It is pretty obvious to have confusion when you are spoilt for choices. The abundance of gemstone options and the tools to select them often make the sorting process a difficult one.
If you have access to a gemstones catalogue, it can ease the entire process. Such a catalogue helps you with all the choices in one place. It enables you to have a glance at the fairly valuable and rare collections that are hand-selected by gemstone experts.
But what are the aspects that you can consider while shortlisting one? How do you understand the quality of gemstones?
The 4C’s
The selection of color gemstones is especially aided by the 4C’s guide. The method is well accepted and is in practice across the world. It can help make the process of gemstone identification easier for a novice. Also, crucial to note is that it guides the aficionados, to get to know about the quality of the gemstone on offer.
Since the gemstone industry uses the terms widely, your go-to jeweler or the online jewelry companies will have such details, mentioned against each gemstone. You should pay special attention to these factors and their descriptors as they help decide the price and purity of the stones.
These factors which you can look for on your next visit to the jeweler or your next online purchase are:
Color
Most of the gemstones that are in use occur naturally as minerals within the earth’s crust. The formation of these gemstones happens as crystals. These are solid formations that take shape due to a specialized arrangement of their building blocks. The patterns in the stones are the crystal systems.
The knowledge of mineral crystallization helps gemologists to determine the value of gemstones. They check the properties of the gemstones and their features to conclude.
Since the gemstones occur naturally, therefore there is a fixed color range for them. Each is unique and the purity and vividness of the stones determine their rarity, which in turn helps decide the price.
The natural tone and hue of the gemstones are prevalent color descriptors that are in use. The highest value for most stones is often attributed to a heavily saturated, intense color of medium tone. Treatments to enhance the color are also common in the industry.
Cut
The reflection of light, the luster of the stone, and its symmetrical appearance mark the superior cut for a majority of gemstones. The quality of the stone’s cut happens by a five-tier rating system. The phrases used include excellent, very good, good, fair, or poor.
It is the most crucial aspect to consider that aids to the enhancement of the gemstone’s beauty after the color. A vibrant display of light and color with a pleasing shape is a must for a multi-faceted gemstone.
The absence of the washed-out zones or dark lifeless areas is also vital for the gemstones. The scintillation and brilliance should evenly emanate from its face.
Clarity
All the valuable gemstones have one common feature. It refers to the presence of naturally occurring inclusions to some degree. These inclusions can be in the form of a crystal or a cloud.
The gemstones that are relatively clear to the naked eye are of high quality. You can check the gemstones for such inclusions. The absence of any inclusions or entirely clear gemstones is generally found in man-made ones.
The clarity features can therefore act as identifiers for the gemstones. Hence, their presence is a must for all naturally occurring colored gemstones.
Carat
The colored gemstones are available in a variety of sizes. The unit of measurement that helps quantify the gemstones is the carat. One carat refers to two hundred milligrams. Since the weight of the gemstones is very less, this unit is further divided into hundred points.
In the United States, one carat means 0.007 ounces avoirdupois. So if you are to get an idea concerning the pound, you will need two thousand and two hundred sixty-five carats to make a pound.
Therefore when you opt for your next purchase of gemstones, be it online or from any offline store, these factors can guide you to make the right decision. Some people often say that choosing the right gemstone can help compliment your beauty.
Putting the right gemstone on your jewelry can aid in increasing the radiance of your attire. If chosen correctly, it has the potential to dazzle across the room by its scintillation and brilliance.
Leave a Reply