Gemstones have always been alluring and part of every culture throughout the ages, with diamonds, rubies, emeralds and sapphires being the 4 major gemstones. There are many more gemstones that come under the ‘semi-precious’ category.
Here are a few common gemstone questions answered.
- What are the differences between precious and semi-precious stones?
The precious stones are diamonds, rubies, emeralds and sapphires, and they are generally more valuable than semi-precious stones, such as amber, tanzanite, amethyst and aquamarine. The precious stones are graded using the 4C system, colour, clarity, cut and carat.
- Do gemstones possess healing qualities?
This is a difficult question to answer, for thousands of years people have believed that certain gemstones can help you in certain ways – to shield you against evil spirits, protect you when travelling, and to help you maintain good health; if you look at the placebo effect, the belief that you will recover from an illness is often all it takes to actually get better. There may not be hard scientific evidence that gemstones possess special powers, but there are a lot of things that point to this and just because there is no evidence, it doesn’t mean it is not so.
- How do you know if a gemstone is right for you?
We would advise you to follow your inner feeling; if you are attracted to emeralds or rubies, then that is a good basis for making a choice of what gems to wear. When you look at the price of GIA certified tanzanite stones, you see that having a piece of jewellery hand-made is affordable, whether it be a ring, bracelet or necklace. Choose your favourite stones and the design, which is created by a skilled jewellery maker and is something to treasure your whole life.
- How do you design your own engagement ring?
It is quite easy to hook up with a leading custom jeweller and contrary to popular belief, it is no more expensive to have a piece of jewellery custom made. Start with an informal Zoom call, when you and the jeweller can exchange ideas. Using 3D imaging, the artist can create your ideal diamond engagement ring, made to your specifications by a craftsman.
- Are gemstones a good investment?
The short answer is yes. If you were to buy a good quality diamond, complete with GIA certificate, it is likely to appreciate in value and while no investment is cast iron, good quality gemstones have a history of value increase. Most top gemstones are found in high quality jewellery pieces, which considerably boosts the value of the item. Many investors include precious stones and metals in their portfolio.
Gemstones have always been popular and always will and there are so many, we really are spoiled for choice. If you have always had a fondness for amethyst or amber, why not select the best stones and have a piece made for you by a skilled custom jeweller? You will experience a special feeling when you have your favourite gemstones in contact with your body, plus you will look fantastic!