All gemstones have a special charm about them. They often attract various buyers, and at some point in their lives, everyone wants to own one. While we all enjoy adding a little color to our jewelry, what people often miss is that gemstones are quite astounding in their natural state as well. Many gemstones are claimed to have various grounding and healing properties. Not only that, they can also be used to completely transform your style!
Yet, when it comes to buying gemstones, people seldom make informed buying decisions. Most of the time, buyers aren’t aware of the criteria they should consider before buying their first gemstone. This can lead to purchases that they regret later. In addition to this, there are also a lot of scammers in the market selling fake gemstones to innocent buyers. These are usually made of materials like plastic, glass, ceramic, etc., and do a stellar job of replicating the brilliance of original gemstones. This often leads their buyers into lousy deals.
To save you from this, we bring you our gemstone guide. Read through it to find out the top 7 things you must remember when purchasing your favorite gemstones.
1. Do your research.
Many people enjoy walking into a shop and looking around at the variety of options they have to choose from. However, it is better to do your research beforehand before buying your favorite gems. You should know exactly what you’re looking for when you step inside a store. When it comes to jewels, the variety can be overwhelming. There can be many options like garnet bracelets, tanzanite rings, shungite bracelet, amethyst rings, etc. for you to choose from. This makes it even more important to study beforehand the colors, qualities, etc. of various gemstones. It can help you narrow down your options and easily decide what kind of gem you want.
2. Take a close look at your chosen gemstone.
It is always a good idea to observe your favorite gemstone carefully. It is preferable to check it under a microscope, if possible. This is the job of a certified jeweler. Observing your gemstones can tell you if they need any sort of repair at the time of purchase. It can also allow you to decide upon your favorite stone and cuts, which can help you make a better decision.
3. Decide on the color of your gemstone.
A gemstone is highly popular if it shows different colors under different lighting. For instance, tanzanite appears blue during the day. However, at night, reddish hues appear throughout the gemstone. Such color variance in a gemstone is because of its impurities and its structure. So, before you decide on the color of your gemstone, make sure to talk about it with your jeweler.
4. Keep an eye out for fraudulent practices.
Gems are often treated or modified by heating, bleaching, irradiation, etc. For instance, amethyst, ruby, etc. are subjected to heat, while emeralds are often treated with dye and oil to cover their defects. Gems are even exchanged for artificial replicas. You must save yourself from scams when purchasing your perfect gemstone. Make sure you check whether the ruby you’re buying has a lead glass filling. This is done to improve their clarity. Looking at them under the microscope can help with this.
5. Check the cut.
The cut of a gemstone is a fairly important factor that has to be considered before you make your purchase. This is important because it is the quality of the cut that makes a gemstone brilliant. An ideal cut should reflect light evenly without the presence of any dark areas. A poorly cut gemstone allows light to pass through it, which reduces its brilliance.
6. Make sure you buy your gemstones from a reputable dealer.
Every buyer worries about the credibility and originality of a gemstone. To make sure you get a good deal, always purchase your gemstones from reputable dealers or jewellers. You must buy a certified gemstone that has been evaluated by a gemstone expert. This can have many benefits. For instance, in the USA, certified gemstones stand apart from non-certified gemstones. The former is given a unique identification number and certificate. Such gemstones should be preferred by buyers because they provide evidence that they have been professionally evaluated and examined. This can give the buyers some peace of mind as they can be entirely sure of the quality of the gems.
7. Ask your dealer any questions you may have.
It is the dealers’ duty to have important information about the gemstones they are selling. Do not hesitate to ask him or her for information about the gems you are planning to buy. Prepare a list of queries that you may have regarding the gemstone and fire them away at your dealer! A trustworthy merchant would be glad to address all your doubts and create customer loyalty for themselves. For instance, you can ask your dealer about carat weight. All gemstones are given by carat weight, with the exception of pearls and coral. The purchase price is directly affected by the carat weight. However, in the case of gems like amethyst, garnets, etc., if the stones have a very high carat weight, they cannot be used to make jewelry and hence have no value. So here, price and carat weight are inversely proportional.
*This is a collaborative post. All views and text are mine.
A former school teacher, Jocelyn Brown created Hip Mama’s Place in 2007. Her motto for this blog is: get inspired, create and share! Jocelyn loves sharing about food and recipes, crafts, DIY projects and her random travels with her family. She also loves all things social media, but her latest obsession is Instagram.
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