The Gemstones Review

Our Featured Gemstone Writer

The Hobby Of Gemstone Collecting

By Lee MacRae

Why would anyone collect items like loose gemstones, you ask? Well for one thing they are very beautiful items. And like their higher counterpart, natural diamonds they can become extremely valuable over the years. Many hobbyists love to collect and show case the wide variety of gemstones available today. Read long as we examine the loose gemstones hobby.

The first thing you need to do is to get yourself some reading material. You want to learn as much as possible 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 buy.

The first item to look at is the color of the stone. You want the stone to be as close in color as possible to the pure colors of the spectrum. This means orange, red, violet, green, yellow, and blue. The prices of very dark are very pale semiprecious and precious gemstones are less per carat.

Gemstone cut is one of the most important traits in evaluating gemstones. The gemstone must be cut with precision to reflect the light properly. A stone that has a poor cut can't reflect the light consistently over its surface. Color saturation, hue and tone will never be consistent.

Next to look at is the clarity of the gemstone. The aspect of clarity refers to the external blemishes or the internal conclusions or flaws of a stone. Any large flaws can easily be seen with the unaided eye with others requiring a 10X magnification.

You will often find that gemstones are often listed according to their size aspect because of being more uniform than carat weight. But two different gemstones may be of the same size but different carat weights and consequently, different prices as well. This is due to the nature of gemstone difference of specific gravity or relative density depending upon the materials chemical composition and crystal structure type A one carat round brilliant diamond, for example with normal proportions is approximately 6.5 mm around. A comparable a brilliant ruby of the same proportions in size will weigh approximately 1.55 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 too fragile or too large to be used in 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 unusual nature and for the craftsmanship of the artisan who shaped it. And unlike many hobbies where you have to buy everthing you can find your raw materials through field trips In the United States in California you can find Agate, Benitoite, Californite, Diamond, Citrine, Tourmaline, Abalone Pearl, Kunzite, Chrysopras And in Canada you can find nephrite jade in the Frances Lake area in the Yukon Territory or amazonite (microcline) near Eganville, Onttario and even amethyst from Nova Scotia. Take up gemstone collecting and you won't regret it.

Buy Akoya Pearl loose gemstones as well as round loose diamonds and round natural diamonds today in our store!

Gemstones For Sale

More Information On natural blue diamonds

Most blue gemstones come in a pastel blue, but some exceptional gems have a
bright blue color. Zircon is also available in green, dark red, violet, yellow,
brown, and orange. Due to its high refractive index and strong dispersion,
zircon has great brilliance and intensive fire. The luster is vitreous to a
brilliant sheen. Although relatively hard (rating 6.5-7.5 on Mohs scale) zircon
is brittle and therefore sensitive to knocks and pressure. The gem has the
tendency to wear along facet edges. Its use in rings should therefore be limited
to protective settings or occasional wear jewelry. Zircon jewelry should be
stored carefully.
Buy cushion cut loose diamonds today!

Lapis Lazuli is often dyed to improve its color. Pierre Gilson Lapis is one of
the better imitations. Lapis has been imitated by dyed Jasper and by paste with
inclusions of copper. Lapis Lazuli can easily be scratched or chipped. Water
will dissolve it's protective coatings. Lapis Lazuli is found in Afganistan,
Argentina, Canada, Chile, and the US.
Buy loose Amethyst gemstones today!

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