origin
Nature process and phenomena determine the creation of the gems and their characteristics, like color, form, purity, strength among others. In the interior of the earth, the rock passes through several cyclic natural processes all the way from its formation to his wear. The process is known as the rock cycle. This cycle exposes the rocks to several climate conditions like extreme temperatures and pressures, and also the mixing of different minerals, which ends finally in the gems formation.
To facilitate rock research and classification, Geologist divides the rock formations into three big groups: Igneous, sedimentary and metamorphic.
The earth’s crust is the source of most of the gems types. This precious or semi-precious gems, depending on their classification, have their roots on the three rock types earlier mentioned.
It is also possible to find gems in sediments or deposits created by nature through atmospheric processes like erosion.
Classification of gem falls into two categories, precious gemstones, and semi-precious gemstones according to the jewelry industry, however, before-mentioned classification does not have an association with their purity, beauty, and pricing.
Gems’ rusticity, color, and brightness makes them very attractive for buyers, which in the present time are more knowledgeable and inquiring about them.
Precious Stones
Diamond
One of the most known and valued gemstones in the market is the diamond, which has its origins in the igneous rock.
The term igneous means fire, as its name states, this rock comes from the burning lava, and once frozen Diamonds originate.
Diamonds originate in the depths of the earth, and we access them at the earth’s surface due to volcanic explosions, or other times they are dragged to fluvial deposits by the rivers and streams, other times it is also possible to find them in the sea sands or seabed.
The diamond is chemically composed of crystallized carbon. The Diamond is the most remarkable rock for jewelers: it is highly attractive due to his strength, purity, and brightness, the most highly priced in the market is the white variation of it. Other Diamond colors comprehend yellow, orange, cognac, pink and blue.
Diamonds certification involve the evaluation of different quality characteristics and attributes which are then specified by an expert laboratory in an issued document. The final value of the rock is proportional to the property qualification.
Angola, South Africa, Namibia, and Australia are the regions where this rock commonly originates.
Other varieties of rocks are grouped and classified into families based on their similarities in chemical composition.
The corundum, for example, is one of the most prominent and attractive gemstone families. Of this group, Ruby and Sapphire are two of the four most valued precious gems by the high-end jewelry market.
Ruby
This red-intense color gem can contain small pieces of violet and orange tones on it. The rubies with the red-violet like darkest color with the least impurities are considered the most valuable.
We can find The ruby with better attributes and the purest color at Myanmar (Burma). Other places where we can find Ruby as well are Sry Lanka, Vietnam, Tanzania, Afganistan, Australia among others. In these former places, the red color is less intense, more opaque and with some unusual changes.
Sapphire
This gem is more abundant than the Ruby. Of this kind of gemstone, the most popular and valued is the one with the deeper blue color: however, it is possible to find a great variety of colors in different regions of the planet, like pink, green, violet, and even translucent.
In the region of Myanmar, we can find sapphire with the deepest blue color with small violet tones, and thus it is considered one of the best based on quality. Additional places where we can find blue sapphires are Africa, Australia, and Brasil.
These precious gemstones can be modified through common legal processes and practices to improve and enhance them in some way. We can also find unique Gemstones in a natural condition with no human intervention. The last have higher values in the market than the formers, a consequence of its natural no-modified status.
Acquisition value of Sapphires and Rubies depend on their color, size, and dimensions, even the origin place is another factor that influences their final price. When purchasing these precious gemstones, it is recommended to request a lab certificate of the rock properties.
The emerald gemstone, member of The Beryl family it is also considered a precious gem. The Beryl Family also includes other gemstones like the aquamarine gemstone.
Emerald
Emeralds along with diamonds, sapphire, and ruby are gemstones cataloged as precious due to his purity, exclusivity, and quality.
The best quality emerald worldwide can be found in Colombia: its pure green color is steady despite the temperature and light variations.
Other countries where quality Emeralds originate are Brasil and Zambia. Additional relevant countries with Emerald origination are Australia, India, and Sudafrica.
Color Depth and the pure state of this rock is the base of its pricing.
The Emerald is a sensitive rock due to its essential characteristics and smalls interior cracks that may be present: mounting and sculpting this rock is a process of extreme care.
Semi-precious stones
Aquamarine
This gemstone varies in color, all of them associated with the sea tones: sky blue, dark blue, light green. Sky blue Aquamarine gemstone is the most desired by the buyers.
Aquamarine gems are brighter more translucent than Emerald. The Aquamarine gems originate in Brasil, Mozambique, and Afganistan.
Lapis Lazuli
This gemstone has a high value in the market. A gem from a metamorphic rock of a deep and intense blue color in some occasions showing violet hues.
The name of this rock means stone of heaven: its value has been considered high since ancient times. The Egyptian civilization steadily included this rock in many art expressions, more notably in the jewels of Tutankhamon’s treasure.
Read more about this civilization
The Lapis Lazuli exhibits sparkles of white and gold colors which distinguished this rock. also This Gem quality is rated higher when its color blue is the most intense along with few impurities or few pyrite and calcite. Despite the before mention quality guidelines, the gem looks more attractive when it presents these pyrite inclusions, so it gives the final jewel a remarkable touch.
Commonly this rock appears naturally in a matt tone: then it achieves its brightness and brilliance through polishing processes.
Afghanistan is the region where we find the best Lapis Lazuli gems: Here in the middle east this rock appears with the most intense color and purity which make it highly desirable. It is feasible to find this gem also in Russia, Canada, Argentina, and Chile.
If you want more advice about the care of The Lapis Lazuli gem, try our following article. Lapis Lazuli Care & Cleaning
Quartz
It is the most numerous family of gems. This family is the most regularly used gems in jewelry. Due to its abundance, there are in this group of gems a great variety of colors, hardnesses, and prices.
The amethyst, rutilated quartz, citrine, rose quartz, aventurine, among others are the most common of this group.
The transparent quartz or crystal is very abundant, as a consequence is surprisingly affordable to get.
Amethyst
Amethyst is one of the most well-known gems in the jewelry industry. Its distinctive color is a pretty intense and crystalline purple, you also find it in a brighter tone in the market.
The most intense purple Amethyst is most expensive than other lavender tones. Superior quality Amethyst gems come from Russian territory.
Rutilated Quartz
A gem that is characterized by its transparency and contains additions of gold or deep yellow colors that distinguish parts of the gemstone.
Citrine
This gem is also known as yellow quartz: its characteristic color is a crystalline yellow with green hues. Find Citrines with tones golden and opaques is also feasible but less common.
Pink quartz
A gem considerably common and desired by both jewelers and consumers. Its color has different intensities of pink. It goes from the lightest pink to a slightly stronger tone that contains dyes towards the peach tone. Rose quartz is usually translucent and due to its inclusions, tends to have a cloudy appearance.
Aventurine
Aventurine is known for its uniform green color, of light intensity. A gem that is not very translucent and that is usually inexpensive.
Tiger’s Eye
This gemstone is known for its characteristic brown-yellow color with golden streaks. The market appreciates this gem due to its impact and color effect. We can also find it in a reddish or even greenish tone. Its price is quite friendly.
Cornelian
Also called carnelian, it is a red-orange shade that looks translucent and slightly bright. This gem has been remarkable since ancient times. Even today, jewelry designs use this gem widely.
This gemstone is found mainly in India, and there are also gems of excellent quality in the territories of Brazil and Uruguay.
Topaz
The Topaz is a brilliant gem that comes in different colors. The best-known tone is yellow-brown. We can also find topaz in other colors as orange, pink, blue and colorless.
Through processes, it is possible to enhance or accomplish new colors, also make the gem look free of impurities.
It is possible to find Topaz in territories as Brasil, Pakistan, Russia, Afganistan, and Australia.
Tourmaline
The Tourmaline is a versatile gem that has a wide range of tones that often are part of the same stone. It is possible also to find this gemstone in various tones like blue, deep pink, yellow, green.
It can likewise contain two or three colors within the same gem: this is the case of the watermelon tourmaline, which is the best-known combination of colors.
The value of the tourmaline will depend on the quality of its color. The most expensive on the market is called rubellite, which is pink or fuchsia pretty strong and intense, followed by the tourmaline blue tone called indicolite.
Garnet
The most popular garnet is the type called pyrope that is strong red with few inclusions. In the same way, it is possible to find different colors such as violet red, orange-red, bright orange, green, among others.
This gemstone comes from the territories of Argentina, Brasil, Germany, India.
Opal
The opal has the distinctiveness of changing its colors depending on the angle from which you look. Carving this stone in the shape of a cabochon is a common practice, the reason is due to take advantage of the size of the gem and therefore the set of colors that it can present.
There are different types of opal from which different shades of them derive. The most famous opal gem is the one with a white and clear base which has a variety of colors when moving it.
There are other types of this gem, such as black opal: its color is dark base, fire opal: it is yellow or red tone, Opal matrix: the one with mother rock inside the gem or vice versa.
Turquoise
A well-known gem highly appreciated. Its traditional color and more recognized is the azure blue; however, we also find this gem in a more intense blue, blue with greenish or yellowish tints.
It is very usual to see in the turquoise veins of black or brown color: this is the consequence of the mother stone often penetrating in the turquoise formation.
The Turquoise comes from the territories of the United States, Afghanistan, Australia, and Brazil.
Agate
In reality, this gem is the set of microcrystalline quartz that together gives the appearance solid mass.
In the case of agates, the color may appear as stripes of various colors and widths. Also, it can display forms that resemble tree shapes, without being organic inclusions. It is feasible to find this gem in Brazil, Uruguay, United States.
Organic Gems
There is another classification of gems: the ones originated from biological processes, whether animal or vegetable. They are considered gemstones because they have properties, behaviors, and characteristics that credit them as such.
In this classification, we can find pearls, coral, amber and nacre.
Pearl
Pearls originate from the process of a living being of animal origin. The formation begins when a foreign body enters the interior of a mollusk and it reacts by covering it with a substance regularly called nacre, which is what ultimately forms the pearl. This process lasts several years until finally obtaining the gem.
Pearls can vary in color and shape. There are significant differences in their origin: freshwater or saltwater, or its growth: natural or cultured.
Freshwater pearls originate from mollusks of rivers, lakes, and ponds. Saltwater pearls originate in ocean mollusks, gulfs, and bays.
The natural pearls, as the name says, are those that are present naturally in their habitat: seabeds. Cultured pearls arise from human intervention.
We can find natural pearls in the Persian Gulf and the Red Sea. And the cultured pearls are in Japan, a pioneer region in developing this technique and we can also find them in China and Australia.
Amber
Amber is of vegetable origin and is fossilized resin. This resin comes from trees that have at least thirty-five million years of existence.
This gem is also called Solar Stone, or “Northern Gold” is a soft and silky stone, light, warm and with a high visual impact. 100% natural amber can vary in its hue and its main characteristic it is its shiny surface representative of the appearance of the resin.
The crystalline yellow tone is the most popular and most wanted, however; amber has other hues that also make it charming. These tones depend on the compositions, like the typology of the tree and everything that happens through the time it takes to harden it. There are various tones, however, the most known range from a yellow-brown tone to reddish or orange colors reaching the color cognac.
Amber can contain many fascinating inclusions inside, which make it more attractive and collectors object. Among the additions, we can find stems of plants, insects, air bubbles, among others. Even in 2016, a dinosaur tail was found fully preserved in amber.
Healing properties have been attributed to the amber because it is said to contain succinic acid that the skin can absorb and distribute to the body through the bloodstream to cure some illnesses or diseases. It is even of regular use by many moms with their children in teething processes.
One of the most famous regions where amber comes from is from the Baltic. However, it is also possible to find it in other territories such as Norway, Denmark, and Mexico.
Nacre
The Nacre is a coating that occurs inside the shells of some mollusks. It is a substance that the mollusk secretes once it detects that a foreign body entered the interior of its body, this is the same substance that covers the pearls.
We can find this material in Northern Australia, the United States, and South Africa.
What type of gemstone do you like the most? Tell us in the comments which one is your favorite.
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