Engagement Rings

WHAT ARE GEMSTONES AND SEMI-PRECIOUS STONES?

There are over two hundred recognised gemstones. Most are minerals and are cut from naturally occurring crystals. To qualify as a gem, the specimen should be hard and tough to resist scratching and have beautiful clarity, colour or 'fire'. Value is based on rarity and rare quality.As mentioned, gems appear coloured due to some of the white light being absorbed within the minerals structure. Most gems are coloured by a limited number of metals present either as impurities, as in Allochromatic gems or as essential constituents of the atomic structure, as in Idiochromatic gems. The most common minerals affecting colour are; Chromium, Iron, Manganese, Titanium and Copper.