There is nothing more beautiful than coloured gemstones shining brightly on a ring, necklace or earrings, they add that special touch to any outfit. However, there is more to gem stones then the way they look. The value of the gems often makes up the bulk of the value of the piece of jewellery, so it pays to know what you are looking for.
It is imperative you ask questions when you purchase jewellery with gems to ensure you get the best value for your money. By asking your jeweller questions about the Edelsteine, you’ll not only get the best value, but will be able to make your beautiful jewellery a talking point for many years to come.
Each type of gem is different, a ruby and a garnet, a sapphire and an emerald all have different properties colours and values. Diamonds, rubies and sapphires are normally the most valuable followed by emeralds and others such as opals. If you are buying a gem for everyday use, it is best to get a hard stone, either a diamond, ruby or sapphire. There are also other considerations such as the colour of the gem you want, and what you can afford.
Most valuable gemstones are opaque allowing the light to reflect off the facets, giving the stone its sparkle, inclusions(or flaws)reduce the gemstones clarity. Clarity is measured on a scale and the smaller the inclusions usually results in greater value. The best gems will be rated IF meaning Internally Flawless. Ask the jeweller about the clarity of a gem, and if there are any flaws, as them to point them out to you. Once the piece of jewellery is yours, make sure you remember its clarity, and if it does have an IF clarity, it’s a nice little bonus.
The weight or size of a gem is measured in carats, the more carats the more it is worth. When buying jewellery, always ask the size of the gems. This will usually be given as a weight in carats. It is always a good idea to remember the carat weight as it is often the first question people will ask about your gem.
Story If your jewellery is beautiful, it is often a good talking point, so it is best to know as much about it as possible, stories such as where the gems were found and anything you can glean about the mine where it was dug up is worth also knowing. All this adds to the emotional value of the piece, the value it holds for you as the wearer.
Treatments There are many different treatments a gem can undergo to make it prettier, and some of those treatments will affect the value of the gem. It is the jeweller’s obligation to disclose all treatments to a customer, but you may have to ask, so make sure you do.
Most gems can be made or grown in a laboratory to look and behave exactly as a natural stone, but their value is often a fraction of a real gem. So what is the difference? It all comes down to the story you can tell, it tends to ruin the story if the gem is man-made. A great talking point quickly becomes a little embarrassing when someone asks if the gem is natural. Of course, if this doesn’t matter to you, then a man-made gem represents fantastic value for money.
When you buy gemstones, be prepared to ask questions and take time to get to know the history of your gem. It will not only make your jewellery more valuable to you, but it will help to make your jewellery a talking point at dinner parties.
