One of the most popular types of jewelry of all is gemstones. Most people have heard of gemstones before, and when we speak of gemstones, we usually are speaking of minerals that have been cut and polished. Not all minerals are suitable here however, and as well as beauty, a mineral must possess a certain hardness and stability, and occur in crystals or masses that are large enough for cutting.
Physical Properties
When it comes to the physical properties and value of gemstones, a valuable gemstone is prized especially for its beauty or rarity. The rarer a gemstone is the more valuable and costly it is going to be. The diamond, for instance, is considered as being a valuable gemstone, since it is the hardest naturally occurring substance known and is able to reflect light with fire and sparkle when faceted.
Color is the most obvious characteristic of gemstones, and the most common cause of color in a gemstone is due to the presence of a small amount of a transition metal ion, which has an incomplete set of 3d electrons.
Changes that take place in the energy of these electrons correspond accordingly to the energy of visible light, when available, and when white light passes through a gemstone, some of the energy of the visible light is absorbed, which results in causing 3d electrons in the transition metal ion to undergo an energy change.
Gemstone Treatments
There are various different treatments that are used to enhance the overall color and brilliance of gemstones. For instance heat and radiation is often used to change or enhance the gemstone colors, diffusion is typically used to deepen a gem’s color, oil and waxes work to enhance gemstone colors by filling in line surface cracks and blending them away temporarily, and laser drilling works by removing inclusions and improving the clarity of the gem.
One of the most essential qualities of any gemstone is its durability. A gemstone must wear well enough to retain its beauty for a reasonable amount of time, and the durability of each separate gemstone is different. One of the best features about this type of jewelry is that you have so much variety, as you can basically find whatever size, shape and color gemstone you want. However you do want to be careful when you are purchasing them, because it can often be hard to tell whether they are authentic or not, and you do not want to get scammed.
