How To Start Gemstone Collecting
By Lee MacRae
Why collect loose gemstones you ask? For many people it's because they've been sought for their beauty for many centuries. And just like natural diamonds their value increases over time. Many hobbyists love to collect and work with the nearly 150 types of gemstones found today. This article will examine the loose gemstones hobby.
The first thing you need to do is to visit the library and get some books. You want to know as much as you possibly can about your new hobby. The more you learn about the hobby of gemstones the better off you'll be. With adequate knowledge you are less likely to be fooled.
The first criteria you need to evaluate is stone color. Without a doubt, gemstones are the most intensely colored naturally occurring materials you can find. Gems have become so synonomous with color, they've even had their names combined with associated 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 drop in value the farther they are from the spectral color.
Cut is one of the all-important 4Cs and factors into appraisal of diamonds but gemstones as well. An excellent cut will highlight the pure color of the stone, lessen any inclusions and show off its symmetry and proportions. One excellent method to determine the precision of gemstone cut is to consider how consistently it reflects the light over its entire surface. If the gemstone is cut to shallow much of the light will refract out of the gem instead of reflecting inside the gemstone. That will make the gem seem washed out and windowed.
The clarity of a gemstone is our next factor. When we talk of clarity it relates to the absence of flaws or blemishes inside the stone. A gemstones that is normally found to be clean is obviously worth more. To determine the flaws not seen with the unaided eye requires a 10X gemstone loupe or gemstone microscope. Serious hobbyists will buy an inexpensive 10X gemstone or jewelers loup for examining coins, stamps and of course gemstones.
Next on the agenda is the duo of weight and size. Due to the fact gemstones can vary greatly in density and specific gravity. Weight and size are not necessarily equal across the board. If a diamond of a certain size weighs 1.00 carats then an equal sized Sapphire would weigh more than 1.20 carats. An Emerald of equal size would be approximately 0.95 carats while an Alexandrite gem stone would came in at 1.23 carats.
Getting involved in collecting gemstones can give you an enjoyable pastime and also rewarding in the long run. It doesn't have to be very expensive and yet you can build a very exquisite collection. Many people loved to spend weekends to go hunting gemstones. For example in Colorado you can find Beryl, Aquamarine, Phenacite, Garnet, Amethyst, Agate, Citrine, Pyrite, Rose Quartzcomma
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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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In general zircon is transparent to translucent. Impurities cause the various
color. Zircons with a cat's eye effect are known but rare. Some crystals contain
radioactive thorium and uranium. Over time, the radioactivity breaks down the
crystal structure so that such stones (usually green) tend to an amorphous
structure, with a lower refractive index and luster than the crystalline type.
These slightly radioactive zircons are very rare in the trade, but highly prized
by collectors and pose no heath threat to its wearer.
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