Post by Trade facilitator on Apr 18, 2021 18:44:49 GMT 1
Precious Stone And Semi-Precious Stone: What Is The Difference?
Many people really would want to know the difference between a precious stone and semi-precious stone as the two usually confuse the ordinary man on the street.
To make jewelry or embellishments, you will need to cut and refine minerals known as gemstones; these gemstones can be either precious or semi-precious.
Diamonds, Rubies, Sapphires, Emeralds are known as precious stones; while all others are semi-precious.
But do you know that in reality no difference exists between the two, rather this claim is a marketing classification invented by traders years ago to give false sense of value to precious stones.
But I can tell you that these days this categorization is not always correct, the reason being that the value is no more the only parameter used by experts to evaluate a stone. The quality, the rarity, the provenance are to be taken into consideration when evaluating the stone.
What Are Gemstones?
All precious and semi-precious stones used in producing jewelry are known as gemstones. They are typically cut and refined minerals, but bear in mind that gemstones are not always composed of minerals. In some cases, precise rocks, or organic resources are equally considered gemstones; as they are also used in making jewelry and embellishments. The types of stones that fall into this category include Amber and Jet.
How Are Gemstones Classified?
Each gem is labeled according to its features, using the practical language in the industry. A person who identifies gemstones is known as gemologist. The chemical arrangement is used by the gemologists to classify the stones.
One of the classifications according to chemical arrangement is that diamonds are made of carbon; this inclusion refers to naturally occurring flaws that exist within stones.
Gemstones can also be categorized under crystal system because many stones are in crystal formation. Varieties, groups, and species can all be used classifying gemstones. Their dispersion, specific gravity, luster, hardness, cleavage, fracture and refractive index can be used in classifying gemstones.
Further Analysis Of Precious Stones
We have said earlier that the origin of precious stone and semi-precious stone was simply a marketing tactic used by the sellers of those gemstones in the early days of the business.
This terminology was created to indicate that precious stones are more valuable than they actually are.
Let’s take a look at the precious stones in more details.
Diamond
Diamond is a precious stone formed from pure carbon in a crystalline formation that is typically clear and usually colorless. Diamond is the hardest naturally occurring substance on Earth. It ranks the highest on the Mohs scale of mineral hardness at a 10. (Mohs’ scale of mineral hardness is named after Friedrich Mohs, a mineralogist.)
Emerald
Emerald is a green colored gemstone composed of the mineral beryl and derives its green coloration from trace chromium and also sometimes from vanadium.
Its hardness is between 7.7 and 8.0 on Mohs scale.
Ruby
Ruby is typically red in color. The shade can vary from pale rose to purple, and sometimes to dark crimson. Corundum mineral makes up ruby and it is responsible for its red coloration.
The hardness of ruby is 9.0 on Mohs scale.
Sapphire
Sapphire is also a variety of corundum, it is a precious stone. Traditionally sapphire is blue; there are ones known as fancy sapphires that are green in color. Some are also found in shades of purple, yellow and orange.
The hardness of sapphire is 9.0 on Mohs scale of hardness.
Are there Man-Made Diamonds?
Yes, there are man-made diamonds. They are also more affordable than mined diamonds. They still maintain the cut, clarity, carat, and color of the mined diamonds.
Synthetic diamonds are cheaper than mined diamonds by up to 40% on average.
They share the same physical and chemical properties of the natural or mined diamonds.
Synthetic diamonds are not imitations, or simulated gems; they are real diamonds. They are lab-grown gems.
The business community is just sacrificing our earthly resources in pursuit of natural diamonds. Lab-made diamonds are more eco-friendly.
Like I mentioned earlier, a user of diamond that decides to shop for synthetic diamond instead of natural diamond will save about 20-40 percent of the cost of natural diamond.
Synthetic diamonds are more eco-friendly and are not imitations.
As we continue in this series, we will look at the difference between natural diamonds and the alternatives.
Stay with us.
Many people really would want to know the difference between a precious stone and semi-precious stone as the two usually confuse the ordinary man on the street.
To make jewelry or embellishments, you will need to cut and refine minerals known as gemstones; these gemstones can be either precious or semi-precious.
Diamonds, Rubies, Sapphires, Emeralds are known as precious stones; while all others are semi-precious.
But do you know that in reality no difference exists between the two, rather this claim is a marketing classification invented by traders years ago to give false sense of value to precious stones.
But I can tell you that these days this categorization is not always correct, the reason being that the value is no more the only parameter used by experts to evaluate a stone. The quality, the rarity, the provenance are to be taken into consideration when evaluating the stone.
What Are Gemstones?
All precious and semi-precious stones used in producing jewelry are known as gemstones. They are typically cut and refined minerals, but bear in mind that gemstones are not always composed of minerals. In some cases, precise rocks, or organic resources are equally considered gemstones; as they are also used in making jewelry and embellishments. The types of stones that fall into this category include Amber and Jet.
How Are Gemstones Classified?
Each gem is labeled according to its features, using the practical language in the industry. A person who identifies gemstones is known as gemologist. The chemical arrangement is used by the gemologists to classify the stones.
One of the classifications according to chemical arrangement is that diamonds are made of carbon; this inclusion refers to naturally occurring flaws that exist within stones.
Gemstones can also be categorized under crystal system because many stones are in crystal formation. Varieties, groups, and species can all be used classifying gemstones. Their dispersion, specific gravity, luster, hardness, cleavage, fracture and refractive index can be used in classifying gemstones.
Further Analysis Of Precious Stones
We have said earlier that the origin of precious stone and semi-precious stone was simply a marketing tactic used by the sellers of those gemstones in the early days of the business.
This terminology was created to indicate that precious stones are more valuable than they actually are.
Let’s take a look at the precious stones in more details.
Diamond
Diamond is a precious stone formed from pure carbon in a crystalline formation that is typically clear and usually colorless. Diamond is the hardest naturally occurring substance on Earth. It ranks the highest on the Mohs scale of mineral hardness at a 10. (Mohs’ scale of mineral hardness is named after Friedrich Mohs, a mineralogist.)
Emerald
Emerald is a green colored gemstone composed of the mineral beryl and derives its green coloration from trace chromium and also sometimes from vanadium.
Its hardness is between 7.7 and 8.0 on Mohs scale.
Ruby
Ruby is typically red in color. The shade can vary from pale rose to purple, and sometimes to dark crimson. Corundum mineral makes up ruby and it is responsible for its red coloration.
The hardness of ruby is 9.0 on Mohs scale.
Sapphire
Sapphire is also a variety of corundum, it is a precious stone. Traditionally sapphire is blue; there are ones known as fancy sapphires that are green in color. Some are also found in shades of purple, yellow and orange.
The hardness of sapphire is 9.0 on Mohs scale of hardness.
Are there Man-Made Diamonds?
Yes, there are man-made diamonds. They are also more affordable than mined diamonds. They still maintain the cut, clarity, carat, and color of the mined diamonds.
Synthetic diamonds are cheaper than mined diamonds by up to 40% on average.
They share the same physical and chemical properties of the natural or mined diamonds.
Synthetic diamonds are not imitations, or simulated gems; they are real diamonds. They are lab-grown gems.
The business community is just sacrificing our earthly resources in pursuit of natural diamonds. Lab-made diamonds are more eco-friendly.
Like I mentioned earlier, a user of diamond that decides to shop for synthetic diamond instead of natural diamond will save about 20-40 percent of the cost of natural diamond.
Synthetic diamonds are more eco-friendly and are not imitations.
As we continue in this series, we will look at the difference between natural diamonds and the alternatives.
Stay with us.
