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The Hobby Of Loose Gemstone Collecting
By Lee MacRae
Why collect loose gemstones you ask? For many people it's because they are very beautiful items. And like their more familiar cousin, natural diamonds, their value increases over time. Many hobbyists love to collect and work with each and every one of the 150 varieties available. This article will discuss the hobby of loose gemstone collecting.
At the very beginning you need to learn all you can on the wide variety of stones available. This will help you to know what exactly you're looking for so you buy the right items. This will help you make informed decisions.
First on the list to evaluate is gemstone color. It is a fact that gemstones are the most intensely colored natural material available on earth. Gems have become so synonomous with color, they have even lent their names to specific colors. Without a doubt you will recognize sapphire blue, ruby red, jade green, aquamarine, emerald green or turquoise. Gemstones become higher in value when they are equal in color to the spectral colors of violet, blue, green,, orange and red. They are valued much less the farther they are from the spectral color.
Stone cut is the second most important factor to consider before a purchase. The precision of cut will determine how much light is reflected by the gemstone. It will fully factor highly in the brilliance of the stone and its final value.
The clarity of a gemstone is our next factor. Gemstone clarity relates to the amount of inclusions (trace elements or large particles of other elements or minerals) that a gem has. A perfect gemstone is obviously worth more. To examine flaws not seen with the naked eye you need a gem microscope or 10X gemstone clarity magnifier. Many hobbyists will get an inexpensive 10X gemstone or jewelers loup for viewing their coins, beads, stamps or in our case gemstones.
Next to consider are weight and size. Except for corals and pearls, all gemstones are priced by the carat. A carat is equal to 0.2 grams. However you should know weight and size are not the same in gemstones. The density and specific gravity can differ in stones. Take a diamond that is 1.00 carats in weight and you will find that a Sapphire or ruby of the same size would weigh 1.20 carats.
Getting involved in collecting gemstones can be very enjoyable and also rewarding in the long run. You don't need to spend a lot of money and yet you can build a very exquisite collection. Many people love to take vacations to go hunting gemstones. Just in the United States in Virginia you can find Amethyst, Garnet, Beryl and Moonstone. And if you like to travel farther you can find opal at Lightning Ridge in NSW, Austalia, topaz in Beechworth, Victoria or check out the Moonstone regions in Moonstone Hill, Queensland, Australia.
Buy cabochon jade loose gemstones as well as loose diamonds and natural diamonds today in our store!
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Learn More About precious loose gemstones
Citrine is yellow quartz. It has a hardness of 7. Citrine can be easily
scratched. Citrine often permenantly changes color if left in the sunlight for
several hours. Most citrine on the market is heat treated amethyst. Citrine is
found in Brazil, Madagascar, Spain, USA (California, Colorado, Georgia, and
Nevada) and the former USSR.
Buy loose Emerald gemstones today!
Bloodstone is found in: Australia, Brazil, China, India, and the USA (Wyoming).
Bloodstone is the March Traditional Birthstone. Though not meant to replace
traditional medical treatment, Bloodstone is used to help one become more
knowledgeable in the ways of the world.
Buy pear blue loose gemstones today!
The precious opal has a unique internal structure. It is made up of spheres that
are closely packed in layers that eventually form something that looks like a
four-sided triangle or a hexagon. They are made up of silica that allows light
to pass through the structure like a prism to produce internal colors, and it
also determines the quality of the stone. A precious opal has a doublet which is
a colorful material laid on a black backing of ironstone, basalt or obsidian.
This causes "a play of color" which produces a spectrum of different colors.
Buy loose Kunzite gemstones today!
The Latest precious loose gemstones News
GemFind.com Jewelry Network Announces Partnership With IDJ Inc - PR-USA.net (press release)
Fri, 18 Jul 2008 21:35:12 GMT
GemFind.com Jewelry Network Announces Partnership With IDJ Inc PR-USA.net (press release), Bulgaria - ... to offer consumers access to an affiliated network of jewelers for loose diamonds (http://www.gemfind.com), designer jewelry and other precious gems, ... |
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Vermeil Tiny Tear Earrings
Brushed silver coated in 23kt gold. Earrings are about 1/2" long. 14kt gold fill earwires and findings.
loose black diamonds | buying loose diamonds
posted by Axinite @ 3:54 PM
2 Comments:
I like to collect both pyrite and garnet,
I'm told you can go to Maine to hunt for Tourmaline, Beryl, Rose Quartz, Pearl, Topaz, Amazonite, Clear & Smoky Quartz and Aquamarine. Anyone have any info on it?
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