Common and Uncommon Gemstones

Common and uncommon gemstones
by Nan Wood


Gemstones quite literally can take our breath away when we see them. Who hasn’t seen a beautiful diamond or sapphire ring and exclaimed over it? Is it only their beauty that makes them so valuable? Why else are they valuable to us?

Most gemstones are minerals that occur naturally in the earth. The most common is quartz, which is made of silicon and oxygen, two of the most common chemicals or substances on the planet. Even though most people don’t find such crystals unless specifically looking for it, it’s still relatively common in the gem world.

One quality that determines the value of a gem is how rare it is. A diamond, believe it or not, is actually a more common gemstone. However, the sales and distribution of diamonds are tightly controlled, which keeps the demand for diamonds of any characteristic in high value. Certainly perfect, flawless diamonds are truly rare, but diamonds themselves aren’t particularly rare.

Other gemstones are much rarer, such as sapphires and rubies, which are part of the beryl family of minerals. Rubies are rarer than sapphires and top quality colors in both are extremely rare.

A mineral called benitoite is found only in the San Benito valley in California, where only a few hundred carats of it are found each year. It is the state gem of California and is a hexagonal-shaped crystal. It can be cut and polished to produce sapphire-colored gemstone jewelry.

Some gems are even rarer than bentitoite. They’re so rare, that only three or four of them exist in the world. And the location where the gemstone was found can make a big difference as well. While peridot is a fairly common gem, there were actually several carats of peridot discovered in a meteorite, making that one of the rarest gems ever!

For research online on diamonds and gemstones visit
Diamonds

Gems are more popular than minerals

Why are most minerals not popular as gems?

There are millions of minerals that exist on the earth, but few of them are prized as gems and used for adornment. Many of them aren’t in colors that are usually highly prized for jewelry. Or they’re not able to be cut and polished to be made wearable as jewelry.

Often it’s a matter of changing taste and times. In Imperial Russia and in the Victorian era, the mineral malachite and other opaque minerals were highly valued as gemstones jewelry. It is often a by-product of copper mining, and is distinguished by a brilliant green color, with dark concentric circles of color swirling through it. It’s not as highly valued because it’s easily available and not as expensive as an emerald or ruby. But there is an entire room devoted to malachite in the Russian museum, the Hermitage, as testament to its desirability among the most privileged class of people.

There have been discoveries that indicate that malachite was mined in Egypt as early as 4,000 B.C. It’s a soft gem, and easily carved and shaped. It polishes to a beautiful, rich sheen. But still is not highly prized in the U.S. as a gemstone.

Very often some minerals simply shouldn’t be used as gemstones, but because of their beauty, people wear them as such anyway. A moonstone is one such gem. It’s relatively soft, with a rating of 6 on Moh’s scale of mineral hardness, compared to a diamond’s hardness rating of 10. It’s a type of mineral called orthoclase, but when it exhibits a translucent, milky quality, it’s then called moonstone.

Other minerals exist, but are simply not prized for gemstones. Among the more common minerals, quartz stands out as one that can be used for jewelry, as well as decorative items.


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GoldJewelry

Gold - what is the history of gold?

Gold – What is the History of Gold and its Use for Jewelry?
By Nan Wood

Egyptian hieroglyphics as early as 2600 BC describe gold as ‘common as dust’. Egypt and Nubia has sufficient gold to make them the major gold area for much of history. The Old Testament mentions gold more than once. The Black Sea was famous for its gold. In Lydia approximately 640 BC gold was used for coins.

Gold Ornaments created by Native Americans in Peru and Columbia, as well as, other countries, fueled the exploration of the Americas. The explorers came seeking this material to bring it home to the rulers of Europe.

In historic times, gold was easy to obtain. Since 1910 over seventy-five percent of all gold reserves have been extracted. Many of us are familiar with the California gold rush of 1910. Large deposits of gold were also discovered in Australia, Colorado, the Black Hills, and, of course, the famous Klondike gold rushes.

Since the 1880s, South Africa has mined a large portion of the gold supply of the entire world. The South African supply has declined since 2004 since it is becoming harder to extract the gold and the economic conditions in the country are affecting the gold industry.

In modern times, we have rewarded medals and decorations for great achievements such as the Gold Medal for the Olympic Games and the Nobel Prize. Gold will always be known for it’s beauty and symbolism.

Nan is an Accountant, Real Estate Professional and Business Writer. She has an information site for research of
GoldJewerly

Business Gifts

Business Gift Ideas
by Nan Wood

Most people that work in a corporate environment or own their own business need to send gifts of appreciation or friendship from time to time. Whether it is for your boss, another associate, or a customer that has made a large purchase, finding the right gift for the occasion can be difficult. Here are some tips on business gift ideas.

There are plenty of great gifts available for business associates or acquaintances. When choosing a gift, think about the person and what their interests might be. For instance, if you would like to give your boss a gift for his or her birthday or holiday such as Christmas, you might want to choose a gift that is fun and which he or she might enjoy. Great gifts usually include books, DVD’s, tickets to an event or something that they can use such as an organizer, pen or even a gift certificate.

If you are an executive, there are many web sites, where you can find great executive gifts for others from items that will fit well in an office environment or items that many people may find useful while traveling. Just like other types of gift giving, if you put lots of thought into the gift, you will usually make a great choice.

For research online visit
Gifts