A Guide to Gemstones
November 4, 2008 gemstones No Comments
One of the most popular types of jewelry of all is gemstones. Most people have heard of gemstones before, and when we speak of gemstones, we usually are speaking of minerals that have been cut and polished. Not all minerals are suitable here however, and as well as beauty, a mineral must possess a certain hardness and stability, and occur in crystals or masses that are large enough for cutting.
Physical Properties
When it comes to the physical properties and value of gemstones, a valuable gemstone is prized especially for its beauty or rarity. The rarer a gemstone is the more valuable and costly it is going to be. The diamond, for instance, is considered as being a valuable gemstone, since it is the hardest naturally occurring substance known and is able to reflect light with fire and sparkle when faceted.
Color is the most obvious characteristic of gemstones, and the most common cause of color in a gemstone is due to the presence of a small amount of a transition metal ion, which has an incomplete set of 3d electrons.