Why I Like Gemstones

Our Featured Gemological Writer

So You Want To Collect Loose Gemstones

By Lee MacRae

Why collect loose gemstones you ask? For many people it's because gemstones are extremely beautiful. And like their more familiar cousin, natural diamonds, they can appreciate in value over time. Many in this hobby love to collect and show case the wide variety of gemstones available today. Read long as we look at the hobby of collecting loose gemstones.

The first thing you need to do is to get some books from the library or bookstore. You want to understand as much as possible about your new hobby. The more you understand about the hobby of gemstones the better off you'll be. You'll know exactly what to look for in a quality stone.

First on the list to evaluate is gemstone color. Without a doubt, gemstones are the most intensely colored naturally occurring materials you can find. Gemstones are so related to color that they've even become associated with particular ones. You've no doubt heard about emerald green, ruby red, sapphire blue, jade green, turquoise or aquamarine. Gemstones are valued much higher they closer they are to natural spectral colors of yellow, blue, violet, green, orange and red. They become less valuable when they are lighter or darker than the natural color.

Cut is one of the all-important 4Cs and is used not only to appraise diamonds but gemstones in general as well. A precision cut will highlight the pure color of the stone, lessen any inclusions and highlight the proportions and symmetry of the stone. One way to determine the precision in the cut is to look at how evenly it reflects light over the stones complete surface. If the gemstone is cut to shallow most of this light were refracted away rather than reflecting internally. Gemstone color will be washed out.

The next factor to consider is the clarity. This is talking about the purity of the gemstone with no internal conclusions, internal particles or spots within the crystal structure. Obviously, stones with a lack of flaws will make a gemstone very valuable.

Next comes size and weight. Except for corals and pearls, all gemstones are priced by the carat. One carat is the equivalent of 0.2 grams Be aware however, that weight and size are not always equal and gemstones. The density and specific gravity can differ in stones. Take a diamond that weighs 1.00 carats and you will see that a Sapphire or ruby of the same size would weigh 1.20 carats.

Collecting gemstones as a hobby can become an enjoyable pastime and rewarding in the long run. You can take your time and not lay out a lot a cash at the start and yet you can buy some very beautiful items. Many people love to set aside vacation or weekend time to go hunting for raw gemstones. Take the example of the United States. In Alaska you can find White Quartz and Jade. And if you like to travel farther you can find opal in Coober Pedy, Andamooka or Mintabie in South Australia, topaz in Mt Surprise or O'Briens Creek in Queensland, Australia or look in the garnet fields in Harts Range in the Northern Territory of Australia.

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Hints On diamonds loose diamonds

Since 1935, the mining of gemstones in the United States has been almost
entirely through mineral collectors and hobbyists. Rather than doing the mining
themselves, owners of land that has a deposit of gem-quality minerals sometimes
charge hobbyists for the right to collect gemstones. For example, diamond in
Arkansas, opal in Idaho, and agate in Oregon and Washington are mined by
hobbyists under this "fee digging" arrangement.
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The 1759-carat Guinness Emerald Crystal. The stone was found at the Coscuez in
Columbia and is one of the largest gem-quality emerald crystals in the world.
Today it is part of the collection of the Banco Nazionale de la Republica in
Bogot� Columbia
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Diamond heist in Red Deer Edmonton Sun, Canada - Aug 11, 2008 On Friday at 5:25 pm, two men walked into Polar Jewellers in Red Deer where one asked to be shown loose diamonds while the other stood near the entrance. ... Diamonds stolen from Red Deer jeweller Calgary Herald Diamond heist in Red Deer Calgary CTV Cops on the hunt for jewel thieves Canoe.ca all 4 news articles

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More Information On The Gemstones Scene

Featured Gemological Article

Starting To Collect Loose Gemstones

By Lee MacRae

Gemology is a term referring to the art, profession and science of evaluating and identifying rocks known as natural diamonds or loose gemstones. A number of people taken up gemology as a passionate hobby. They become very interested in starting to collect loose diamonds or loose gemstones. A number of these hobbyists start to visit various locations close by to look for raw gemstones. Some hobbyists will learn to cut or tumble the gemstones they find. If you have an interest in this hobby read along as we reveal the in and outs of gemstone collecting.

The very first step in becoming a gemstone collector the proper way is by getting adequate knowledge about them. By taking a quick trip to the library or local bookstore you can find everything you need to know that will let you make wise purchases from the beginning.

First on your list to take into account is stone color. You want the stone to be as close in color as possible to the pure spectral colors. This means red, orange, yellow, green, blue, and violet. The prices of very dark are very pale precious and semi precious stones are lower than the vibrant colors.

Gemstone cut is very important and factors highly into the appraisal of not only diamonds along with gemstones. A precision cut gemstone showcases the gemstone's color, diminishes its inclusions, and exhibits good overall symmetry and proportion. One excellent way to determine the excellence regarding the cut is how evenly it reflects light throughout the surface of the stone. If the gemstone is cut to shallow much of the light will refract out of the gem rather than reflecting internally. Gemstone color will be washed out.

Gemstone clarity is an important consideration. Clarity refers to the absence of flaws or blemishes inside the stone. The gemstone without flaws is more valuable. To determine the flaws not seen with the unaided eye requires a 10X gemstone loupe or gemstone microscope. Serious hobbyists will get a 10X jewelers were gemstone loup for examining coins, stamps and of course gemstones.

Gemstones are often listed according to their size because it is more uniform than carat weight. But two different gemstones may be of the same size but differ in carat weights and as a result different in prices as well. This factor comes from the difference of specific gravity depending upon the chemical composition and crystalline structure. For example, a one carat round diamond with normal proportions is approximately 6.5 mm around. A comparable round brilliant ruby of the same size and proportions will weigh in at 1.55 carats.

Though you may find gemstones used a lot in jewelry, they are a great hobby and pastime as well. In fact, there are many attractive and interesting gems that are simply too big and fragile for use 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 in this hobby you don't have to always lay out cash because you can use vacation time to actually hunt for raw gemstones in stead of buying. In the US in Colorado you can find Beryl, Aquamarine, Phenacite, Garnet, Amethyst, Agate, Citrine, Pyrite, Rose Quartzcomma

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Hints About natural fancy yellow diamonds

aventurine cabochonAventurine is a translucent to opaque variety of
microcrystalline quartz. Small inclusions of shiny minerals give the stone a
sparkling effect known as aventurescence. Aventurine ranges in color from green,
peach, brown, blue and a creamy green. Mohs hardness is 6.5. (Pronounced: ah-ven
-shur-ine)
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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 activity. Even the hardest gemstones like Diamonds, Rubies and
Sapphires can shatter with a single well-placed blow especially if they have
inclusions, which weaken the crystal structure.
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Bedazzling luncheon gala to benefit YMCA The Saratogian, NY - Jul 28, 2008 But most coveted now is the fancy yellow Gemesis diamond, beloved by such stars as Katie Holmes, Heidi Klum, Cate Blanchett and Angelina Jolie. ...

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Cut, colour, clarity - The National

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