Starting The Hobby Of Loose Gemstone Collecting
By Lee MacRae
Why would someone go to the trouble of collect loose gemstones? Well to begin with they've been sought for their beauty for many centuries. And like their higher counterpart, natural diamonds their value increases over time. Many hobbyists love to collect and show case the nearly 150 types of gemstones found today. Follow along as we look at the hobby of collecting loose gemstones.
The first thing you need to do in becoming a gemstone collector the proper way is by getting adequate knowledge about them. By taking a quick trip to the library or local bookstore you can find books on the subject that will prevent you from making mistakes at the start.
First, color is a major part in giving value to a gemstone. The closer the color comes to its purer spectral value the more valuable it is. Traditional spectral colors include red, orange, yellow, green, blue, and violet. Gemstones colors that are paler or darker diminish the value of the stone.
Stone cut is the second most important value determination to consider before buying. The precision of cut determines the amount of light the gemstone stone will reflect. It will fully determine the brilliance of the stone and its final value.
Next to look at is the clarity of the gemstone. Clarity refers to the internal flaws (inclusions) or the external blemishes of a stone. Normally large flaws are visible to the naked eye with the others needing a 10X magnification.
Next up are weight and size. All gemstones [except for pearls and corals] are priced by the carat. One carat equals a 0.2 grams. Be aware however, that weight and size are not the same in gemstones. Density or specific gravity can vary in gemstones. Take a diamond that is 1.00 carats in weight and you will find that a similar sized sapphire or ruby would weigh 1.20 carats.
Taking up the hobby of gemstones can be very enjoyable and could be rewarding as well over time. You can start small and don't have to spend a lot of money and yet you can buy some very beautiful items. Many people love to take vacations to go hunting for raw gemstones. For example in Florida you can find Chalcedony and Conch Pearl. Or you can take the time to travel and find opal at Lightning Ridge in NSW, Austalia, topaz in Beechworth, Victoria or check out the quartz regions in Mt Hope or Inverell, New South Wales.
Buy loose Beryl gemstones as well as heart loose diamonds as well as radiant natural diamonds today in our store!
Gemstones For Sale
Learn More About loose diamonds to buy
Quartz Crystal, one of the Earth's most common minnerals, is a clear variety of
quartz. When it was first found high in the frozen mountains of the Alps,
ancient people believed that it was a form of ice crystals that would never melt
. Quartz Crystal promotes peace and spiritual healing. It inspires creativity,
creates balance, and is a source of clarity and understanding.
Buy orange Sapphire loose gemstones today!
Two Afrikaner brothers owned a farm where the Orange and Vaal rivers join.
Johannes Nicholas de Beer and Diederik Arnoldus de Beer had diamonds discovered
on their property. They were in no position to protect the property from diamond
hunters and predators so they sold it for 6300 pounds to investors Cecil Rhodes
and Charles Rudd. Two mines were actually found on the property located in the
Kimberly region. One mine was named after the original owners of the property,
and the other one was named after the area. The De Beers and Kimberly mines were
consequently born. Rhodes and Rudd merged the two enterprises to form De Beers
Consolidated Mines Limited. It couldn't have happened at a better time.
Buy demantoid Garnet loose gemstones today!
loose diamonds to buy News
Riveted Teardrop Necklace: Heart/ms (n-rt1h-ms)
Fri, 14 Nov 2008 05:21:18 -0800
Brushed silver teardrop, measuring approximately 1 1/4'', with riveted vermeil heart accent. 16'' sterling silver chain and toggle clasp. Matching earrings available.
Market Impact: Metals Supply Chain - Safe Haven
Sun, 02 Nov 2008 23:59:00 GMT
This week, we explore several topics of interest, including our regular review of marketplace events, The Japanese Yen carry trade, Supply and Demand, Metals Supply Chain ...
