Within
each gemstone variety, quality dramatically affects price: a gem
can sell for $100 or $2,000,000. When buying a gemstone - buy the
best quality, most experts recommend. Choose a smaller stone of
higher quality over a larger stone of lower quality, or buy a higher
quality gem from an unusual variety if your budget is too small.
Well-known gemstones like rubies, emeralds and sapphires - which
have been known for centuries - are more valuable than more recently
discovered gemstones which are also beautiful and rare. You may
be surprised how beautiful and affordable garnets, tourmalines,
tanzanites, and other exotic gemstones can be.
Value
factors: Color, Clarity, Cut and Carat Weight Gemstone quality and
value are evaluated according to the "four Cs": color,
clarity, cut, and carat weight.
Color is the key factor.
A common misperception in judging gems is people assume that the
darker the color, the better the stone. That isn't true: color
can be too dark, like some sapphires that look more black than
blue. If a gem's color is too dark, it is subdued and lifeless.
A much better rule of thumb is the brighter and more rich and
vivid the color the better. In general, within each gemstone variety,
a clear, medium-tone, very intense and saturated primary color
is the most preferred. Muted colors or colors between hues, which
you might find very attractive, are usually less expensive. Look
at the color in different kinds of light.
The next most important factor affecting value is clarity, with
clear transparent gemstones with no visible flaws being the most
valued. Some gemstone varieties, notably emerald and red tourmaline,
are very rare without inclusions of some kind so the price structure
takes this into account.
Some gemstones are valued for their inclusions! Phenomenal gemstones
owe their stars and eyes to inclusions. Tiny inclusions reflecting
back light put the eye in cat's-eye chrysoberyl and the star in
star sapphire. Inclusions can also be a birthmark, telling us
where a particular gemstone was mined.
A good cut is something that may not cost more but can add or
subtract a lot of beauty. A well-cut faceted gemstone reflects
light back evenly across its surface area when held face up. If
the stone is too deep and narrow, areas will be dark. If it is
too shallow and wide, parts of the stone will be washed out and
lifeless.
Gemstones are generally sold by weight, and not by size. The price
will be per carat, which is one-fifth of a gram. Some gems are
heavier than others so the same weight stone may be a different
size! The carat weight also affects the price: large gemstones
are more rare, so the price per carat is higher.
In general, gemstone pricing within each variety follows common
sense: the more beautiful the gemstone, with the final visual
effect of all the quality factors, the more valuable it is. Don't
be afraid to choose what looks best to you! |
