Gem Stones History

Gem Stones have fascinated man since the beginning of time. Even prehistoric man was drawn to the glimmer of shinny pebbles in the sand. Gem stones are natures rarest products but to be considered a gemstone they must possess three attributes, rarity, color, and of course beauty. A gemstone is a piece of mineral that is used to make jewelry however certain rocks such as lapis lazuli and organic material such as amber are classified as gem stones even thought they are not minerals. Most gemstones are hard making them ideal for jewelry making.

The traditional classification of gem stones dates back to the ancient Greeks, when they made the distinction between precious and semi precious stones. This distinction reflects the quality, and rarity of the stones amongst the most well known of all precious stone are the diamond, ruby, sapphire, and emerald.

A few gem stones are used in their natural crystal when being made into jewelry but many must be cut and polished first. Grinding wheels and polishing agents are used to grind, shape and polish the smooth dome shape of the stones. Still others are faceted, a method which takes advantage by maximizing reflected light which is perceived by the viewer as sparkle this method is best observed in translucent stones such as diamonds and rubies.

Some labs have been creating synthetic stones due to their expense and rarity making them cheaper and more easily assessable. The most common of all copied stones is the diamond the lab created diamond is called the cubic zirconia.These imitations copy the look and the color of the diamond but cannot copy the chemical or physical characteristics. Synthetic rubies and sapphires are very common and cost only a fraction of the price of the natural stone making them highly desirable.

Stones have been sought after for the healing properties that they posses.Folklore about stones has been revered and honored for centuries in all cultures.Some seek stone for their beauty, some for their rarity, and some hold a much deeper meaning. Whether lab created or natural man is still mesmerized by the beauty of the gemstone.

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