Education

To qualify as a gemstone, a mineral must be beautiful, rare and durable enough to be worn as  jewelry. While this is the main criteria, there are certain rocks like lapis lazuli and organic materials like amber and jet that are not minerals and are often considered to be gemstones as well. Most gemstones are extremely hard with a rigid crystalline structure. They are prized for their lustre or other unique qualities that make them valuable. The chemical composition of a gem determines most of its properties, like shape, hardness, durability and color. It may all sound quite arbitrary, but that doesn’t take the shine off of a wonderful piece of jewelry with a beautiful gem as the focal point.

Purchasing a gemstone is an experience. You should learn valuable and interesting information about the gem and the piece of jewelry.