Everything You Need to Know Before Buying Gemstones
Rubies, emeralds, garnets, and so many more. While diamonds may be the most popular choice of gemstone, many other stunning stones can complement your most precious jewellery pieces.
So, with all these choices, how do you know what to look for when shopping for a gemstone? Here are our top four tips to help you get started on finding the perfect stone today.
1. Consider What Colour of Gemstone You’re Looking For
The colour of a gemstone can be broken into three categories: hue, tone, and saturation. The hue describes the dominant colour, as well as any additional visible colours. Tone corresponds to the lightness or darkness of the colour, ranging from very light to very dark.
Saturation describes the intensity of the hue. The lower the saturation, the more gray and brown hues may be seen in the stone. Likewise, the stronger the saturation, the more even the colour throughout.
While these classifications can help you decide which gemstone to look for, gems should be chosen based on your tastes. You may find that you prefer stones with a certain hue or saturation over another.
2. Decide What Cut You’re Looking for
Like diamonds, gemstones can be found in a variety of different cuts. Certain stones tend to have specific cuts that best highlight their innate features, but gemstones can be cut in a particular way to match your taste.
If you’re unsure what cut to look for, ask your jeweller for the best cut for the gem you have in mind. For example, a smooth, round cut best showcases opal’s qualities, while other gemstones benefit from larger facets to show off their colours.
3. Learn About Clarity Specific to the Gemstones You’re Looking At
With many stones, as with diamonds, the higher the clarity, the more beautiful. Clearer stones can move more light through them more easily, resulting in a shinier, shimmery stone. However, since some stones are darker and more opaque to begin with, inclusions may be less noticeable with certain stones.
Again, like cut and colour, this ultimately comes down to a personal preference for style and quality.
4. Ask Yourself About Your Preference for the Stone
This leads us to the most important piece of advice we can offer: be sure to choose a stone that meets your tastes. Gemstones tend to have high variability in personal preference so, while jewellery professionals are here to help guide you, the best gemstone you can choose is the one that you love.