The Buying Guide for Jewelry and Gems
Gemstones come in a variety of colors
Opal -
The opal has a bad reputation for being an evil stone that brings bad luck. This magnificent diamond is shrouded in ominous superstition, including the notion that individuals who wear it will suffer disaster. However, its dreadful reputation stems from a sloppy reading of Sir Walter Scott's Anne of Geierstein, in which the unfortunate heroine receives an opal before her sad demise.
Opal was a symbol of constancy and assurance among the ancients, and it became closely associated with religious sentiment and prayer later in history. It was thought to have significant medicinal efficacy for eye illnesses, and wearing it as an amulet would render the person immune to them as well as boost their visual and mental abilities. Many people also believed that if the colors red and green (ruby and emerald) were visible, the wearer would benefit from the gemstones' healing properties, such as the ruby's ability to halt bleeding and the emerald's ability to cure kidney problems. The black opal was especially treasured as a lucky stone for those who were fortunate enough to possess one!
This gemstone, whose brilliance and vibrant colors are reminiscent of autumn, is an excellent choice for an October birthstone. We understand how inadequate the English language is when we try to describe the opal. It stands out among the gems since it displays a variety of highly bright micro effects that are all blended together.
The strange, powerful display of many hues flashing out like mini-rainbows is one of its most distinguishing features. The production process of opal, which is unlike that of other stones, produces this effect. Opal is made up of silica spheres that have been hydrated. Light interference caused by these spheres causes the mini-rainbows observed in most opals. The diverse hues are caused by the arrangement of the spheres, which vary in size and pattern.
Because there is no additional brightness to be captured by faceting, opal is usually cut flat or in cabochon. Color is everything in opals. The stone is more precious if the color is bright. The more stunning the stone and its hue, the more it will cost. This is probably truer of opal than any other gemstone.
The black opal is the most valuable of them all. Black opals are usually a dark grey or greyish black with spectacular bursts of color dancing around within and around the stones as they are turned. When buying a black opal, though, make sure it's not a doublet or triplet, which are stones made up of two or three pieces of the same substance fused or bonded together. Because of the black opal's rarity, beauty, and exorbitant price, there are a plethora of similar doublets on the market. The black opal doublet is a cost-effective alternative for those who adore the gemstone but cannot buy a natural one. However, it opens up another avenue for misrepresentation, which can be costly to the consumer.
The key variables impacting value are color purity, the lack of dead areas (called trueness), flawlessness, and color intensity or brilliance. Opals with a lot of red are normally the most expensive; those with a lot of blue and green are very lovely, but they're not as common, so they're less expensive. Some opals are classified as "jelly," "semi-jelly," or "water" opals because they are exceptionally transparent. The "harlequin" opal, which has checkerboard-like color patterns, is one of the rarest.
While there are imitations and synthetics, most of them are of such poor quality that they are not worth considering. The synthetic opal, on the other hand, is widely used. In addition, because the color of black opals can be improved by treatment, treated opals are common. So take the normal precautions: make sure you know what you're receiving and shop around before you buy. Perhaps more than any other gemstone, opal exemplifies this.
One word of caution: opals must be handled with attention since they might dry out and break. Anything that has the potential to dry you out should be avoided. And, believe it or not, rubbing it with an oil-moistened cloth, such as olive oil, on a regular basis will help it last longer. Do not wash it; even bathing it for a few hours might cause the opal to lose some or all of its fire.
- Peridot - Peridot - Peridot
Peridot is the birthstone for the month of August, and it was also a favorite of the ancients. This beautiful clear yellowish green to deep chartreuse gemstone had a lot of power. It was supposed to be beneficial to friendship and to clear the mind of envious thoughts. (Which is probably why it was a friendship-building tool.) It was also thought to heal or prevent ailments of the liver and dropsy because of its yellowish-green tint. If that wasn't enough, it might also shield the wearer from the evil eye if worn on the left arm.
Peridot is still popular today, but more for its stunning shade of green than for its supposed healing properties. Its color richness can be excellent, despite its lack of brilliance. It comes in a range of tints from yellowish green to darker, purer green. Unfortunately, most people seldom see peridot in the deeper, purer green color that is highly desired because of its scarcity.
Peridot is still abundantly available in small sizes, but larger gemstones are becoming scarce, thus good grade material in larger carat weights commands a premium.
When wearing peridot, you should be cautious. It is a soft gemstone that is readily scratched. Also, some stones, such as green sapphire or green tourmaline, might be mistaken for peridot and misrepresented.
- The mineral quartz
Quartz is the most varied of all the gem families, with more variation and gems among its members than any of the other three mineral families combined. The old adage "If in doubt, say quartz" still holds true in the gem industry.
Quartz minerals are, for the most part, low-cost jewels that come in a wide range of attractive color options in both transparent and non-transparent types (from translucent to opaque). They are fairly hard gemstones that, while not particularly bright in the clear kinds, make charming, economical bear claw necklace.
Although some of these gems have already been explored, we will present a list (following article) with a brief description of the majority of the quartz family members.
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