My Gemstones Scene Reviews

How To Collect Loose Gemstones

By Lee MacRae

For many people collecting loose gemstones or loose diamonds is their favorite hobby. They love the colors and the beauty of the various gemstones you can find just about everywhere in the world. Follow along as we examine the things you need to know when starting to collect varieties of gemstones yourself.

First off you'll need the knowledge on each of the gemstones out there. This knowledge will help you to know what you're buying and prevent you from making mistakes. Without the proper knowledge you can make costly mistakes.

The first criteria you need to evaluate is stone color. It is a fact that gemstones are the most intensely colored natural materials you can find. These materials are so related to their color that they've even had their names combined with associated colors. Everyone knows ruby red, emerald green, sapphire blue, aquamarine, turquoise, and jade green Gemstones will have a higher value the closer they come to the natural spectral colors of violet, blue, green,, orange and red. They become less valuable the farther they are from the pure spectral color.

Gemstone cut is one of the most important traits when you value gemstone. The cut has to be done in a way that reflects light back to the viewer. A stone that has a poor cut can't reflect the light consistently over its surface. The hue, tone and color saturation will be inconsistent.

Another factor to look at is the stone's clarity. This means the stones purity with no internal conclusions, spots, or particles inside the crystal. Without a doubt, zero flaws would make the gemstone highly valuable.

Gemstones are often categorized according to their size aspect because it is more uniform than carat weight. But different gemstones may be of the same size but differ in carat weights and as a result different prices as well. This is due to the nature of gemstone difference in relative density or specific gravity depending upon the chemical composition and characteristic crystalline structure. For example, a one carat round diamond with standard proportions will be approximately 6.5 mm in diameter. A ruby that is the same size will weigh in at 1.55 carats instead.

Collecting gemstones as a hobby can be very enjoyable and could be rewarding as well over time. It doesn't have to be very expensive and yet you can end up with some very beautiful stones. Many people loved to spend weekends to go looking for gemstones. Take the example of the US. In Alabama you can find Beryl, blue and yellow; Smoky Quartz and Hematite. Or ou can take a longer vacation and find opal in Coober Pedy, Andamooka or Mintabie in South Australia, topaz in Mt Surprise or O'Briens Creek in Queensland, Australia or check out the quartz regions in Mt Hope or Inverell, New South Wales.

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Gemstones For Sale

Tips About loose aquamarine gemstones

Synthetic gemstones are �real� gemstones in that their mineral composition is
exactly the same as those in nature. The only difference is that they are made
by humans in a short amount of time versus by nature over hundreds of thousands
of years. Created stones are always less valuable than natural stones because
they are less rare. Generally, created stones are only available for more
expensive gemstones such as diamonds, rubies, sapphires and emeralds. One
example of a widely accepted created gemstone is the cultured pearl: very
prevalent even in the most elite jewelry.
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Quartz that is formed of multigrained microcrystals, not just of one single crystal, is called chalcedony. The name is applied to many well-known varieties of gemstones. They are found in all 50 states and come in many colors and color combinations. Unlike quartz, chalcedony does not look clear and glassy but waxy and translucent. It refers specifically to translucent white, blue, pale grayish-blue, purple, pink, yellow, orange, red, or solid-colored chalcedony other than carnelian, sard, or Chrysoprase, which are naturally-colored chalcedony varieties. Most chalcedony used in jewelry, as with the stones used by James Avery, is color-enhanced for a more consistent color. It ranks 6.5 to 7 on the Mohs Scale of Hardness which means it is fairly durable to wear as jewelry.
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The 182-carat Star of Bombay sapphire is from Sri Lanka. It was given to silent
film star Mary Pickford by her husband, Douglas Fairbanks Sr., and she
bequeathed it to the Smithsonian Institute in 1981.
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loose aquamarine gemstones Stories

Flat Heart Earring w/White Pearl/gg

Thu, 16 Oct 2008 19:36:44 -0700
Brushed 23kt gold vermeil heart, measuring approximately 1/2'', with white pearl rondelle accent, on 14kt gold fill earwires. Please select stone color: garnet, pink tourmaline, citrine, peridot, hessionite, white pearl, black onyx, white quartz, black pearl, carnelian, blue topaz, mystic topaz, apatite, green apatite, dark apatite, london blue etc.

Pakistan to participate in Dubai ICA Gem Show - The Post

Fri, 10 Oct 2008 20:14:39 GMT

Pakistan to participate in Dubai ICA Gem Show The Post, Pakistan - Oct 10, 2008 This would be a B2B gem show tailored especially for the loose coloured gemstone industry featuring the world's most prominent coloured stone merchants and ...

Double Tiny Disc Earring: Brushed/ms

Thu, 16 Oct 2008 19:36:44 -0700
Sterling silver and vermeil brushed double disc earring, measuring approximately 3/4'', sterling silver earwire.

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The Gemstones Review

Latest Gemological Article

How To Start Loose Gemstone Collecting

By Lee MacRae

The term gemology refers to the profession, science, and even art of evaluating and identifying gemstones from loose gemstones to natural diamonds. A number of people taken up gemology as a hobby. They become interested in collecting and evaluating loose diamonds or loose gemstones. You'll even find some that like to travel to different areas close by to look for rough gemstones. Some even tumble or learn to cut their own gemstones. If you have an interest in this hobby then follow along as we discuss the in and outs of gemstone collecting.

The first step in starting the hobby of collecting gemstones the right way is by getting adequate knowledge about them. By taking a quick trip to the library or local bookstore you can locate all you need to know about the subject that will make you an informed buyer.

First, color is a major part in giving value to a gemstone. The closer the color comes to its pure spectral color the more highly prized it is. Traditional spectral colors include violent, blue, green,, orange and red. Colors that are paler or darker are considered a lower value.

Cut is one of the all-important 4Cs and is used not only to appraise diamonds but gemstones as well. A precision cut gemstone showcases the natural color of the gemstone, lessen any inclusions and show off its symmetry and proportions. One excellent method to determine the precision of its cut is to check how consistent and well, it reflects the light over its entire surface. But if a gem is cut too shallow, most of the light will refract out instead of reflecting inside. That will make the gem seem washed out and windowed.

Gemstone clarity is our next factor. Clarity refers to the amount of inclusions (trace elements or large particles of other elements or minerals) that a gem has. A flawless gemstone is obviously valued highly. To see flaws beyond with the eye can see requires a 10X gemstone loupe or gemstone microscope. Many hobbyists will use a jewelers diamond gemstone loupe 10X for viewing their coins, beads, stamps or in our case gemstones.

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 difference of relative density or specific gravity depending upon the chemical composition and characteristic crystalline structure. Normally a one carat brilliant round diamond of typical proportions will be approximately 6.5 mm in diameter. A ruby that is the same size will weigh in at 1.55 carats instead.

Taking up the hobby of gemstones can be very enjoyable and could be rewarding as well over time. You can take your time and not lay out a lot a cash at the start and yet you can end up with some very beautiful stones. Many people love to set aside vacation or weekend time to go hunting gemstones. For example in Wyoming you can find Agate (including Moss Agate), Jade, Ruby, Jasper, Bloodstone as well as Star Sapphire. Or ou can take a longer vacation and find opal in Opalton, Yowah, Queensland, Austalia, topaz in Torrington, New South Wales, Australia or hunt in the garnet fields in Fullarton River in Queensland, Australia.

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Hints On loose emerald gemstones

Topaz is a beautiful light blue or yellow stone. Yellow Topaz is November's
birthstone while blue topaz is December's birthstone. It is much less expensive
than aquamarine. It looks beautiful in rings, bracelets, necklaces, and pendants
.
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Charcas, San Luis Potosi in Mexico is world reknown for it's Danburite the large
clear crystals are easily found on the mineral markets. Topaz is also found here
and can be quite nice. A variety of grossular known as "Raspberry Garnet" is
found in Coahuila and another garnet gem found in Mexico is andradite which
forms iridescent green gemstones. Another green gem is olivine and it is mined
in the Chavira peridot-olivine mines in Chihuahua.
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Open Oval Earring/ss

Thu, 16 Oct 2008 19:36:44 -0700
Brushed sterling silver open oval earring, measuring approximately 1 1/4''. Sterling silver earwires. Briolette Colors available: amethyst, apatite, blue topaz, chrome diopside, citrine, garnet, green amethyst, london blue topaz, rose amethyst, smoky quartz, vesuvianite.

Brushed Metal Clover Necklace/ss

Thu, 16 Oct 2008 19:36:44 -0700
Brushed silver clover charm, measuring approximately 5/8'', threaded on 16'' sterling silver chain and toggle clasp.

Flat Heart Earring w/White Pearl/gg

Thu, 16 Oct 2008 19:36:44 -0700
Brushed 23kt gold vermeil heart, measuring approximately 1/2'', with white pearl rondelle accent, on 14kt gold fill earwires. Please select stone color: garnet, pink tourmaline, citrine, peridot, hessionite, white pearl, black onyx, white quartz, black pearl, carnelian, blue topaz, mystic topaz, apatite, green apatite, dark apatite, london blue etc.

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