This Is What You Need to Know About Buying Gemstones

When a friend gets engaged, are you the most excited to see the ring? Are you considering buying gemstones for a business, for yourself, or for a loved one? Whatever your reason, you’ve come to the right place so keep reading to become a more informed buyer.

There is a lot to consider when buying a gemstone, and lots of gemstones to choose from. With this overview of buying gemstones, you should be on the right track to making a smarter purchase.

The Four C’s

When you’re looking to buy precious stones, there are several aspects to look at. Precious gems are generally judged by the four C’s, which you can use to help determine whether you want the stone and if the cost is right for that specific rock.

Carat

Contrary to popular belief, the gemstone weight is what determines the price, not the size. The carat, on a point system where one carat is 100 points, is determined through the density of the gem. The higher the density, the more carats and often the more expensive.

This means that a denser gem like a ruby may be smaller and cost more than a larger emerald because the emerald is not as dense. If you know this going in, you’ll be better equipped to make an informed purchase when buying gemstones. There are lots of helpful guides available for buying beautiful gems, like this tanzanite buying guide, which can help you make the right choice when you’re ready to make a precious gem purchase.

Cut

Gemstones are cut to show off as much light and brilliance as possible. The gem cut creates the refracting of light which makes them so unique. Don’t mix this term up with the shape, which is the general outline of the rock.

The flat facets on the sides around the gemstone refer to how it is cut and can make a difference in the quality. If the gem is not cut well, it will not refract as much light and or be worth as much. When determining how to buy gemstones, you’ll need to know the different kinds of cuts to look out for.

Clarity

Have you ever seen a piece of amber with a bug stuck inside? Gemstones of all kinds can have different particles and things found in them. A gemstone that isn’t perfectly clear will cost less.

Color

Color has a big impact on the price but also has a lot of variety. You may also find that a more expensive gem color isn’t what you want. When considering color, it’s broken down into saturation, hue, and tone.

You can think of it like this:

• Saturation: how bright the color is
• Tone: on a scale of black to white how light is it
• Hue: is it one of the six colors of the rainbow or more mixed, like a reddish-orange?

These different criteria will impact the price, and how the gem looks. If you’re buying for business, this is crucial to understand. If your buying for yourself, you may be more interested in your personal preference around color.

Ready to Start Buying Gemstones?

With all this in mind, you should be on your way to feeling more confident about buying gemstones. Of course, you want to make sure you do your research before diving into a purchase. Make sure you are buying from a reputable source, and that you get a good look at the gems before making the final decision.

Buying precious gems can be a great investment or a great gift. Whether it’s for you or someone else if you follow this guide the gem you choose is sure to be the right fit.

Did you find this quick guide helpful? If you feel more informed now, check out the rest of our blog for more great tips.