The Precious Stone Age - JewelInfo4uBy: Mathew Abraham
Summary: The interest in gems of all kinds has dramatically increased over the recent years. And you will be amazed by the fascinating range of precious and semi-precious stones as well as their enchanting array of colors. Today most people are more attracted to precious stones than to precious metals. While gold, silver and platinum are certainly very much in demand, as ornaments they are going into the background to function as settings for the glamorous gems. The wide variety of gems and semi-precious stones are very much in demand. Their sparkle and dazzling color is attracting more and more customers. And the enticing choice of colors and shapes makes people add more and more stones to their collection. This is the age of the precious stone. Ancient Man and Stones
The relationship between human beings and stones goes back - naturally - to the Stone Age. Even while man was experimenting with various methods of getting all kinds of practical utility out of stones, the attraction for the more colorful and sparkling varieties began to be aroused. There were two natural methods by which rough stones were polished. One was by the continuous flow of water over the stones, and the other was by the wind continuously blowing fine particles of sand over rock surfaces - acting very much like the rubbing of sand paper on wooden and other surfaces. But both these processes took centuries to give stones a smooth finish. Since it was a common practice for Stone Age man to rub two stones against each other to produce the sparks necessary to ignite a fire, the process would have resulted in the stones acquiring a smooth surface in a comparatively shorter period of time. And this could have given them the idea of polishing the colored and sparkling stones and crystals in a similar manner. Within a short time they were able to acquire the "know-how" to come up with a plentiful supply of shiny and sparkling stones with which they adorned themselves. So the origins of the precious stone industry can be traced back right to the Stone Age!
Modern Man and Stones
The very concept of precious stones is quite different from what it was in the recent past. The generally accepted view was that only diamonds, sapphires, emeralds and rubies qualify to be categorized as precious stones, while most others (like garnet, turquoise, carnelian, malachite, pearl, amber, quartz, agate, jade, jasper, amethyst, lapis lazuli, onyx, etc.) were graded as semi-precious stones. However this official classification is no longer accepted as final. Gemologists tend to include a larger number of gems in the precious stone category. In the present age there is an incredibly large variety of precious and semi-precious stones available. As the interest in these stones keeps increasing, the rise in demand for quality stones naturally resulted in their commanding a very high price. Some of the top quality "semi-precious stones" are far more expensive than lower quality "precious stones". Today, investors in precious stones are particularly careful to ensure that they are not fooled by unscrupulous jewelers into buying perfectly created cheap imitations for the price of genuine precious stones. With the tremendous increase in the number of different kinds of precious and semi-precious stones, and also because of the different grading in each variety, more and more customers are turning to gemologists to make a proper valuation of the stones they intend to purchase. Collectors and owners of expensive gems have their stones insured against theft, loss or damage after having them certified by Master Gemologist Appraisers.
The Gems of Today
As man becomes more and more sophisticated and discriminating, shoppers for gems are becoming increasingly aware that even minute differences between them can radically alter their value. Gems that appear to be similar outwardly can have inner characteristics and geological structures that are completely different. Modern technology makes it possible to detect even the minutest of these variations. Gemologists make use of the latest highly technical equipment to conduct a comprehensive series of tests to determine the basic fabric of each variety of gems, as well as to distinguish between the different grades in each specific category.
Gems are classified under the following color range: red, pink, peach, orange, yellow, green, blue, violet, brown, black, grey, colorless, silver and multicolored. Even though it is not exhaustive, you can get an idea of the incredible variety of stones by clicking here Many reputed jewelers have their gems certified by accredited Master Gemologist Appraisers, so that their customers can be assured that they are not being duped. The number of books, magazines and web sites on gems is mushrooming, and the whole gems industry is flourishing. The increasing interest in birthstones and astrological stones is another factor that contributes to the added attraction to gems.
The Colorful Sparklers
When all things are taken into consideration, finally it is the brilliance of the colors and the dazzling sparkle that attract you and me to these spectacular pieces of polished stones. Whether it is for our personal use or a gift for a loved one, we look for a glittering gem with a rich color. The enchanting array of shimmering colors in a jewelry store counter makes it exceedingly difficult to pick out any single stone. Take someone along with you when you are looking for a gem, just to get another opinion. If you cannot get a certified gem, be sure to get the advice of a gemologist if you are going in for something expensive. And remember to pick a colorful sparkler that catches your eye even from a distance.
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