Appearing millions of years ago in form of rock formations, buried as unknown treasures beneath the earth, gems are truly fascinating. Out of the nearly 2000 minerals discovered, about 100 of them have attained a place in the jewel kingdom. Of these 100, there are 16 gemstones that have a huge market in today’s jewelry market. Leading the list of course are diamonds, topaz, ornate, zircon, tourmaline, opal, jade, garnet, lazurite, feldspar, beryl, chyrsoberyl, spinel, corundum, quartz and olivine. With many myths surrounding them, some are known as ‘tears of heaven’ or ‘supernatural drops of blood’.

Gemstones were worn by men and women in ancient times. They attained spiritual significance in some cultures. Soon the gems became a part of birth and death. Birthstones are common the world over and have become important pieces of ornaments for all age groups. Depending on the gemstones one can decide on the way it has to be worn. With proper care these jewels can last a lifetime and also passed on as a legacy to future generations. Most important is the evaluation and pricing. The cut, color, treatment determine the quality and final pricing. Eventually it is the treatment that decides the value of the gemstone. For example, many jewelers try to coat the stone to get a higher price. You may get jasper dipped in petroleum product; oil coated emerald, or waxed turquoise. Dye is another treatment technique for gem jewelry. A rose quartz or Lapis can be dyed. Some gemstones have undergone the heat process. A ruby, topaz, amethyst, aquamarine, tanzanites are heated to get the best color finish. Gemstones like diamonds, emerald, blue topaz and aquamarine have to undergone irradiation to remove imperfections.

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Silver has come back into style these days, which makes economic sense, as it is much cheaper than gold, and can look just as beautiful. You can of course buy jewelry from reputable jewellers, and this would be the safest option. However, for sheer volume of choice, you cannot beat the internet. Here the whole world becomes the marketplace, and you can find the best deals without leaving your armchair. However, you will be parting with good money, and giving it to someone you do not know, so there is much more risk than if you buy from a physical shop: you can always go back there and complain, whereas with internet purchases you will probably only have an internet address.

The main cost of sterling silver jewelry will be in the making of the piece, especially if it is hand made. Here again, the internet wholesaler has an advantage over the local jewelry store. Just as you have a wide choice of sellers, so they have a wide range of manufacturers, who may be in a different country. There are lots of highly skilled silversmiths working in third world countries for much lower wages than a local craftsman would command, and this helps to drive the retail cost down even further.

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