Why Are Precious Gemstones Expensive?
The terms "precious" and "semiprecious" first became part of gem industry parlance during the mid-1800s and have become part of our professional lexicon ever since.
The value of a precious gemstone is determined by a combination of factors, including its rarity, color, clarity, cut, carat weight, demand, history, and provenance.
Precious gemstones are expensive for a number of reasons, including:
Rarity: Precious gemstones are rare, which makes them more valuable. Some of the rarest gemstones in the world include diamonds, rubies, sapphires, and emeralds.
Color: The color of a gemstone can also affect its value. Deep, saturated colors are typically more valuable than lighter colors.
Clarity: The clarity of a gemstone refers to the absence of flaws. Gemstones with no visible flaws are more valuable than those with flaws.
Cut: The cut of a gemstone refers to the way it has been shaped and polished. A well-cut gemstone will reflect light more effectively, making it appear more brilliant and valuable.
Carat weight: The carat weight of a gemstone refers to its mass. Larger gemstones are typically more valuable than smaller gemstones.
Demand: The demand for precious gemstones also affects their value. If there is a high demand for a particular gemstone, its price will be higher.
Hardness: Precious gemstones are typically very hard, which makes them durable and resistant to scratches. This makes them suitable for jewelry and other applications where they will be exposed to wear and tear.
History and cultural significance: Some precious gemstones have a long history and cultural significance, which can also add to their value. For example, diamonds have been prized for centuries for their beauty and rarity.
What Makes Precious Gemstone Precious
Ultimately, what makes a precious gemstone precious is a matter of personal opinion and taste. However, the factors listed above are all important considerations that contribute to the value of these stones.
Here are some additional things to consider when evaluating the value of a precious gemstone:
The source: The source of a gemstone can also affect its value. Gemstones that come from specific mines or regions may be more valuable than those that come from less well-known sources.
The treatment: Some gemstones may have been treated to improve their appearance. This can include treatments such as heating, irradiation, or dyeing. The presence of treatment can affect the value of a gemstone, depending on the type of treatment and the extent to which it has been used.
The market: The market for precious gemstones is constantly changing. The value of a particular gemstone can go up or down depending on supply and demand.
In addition to these factors, the value of a precious gemstone can also be affected by its history, provenance, and cultural significance. For example, a gemstone that has been owned by a famous person or that has a long and interesting history may be worth more than a similar gemstone that does not have these qualities.
Precious Gems Grading
While diamonds have an in-depth grading system to evaluate their color quality, colored gems require more subjective assessment based on personal perception and aesthetic appeal.
The 4 Precious Gemstones
Sapphire
Sapphire Mohs Scale Rating & Characteristics
Sapphires are exquisite gemstones and particularly prized blue varieties are highly prized. Not only are they beautiful stones but they're incredibly hardy, too, with a Mohs scale rating of 9 being second only to diamond's perfect 10.
Sapphires are composed of corundum mineral which forms them; trace elements present during formation provide their distinct colors resulting in various hues; blue being the most commonly found hue.
Significance of Sapphires
Sapphires were long viewed as symbols of Heaven and chosen gems for royalty, often being seen as protective against envy or harm and instilling virtues such as truthfulness, faithfulness, and loyalty into their owners. Some believed their color could even repel evil spirits and heal sick individuals.
People still associate stones with nobility, wisdom, and spiritual powers. Many consider them lucky in terms of wealth creation, health benefits, and wisdom - qualities they embody when worn as pendants, rings, or earrings to bring peace, clarity, and truthfulness into daily life.
Value of Sapphires
Like rubies, sapphires come with various price points depending on their quality. For the finest specimens available today, Sri Lanka and Ceylon Sapphires tend to offer the finest sapphires.
Color of Sapphires
A professional should look for vivid saturation and intense blue color as closely as possible when inspecting potential sapphires for authenticity; desirable sapphires may even display some degree of pleochroism or color change when seen from various angles.
Sapphires share many characteristics with rubies: being strong and durable natural substances on Earth; brilliant blue hue; it can also come in other colors like yellows, oranges, or greens; however most people think of sapphires only in terms of being blue; however there is an immense market for "fancy" sapphires that feature colors other than traditional blue and are therefore more expensive than standard varieties.
Emerald
Characteristics of Emeralds
Emeralds are rich green varieties of beryl that get their vibrant hue from trace elements within their crystal structure, mostly chromium but also iron and vanadium.
Color and Value of Emeralds
Like all natural gemstones, emeralds contain visible inclusions visible to the naked eye that add character and value. Inclusions often take the form of small bubbles within the stone's surface which give its signature shimmer; larger patches may even contain multiple hues that contribute to its value and aesthetic qualities.
Regardless of their presence or size, inclusions should never be seen as flaws; indeed inclusions contribute significantly towards both qualities as a good quality gem will feature inclusions which contribute significantly towards both color and value.
Emeralds may come either cabochon cut or in faceted shape - with vivid primary green hues commanding higher prices than their counterparts with less vivid primary green colors.
Significance of Emeralds
Emeralds have long been seen as symbols of growth and renewal, the spring season, love, fidelity, and eternal affection in romantic relationships, according to Hindu tradition.
Emeralds can help cleanse negative emotional energy while increasing intelligence, memory retention, communication ability, and inspiration - not to mention aid in eye, throat, and lung healing! - Emeralds may even bring luck and prosperity.
Mining of Emeralds
Like diamonds and rubies, emeralds can typically be found in igneous rocks such as granites, pegmatite dikes, mica schists, and gneisses, while they may also occur naturally in sedimentary rock such as shale and limestone deposits.
Emeralds are most frequently mined in Colombia, Zambia, and Brazil but also exist in Zimbabwe India Russia as potential mining locations.
Care of Emeralds
Emeralds are delicate gemstones that need to be stored separately from other precious stones and kept dry and away from moisture since their hue can fade with prolonged light exposure. As they can fade easily when worn alone, wearing your emerald as part of a set will protect the stone and preserve its color better than wearing it alone.
Ruby
Color and Value of Rubies
Rubies are one of the four precious gemstones and are created from corundum minerals. Although ruby's most prized shade is a deep red ("pigeon blood", other hues can also exist. As the second hardest natural substance behind diamond and moissanite, ruby is known for both durability and beauty.
Rubies come in an assortment of hues, with the most sought-after shade being deep red (pigeon blood). However, secondary hues such as purple or orange do not decrease its value; such gems are typically found in India, Myanmar (formerly Burma) Sri Lanka as well as China Madagascar Thailand, and beyond.
Treatment of Rubies
Rubies can be treated to enhance their color and increase transparency by diffusing certain mineral inclusions or filling cracks with red "ruby oil". When heated, however, their value decreases, though they still make beautiful and rare stones - for this reason, it is recommended to always purchase unheated and untreated rubies.
Diamond: The Most Precious Gemstone
Diamond is the most precious gemstone, followed by ruby, emerald, and sapphire. These gems have long been prized possessions for royalty and dignitaries around the world; today their use can also be found in jewelry as worn by royalty and dignitaries alike.
Diamonds are the hardest natural substance known to man. They are also one of the most beautiful and sought-after gemstones in the world. Diamonds are prized for their brilliance, fire, and clarity.
The 4 C's And The Value of Diamonds
Diamonds can be divided into different groups according to their characteristics such as color, transparency, and hardness. Gemologists specialize in studying these stones' properties and values in detail; using the 4 Cs (cut, clarity, carat weight, and color), professional gemologists can easily differentiate genuine from synthetic gemstones; Additionally, they will search for inclusions that give each diamond its unique character.
The characteristics of a diamond that determine its value are known as the 4Cs:
Carat weight: The carat weight of a diamond refers to its mass. One carat is equal to 200 milligrams. Larger diamonds are typically more valuable than smaller diamonds.
Color: The color of a diamond refers to the absence of color. The most valuable diamonds are colorless, or near colorless. Diamonds with a yellow or brown tint are less valuable.
Clarity: The clarity of a diamond refers to the absence of flaws. The most valuable diamonds are those with no visible flaws. Diamonds with small flaws, such as inclusions or blemishes, are less valuable.
Cut: The cut of a diamond refers to the way it has been shaped and polished. A well-cut diamond will reflect light more effectively, making it appear more brilliant and valuable.
In addition to the 4Cs, other characteristics of diamonds that can affect their value include:
Shape: The shape of a diamond can also affect its value. Some shapes, such as round and princess, are more popular and therefore more valuable than others.
Polish: The polish of a diamond refers to the smoothness of its surface. A well-polished diamond will appear more lustrous and valuable.
Symmetry: The symmetry of a diamond refers to the evenness of its shape and proportions. A symmetrical diamond will appear more balanced and valuable.
Fluorescence: Some diamonds fluoresce, or emit light when exposed to ultraviolet light. Fluorescence can be either positive or negative, depending on the color of the light emitted. Positive fluorescence can increase the value of a diamond, while negative fluorescence can decrease its value.
The value of a diamond is determined by a combination of all of these factors. The relative importance of each factor can vary depending on the individual diamond and the buyer's preferences.
Diamond As Investment
Diamond also enjoys numerous uses in art and decor pieces due to their unparalleled beauty - in addition to this, these stones boast high value-to-volume ratios which makes them highly desirable investments.
Semi-Precious vs. Precious Gemstones
Semi-precious stones refer to any gemstone other than diamond, ruby, sapphire, and emerald; examples may include crystals, amethyst, quartz, opals, and organic materials like pearls and coral.
Rocks (lapis lazuli and charoite) and mineraloids such as spinel can also be classified as semi-precious gems.
These stones may also be considered rare, yet not rare enough to qualify as precious gemstones. The gorgeous cat's eye chrysoberyl gemstone is an exceptional and stunning choice, not as rare as a diamond but still worth consideration as an interesting and stunning semi-precious option.
Unfortunately, this classification system can sometimes become outdated; certain gemstones that were once seen as semi-precious now possess precious qualities.
Final Note
If you are considering buying a precious gemstone, it is important to do your research to understand the factors that affect its value. This will help you make an informed decision about the best stone for your needs and budget.
Read our post about What Are Semi-Precious Stones? Most Popular Gemstones and Gemstone Colors
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