Chris Ralph

What Really is a Gemstone?



Posted: Wednesday, October 31, 2007

by
Nevada Outback Gems

So what physical characteristics actually make something be considered as a gemstone? Well, a gemstone is a naturally occurring form of a mineral, which is desirable for its beauty, valuable in its rarity, and durable enough to be enjoyed by its owner. Minerals are elements or combinations of elements that form into cohesive crystals. The inherent attractive beauty of certain crystals and minerals have caught man's eye since the beginning of history. As he saved and collected these rare beauties, they were valued and became what we now call gemstones. In time these were set into metal holders and worn as jewelry. Different minerals made up of different elements constitute the different gems we are familiar with. There are more than 30 popular varieties of gemstone minerals, and many more rare collector types of gemstones. Most of the rare ones would never be seen is a standard commercial jewelry store. While we normally think of certain colors with certain gems, most gemstones occur in a variety and range of colors. Gemstones are oddities in the geological world. The special conditions that allow a mineral crystal to grow slowly and undisturbed, and thus remain transparent and evenly colored, are extremely rare in natural environments. Additionally, these special conditions tend to be very restricted in volume on those rare occasions when they do form. The result is that only a small amount of the mineral material present in any specific geologic deposit is suitable for use as gemstones, and the usable portions of the crystals which are recovered tend to be very small.

What is meant when a certain stone is called a "colored" Gemstone? This is an old and somewhat confusing term. In the gem and jewelry trade, all Gemstones other than diamonds are called colored stones. So if it isn't a diamond, then its a colored stone. This results in some odd situations, and means that a deep yellow diamond is actually not a colored stone, while a colorless sapphire actually is a colored stone. I know this terminology is kind of crazy and confusing, but that's how the jewelry industry defines its terms.

Why are Certain Gemstones Considered as "Precious" and others deemed only as semi-precious? The term "precious" is defined by the dictionary as something "having great value"; "semiprecious" refers to something of "lesser" but still significant value. The market prices of gems are determined by their beauty, rarity and desirability. These are old terms and the dramatic rise in the prices of all gemstones beginning in the 1970's has made the normal use of these terms completely obsolete. However, they remain familiar to many jewelry makers and buyers from around the world, and therefore still retain colloquial use. Traditionally, the term "precious," when applied to gemstones, has for centuries meant four stones: diamond, emerald, ruby and sapphire – all other gemstones are considered as "semi-precious", no matter how valuable they actually are. In this day and age, it is not unusual that fine quality semi-precious stones command as high a price, and not uncommonly even higher than the lesser grades of so-called "precious" stones.

The authors has considerable information on gemstones, their origins and characteristics, as well as helpful information on purchasing gems and gemstones at his website. His gemstone information Encyclopedia page can be seen at: http://nevada-outback-gems.com/Encyclopedia_pages/Gemstone_Encyclopedia.htm

For more details and information, the author’s Encyclopedia of gemstone treatments can be viewed at: http://nevada-outback-gems.com/Encyclopedia_pages/gem_treatments/Gemstone_FAQ05.htm

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