Gemstones
Gemstones are broadly defined to mean any mineral that is prized for its beauty, rarity and durability; once the mineral has been enhanced by cutting and polishing, it becomes a gem. Most gems start out as crystals or aggregates, although pearls and amber are organic gemstones because they are produced by living things. There are over 4000 minerals, yet fewer than 100 are used as gemstones. Some gemstones are inappropriate for jewelry because they are too soft or too brittle to be practical, but are valuable to collectors.
Gems are, by definition, beautiful. This beauty is attributable to many properties - color, transparency, color pattern (e.g., opals) intensity, or pattern light (as in star sapphires cats eye) and durability. Gemstones are classified as precious and semi-precious. Diamonds, sapphire, rubies and emeralds are considered precious.
The practice of cutting gemstones began with the shaping of soft stones for personal adornment; as techniques for cuttingand shaping improved, harder stones were used. Beads were created and strung, and cylinder seals - the earliest formm of a signature - were carved from semiprecious stones and rolled on damp clay. These seals became a symbol of status.
Learn more about precious and semiprecious gemstones HERE.
|
