Gemstones Buying Guides, Expert Advice, Online Gemstone Shopping Tips

Sndgems jewelry guides are easy to use, interesting and helpful guide to buying jewelry onle. Our jewelry guides are indispensable guide to judging jewelry characterstics, distinguishing genuine from imitation, making wise choices, useful to all type of consumers, from professional jewelry to online searchers. Our diamond guides help everyone in viewing diamonds as gemologists, diamond experts, diamond dealers, experienced lapidaries, diamond buyers and online customers. Our diamond guides dissects each aspect of diamond value in detail with a wealth of diamond grading information. Our gemstone guides help everyone in viewing colored gemstones as gemologists, gem dealers, experienced lapidaries, gem buyers and online customers. Our gemstone guides dissects each aspect of ruby, sapphire, ruby value in detail with a wealth of gemstone grading information. Our guides offers step-by-step instructions for how to examine and judge the quality and craftsmanship and materials even if you dont know anything about jewelry. If you're thinking of buying jewelry online this guide is a best place to start. Our guides will help you to know about jewelry details such as finishes, settings, flaws and fakes. Our guides cover diamonds, gemstones, jewelry craftsmanship, treatments, diamond and gems sources, appraisals. There is something for everyone.

Welcome to the dazzling world of gemstones! You will find out all the shiny details about gem stones, what type of gemstones can be found out there and how from dusty hard rocks they transform into that precious shiny ring necklace or pendant in your nearby jewelry store.

Gems have intrigued human beings for more than 10,000 years. This stones were reserved for wealthy and served as status symbols. A prior knowledge of gemstones (ruby, emerald and sapphire) will help you understand and retain what a jeweler tells you. This gemstone guide will help you in evaluating the quality of ruby, emerald and sapphire, an aid in avoiding fraud with information on immitation (synthetic and treatment), as a handy reference on colored gemstones, provide a collection of practical tips on choosing and caring for gems and a challenge to view colored gemstones through the eyes of gemologists and gem dealers. When gemologists speak of shape, they usually mean its face up outline. The most common gemstone shapes include round, oval, square, pears, marquise and octogon.

Precious gems are generally rare and have deep vivid colors. Only three gems are winning candidates for the title of “precious”: the vivid green jade, the deep mysterious blue sapphire and the passionate red ruby. Because natural high quality precious gems are very rare, the jewelry industry will usually use additional chemical processes to enhance the color, clarity of the stones or even synthetically create them so they can be proudly inserted into creative pieces various budgets can buy.

The most precious, worldwide known and desired is of course, the diamond, a symbol for eternal shine and strength and according to popular culture: “a girl’s best friend”. To assess the value of precious gemstones, specialists evaluate according to the so called “4 Cs”: color, cut clarity and carat weight. For colorless diamonds, the cut and the carat weight would be the determining factors in assessing their high value whereas for the other precious gems the quality of their color is one of the most important factors in determining their worth.

Precious gemstones come from all over the world, but there are various regions that are very well known for their precious gem: Brazil is one of the largest exporters of amethysts, certain African countries such as Sierra Leone are well known for the bountiful supply of diamonds and for some economies in the world, precious gem stone trade accounts for almost 30% of their trade volume.

Their rarity and increased value has generated throughout history various mythical interpretations that are associated with each gemstone. From antique beliefs that gems have healing powers to the modern association between one’s birth month and a specific gem there have been numerous mystical accounts people have created to add powerful dimensions to the rarity and preciousness of gems.

Whether you are just dazzled by their beauty, or interested in how they are valued and processed or just intrigued by their mythical stories click on the above tabs for more information!More commonly known as gems, gemstones are pieces of minerals used in the art of making jewelry. They are usually colored, either opaque or transparent and according to their worth gems can be considered precious and semi-precious.

American Gemological Society: Since 1934, American Gem Society (AGS) has been protecting the consumers. For 70 years, the AGS logo has been a symbol of excellence in the jewelry industry. As an association of fine jewelers, our members are committed to the highest ethics, and practice truth-in-advertising and pricing. To visit AGS website click here. AGS is located at 181 World Trade Center, 2050 Stemmons Expressway, Dallas, TX 75027 and their telephone number is 809-972-1162.

Enhancement is often used as another word for treatment. Enhancement also refers to the faceting and polishing of a gem. For centuries, ruby, emerald and sapphire have been in heat treated to improve their color. Heat treating is widely accepted because it is a continuation of a natural process and it causes a permanent improvement of the entire gemstone. From the standpoint of value, it does not matter whether commercially-quality stones have been treated or not as long as the color is permanent. The overall quality of the treated stone will determine the price. However, a premium may be charged for high-quality untreated stones that comes with a lab report stating there is no evidence of heat treatment.

The "celestial" sapphire, symbol of the heavens, bestower of innocence, truth, good health, and preserver of chastity, is reserved today as the birthstone of September.

The word "ruby" derives from the Latin word rubeus, which means red. Ruby is the name given to the red variety of corundum.

Shape of Gemstone

The facet gemstone have several shapes. Some is normal but some shapes can not be found in normal gem market because some shape is cut from the imagine of cutter. It is mean that is the unique shape. But the gemstone and diamond shapes chart below is the standard shapes that offer in gem market around the world.

Emerald cut

Emerald cut is a rectangular or square step cut with diagonal corners. It has approximately 50 facets.

Oval cut

Oval cut is a modified brilliant cut with an obround shaped girdle outline. The oval cut has an elliptical shape when viewed from the top. It has approximately 69 facets.

Radiant cut

Radiant cut is a rectangular cut, combining the shape of an emerald cut and sparkle of a brilliant. It has approximately 70 facets.

Pear or Teardrop cut

Pear or Teardrop cut is asymmetrical cut with one pointed and one rounded end. A hybrid cut, combining the best of the oval and the marquise, it is shaped like a sparkling teardrop. It has approximately 71 facets.

Cushion cut

Cushion cut is looks like a cross between a deep cut with large facets that was common in the late 19th and the early 20th centuries and a modern

Marquise cut

Marquise cut is a symmetrical boat shaped brilliant cut gem with pointed ends. It has approximately 57 facets.

Old miner cut

Old miner cut is also more of a square or cushion cut, rather than being round. In fact, today's cushion cut is an improved old mine cut.

Trillion cut

Heart cut

Heart cut is a pear shape with a cleft at the top. It has approximately 59 facets.

Asscher cut

Asscher cut is a square cut characterized by a smaller table and larger step facet than an emerald cut.

Flanders cut

Flanders cut is an octagon, but when viewed from above it looks like a square. In reality it has four short sides and four long sides. This cut also includes 61 facets

Princess cut

Princess cut is technically known as “Square Modified Brilliant” and is a square version of the round brilliant cut with numerous sparkling facets. It has approximately 76 facets.

Round cut

Round cut is the name implies, it is round on top. It has approximately 57 facts.

Learn all about gemstones properties like Specific Gravity, Mohs Hardness, Index of Refraction as it will help in identifying genuine gemstone from fake stones, evaluating gemstone quality and source of origin.

Specific gravity, the abbreviated is SG, is the meatured that comparing about the gemstone's weight when weighted in the air with weighted suspennded in pure water. Because specific gravity varies with chemical composition and crystal structure type.The specific gravity is a ratio which can be used for indentifying gemstones. But this method can not be used for identified gemstone alone. But the specific gravity can help in reducing the amount kind of gemstone of possibilities. Learn all about gemstones properties like Specific Gravity, Chemical Composition and Crystal Stucture as it will help in identifying genuine gemstone from fake stones, evaluating gemstone quality and source of origin.

The table below is the list gemstone's specifict gravity that arranged from the gemstone in increasing order.

Gemstone's Refractive Index

Refracive index, the abbreviated is RI, is one of the most important identified of gemstone. Because almost gemstones will have different refractive index, but not all. So if you have to make sure what stone you test, you have to used other method with also. Whatever the refractive index testing have to be the one method you can not deny.

When light passes from one density or type of material (air) into another (the gemstone), it is bent or "refracted." The amount, or degree, that the beam of light is bent will be determined by the density difference between the air and the gem. The measurement used to quantify the amount that a light beam is bent in a given material is known as its "refractive index".

There are two factors when calculating a gem's refractive index: "angle of incident" and "refractive angle." The "incident angle" is the angle of the approaching light as it intersects with the stone's exterior surface. The "refractive angle" is the altered angle of the light as it passes through the stone's interior. The Refractive Index is the ratio of difference between these two angles. Each material has its own unique density and Refractive Index.

The color of a gemstone, and the frequency (color) of the light traveling through it, can also effect its refractive index. As the light's frequency changes, so does its angle of refraction. Higher light frequencies travel through the stone more slowly, while lower frequencies travel faster, causing a spreading effect known as dispersion. As each frequency is reflected it is dispersed throughout the stone's interior at varying speeds and directions. As the scattering and dispersion of light within the stone is increased, so to is the amount of "fire" that is returned to the viewer.

The table below is the list gemstone's RI that arranged from the gemstone that have the lowest refractive index to highest refractive index.

Learn all about gemstones properties like Clarity as it will help in identifying genuine gemstone from fake stones, evaluating gemstone quality and source of origin.

The next step is to study any inclusions that may be present. If any doubt exists as to whether they are indicative of natural or manmade origin, check the appropriate assignments in the colored gemstone assignments. Inclusions characteristic of synthetic and other manmade stones are to be found also in the supplement with this course. The subject of the use of characteristic inclusions for identification is covered in detail in the assignment following the next work project. At this point, it is important to examine the pattern of inclusions under low power. Often, inclusions that appear to be unrelated individual entities will be seen to form a very revealing pattern when the stone is examined in this manner. For example, in ruby, sapphire and emerald, a number of inclusions or lines that together present a hexagonal aspect may assist materially in identification. The pattern of rutile needles oriented in three directions at 60° to one another in the same plane is a very strong indication of corundum, or at least of the hexagonal crystal system.

Crystals: are solid mineral inclusions of various shapes and sizes. Genuine Ruby and Sapphire will have crystal inclusions like pyrite, garnet, zircon, calcite and spinel. Minute crystals are called pinpoints or grains.

Negative Crystals: are hollow spaces inside a stone that have the shape of a crystal.

Silk: in ruby and sappgire consists of very fine fibers of rutile (titanium oxide) or other minerals. These fibers or rows intersect and rsemble silk. Well formed silk is a good indication that stone has not been heat treated.

Needles: are long, thin inclusions that are either solid crystals or tubes filled with gas or liquid and are called growth tubes.

Fluid Inclusions: are hollow spaces filled with fluid. They occur in random shapes and are sometimes dense creating a milky look. Fluid inclusions are of three types: single phase inclusions with only fluids; two phase inclusions with liquid and gas and three phase with a liquid, a gas and a solid. Type of inclusions can also help in identifying source of the gemstone.

Cracks (Fractures or Fissures); of various sizes are commonly seen in ruby and sapphire. Cracks are also referred to as feathers.

Parting: refers to breakage along a plane of weekness. In ruby and sapphire parting planes are thin seams of boehmite.

Twinning: occurs when two or more crystals of the same mineral are united and are generally seen as straight lines.

Halos: are circular fractures around a crystal and during heating the crystal can expand.

Fingerprints: are very common in ruby and sapphire and are healed cracks and look like human fingerprints.

Saturn: like inclusions have a central core with the shape of flattned sphere surrounded by a planar circular. The core be solid, hollow or fluid and gas. The surface of the core is smooth and metallic or granular like a snowball. Saturn like inclusions are found in rubies from Thailand and Cambodia and are a good indication that helps gemologists determine country of origin.

Growth or Color Zoning: are referred to uneven distribution of color and if color zones look like bands they are called growth or color bands.

Cavities: are holes into a stone from the surface and can be caused during stone cutting process.

Now that you are familiar with gemstones properties like Refractive Index, Double Refraction, Birefringence, Specific Gravity, Inclusions it will help in identifying genuine gemstone from fake stones, evaluating gemstone quality and source of origin. The tables below show typical inclusions found in genuine gemstones and fake stones as well as have unique Refractive Index, Double Refraction, Birefringence and other properties. Every gemstone has its own unique identity and genuine gemstone identification is a process that involves identifying gemstones structure and chemical properties. Genuine gemstone identification requires gemological knowlege, gemology tools and a well trained experience eye. There are many ways to identify a real gem from a fake one as well as how to evaluate gemstones quality and its origin.

Characterstics of Facetted Rubies, Sapphires and Emeralds from Finest Mines:

Genuine gemstone identification requires gemological knowlege, gemology tools and a well trained experience eye. There are many ways to identify a real gem from a fake one as well as how to evaluate gemstones quality and its origin. The links below will help you further in getting best deals on genuine gemstones, authentic jewelry and real metals.

EDUCATION & GUIDANCE

Shape of Gemstone

Emerald cut

Oval cut

Radiant cut

Pear or Teardrop cut

Cushion cut

Marquise cut

Old miner cut

Trillion cut

Heart cut

Asscher cut

Flanders cut

Flanders cut is an octagon, but when viewed from above it looks like a square. In reality it has four short sides and four long sides. This cut also includes 61 facets

Princess cut

Round cut

Gemstone's Refractive Index

Gemstone clarity

Type 1 - gemstone

Type 2 - gemstone

Type 1 - gemstone

1) Hue

2) Intensity

3) Tone

EDUCATION & GUIDANCE

Shape of Gemstone

Emerald cut

Oval cut

Radiant cut

Pear or Teardrop cut

Cushion cut

Marquise cut

Old miner cut

Trillion cut

Heart cut

Asscher cut

Flanders cut

Flanders cut is an octagon, but when viewed from above it looks like a square. In reality it has four short sides and four long sides. This cut also includes 61 facetsPrincess cut

Round cut

Gemstone's Refractive Index

Gemstone clarity

Type 1 - gemstone

Type 2 - gemstone

Type 1 - gemstone

1) Hue

2) Intensity

3) Tone

Flanders cut is an octagon, but when viewed from above it looks like a square. In reality it has four short sides and four long sides. This cut also includes 61 facets

Princess cut