Now, this guide is for those whom don't have a Lab in their home. Semi & Precious Gemstones and Minerals: What is the difference? Nothing. A gemstone is a mineral that has been classified as being 'pretty'. There are some cases where minerals fetch more than gemstones. Eye of the beholder stuff. A Diamond can be a semi and precious gemstone and a mineral at the same time. An opal can be both semi and precious gemstone, but is rarely perceived an industrial grade mineral, yet is a mineral in its own right as are all gemstones. Neither title really dictates value/worth. However, scarcity (compared to another type) and perceived 'prettiness' determines value/worth of any gemstone/mineral. How can you tell if you have a fake gemstone? Most times you won't know for sure without the aid of equipment. However, as a general rule of thumb (applicable to Australia) most jewellery hallmarked with 18K (750) gold or more normally has genuine set gemstones whilst 9K (375) gold has set lab synthetic stones. Stones found in silver jewellery are normally semi gemstone or mineral grade (not precious). Most times (excluding 'Diamond' look-a-likes) the stones found in silver jewellery are 'real' just that they are normally very poor/low grade. Fake or lab synthetic gemstones normally look too good to be real/true (as the saying goes). How can you identify what type of gemstone you have in jewellery? By analyzing using tests (kits can be bought from a jewellery supplier such as "Australian Jewellery Suppliers" or "House of Jewellery" in Australia): Typical non destructive tests include - Specific gravity. - Refractive Index. - UV Test (flourescent) - Chelsea filter. If in a hurry and on the cheap; you can narrow down possibilities what type of gemstone it is by observing: - colour classification and pleochroic test - streak test (destructive test). - Moh's hardness test (destructive test). Use a magnifying glass loupe and check for any heat treatment or enhancements on surface too. Inclusions within the stone is a good tell tale sign that it could be genuine (further tests required to confirm of course). You can scratch softer stones and surfaces to test for Moh hardness. Jewellery Supplier Shops in Australia (some chains require trade proof). Most ship/post Australia wide: Australian Jewellers Supplies Pty Ltd (Most States) <==They have most things, but it will cost you! House of Jewellery (Sydney, NSW and Brisbane, QLD) <==My fav for jewellery supplies! GemCuts (Ballina, NSW and Yowah, QLD) <==My fav for machines and consumables! Shell Lap Supplies (Mile End, SA) <==They have come a long way. Good shop. Gemworld (Virgina, QLD) <==Good for small things! Jewellery and Gemstone Industry Organisations and Special Interest Groups: Jewellers Association of Australia (JAA) <==Jewellery related Gemmological Association of Australia (GAA) <==Gemstone related The Gold and Silversmiths Guild of Australia <==Goldsmith/Silversmith related Australian Hallmark (stamps/marks) Registry Hallmarks on the internet Online Encyclopedia of Silver Marks, Hallmarks and Maker's Marks National Council of Jewellery Valuers <==Find an appraiser near you! Jewellery Fairs and Events in Australia <==Meet an expert near you! Gem and Jewellery Institute of Australasia Mineral Database <==That is where I like to haunt when not stalking SS. For Sales and Classifieds too. More Hallmark/Stamp Identifying links Handy PAID Software/Appz to help identify gemstones and minerals: Iphone Minerals & Gemstones Android Minerals & Gemstones <==Tried/Good but basic PC/Windows Gemology Tools <==Tried/Good and advanced The two carrot tops: Carat = Unit of Weight used for weighing semi and precious gemstones. One Carat equals 1/5th gram. Karat = Purity (percentage) of Precious Metals, such as, 9Kt gold. How much can you ask for set stones in jewellery? Short answer = $5 bucks. Long answer = not much. Unless you have certification to prove the stone is genuine (specifically Corundums such as Rubies, Emeralds, Sapphires and Diamonds). The market value of gemstones is not the retail price. The market value is what people are willing to spend. Now, as a rule of thumb, you should always approach Corundum stones as being lab synthetics. This does not mean lab synthetics are worthless, just that they are not 'naturally found'. Therefore, it would be unwise to assume you can ask for top dollar as no exploration and mining was involved. Just because a stone is facetted and set in jewellery does not stipulate the stone being a geniune Diamond or Ruby. Plenty of hobbyiest facet Glass, Quartz, Spinel, Beryl, Citrine, Zirconia and Tourmaline, all of which can be heat and chemically treated to look like popular precious gemstones. THIS THREAD IS STILL BEING UPDATED AFTER I HAVE A BREAK, CUPPA, SLEEP, FART AND WHAT HAVE YOU MORE WILL BE ADDED WITHIN 24 HOURS .
Cool post and new section , one other qucik way to tell a possible diamond is if you look very close or with magnification at the facet junctions (where the flat poliched areas on a faceted gemstone meet) . Any rings that have bee worn for any length of time will have slightly rounded areas where the facets meet ,where diamonds stay sharp and clean forever unless they get chipped, it still could be a lab created or enhanced diamond but a good guess that it is a diamond.
Red Spinel, Beryl (includes Aquamarine and Emerald) and Tourmaline are quite valuable gemstones in their own right and definitely not in the same category as Glass, Quartz, Citrine & Zirconia. Beryl is a generic term that includes Aquamarine (bright seafoam blue stone) and Emerald (colour speaks for itself). Tourmaline comes in a myriad of colours and is generally valued at $100 or more per carat cut with some colours (like Pariaba and genuine Chrome Green) selling for far more. Definitely not a cheap gemstone to be sneezed at. Glass and Zirconia are not Gemstones but man made. Many people have no idea of the difference between Zirconia (man made) and Zircon (a natural gemstone in its own right). I'm not having a go at your point WF. Just adding a few notes in case the reader uninitiated in Germstones, tries to lump Glass, Quartz, Spinel, Beryl, Citrine, Zirconia and Toumaline into the same category of cheap.
:/ $100 per ct is cheap for cut and facetted. @Everyone If any of you personally know of any decent FREE software related to gemstones or minerals (regardless of platform/operating system) please share. This will help others. All I know of are PAID software (which most can not justify). .
Absolutely. I was being a little conservative in order to fend off any suggestions from others that I might have inflated the current prices. Then again, a stone is only worth as much as some-one is willing to pay. Afterall, gemstones have little utilitarian value (except for Zircon, Saphire and Diamond due to their relative hardness) other than their beauty.
Updated a little more: Jewellery and Gemstone Industry Organisations and Special Interest Groups List of helpful links.
I'm a shocking photographer.......... but this little stone was cut quite well. Now I need to work out how best to set it into a nice jewellery finding. Tourmaline. 6 ct cut stone from a 20 ct piece of rough. 11 mm standard brilliant. I think its a nice shade of green. Not sure if it's worth $600 plus as it is, but mounted in the correct piece of jewellery, I think it will easily fetch more.
Hi silverstar. Yes. Only finished it a few days ago actually. Photo is poor and doesn't show the facet meets at all though
Still it look like a very nice cut ! Faceting is very tedious work I hope you are haveing fun with it. I would love to see more of your stones.
Sorry WF. Didn't mean to hijack your thread. Looks like your idea of a jewellry thread is popular though. Much overlap between gems, jewellery and stacking I think.
Still it look like a very nice cut ! Faceting is very tedious work I hope you are haveing fun with it. I would love to see more of your stones.
I saw a beautifuly facetted TV screen, (not the whole thing, just bits of it) apparently the leaded glass is a popular choice. I asked the guy about it and he said he only did it for fun, everything else he sends off to Thailand where they facet it for next to nothing. I find the whole subject facinating, particularly the filling of cracks and heat treating and all that. I heard that the artificial diamonds could be made for about the same price as running a hairdryer for three days. Funny you don't hear more about them, last I heard they were making yellow diamonds but the prices were still high and the market isn't flooded with them. Other than that I know nothing about them and Gem college was very expensive!
something beginners to faceting sometimes play with. But gemstones are a different thing. All stones have a range of angles that maximise their brilliance when cut, the angles varying between stones. re: Thailand where they facet it for next to nothing. One pays for what one gets. Thailand faceting is cheap but the moment one looks at these cut stones throug a Loupe, its VERY easy to see the shody cutting ie facets over cut, not meeting etc re: the filling of cracks and heat treating and all that. Yes, filling of cracks with glass is notorious with ruby's. Again, it can be tested for and the real collectors of stones pay much higher premium for untreated stones than treated stones. Some times of stones can be treated and its known generally in the industry, which gems are prone to treatment and how to recognise them. In saying that, the "cheats" are getting more cunning all the time. Which is why I especially like to cut Tourmaline. Its enormously hard to simulate different colours on different axis as is the case with Tourmaline. No need to go to Gem college. Educating oneself about gemstones is as easy as learning to facet, then self educating. At the most basic level, go into any and every jeweller you can (as a discrete tyre kicker) and try to identify various stones and simulants with the natural eye.
