Jewellery Gemstones
Gemstones can vary greatly in price depending on many different factors, such as how rare the gemstone is and the quality of the stone. Gemstones are used in a variety of different jewellery with rings, ear rings and bracelets being the most popular uses of these stones.
Diamonds
Diamonds vary in price depending on the four Cs, which are colour, cut, clarity and carat weight. Diamonds are the hardest naturally occurring mineral and are expensive because they are rare and extremely difficult to mine.
Most diamonds have some form of inclusions which is a gas build up in the diamond, which impedes the visible flow of light through the stone. Only 20 percent of diamonds that are mined can actually be used for jewellery purposes with the other 80 percent being used for industrial purposes.
Pearls
Pearls can also be made naturally or they can be cultured by humans, and they are formed by an irritant inside the shell of an oyster, which the oyster then covers with calcium carbonate many times over. This ultimately produces a pearl.
The value of a pearl is based on a combination of colour, size and a lack of surface flaw. In general, the larger the pearl the more expensive it is to purchase when used in jewellery.
Other Gemstones
The most popular gemstones are diamonds, pearls, emeralds, aquamarine, tourmaline, opal, garnet, sapphire, topaz, peridot, ruby and amber. Prices of gemstones are generally based on the colour of the gemstone, the quality of the gemstone and the market value of the gemstone.
Most gemstones are cut and polished before being sold to the general public as they normally have a rough exterior. How the stone is cut and polished also plays a part in the cost of the gemstone.
Because of the price of gemstones, there are also many synthetic gemstones being produced. These can be manufactured in labs and for a fraction of the price of the real gemstone in many cases. To many people, this is an attractive alternative to buying a real gemstone because of the cost.
Some gemstones are treated before being put on the market to improve colour or clarity. Methods are used in treating the stone include heat, radiation, waxing/oiling and fracture filling. Many treatments are widely accepted by the gemstone community because the end product results in the improved quality of the stone and the colour of the stone remains stable.
