Introduction
There are always several options available when it comes to choosing your jewelry, and it becomes more challenging when you have to choose the right gemstone for your jewelry. Choosing the right gemstone for your jewelry starts with understanding color, clarity, and carat.
There are several gemstones available naturally, and some of them are prepared in Laboratories.
Some of them could be the rarest of the rare, while others could be easily available.
I must tell you that each gemstone has its own importance, which may have some astrological connections as well as add charm to your jewelry piece.
Most of the time, we fail to understand which gemstone could be perfect for the jewelry set due to a lack of knowledge about them.
Most of the time, we fail to understand which gemstone could be perfect for the jewelry set due to a lack of knowledge about them. And we end up choosing the wrong one for ourselves.
In this blog, we will be discussing some of the important aspects that you must consider while selecting gemstones for yourself.
Considerations When Choosing a Gemstone
There are so many gemstones available on the market, and that’s the only reason why it becomes difficult to choose the right one for yourself. Whether it is a ring bracelet necklace or any other piece of jewelry, it becomes really important to understand which one is perfect for what.
There would be so much confusion while choosing the perfect one for you because of the variety of options available. Well, we will help you out with this, as we have mentioned a few of the aspects that you must look into when selecting a gemstone.
Pay attention to the color
Be sure of what color you want on your jewelry piece, whether it should be a vibrant, bright color or you are looking for something different. The color symbolizes jewelry, as it is believed that Blue gemstones stand for peace and serenity while red stands for passion and power.
In the same way, there are different shades of purple gemstones, and even the color of a gemstone can be changed by using proper cutting and polishing techniques. Make sure that you ask your jeweler.
Shape and Weight
When it comes to choosing the shape and cutting, this becomes quite personal, as each jewelry piece has emotions attached to it.
Round, oval, marquise, cushion, and pear are all popular shapes that are frequently bought. Apart from this, there are several other shapes also available, such as heart or trillion-cut gemstones.
When it comes to the cut of the gemstone, this is one of the most important factors, as it is only responsible for its Shine because light reflects through these cuts. A poorly cut gemstone will lose its shine and become lifeless within a very short time.
Weight of the Gemstone
When it comes to choosing a gemstone, size, and weight play a very important role, but this doesn’t mean that you need to go out of your budget to get a larger gemstone.
Larger gemstones are more expensive than smaller ones, so choose your gemstone wisely. To save money, choose a gemstone with lower carat weight. For example, gemstones like emeralds and sapphires are typically sold by their unit weight.
Durability
The gemstones that have poor cutting do not last for a longer duration. You need to be clear in your mind about whether you want to use these gemstones for regular use or on specific occasions.
Gemstones like diamond, ruby, and garnet are perfect for everyday use due to their toughness. While some of the gemstones are fragile enough to be used regularly and need extra care and protection.
Gemstone certification
Before buying any gemstone, you must be aware of the standards that are set by the GIA (Gemological Institute of America), and you need to collect proper certificates for your gemstone so that you can be assured that whatever you purchase is of the best quality.
What are the Types of Gemstones?
Gemstones are always signs of heredity as they pass on from one generation to another due to the immense beauty that they carry. For centuries, gemstones have dazzled people with their beauty and Charmed the world.
There are different varieties of gemstones in the world, and each is different from the other. They are differentiated into different categories, which we will be discussing below:
Precious Gemstones
There are three gemstones that fall into the precious gemstone category due to their toughness and beauty. These are sapphires, rubies, and emeralds.
Semi-Precious Gemstones
These gemstones’ values depend on their color, size, weight, quality, and rarity. These are Amethyst, Aquamarine, Citrine, Garnet, Onyx, Opal, Peridot, Tanzanite, and Topaz.
Organic Gemstones
These gemstones are easily available in nature and are even prepared in Labs. These are pearls, amber, and corals.
In all these categories, all three have different properties from one another. Some of them can be used in the everyday routine, while others are so fragile that they require extra care and can be worn on special occasions, maybe in the form of a necklace, bracelet, or crown.
Gemstone Cuts and Settings
There are endless styles and combinations of gemstone cutting, and it varies from one gemstone to another. Some styles, like princess cut, round cut, and emerald cut, gained popularity due to the immense beauty they gave.
Down below, we will be discussing some of the popular cuts and how they affect the durability of the gemstone.
Princess Cut
This is the second most popular cut after the round brilliant cut. This cut is square with round corners, which utilizes more of the gemstone than a round brilliant cut. It resembles almost the cushion cut but is sharper than it.
Round Brilliant Cut
It is one of the most popular cuts due to the reflection it gives to the Diamond after coming into the proper shape. This is widely used with diamonds, as it adds sparks to them.
That is the reason it is more desirable among people than any other cut. This is due to the mathematical precision applied while cutting it.
Cushion Cut
This is mostly referred to as an old European cut, as it is one of the most classic and vintage, which gives a very precise and Classic look to the gemstone. It is square with beveled corners.
This gives an overall rectangular look to the gemstone, and it was in fashion before faceting machines were invented. That’s the reason it gives less reflection than today’s modern cuts.
Now coming to the most important part, which is the setting of the gemstone. This is the part where gemstones are attached to the metal casting and it is finally molded into pieces of jewelry. There are numerous methods by which gemstones are set inside the hold. Down below, we will be discussing a few of them.
Prong Setting
This is the easiest and least expensive way of setting the gemstone. It has 3, 4, and 6 evenly spaced prongs in which the gemstone is equally set and made to hold it tightly. Most commonly, round, emerald cut, princess cut, oval, marquise cut, pear-shaped and trilliant cuts are used in this setting.
Bezel Setting
This is one of the oldest and most popular techniques for setting the stone. A bezel is a thin metal strip with a round head that holds down the stone tightly. It requires balance from all angles. It protects the gemstone edges, which have been cut precisely, as well as holds the set from the side and protects the set from getting scratched.
Channel Setting
In this setting, the gemstones are placed among themselves between a track of metal strips. It gives a maximum floating appearance to the gemstones and gives a maximum amount of light to the jewelry. The channel protects the gemstones as they are embedded inside the metal, so the edges are not exposed.
Final Thoughts
There are several factors that you can consider while having your gemstone, and check its quality on the given standards.
Take your time while you are shopping for your gemstone and make sure that it fits all the checkboxes that you have in mind regarding the personalized jewelry for which you are selecting your gemstone.
Check for the cuttings, settings, toughness, and durability of your stone. These technicalities and quality of the gemstone can be something you should keep on your priority list while choosing it for your jewelry. The metal quality of your jewelry also determines its durability.