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Starting The Hobby Of Gemstone Collecting

By Lee MacRae

The term gemology refers to the art, profession and science of evaluating and identifying gemstones from natural diamonds to loose gemstones. A number of people taken up this profession more as a hobby. They collect and evaluate loose diamonds or loose gemstones. Some people even begin to travel to different areas close by or even taking a trip to other countries to look for rough gemstones. Some even tumble or learn to cut their own gemstones. If you have an interest in this hobby read along as this article discusses the in and outs of gemstone collecting.

The first thing you need to do in beginning this hobby the right way is through the power of knowledge. By taking a quick trip to the library or local bookstore you can find books on the subject that will let you make wise purchases from the beginning.

First on your list to look at will be the color of the stone. You'll want the stone to be as close as possible to the pure colors of the spectrum. We are talking about orange, red, violet, green, yellow, and blue. The prices of very dark are very pale stones are lower than the vibrant colors.

The cut of a stone is the second most important value determination to consider before a purchase. The precision of the cut will determine how much light the gemstone stone will reflect. It will ultimately ultimately determine the stones brilliance and how much it will be valued.

Next up is the clarity of the gemstone. Clarity refers to the the internal conclusions or flaws of a stone being considered. Normally large flaws can easily be seen with the unaided eye with others requiring a 10X magnification.

Gemstones are often listed according to their size criteria because it is more uniform than carat weight. But different gemstones may be of the same size but different carat weights and consequently, different prices as well. This is due to the nature of gemstone difference in specific gravity or relative density and depends on the materials chemical composition and crystal structure type Normally a one carat brilliant round diamond with normal proportions is approximately 6.5 mm around. A comparable a brilliant ruby of the same proportions in size will weigh in at 1.55 carats instead.

Although gemstones are normally used for jewelry, they are a great hobby and pastime as well. Actually there are many interesting and attractive gemstones who that are too fragile or too large to be used in jewelry. Here's a suggestion -- don't think of a gem as a component of jewelry; consider it as a piece of art and value it for its beautiful colors and the finish you apply to it. And in this hobby you don't have to always lay out cash because you can find your raw materials through field trips In the United States in Missouri you can hunt for Pearl, Fluorite, Pyrite and Calcite. And if you travel to Canada you will find nephrite jade in Mount Ogden, British Columbia or blue spinel from Daillebout, Quebec and even iolite from Manitouwadge, Ontario. Think of gemstone collecting for the great hobby it is.

Buy loose gemstones along with round loose diamonds and a natural diamond today in our store!

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Tips On loose natural gemstones

The Cullinan VII diamond is nearly 9 carats and is mounted in a pendant on a
small all-diamond brooch. In the centre of this brooch is the 6.80 carat
Cullinan VIII.
Buy loose diamonds today!

There are many other common types of treatment to enhance the beauty of colored gemstones. Emeralds are often oiled and waxed to protect them and to hide fine lines that naturally occur in the stone. Some sapphires have their blue color enhanced using diffusion, a chemical process. Certain stones are treated with radiation, again mimicking the processes of nature. All these practices are standard in the jewelry industry; in fact, enhancement is so common that good quality unenhanced stones often come with a certificate stating that fact.
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The diamond is the only gemstone to rank 10 on the Mohs Scale of Hardness. It is the birthstone for the month of April.
Buy blue Agate loose gemstones today!

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