Gemstone cultivation is a craft that has found its way among mankind through generations. It is the art of procuring a stone and transforming it into a jewel, which can be fitted into bedazzling adornments.
When it comes to jewellery, there is alot that is put into introspection before a design is finalised, most often these include deciding the silhouette and trying to include the gemstones that fit best with it. While jewellery does make an astounding fashion statement, it also carries emotional or sentimental value for some, especially in cases where they include a personal aspect like their birthstone.
It is undoubtedly these gems and their intricate beauty that adds glamour to any piece of jewellery. While there is a wide selection of these gems, they are essentially categorised into two main groups, namely precious stones and semi precious stones.
Only four stones make the cut to the precious category, these are rubies, diamonds, sapphires and emeralds. This designation is based on the beauty, rarity and value of the aforementioned stones. These are generally
the most sought after gems and are known to be quite expensive due to their exclusivity and stunning, iridiscent appearance.
Most often, a pearl or a jade may be listed as a precious stone due to the nature of the gem, however they are considered to be semi-precious. Traditionally, the four mentioned above are the only stones which are deemed precious.
Every other stone that remains, is said to be semi-precious. There is a long list of stones that fall under this category however a few popular ones that are worn often are amethyst, agate, garnet, alexandrite, tourmaline, zircon, etc. Semi precious stones are abundant in colour and glitter and bring a bling sensation to jewellery making it stand out.
These stones are woven into gold, complementing the craft with their simplicity and elegance.
Despite there being no scientific backing behind this categorisation, the use of semi precious stones is low-key stigmatised when it comes to special jewellery. However, some semi-precious stones are more expensive and harder to source than precious stones. As an example, a high quality freshwater pearl will undoubtedly garner higher prices than a low quality ruby. As such, a tsavorite garner may be rarer than a sapphire.
This is why, it is important to pick stones that bring out the best in your design rather than focusing on categorisation. Ultimately all gemstones are incredibly precious especially when they add value and sentiment to your jewellery.
There is however a recent categorisation that has peaked with the onset of the growing popularity of gemstones, most stones are now classified into heated and unheated groups.
Unheated gems are unfiltered, pure and authentic. They possess healing properties and other benefits that may be gained from a gem. These are quite high in quality and are expensive too.
Heated gems on the other hand comprise of a collection that has undergone a heating process where gemstones tend to lose their authenticity yet are more affordable, ideally for jewellery that is made for daily wear.
It is very important to know these types before purchasing gemstones so you know what you're paying for and how much your stone is worth!