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Let us start by sharing some interesting trivia about gem stones, there are nine in all. Do you know which are the nine gemstones? Aptly called Navratna stones [nine stones], these are Emerald, Yellow Sapphire, Pearl, Diamond, Ruby, Cat’s eye, Garnet, Coral, and Blue Sapphire. Investing in semi-precious and precious gemstones [the main type of gem stones] are good investments, and therefore it is essential you make that purchase from an authorized and trust source, or jewellery brand.
If you are looking to purchase a piece of jewellery made with your favourite gemstones, do you know how to find the right kind of gemstones or how to tell the real from the fake? Read on to know more about the various aspects related to the gemstones and a suggestion for what you can purchase.
Buying gemstones:
Have you heard about the four C’s that go into making the gemstone a good one? They are Colour, Clarity, Carat and Cut. Picking out the best quality of stones is an art and one that requires time and attention to detail. You can also read up about the gemstones online before making a decision. The better the quality of the stone, the higher its value.
There are quite a few sites that sell gemstones online, but you need to be wary and aware of the different types of gemstones, and the quality aspect as well. Always good to gain insight and knowledge about the stones, names of the gemstones before taking the leap towards purchasing them in their true form or as a piece of jewellery.
How can you tell if the stones are real?
You will find sellers dealing with fake gemstones, and the easiest way to spot them is by putting them under a magnifying glass.
The fake stones are actually synthetic in nature and have been created in laboratories. Sometimes they might look like the real thing, but by paying extra attention you can identify the fake from real. Do they have an unusual colour? Do they appear fibrous? Do they feel like plastic in your hands?
One of the big giveaways is the price, the imitation gem stones will be cheaper than the real thing. When buying pearls, remember the age old saying “put the pearl between your teeth and you will know if it is real or fake”. That is quite valid, and so if you find it has a gritty, they are real. If they are shiny and smooth, they are most likely fake.
When it comes to the King of all stones, the Diamond – real diamond will be able to cut through glass with ease, while fake ones will chip. In case you don’t have a piece of glass around, simply try the fog test. Blow onto the diamond stone hard as if you were blowing air on the mirror. If it does not fog for more than a few seconds, it is real.
Another trick that not many are aware of is to place the diamond stone on a piece of paper with text on it and try reading it. If you can read, it is fake, since the real diamond bends the light and you won’t be able to read the text at all.
In the case of rubies, the sign of a real stone is the colour- if it is a vivid red colour, but then there are other stones that are red, which are not fake, but just not rubies- they could be garnets. Coming back to the ruby, you can also do the scratch test by holding the stone between two fingers and scratching it using your nail or a coin.
If scratches are visible, it is obviously a fake. This test works on Sapphires as well, which are the second hardest stones following on the heels of the Diamond.
The beauty of the Sapphire and the Emerald is they should not look perfect, should have a few imperfections on them. While most Emeralds are found in Colombia, there are some mined from other parts of the world – Afghanistan, Brazil and even Zambia. One of the gem stones that are actually inexpensive is the Amethyst, so don’t discard the stone just because it is not expensive.
While for some stones you try to scratch them to check their authenticity, with the amethyst you can try scratching a porcelain plate or tile, and if it causes a scratch, it is a genuine stone. Mind-boggling facts and details, right? That is how vast the world of gem stones is.
Keep these in mind when you are shopping for yourself or helping someone else make an informed decision.
It is amazing how stones look so plain and simple on their own, but when they are a part of a necklace or earring, or ring they transform and become a thing of beauty. Half the joy with jewellery is holding a piece that is one of a kind and adds to your personality, the occasion and the thought behind it.
Diamonds, the King of all gem stones:
Now that you know how to identify the real gem stones, time to go shopping. And with April around the corner, the gemstone of the month is the mighty “Diamond”. The most popular among them all, and the much sought after as well.
Did you know that wearing any piece of jewellery with a Diamond will endow the wearer with love, wealth, success and power? We all know that diamond is a symbol of true love, and togetherness, the other attributes are also quite strong.
Yes, they will be able to face their battles and come out a winner. That is how powerful the stone is. While diamonds are the most precious, and most valued gem stone in the world, there are a few that are rarer and worth more than diamonds. Yes, you read it right.
The five rare and priceless stones are the Red emerald or Bixbite from the mountains in Utah, Musgravite [ a smoky gray gem that has a subtle green or violet undertone] from Australia, Painite, an orange-red or brownish-red stone from Myanmar [Burma], the Alexandrite, one of the rarest and most fascinating gem stones – it appears green in natural light and a bright red in artificial light from Russia and finally the Grandidierite from Madagascar that can either be a blue-green colour or translucent like the pearl.
Coming back to the Diamond, if you or a loved one has a special occasion or you are looking to surprise someone with a gift, it is time to make a jewellery shopping plan.
Remember you will need an hour at least, otherwise, you might be rushing through and end up making multiple visits. While most people have their own jeweller or a specific jewellery store they go to, you should also check out this beautiful Diamond collection.
To get you started, here are four essential steps to follow while buying Diamonds.
- Finalizing the piece of jewellery – The first step would be to decide if you are looking for a ring, earring, necklace, bangle or bracelet. Once you finalize this, it becomes easier and you proceed to decide on the shape, size and other aspects of the piece.
- Choosing the cut/shape of the stone[s] – It is a personal choice, and there are no right or wrong shapes. Depending on the piece of jewellery, you can choose a shape for the stone. Round and oval are some of the most common shapes picked out for rings. But for earrings or necklaces, you can even go for the emerald cut.
- Carat weight – This entirely depends on your budget. Do you want to buy something noticeable from a distance or something delicate? The higher the carat weight, the higher the price of the piece. Ideally for a ring, the carat weight ranges between 0.95 to 1.08 carats.
- The Certificate – Make sure the brand gives you a certificate along with your pieces from an authorized international body, like GIA or AGS. The certificate will carry information about the purchase made, specifically to the stones used in the piece- the carat weight, the colour grade, the cut size, clarity and more.
Now that you are all set to make your purchase, there is one other thing we would like to share with you about gem stones. It is good to energize and cleanse them once in a while, just to ensure their powers remain intact.
Gem stones also absorb energy from our surroundings, including the people who worked on them and the ones we interact with and so it is necessary to purify them. So, to understand how to purify gem stones before wearing them, all you need to do is keep them where there is ample sunlight, or in your puja room on the incense plate.
This process differs with each gem stone, for the Diamond we recommend you place it in a bowl of holy water or a bowl of sand
overnight. Ideally do this on a Friday, after sunset.
Time to go shopping then! Have fun, and do remember to pay attention when running your hands through the various gem stones.
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