A brief History of Gemstones

Gemstones are defined to be various mineral highly prized for their beauty, durability and rarity. However, a few non-crystalline materials of organic origin such as pearl, coral and amber are also classified as gemstones. A gemstone is a product of the earth, some formed at greater depth than others, such as the diamond brought to the surface by ancient volcanoes. 

In order to define beauty for more than 2000 known gemstones, specific terms have been developed. Iridescence, opalescence, asterism (the exhibition of a star-shaped figure in reflected light), chatoyance (the exhibition of a changeable lustre and a narrow, undulating band of white light), pattern, and fire make a gemstone beautiful. 

Even though the vast majority of gemstones are created below the surface of the earth, there are a number of different ways that the individual stones can be created. A great number of these stones are created when the minerals react with water that is found just below the surface of the earth and the minerals then dissolve. This process allows the minerals to form gemstones like opals, agates and amethysts forming when the solution cools or evaporates.

Gems like malachite, azurite or turquoise are formed when water blends with rocks that are rich in copper. For example, turquoise can be dated back to over 4000 years ago with ancient Egyptians considering them as extremely precious.    

Much the same as you would expect from any other major industry, the price of gemstones is largely influenced by supply and demand. Although diamond’s prices are regulated by the diamond bourse, gemstones are not that easy to categorize and give specific pricing.

One of the most important things for people when considering gemstones is the value and price for them. Unfortunately, supply and demand are very much controlling the prices of the stones at a given moment in time. This means that rare gems will carry a higher price tag. Although diamonds are believed to be rare, thanks to strong marketing campaigns of certain big firms, it happens they are one of the most commonly found gems on earth! 

Why do we speak of “hardness” when choosing a stone for a jewellery?

With many minerals around the world, you want to make sure the stone you set in your jewellery is the going to last for a lifetime. It is the reason why jewellers and goldsmith need to know the hardness of each stone as one would break very easily with a little knot on it. 

It is in 1812 that the German mineralogist, Frederick Mohs created the Mohs Scale. One of the most important tests for identifying mineral specimens. The test is useful because most specimens of a given mineral are very close to the same hardness. Making hardness a reliable diagnostic property for most minerals. 

Usually in the jewellery industry minerals with hardness from 10 to 6 are mostly used as below they start to break easily with a little pressure or heat. It is one of the reasons why jewellers will often suggest you to choose among the diamond, the sapphires, the rubies or the emerald although this last one remains very fragile, for your engagement ring.