About gemstones - gemstone information at Quintessentialbling.com

About Gemstones

Although gemstones are among the most durable of substances, they do need some care. Following a few general rules will make sure that they last for generations still looking like the day you bought them.

First of all: keep them clean! Rings in particular tend to collect dust and soap behind the stone, particularly if you wear them all the time. To clean transparent crystalline gemstones, simply soak them in water with a touch of gentle soap. If necessary, use a soft toothbrush to scrub behind the stone.

Even the hardest gemstone variety can be vulnerable to breakage if it has inclusions that weaken the crystal structure. Exercise common sense: if you have a ring set with a softer gem variety or an included stone, take it off before strenuous exercise.

Diamonds are very hard but can shatter in two with a single well-placed blow. Rubies and sapphires are the toughest gems but even they can chip if hit sharply.

Think twice before putting gems in an ultrasonic cleaner. Diamonds and rubies and sapphires will be fine but many other gems may not be: when in doubt, leave it out. Diamonds, rubies and sapphires, and other single-crystal gems can be cleaned with a touch of ammonia in water to remove all films and add extra sparkle.

Opaque gemstones like lapis lazuli, turquoise, malachite, require special care. Never use an ultrasonic cleaner and never use ammonia or any chemical solution. These gem materials should just be wiped clean gently with a moist cloth. These gemstones can be porous and may absorb chemicals, even soap, and they may build up inside the stone and discolor it.

The reason why these materials need more care than transparent gemstones is that these materials are essentially rocks, not crystals of a single mineral. Think about it: when you put a rock in water, it absorbs the water and is moist all the way through. A single crystal gem like sapphire will not absorb water: all the molecules are lined up so tightly in the crystal that there is no room for water to enter.

Opals also require special care. Never use an ultrasonic, never use ammonia, and avoid heat and strong light which can dry out the water in opals.

Organic gems like pearls, coral, and amber should only be wiped clean with a moist cloth. Due to their organic nature, these gems are both soft and porous. Be careful about chemicals in hairspray, cosmetics, or perfume: they can, over time, damage pearls in particular.

Store each piece of gemstone jewelry separately so that harder stones don't scratch softer ones. Almost every gemstone is much harder than the metal it is set in. Gems can scratch the finish on your gold, silver or platinum if you throw your jewelry in a heap in a drawer or jewelry box.

Gemstone Quality

Within each gemstone variety, quality dramatically affects price: a gem can sell for $100 or $2,000,000. When buying a gemstone - buy the best quality, most experts recommend. Choose a smaller stone of higher quality over a larger stone of lower quality, or buy a higher quality gem from an unusual variety if your budget is too small.

Well-known gemstones like rubies, emeralds and sapphires - which have been known for centuries - are more valuable than more recently discovered gemstones which are also beautiful and rare. You may be surprised how beautiful and affordable garnets, tourmalines, tanzanites, and other exotic gemstones can be.

Value factors: Color, Clarity, Cut and Carat Weight Gemstone quality and value are evaluated according to the "four Cs": color, clarity, cut, and carat weight.

· Color is the key factor. A common misperception in judging gems is people assume that the darker the color, the better the stone. That isn't true: color can be too dark, like some sapphires that look more black than blue. If a gem's color is too dark, it is subdued and lifeless. A much better rule of thumb is the brighter and more rich and vivid the color the better. In general, within each gemstone variety, a clear, medium-tone, very intense and saturated primary color is the most preferred. Muted colors or colors between hues, which you might find very attractive, are usually less expensive. Look at the color in different kinds of light.

· The next most important factor affecting value is clarity, with clear transparent gemstones with no visible flaws being the most valued. Some gemstone varieties, notably emerald and red tourmaline, are very rare without inclusions of some kind so the price structure takes this into account.

· Some gemstones are valued for their inclusions! Phenomenal gemstones owe their stars and eyes to inclusions. Tiny inclusions reflecting back light put the eye in cat's-eye chrysoberyl and the star in star sapphire. Inclusions can also be a birthmark, telling us where a particular gemstone was mined.

A good cut is something that may not cost more but can add or subtract a lot of beauty. A well-cut faceted gemstone reflects light back evenly across its surface area when held face up. If the stone is too deep and narrow, areas will be dark. If it is too shallow and wide, parts of the stone will be washed out and lifeless.

Gemstones are generally sold by weight, and not by size. The price will be per carat, which is one-fifth of a gram. Some gems are heavier than others so the same weight stone may be a different size! The carat weight also affects the price: large gemstones are more rare, so the price per carat is higher.

In general, gemstone pricing within each variety follows common sense: the more beautiful the gemstone, with the final visual effect of all the quality factors, the more valuable it is. Don't be afraid to choose what looks best to you!